Week Two with the Hailey Girl

This adorable little girl is pulling an interesting third child card so far. She's pretty opinionated, likes to be held and snuggled, almost refuses to sleep in her own bed, and kicks off her second week by going to the hospital. Although I do love most of these little characteristics of her 2 week old personality, the hospital stay could have been better by not existing. We live through crazy moments only to appreciate the truly good ones, right? 

We took Hailey to the ER at 4 am Thursday morning because she was running a fever. 100.4 to be exact....so....barely a fever. I was really worried about her on Wednesday night because she was ultra lethargic (hard to tell in a newborn since they always sleep forever). She wouldn't wake up to eat and even when she did eat, it was just barely. I didn't sleep all that night and kept taking her temperature. I called the 24 hour nurse who advised us to take her in, so in we took her. I knew we would have to when I took her temperature because newborns aren't supposed to get fevers.

Since Claire, Jared, and anyone who has visited our house in the last two weeks have gotten sick, I thought they'd just tell us that it was probably the same virus and send us home. I remind you that I had no sleep and was VERY tired and already a little paranoid. We then found out that she would get a little IV, blood work, and a "lumbar puncture". When we first got to the hospital they said that she may not have to get the lumbar puncture since she was right on the edge of a fever. If they kept taking her temp and it didn't go up at all, they may not do that. The doctor decided otherwise. I'll be honest, because she HAD to get a spinal tap, I immediately started sobbing and didn't really get over the whole trauma of it until it was over. It really was pretty horrible to watch my poor, new little girl in so much pain. So sad! 

After all the fluids were taken, we were then admitted to the hospital to keep her on antibiotics for 2 days until all of our cultures came back. The early results of everything looked good, so we were hopeful that it was just a virus (which her blood work was sort of indicating). We are very happy to not have meningitis or encephalitis, but grateful for early precautions that are taken just in case. 

The next two days were LOOOOONNNNNGGGGG. The antibiotics turned her diapers into hot lava that burned her so badly that we've gone through a worlds supply of diapers and desitin, not to mention a whole day without diapers and pooping into towels just trying to spare her cheeks a little pain. The worst diarrhea I've ever seen. I'd just hold her while she cried, sing to her, and sob myself into her tiny little cheeks. 

I was so grateful on Thursday night when she decided to wake up and start looking and acting normally. Before her eyes were glazed over and her arms were like limp noodles, so to see her alert made my heart a little happy and relieved. 

By Friday she was acting normally and much more alert when she was awake that I was hopeful to go home at the 36 hour mark instead of staying until Saturday for the cultures to run the full 48 hours. Our nurse, Andrea, was amazing and 100% on our side of getting discharged. Nothing was growing yet in the cultures so we were all thinking we'd be ok to go home. She pushed for it all day and we did end up going home Friday night, thank goodness! Hospital chairs are the worst in the nation and my postpartum rump was aching for a squishy chair!

She had to be held constantly while in the hospital of course, not to mention the sleeping. We were both so exhausted after the whole ordeal that we've been sleeping every spare minute since. 

Thank you for the prayers and calls! We are doing well and so happy to be home. I'm convinced that having children is wonderful and terrifying. I'm so incredibly grateful that she's ok and that it turned out to really be nothing. 

Happy two weeks old, Hailey! Let's not get sick again!!!!

Hailey's First Week

This little girl has adjusted very well at home. She is the sweetest little person and the siblings LOVE her! Huge relief. Claire was so violently opposed to having Jared take attention away from her that I was nervous this time around as well. However, Claire loves it when her eyes are opened and she loves to hold her and help get her things. Jared likes to hold her and give her kisses when I ask him to. Other than that, Claire is finally better from being sick, but is still pretty whiney. Jared is having a little mommy withdrawals and needs LOTS of snuggles and tickles to reaffirm his place as the mommy's little boy. 

At her 5 day appointment she weighed 7 lbs 6.5 oz...up from the 7 lbs 3 oz when we left the hospital, so we're glad about that. I was super worried about her bilirubin levels, but doctor said she looked great. She didn't sleep very well in the hospital at all, but since we got home it's hard to wake her up. She's had a couple of nights where we have a late night date, just her and me. Last night I passed out on the closet floor while she looked around. She is a pretty great eater and lets me know very quickly when she's hungry or dirty. She is SUPER hard to burp, much to my dismay. I hate burping. She still loves to snuggle and will calm down when she hears my voice. What can I say, I love to be so loved. :) She's a sweetheart and we love her quite a lot.  

Here are some pictures from the week. Jared has learned to love the camera and will say "CHEEESE" the second the camera is pulled out. He wants to smile a big cheeser and look at himself right after. 

 Hailey was looking pretty jaundiced, so she got to have a sunbath in our room the other day.

 Cutest newborn pajamas ever

We love having Grandma visiting and helping us out with everything! 

Hailey turned a week old yesterday and we celebrated by getting out of the house. The kids NEEDED some good outside play time. They haven't been sleeping very well or very long, so we needed to get some of that energy out! It was a beautiful day and the sun did wonders for their sleeping. 

Even though I sat almost the entire time, I was totally wiped out after and have had some pretty horrible back pain this time around. It's very strange to complain mostly about your back after a baby, but I think I pushed so hard that I must have strained it pretty badly. After t almost 3 days on a heating pad, I'm feeling a little better.  :) It was nice to get out of the house.  

And today. I think she is so incredibly beautiful and the epitome of perfection. So sweet and cute!  

Love little baby ears. :) 

She's a natural poser. 

Bored? Nothing that sidewalk chalk can't take care of. She colored every inch inside that little triangle. We now have blue sidewalk chalk dust footprints all over our hallway. :) 

Jared doesn't need chalk I guess. He was more content with smiling and collecting rocks. 

Hailey's First Pictures

I almost felt incredibly guilty for not purchasing the pictures from the hospital photographer, but when she told me I had to pay $130 for 8 pictures, I didn't feel that badly anymore. Hailey has a mommy attatchment problem and will cry if she's not being held. It doesn't matter if she's fed and completely happy, the second I put her down it's waterworks and screaming. Seriously girl, I love you too, but my goodness. The photographer kept trying to calm her down, taking all this time to pat her on the back, and I kept trying to tell her just to start shooting, but she wouldn't. It was so much work for the shots that she did get, but I didn't think they were anything to "write home about". Not saying that I felt like I am better than a professional, but under the circumstances, I felt like I could take better ones at home...when she's happy. 

So, today, after over an hour of trying to lay her down, I finally accomplished it. She stayed sleeping....out of my arms. Although I was covered in spit up all over my shirt and in my bra, I seized the moment and took pictures even though I should have cleaned myself up first. I'm gross, oh well. Welcome to parenthood, I say. 

And....here's baby Hailey in all her glory. She couldn't be more adorable!

Here are some more pictures from the hospital. This is as close Claire has been to Hailey since she was born. Right before we found out she had a fever and threw up on the way home from seeing us. She still is not better and is still throwing up, but we're happy that her fever is gone. 

FAMILY OF FIVE!!!!!!  

It was really hard to get good pictures because of the terrible lighting in our room mixed with little Miss Opinionated, but we did end up getting a few. 

This one cracks me up. I think she sat indian style inside of me because of the way she holds her legs and feet. Brian was concerned that she had club foot, but they're totally normal when they're straight. I think it looks like she's running away or doing a dance move....

Sporting the owl hat I made for her because she was such a "night owl" inside of me. Since she has been born she has very much lived up to this assumption and I feel like I'm passing out most of the day because of it. 

She HATED the car seat.