One day home and his Billiruben (Jaundice) numbers went up too high. He began to turn yellow-ish and I just knew when we tested him two days after birth he'd have Jaundice.
Until then, we fed him (A LOT!), took naps (ok so he and Dad took naps. I just watched him sleep and checked to make sure he was breathing every 5 seconds or so).
Once we got him tested, sure enough his levels were high enough to warrant the "Little Blue Box". My sister-in-law, Kari, had this box a number of times with her kids so it didn't freak me out too bad. I just hate putting him in it.
He seemed fine. He rocked the little eyeglasses and would calm right down as soon as we put him in it. We surrounded him with receiving blankets (a tip from my Visiting Teachers), gave him his first "Nookie" (pacifier) and watched as he baked in there like his own personal tanning bed.
He seemed to do ok in there, however it was his mom who wasn't ok. I had to call my sister-in-law more than once to have her tell me I wasn't a bad mother and this in fact was common. I cried every time I had to put him back in.
Luckily, after a few days of his personal tanning bed, he was given the go-ahead to come out and join the living. Just in time to celebrate his first holiday ever- Halloween. We of course didn't do anything to celebrate but we (and when I say we I mean me) did dress him up (as much as my husband would let me) in this cute little pirate onsie from Jenny Lee.
After celebrating his first holiday, I decided it was time to get out in the sunshine and go on our first walk. We are lucky enough to live by a great park and right close to the pond and ducks. I was so worried he'd be cold for the fall weather, so I dressed him up in his warmest fleece (camo of course) outfit and we set out.
It wasn't until about after an hour into our walk that I realized how hot it was and felt bad for wrapping him up to warm. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. He enjoyed the walk- though I think he was just humoring me as I know he was hot. Oh well. I'm guessing this is what parenting is all about. That's sure nice of him to agree to be my guinea pig. I'll get all the kinks out just when I stop having kids.
Next on our list of firsts was going to visit Great Grandma Dess. It had been two weeks since I'd been there to stay with her and I knew she'd be anxious to see the baby (and me without my belly!) She just couldn't get enough of him. She kept commenting on how small he was and yet how big he'd made my belly. She told him that once or twice she thought she was going to have to deliver him right there in her house and how thankful she was that she didn't have to.
He listened intently to her voice and even folded his arms which she took to mean that he was being very reverent and he was a very good boy. This was a moment I have waited my whole life for; for my kids to meet the incredible woman that helped raise me and at 92 she is just as young as she ever was!
After Grandma's Kurt hit another milestone when his umbilical cord fell off. We took advantage of that and decided to give him his first bath. Here are some before shots:
So calm and comfy on Mama's shoulder.
And here are the after shots:
Notice there are no shots of the actual bath. That's because I felt like a HORRIBLE mother when he just screamed bloody murder. I barely had time to wash him down with a rag before I had to pull him to me because I just couldn't take it any more.
Such a sad and tormented face. I'm hoping that it had more to do with the fact that he hates being naked than the bath itself. We'll get the hang of it soon.
So, for his first few weeks on earth, he's doing very well. We love him more than we ever could have imagined and are so excited for this journey we're all on together. We're so lucky that he chose us as his mom and dad and hope that he'll never regret that decision.
Love, Me (and Chase and Kurt)
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