So I've been meaning to write another post to this blog since, well, I posted the first pictures of Ethan. Being a mom to a newborn takes up the fast majority of my industrious hours, I have discovered.

I planned to write about the hospital stay, but I don't feel like writing about that right now. It'll come at some point, though, I promise.

Jon, Ethan, and I got home from the hospital and were welcomed by our 10 lb guard dog, Scruffy. He's been extremely curious of Ethan, and isn't sure what to make of the little noise machine that has taken over his spot on Mom's lap (and most of her attention as well). But, he's getting better--the dog, that is--and seems to be doing ok. He does like sniffing through Ethan's dirty laundry, but then again, he likes everyone's dirties. Ew.

Being a mom is the absolute hardest thing I've ever endured. I had no idea how much a baby cries, how often he soils a diaper, and how much time and attention he demands. I have been exhausted, emotional, enthralled--all in just a few minutes' time span.

Jon has been, and continues to be, my rock. He's so laid back compared to me, and he is so good at reassuring me that what our baby is going through is normal. I have obsessed over every topic online (feeding, crying, burping, etc.) and become upset when what Ethan is doing isn't exactly what one or another website said. Jon said something very true to me this evening. No matter how many websites I look at and how much I analyze Ethan compared to other babies and other situations, we have to treat him as our situation. We aren't every other family, so not every other piece of advice is going to be identical to what we're going through. How true that is. I couldn't ask for a better husband, and I'm so thankful we're together in this whole thing. He's the love of my life.


Ethan's first doctor's appointment was on Saturday, March 7. Everything went well. He weighed 7 lbs exactly...so he lost about 10 ounces from the hospital--completely normal, and nothing we had to worry about until he dropped to 6.14. I had to take him back again on Monday for his 2-week checkup. He's in about the 45th to 50th percentile for everything, which is good. He weighed 7 lbs 14 ounces, so he's put on almost a pound since his last checkup!

This checkup was also the one at which Ethan had to get his Hepatitis B and some blood draw (PKU maybe?). Nothing could have prepared me for the emotions that go through a mom at an appointment like this. When the nurse jabbed his little tiny thigh with that needle, I watched his face go from being fussy to absolute terror and unimaginable pain...and it made my heart break. It was all I could do to not break down in tears as I held him in my arm, trying to console him. I want to cry right now just recalling that day. As if that wasn't traumatizing enough for him, the next nurse came in and stabbed his heel with a razor and drew the blood for the other test. What a horrible thing to have to do for a living.

Onto other things...Ethan is already getting a decent sleep pattern going, which is wonderful for Mom and her emotions! He sleeps for about 3-4 hours at a time, sometimes not even wanting to wake to eat. This is allowing me to get some well-needed sleep...which I need to get right about now.

So, until the next time I write, I bid adieu. :-)