The Growing Caldwell Family

Today we had a large spitting up incident and decided the best way to recover was to give baby girl a bath.  Her umbilical cord hasn't quite come off, so we gave her more of a spit bath like we learned about in our baby care class.  Aaron was paparazzi and got some good shots.  I think she mostly enjoyed the experience.  She smells so good now! 

Since I have been home I have missed being pregnant.  I love having her in my arms, but I miss that feeling of having her inside me.  I liked my big belly and feeling her squirm and kick in there.  For the first few days after she was born I felt like I could still feel her moving inside.  There are some good things about not being big pregnant anymore like sleeping on my back again and being able to easily get out of bed without feeling like a turtle on its back.  Plus, now I can kiss on those sweet cheeks!

I have been meaning to get this posted and am finally getting around to it.  When Sarah Graves was born Aaron had a gift for the two of us.  It's a heart shaped locket with her initials on it.  He said that I can wear it with her picture inside until she is old enough to wear it herself.  What a sweet thing!

I have noticed a trend and I am sure that every parent of an infant has figured this out too, whenever I am about to move the dirty diaper away to put the clean one on, she decides to go.  It's like something about exposing her bottom signals her to feel the urge to go!  This morning it was rather lovely when it was poop that came squirting out!  Good thing we got the washable paint for the nursery walls!

I have been very fortunate to be so well taken care of after Sarah Graves' birth.  Both my Mom and my mother in law have been such a help.  My Mom of course was there for me during the birth and after.  After we came home from the hospital she brought me some really comfy things to wear to lounge in at home.  I didn't know what my body might be like or what might be comfortable for nursing, but she picked out some things that have been really helpful.  Then, my mother in law came on Friday and once we came home from the hospital she would take Sarah Graves during the night after I nursed her and let me go back to bed.  Those first couple of nights home were not easy and I know she didn't get much sleep herself.  I am so grateful to have had the chance to rest a bit and still be up to feed the baby.  She also helped around the house and and made us her special chocolate pie.  What a treat!  She had to go back to Shreveport yesterday and...

Yesterday we went for our first visit with the pediatrician, Dr. Fleming.  It was a momentous event as this was the first time we had gotten out of the house since coming home.  The appointment went well.  She checked Sarah Graves out and said that she appeared to be doing well.  When we left the hospital she weighed 7 pounds 14 ounces and at our appointment she had gained an ounce back.  Dr. Fleming would like to see her get back to her birth weight soon, so we are trying to make sure that she nurses well.  This is no easy task as Sarah Graves has started falling asleep very quickly after nursing just a few minutes now that there is milk.  Dr. Fleming told us to rub her feet like they have bubble gum stuck on them to get her to wake up.  She's pretty stubborn and sometimes even this won't really get her going! 

Here is one last belly shot to mark the end of the pregnancy.