Finley // Week 1

Finley, we came home from the hospital on Friday July 24th. We were discharged to come home around noon but it took us forever to get out of there and really didn't make it home until almost 4. You let your Daddy put you in your car seat and you barely fussed if anything.. we even did two outfit changes because the first coming home outfit I had for you was too big and it didn't work with the way we had to strap you in the seat. You did so good on the ride home too! Even when we stopped to eat.. This Mommy was starving because I thought we were going to get out of there sooner than we did and all I could think about was Chic fil a .. we even sat in the parking lot and ate and you didn't make a peep. 

Here are some of my favorite Bella Baby pictures ...

I have already taken so many pictures like this of you and your Daddy. Seriously, melt my heart. 

One piece of advice that I got was for us to keep you in the nursery one night for us to rest before we came home.. the last night we were there I did so. We were exhausted and could hardly function properly. Friday morning one of the nurses that came in didn't even bother us because we were sleeping so sound. I was so thankful for that! They did bring you to me when it was time to nurse and then they would come get you when you were finished.

 HEALTH: 

We LOVE your pediatrician!! 

Dr. Setia is absolutely amazing! Family told us when he checked you in the nursery for the first time he turned around and gave our family two thumbs up when he finished because you were perfect. 

You were 8.4 when you were born and lost down to 7.9 when we left the hospital. Your bilirubin was 8.7 so Dr Setia ordered lab work for you on Sunday July 26th. Monday, we had your first checkup and no pictures for this because you screamed your head off the whole entire time because it was nursing time. You lost down to 7.8, your bilirubin was 13, so we were ordered to bring you in once a week for weight checkup and another lab work appt for bilirubin the next day. We got that report back that it was 11.5 and didn't need any further lab work. 

Your Daddy came home Wednesday when it was time for your weight check and he ended up taking you by himself because he ordered me to bed for some sleep. He said y'all had some Daddy/daughter time and you did so good!

Getting ready to make our way home in your second outfit. Ha!

Mommy even missed a button.. can't believe how you have already changed so much from when this picture was taken.

I really hate how blurry this picture is.. totally my fault because I didn't check it after the nurse took it. Oh well... Daddy was more than ready to get home. I wish you could have seen him packing up all of our stuff.

You had tons of visitors at the hospital and your first week at home:

My Mom (she's not sure what her grandmother name will be yet)

Mama Jane & Pop

Gamma and Pa

Aunt Tracie

Aunt Tammy, Gigi, Knox, and Ty

Kolton & Michelle

Christine, Judy, and Emily

La La, Ben, Claire, & Sass

Mimi & Big Pop

Stephany

Krista, Ella, & Trey

Bre

Karen

Whitney, Daniel, Brynn, & Briggs

Robbie, Deneen, & Reuban

Pastor Arlene (Nonnie)

Jennifer and Georgia

Megan

Kyle and Janet 

Jud, Stephanie, Conyer, & Addison

Jaime, Mackenzie, & Haylee

Jennifer D

Shannon, Amy, & Grayson

Wendy, Jaycee, Brooks, Barbara, & Ansley

We sat outside for the first time on the swing with my Mom.. it didn't last long tho because my feet were so swollen and it was very uncomfortable for them to not be propped up and they just kept swelling the longer we sat out there.

You got your first sponge bath too at home and you completely enjoyed it! Never cried once and I love your little chubby cheeks.. oh my goodness I could just kiss them all day long.

Daddy and Mama Jane do NOT like your headbands.. I'm constantly putting them back on you. 

SLEEP:

You sleep very good and the 3 Amigas barking and carrying on doesn't even bother you one bit. I KNOW you had to hear them before you entered this world and I just knew your first words were going to be HUSH KYLI!! We can even vacuum around you and you don't even stir. You must get this sleep habit from your Daddy which I am so glad!

You love your Mamaroo too although we don't always turn it on and you have another seat that Whitney brought over for you. You have laid in your bassinet a couple times but I am so nervous about you being in it on your back especially with you spitting up. 

You really only fuss when you get hungry,  have a dirty diaper, or need to burp.

Oh my goodness, you smile ALL the time!! I absolutely love it that you are such a happy baby!

I have gone picture crazy and I'm already behind on emailing all of them to your email. I want to capture all of your funny faces you make but I seriously have to sit on ready and I realized I had my phone in my hand way too much.. so I've put it down more and I'm just soaking up all the moments.

