Newborn Comparison Pictures

 I have never been really good at looking at my own children and determining who they look like.

I always just think that they look like themselves.

 I decided to look threw the girls' baby pictures again and see who looks like who.

My kids all have my hands and feet. These are totally my toes.

I wish I had a good picture of Avery's feet to share. Her's were much more dry than Eli's.

 I've noticed that the more overdue my kids are the drier their skin is.

And here's Lexi, Avery and then Eli in their car seat ready to head home from the hospital. 

Notice that my kids keep getting bigger.

 And here's the kids (Lexi, Avery and then Eli) awake, laying in their Boppy pillow.

I've decided that my kids have some similar features but each have their own look.

Also looking through all these pictures has made me realize that Eli is so much bigger than my girls!

He has his 2 week check-up tomorrow, so we'll find out just how big he is.

2 Weeks Old

Our little man is two weeks old today.

It's been a crazy two weeks.

Here are just a few of the hundreds of pictures I've taken of this adorable little guy...

Pictures from the Hospital and Coming Home

 Alright here are a few more pictures from the hospital...

Here's a rare picture with Eli's eyes open.

And guess what, I think he's gonna have blue eyes like Sean and Lexi.

We got so many compliments on this BYU shirt.

We never put him in the generic hospital shirt that newborns usually wear.

We decided to dress him in his own clothes.

And I loved it!

And here he is all red faced after nursing.

And now some pictures of Sean and his son.

It's always special to see Sean and our children together in the hospital.

He instantly just adores them and I love watching him with them.

And some pictures of me and Eli.

I just loved being with him in the hospital.

Sean left us one night and it was nice just being me and my little man.

Oh, one thing I wanted to share with the women readers out there - the power of black tea!

My nipples were really tender and sore at first (I know TMI for some people) anyway, I put black tea bags on them for 20 minutes at a time several times while I was in the hospital and it helped out tons.
(FYI, you first put the tea bags in water and let them soak.
Then you cool them and put them on a nursing pad and then on your breast.)

Sean later informed me that that's why they used to toughen up leather. So I guess, it makes sense.

The girls never came to visit Eli in the hospital.

I was really disappointed. 

I wanted to get family pictures there and just had all these ideas in my head 

of what it would be like when they came to meet their brother.

But Michelle's family all got sick the day I went into labor with some sort of stomach bug.

And since my girls were staying with them I didn't want to risk Eli getting sick.

We got home and then Michelle's brought the girls home.

They each had a rose for me.

And Eli had "big sister presents" for them.

It was so fun to see them with Eli.

They both were so excited to hold him.

Avery was actually the most excited.

She just kept kissing him and pointing out all his little features.

I had three kids!

Our first family picture with all FIVE of us!

We're a family of FIVE! 

Avery really was the most excited.

(Lexi was excited too but busy with her present.)

She just couldn't get enough of her brother which was adorable but

not so great when she started throwing up less than three hours after we got home!

So our first night home was STRESSFUL!!!

I instantly quarantined Eli and me in my bedroom.

Avery couldn't keep ANYTHING down that first night.

She just kept throwing up and then begging us for a drink.

Sean couldn't even leave Avery with me to go to the store.

I just felt like bawling and asking, "Why us?"

Eventually Sean went and bought Avery some 7up, Vitamin C for himself, 

hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes and face masks. 

It was very hard for the girls not being able to see me or Eli. 

I felt so guilty not being their with them and for not comforting Avery while she was sick.

Sean really missed Eli and just wanted to hold him.

So needless to say coming home wasn't so great.

But I'm happy to report that Avery is better and 

Sean and I haven't gotten sick so hopefully we'll all just be healthy.

Because even though we're all healthy things are still stressful around here.

I'm not sure how we will survive until my mom comes on the 1st.

Pictures from Eli's Birthday

 Alright, here's pictures from our first day in the hospital, Eli's Birthday.

Here I am after getting admitted and getting my IV and epidural.

I was brave and so glad to have that over with!

 And here's Sean just waiting. 

He's used to that by now after the two marathon labors we had with the girls.

This pictures is from kind of a wierd angle but here I am holding Eli for the first time.

This gives you a good sense of what babies' coloring is like when they're born.

And here's me with Eli after he was all check out and cleaned up.

 

Proud parents.

Here's me with Teresa my AMAZING midwife.

I want her to delivery my next baby.

And with me in this next picture is Tammy on the left, she's a student nurse and 

then Claudia on the right, my fantastic nurse.

I was glad to have them both there.

And here's Sean, happy as can be with his new son.

And here I am with Eli up in our room.

All I wanted to do was hold him and kiss him and just look at him.

And, of course, I wanted to take some pictures of him on his birthday...

 

And here's his wrinkly old man foot.

Reminds me of Avery's dry little feet when she was born.