"I got a feeling...(woo hoo)...

That tonight's going to be a good night, that tonights going to be a good good night!"

Can I just describe to you how much better and BETTER each night gets?  I know I'm probably in the "dream like period" of her babyhood. I am still haunted by that first Monday, but despite all of that, we are really sooooo lucky!  She sleeps in long stretches and actually I have to sometimes wake her up (Dr.'s orders) to feed her in the night! 

Showing a little love for the "West Side of WA"

She loves her morning time in bed with us--sometimes we love to just sit and watch her that we don't start the day as early as we should...oh well, she's only this little once!

Sleepy Morning Time

How many patterns can you find in this picture?  I count 4!

Manicure Anyone?

So in addition to this little bundle having long fingers and toes...she was born with sharp little claws too!  So we were having a filing session while she was sleeping.

I think this will have to be a ritual we do often!  She didn't even flinch at all!  Here's momma working the nail file.

It's all about being PC...Precious Cargo

Can I just tell you how much we adore our little one?  So much that we break out into song just saying simple things to her on a daily basis.  We just look at each other multiple times a day and say to each other with our eyes or in words--just how lucky we feel to have this little on in our possession to take care of. God has placed this little bundle of love in our midst and trusts that we can care for her needs and help her to be strong and righteous.

We often do our secret handshake and comment on how we had the right "mix" too create such a darling kiddo.  Paul always comments that he hopes Claudia has all of my "nice personality traits"  He comments on her expressions being "just like her mom."  and it brings joy to my heart.

She loves to snuggle.  In the morning after a feeding and a little play time, she loves to nestle next to her daddy on the bed, or she will lay on his chest and quickly climb up to his neck and cuddle in.  She is already mesmorized by Paul's goatee and loves to put her feet firmly against his hands.

I am so thankful for an incredible spouse who cares so deeply for our child--and pays attention to the little details that make some of the most amazing memories.

Needless to say the Precious Cargo entrusted to us has changed us forever.  We are in love with our sweet little girl.  She has brought us closer as a couple to each other and closer to the Lord.  We are thankful for the joy this little PC  brings into our lives.

Stretching

Stretching More...

Relaxing with arms folded for a prayer

Trying out the cradle

Momma actually does get dressed! 
I think this is one of the few pics of my dressed as a normal human holding my baby girl.

Pink Nike Onesie
Paul is convinced those super long fingers will bring us more riches than piano playing.
He's hoping for a "baller"

I guess we were tuckered out.

Save your Drama for your Mamma

Maxing and relaxing on Daddy's chest

We had a dificult Labor Day.  We had been pretty pleased with our progress as parents on Saturday and Sunday evening.  CC was sleeping and eating regularly and I was being a hover-er over her to make sure she was breathing, etc. throughout the night.  We had the post partum appointment on Labor Day and we got ready to go (I started getting ready at like 7:30 and the appointment was at 10:30).

The nurse took two new parents and shook us up.  She told us that CC was extremely jaundiced and we needed to get blood work immediately, start supplementing with the syringe and tube at the breast and perhaps we'd be admitted to the hospital later that day for her to be under the billi lights. 

We were panicked.  Not because of the jaundice, but becaue of all the other things she told us to do that were contrary to ALL we had learned, experienced, and observed that were "healthy" behaviors and routines for babies.

Needless to say--Monday night was absolutely the most incredibly difficult night.  I was crying, hysterical, and yes partially due to hormones but mostly due to the fact that we'd thrown out all our instincts, intuition, and decided to follow the advise of this woman we met for 25 minutes briefly.

Without going into too much detail, some deep relaxing techniques, prayer, and resting helped us to see the light that perhaps the woman who tried to steer to educated, intelligent people away from what they knew to be helpful was not correct.  We survived the night barely, but were more than ready to see the pediatrican on Tuesday."

We had the appointment where they did an additional billirubin test on Tuesday at the Ped's office.  He didn't seem to be as concerned and dramatic as the lady at the post partum clinic was and instructed us on some basics that we already knew but had allowed that lady to steer us away from temporarily. 

You might say that Dr. Nick the pediatrican helped us to see the light.  He stressed the importance of momma and baby getting rest and that if momma isn't taking care of herself, she can't take care of baby either.  He told us to forgo the supplemental feedings at the breast, no more marathon feedings, rest rest rest in addition to many more helpful hints. 