EATING:

The first week nursing was one of the most hardest things I've ever done. I talked to a LN 3 times before I left the hospital, and as much as they all said your latch was fine, I really don't believe it was. It has been extremeley painful for me and after doing the ugly, snot flying, can't catch my breath cry, Aunt Tammy helped me with the pump. It was still painful but not as painful as nursing. I loved seeing how much milk you were getting and you can see just how much I'm enjoying it and how relieved I am. It was one of the happiest moments this week. 

 3 AMIGAS:

They were a huge welcoming party for you when we got home! They were so curious but were super gentle with you and really just wanted to sniff.

It was time for you to nurse when we got home and your Daddy made them sit at the door and in the foyer.. they were NOT allowed to come in the nursery. I was kind of worried about Kyli with you but she has been SO good! She kisses you on the back of the head sometimes and doesn't try to over step. The 3 Amigas are all very sweet to you! When you cry really hard, Sox will whimper and go to the nursery but when you stop she will go back to her spot in the living room and lay back down.

WHAT FINLEY IS UP TO:

You sure did enjoy your Daddy when he came home on Wednesday from Atlanta! He was coaching his players in the PG World Series and made it all the way to the championship.. they came in second though. He wanted to bring you home the ring so bad.

You turned a week old this day when Daddy came home. After he got back from the Dr I'm pretty sure all you did was snuggle with him.

You pretty much have just slept, ate, and given us lots of dirty diapers to change and repeat.

I'm not trying to jinx anything but you truly are a happy, content baby and I pray you continue to be super happy. 

After you eat, you fall into dreamland and just smile and coo. I wish I knew what you were dreaming about.

POSTPARTUM: The first week home we had tons of help and I needed it because Coach couldn't be here.  I slept most of the time when Finley slept but it was really hard for me because I didn't want to miss anything.. I mean ANYTHING. The first week for me FLEW by and was over before I knew it.  It takes a lot for me to put you down or pass you over to anybody and I want you back in my arms in a timely manner. One of my friends named this #newmomprobs I wonder if my level of this feeling is normal?? I certainly think I've had a touch of the baby blues.. I read PPD symptoms and it said women have thoughts of harming their babies.. I have DEFINITELY had none of those feelings, I've just been extremely weepy and have cried more in one week than I have ever cried in my whole life. I'm sure sleep deprivation had to do with some of this too. Nothing and I mean nothing can prepare you for just how little sleep you will be getting and the level of exhaustion you will meet.. but somehow your body just keeps functioning. Although I feel like I don't remember a whole lot and that's a bummer too. Don't get me wrong though.. it is ALL WORTH IT!! I wouldn't change it for anything. The night sweats are something fierce. I woke up a couple times and thought I'd slept walk to the shower with all my clothes on.. so gross. Mom told me I vacuumed one time, although I have absolutely no recollection of this.. Probably shouldn't have been doing that. The swelling in my feet was absolutely ridiculous and I tried to keep them propped up as much as I could. The doctor advised me to sit as much as possible and I got really got uncomfortable ( and made me cry even more) because on top of have 12 stitches and dealing with all that mess, I'm pretty sure that sitting a lot bruised my tail bone. I may or may not have used the Boppy as a doughnut.. I promised I washed it too. Ice packs are for real your best friend in the first week. I was H-O-R-R-I-F-I-E-D to use the bathroom for the first time.. I'm pretty sure it was worse than giving birth and I just tried to take it super easy. I'm certain I have a slight hemorrhoid as well. Fun times. After using our huge fluffy washcloths and that being pretty rough to use, I stole a couple of Finley's Circa washcloths that had rolled up after I washed them. So. Much. Better. They are thinner and super soft and did the trick for bathing. When we went for the first lab work appt, we had you in your car seat, and a nurse turns around and looks at me and says "oh are you here to have your baby?" I just stared at her and then turned around and looked at Shane who was holding Finley. She then tried to recover herself with "oh I work in the NICU and just thought you were here to have your baby early".. Uuum OK.
THOUGHTS:
For someone who said they would never have kids I am so thankful and feel so blessed that God gave us Finley. The love that you feel and the joy that we have from her being here is absolutely overwhelming and something I cannot put into words. People have always told me you just never know until you experience it for yourself and that is the absolute truth. We are both soaking up all these precious moments and enjoying every second of this new journey in our lives. I love seeing Shane and Finley together and her being a Daddy's girl. It's the sweetest thing to watch, those two together.. be still my heart.  I have gotten a little sad at times at how fast time is already going by so fast and how much she has changed in just one week (two weeks as I type this technically).. I'm just going to blame the sadness on the baby blues because I still get very emotional at times.  Our precious Finley, Mommy and Daddy love you so much! We are enjoying and soaking up every little second with you. You have brought us so much happiness and joy and love already!