Baby John- The First 10 Days

We are loving having our sweet John John at home with us! I thought I would post some pictures from our first week and a half with him, backing up to Day 2 in the hospital.

Wearing a sweet gown Sissy gave him.

John apparently took this on his phone the morning after the baby was born. He sent it to me when he was out of town the other day. We had had a long night and 

I was wo out!

The day after he was born, John John got me meet his Lydick cousins and Uncle Craig, who we asked to be his Godfather.  Both sets of grandparents came for a visit as well as big sister Sal {Curran was at school}.

Grandview provided us with a "candlelight" dinner, complete with  champagne glasses to take home. It wasn't delicious, but it's the thought that counts. :)

Speaking of Grandview, this is a new hospital, and my doctor's practice moved here right after my initial OB visit. I was bummed about leaving the hospital where my girls were born, but I love my doctor and would pretty much follow him anywhere. My expectations were probably a little on the low side, so we were very pleasantly surprised! We knew the facilities would be nice {hello- brand spanking new and clean!}, but the nurses were also wonderful and the staff was so polite and accommodating! A handful of people came by our room just to make sure we had everything we needed, and I just felt like they went above and beyond to make sure we were happy. And one perk was that the dads got a food tray with every meal, which is so nice. Better than John having to run out to get food somewhere else at every meal. And the food was good! My only complaint was that the nursery was understaffed, so on the first night my nurse kind of made me feel like I couldn't send him. {On the second nurse my nurse was completely awesome and took him for me in between feedings.}

On Saturday we sat around waiting to be discharged. It was a nice, quiet morning.

Ready to go!

John wore a gown and bonnet that Aunt Mary made for Joseph and that Wilkes wore home from the hospital, so that was really special. 

John and I unknowingly packed the same things we wore home from the hospital with both girls. Pretty sure John hasn't worn that pink shirt since we brought SC home, but I had a feeling he would pack it if he still had it. {Same with me and that black dress- haven't worn it since we brought SC home.}

Sallie wouldn't get in the picture because she was wanting to hold him right away and was mad we wanted a picture first.

Two sisters excited to have their baby home!

Nana and Pop kept the girls for us while we were in the hospital and got on the road shortly after we got home.

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This girl right here has been a huge help! She is always willing to hold the baby, and she's at an age where she can be trusted without me standing right over her.

Sallie has been awesome too. She loves to help change his diaper and wants to give him hugs and kisses all day long. Whereas Curran can and will hold him for as long as I let her, Sal has a definite time limit, but she's great with him too. I can't leave her unattended for more than a minute and with very strict instructions, but it has been great to have some extra hands.

The vast majority of last week looked like this. He slept constantly and I held him constantly. It was lovely.  He has had a lot more awake time in the last two days though. 

John had to go out of town all day the Tuesday after he was born, so my parents came back in town for two nights to help me out. I'm glad I didn't handle it by myself like I originally planned on! They were a big help. This was my dad's first time to hold John John.

More sleeping pics. :)

On Friday, our cousin Cindy came in town to meet the little guy. She took the girls to a movie on Saturday, so they got to have some special time too.

First bottle! With my girls I waited exactly one month to introduce a bottle, but John was already using a pacifier, so I figured we would go ahead and try the bottle. He did great!

John has been such a huge help! He is always a very helpful and involved husband and father, but he really stepped it up last week. He did everything for the girls- fixed their breakfast, got them ready for school, attempted their hair :), took them to school, speech, gymnastics, etc. He got up with me for every feeding and diaper change {which we were both super intimated by- it definitely took both of us to handle this fella!}, and waited on me hand and foot. We are back to reality this week, but the honeymoon was nice while it lasted. :) I'm so thankful for him!

Baby John made his first trip to Old Baker Farm! {I let him sit this picture out. :) } We also skipped the hay ride out to the actual pumpkin patch but enjoyed being out on the farm with everyone.

As I said on instagram, SC threw a royal fit for some lemonade and refused to pose for our family pic. And you'll have to take my word for it that John John was in the picture. :)

We took him to church for the first time on Sunday and he did great! Then we went to lunch afterwards and he slept through that as well. He seems pretty content in the car seat as long as I time it right. 

Curran and I gave him one sponge bath last week, and then his cord stump fell off at the end of the week, so John and I gave him his first real bath Sunday night. He was not a fan. He did like the hair washing, but that was really the only time he quit screaming.

I caught this sleepy smile early last week, but on Friday he actually smiled for real at Sallie and me! Twice! And then he smiled at my cousin Morgan on Saturday. And on Sunday he gave me three good smiles while I was talking to him. They are so sweet and I can't wait for them to become more frequent! The girls did not smile super early- I think Curran was around 3 weeks and SC was some time after that.

We are just overjoyed to have this sweet blessing at home with us! John and I both agreed that so far it doesn't feel that different to have a boy.  We've accidentally called him she or her a few times. :) But he has added so much love and joy to our family! I'm trying to not be sad thinking about him growing and changing because it's such a blessing, but oh I just love this teeny tiny newborn stage. Even the lack of sleep is not all that bad. John said to me a few days ago, "I've never seen you so happy." I'm not sure if it's the perspective from the journey we went through to have him, what all our family went through in the year and a half before his arrival, or what, but I am just so very thankful for all of our many blessings. The Lord has been good to us!