He wanted to see CC on Friday of that week to follow up with her second PKU test and check her Jaundice.  He was convinced that she was behaving as a typical newborn would.  He also gave me reassurance as a first time mom, that just because things weren't happening as the "textbook" says they "should" doesn't mean that there is necessarily anything wrong.

Little CC in her swing for the first time...
Boy she looks tiny in that HUGE swing!

He noticed right away that she was acting a little fussy.  She hadn't been fussy prior to the "Labor Day Event" because we'd been incorporating what we'd read, heard in our classes, and instintively knew we were to be doing.  I realized that my drama and anxiety was probably feeding into her fussiness as a direct result she was reacting to my reactions!  What an eye opening concept! 

We had the appointment on Friday where he reassured us yet again that her Jaundice looked even better that day and that we should continue as we'd been and he'd see us in another week.  She has been happy as a clam since then!

Kiki aka "The Guardian" of her little sister.
She won't let Claudia be more than one person away from her.
She is the ultimate protective bib sister!

Visitors Galore...

In addition to our family, here are a few of the folks that came to visit Claudia in her first few days of life. 

Sarah Platterborze and Emily Nedry came to visit us and brought "Canty CC" her own "canteloup"

Jessica Lutthans, my dear and longest friend I've had since I moved to Washington.

Matt Lutthans, Jessica's hubby and my former "boss" and dear friend

Our neighbor, Chevy came to deliver CC a cake on her 6 day old birthday

"Have fun with baby CC 6 days old"

We realized we had other people come and visit, but our camera-ing did not follow.  It was fun to catch up with Michelle Goodwin from our ward, my good friend Becky Palomera came to chat for a bit, and my friend Missi Peterson came and brought her son Tommy who is a mere two weeks older than CC.  It was amazing to see how 2 weeks difference in age shows up in their size difference.  CC and Tommy were an ounce different at birth and Tommy was a little bit longer than Claudia was.  He is at least a couple pounds heavier than Claudia now.

We are grateful for all the love and support we've been shown by our friends and family alike!

BHYC Day

Bring Home Your Canty Day

Here we are with our Claudia and Canteloup!

Saturday morning Sept 3, the new morning nurse came in first thing and said, "Well, you ready to go home?"  I said very quickly and assertively, "YES!"  We had been in there since Wednesday afternoon and honestly, I was ready to be at home in my red recliner relaxing with my little girl and hubby. ( All throughout labor I was requesting the red recliner be brought to the hospital because I was certain it would much more comfortable than the bed, rocking chair, and birthing ball I'd been limited too due to my "high risk" blood pressure issue that disappeared when I was admitted).

We quickly saw the Pediatrician, the on-call OB/GYN stopped by and we had the lab people to do the PKU test.  Then it was hurry up and wait.  We had the nurse come by again and go over discharge with us and our concerns and questions.  They wanted us to go to the Post Partum Clinic on Monday for CC since her billirubin blood test showed that she was jaundiced.

Paul's mom and dad came by early that morning to visit us before we were going home.  Then we had a relaxing morning with the visitors. 

Our friend Shannon Depew came just in time to help us photograph the dressing in the "take home outfit" (I stressed about picking this outfit out for several weeks prior to our birth) as well as helping us get packed up.  It was great to have an extra pair of hands while we were gathering all our goods.

Our dear friend Shannon Depew and Little Claudia ready to go home!

Here we are putting on the take home outfit and getting her ready in her car seat.  That is tricky...they are soo tiny and the straps and car seat is soo big and bulky!  We thought we had her all snuggly hooked in and the nurse came in and said, not tight enough!  Yikes!  The learning curve continues to astound me!

Getting her dressed in her adorable outfit and Jordan Hat

As we were about to leave the nurses said that my lunch tray had been delivered and asked if we wanted to eat before we left.  We did--Paul and I shared the pot roast and other items.

When we drove home Paul said there must be a governor on the gas pedal because the car just wouldn't go even a little bit over the speed limit (as if Claudia hadn't been traveling in the car with us the previous 9 months) so he was extra caustious.  I teased him until I drove her by myself and had the same overwhelming dramatic cautiousness come over me.

Aunt Holly was at home preparing the house for our arrival.  With foods, clean laundry, and an inviting atmosphere we were excited to arrive at home--safely--