OurLittleFamily: Adjustments and Updates!

We have been a family of four for nearly four weeks now, and I would say these past four weeks have been a sweet time, but a time full of adjustments for all of us! After Hailey's birth Matt and I spent two days with her in the hospital as I recovered and we got to know our newest little girl. Savannah came to visit us right after Hailey was born and then again the next day. We had little gifts for the girls to exchange that were "from" each other (each girl got a new doll and a new outfit), and Savannah thought that was neat. Savannah had a rough time in the hospital. She was nervous to be in an unfamiliar place and also was nervous about why I was in the hospital. The second day I made a point to be dressed and be up and moving around so I didn't look so scary to her just lying in a hospital bed, but she was still feeling unsure. She also was exhibiting a lot of fear over her new sister, not wanting to be near her or anyone who was holding her. I was a bit disappointed by this, as I was envisioning such a sweet family time together, and I think my postpartum hormones were certainly messing with my emotions, too! It was also hard when Savannah didn't want to hug me and was acting like she preferred my mom. I felt like she was punishing me for bringing her sister into this world! At one point Hailey began going potty mid-diaper change and spitting up and Matt and I were both working to clean her up, and Savannah completely lost it and began sobbing (Nana scooped her right up to comfort her.) So in light of all of this, she didn't spend much time visiting in the hospital (my mom took her back to her house.) The report I got was that Savannah was completely fine while at my mom's house. She enjoyed playing in the backyard, getting attention from her uncles, and having her first ever Happy Meal!

We may all look super happy here, but our sweet little miss Savannah was having a rough day!!

On Thursday Hailey and I were discharged and we were able to go home. I was ready to be back home and also ready to have my Savannah girl back! We were greeted by a big bouquet of balloons from my mom and Savannah, which was so sweet! Once we got in the house, Savannah began acting fearful and upset again and was clinging to Nana and not wanting to be around Matt or I, or especially Hailey. Over the next several days the four of us spent time together resting, recovering, and working to get Savannah more comfortable with her sister. At one point Savannah began referring to Hailey as a "mouse-y." I think that she was expecting a smiling, cooing, chubby, crawling little baby and she was not too impressed with the scrawny six-pounder that we brought home!

Nervously checking out baby sister.

We're all home together!

Teeny tiny little girl in her car seat!

The following Monday, Matt had to go back to work, but my mom came over Monday-Thursday to help me out. These four days were so fun! It was so special for us four girls to have these four days together. My mom's help was invaluable as I continued to recover! She grocery shopped, prepared all of my meals, held the baby each day for awhile so I could nap, and most importantly, entertained and played with Savannah, who was in need of some extra attention! Throughout this week I began to feel much better physically and emotionally as my hormones began to settle down, but Savannah continued to have a difficult time getting used to her sister. Friday was my first day alone with both of the girls, and I was nervous, as Savannah had truly been a handful. However, that day was the turning point for us. I think maybe because things were back to normal and it was just Mom at home for the first time, but Savannah finally began to act more like her sweet self and open up to her little sister. Over the course of that weekend, Matt and I were so thrilled to see her accepting Hailey more and more, and we looked at each other and said, "Our girl is back! Thank God!"

Since then Savannah continues to be much less fearful of her sister and is starting to enjoy her more and more. I still don't have any pictures of the two of them together as there is still some hesitancy/fear lingering, but hopefully that day comes soon. Hailey is a fairly easygoing baby. She nurses very well and eats every 2-3 hours during the day and every 3 hours through the night. She is sleeping well now in the co-sleeper that is attached to my side of the bed, but she is a noisy little girl when she sleeps! She grunts nearly constantly, which makes sleeping in between feedings a little difficult for her dad and I! During the day she naps in the swing, her pack and play downstairs, or in my arms, depending on what Savannah and I are doing. She is growing very well and weighed in at 8 pounds 8 ounces at her two week check-up (up one and a half pounds from her birth weight!). I can't remember her length right now, but it was around the 75th percentile. She is long and thin. She can no longer wear any of the newborn sleepers that have feet because of her length, but her slim build and narrow shoulders cause the 0-3 month sleepers to hang off of her. Right now we are doing a mixture of newborn and 0-3 month clothes. She really is a sweet little baby and I already cannot imagine our family without her!!