Week 1 at home

Well, better late than never on this! I WILL get caught up if it kills me!! Our first week home with Ruby was a great one. Her being born on a Saturday worked well since Steven had planned to take a week off when she came-we basically got the entire week at our house rather than being in the hospital in the middle of it. He was able to entertain the big kids while Ruby and I bonded and rested that whole first week! We arrived home on Monday, July 11. My mom had taken over being with the big kids at home until we got there (midday). 

Here we are getting home-as the picture well represents, it was right before nap time and Annie was wiped out from family being there and being out of her routine. She needed me very much, and of course I had to feed Ruby immediately when we arrived, but after just a few days Annie got back into the swing of regular life and I have been so pleased with her adjusting to being a big sis! You can also see Henry is thrilled to see his baby!

My mom got in some snuggles before heading back home in the afternoon.

We showed Ruby her room and put her in her bed...Henry was excited to give her "Bunky" which is the monkey that belonged to Steven as a kid, then was passed down to us and our kiddos.

Snuggle time with TWO daughters!

I love this picture. She looks so different than us-I feel like she is an angry foreign baby who's asking us why she's been kidnapped!

Beautiful bouquet delivered from Steven's work. We also got one from the Busches in MS.

On Tuesday, July 12, we went on a little in town trip to cow appreciation day at Chick-fil-a! Steven stayed in the car with Ruby while the kids and I went in to order our FREE  meals to go. They were thrilled to get dressed like cows and mooed all the way to the restaurant! As you can see in the pic, Annie had just seen a cow mascot walk by, so she was clinging to me for dear life! She had been all smiles before that!

She got LOTS of being held time that first week! The kids were constantly begging!

Here she had been a bit fussy, so I tried several things, then decided to just set her in the rocker. I gave her the paci and she clung to it for dear life and immediately conked out! At that pt I thought she might be a paci girl, but it is a love hate relationship, and right now (at 12 wks) paci's are a no go.

Steven took the big kids to the Space and Rocket Center on Thursday. Ruby and I got lots of snuggle time and nap time in throughout the week because Daddy did a great  job keeping everyone entertained.

Annie loves seeing the paci and wants Ruby to have it all the time...it's probably a good thing that she has not really ended up liking it,  or else sister would always be trying to jam it in her mouth!

Steven took Henry golfing for the first time. They had lots of fun, and the girls and I got to go on a walk, make rice krispie treats, and I got to give Annie lots of time swinging outside!

Annie was a big helper pushing the stroller on our walk.

On Friday, July 15th we went out  as a family of 5! We went to an independence day celebration thing for our financial group at the Lumberyard downtown. It was HOT but fun! Ruby got lots of attention, of course! She was tiny. I never would have taken the other 2 out like that-summer baby and 3rd baby makes a difference!

She stayed in her carrier the whole time until the end when we got her out for a photo booth picture! She wore little alien looking headband. Annie was NOT too sure about it all, but Henry ate it up as you can see. We let him pick whatever he wanted, and he went with a boa, butterfly headband, sunglasses, and lips. Hilarious!! Blackmail for when he gets older??

These 2 are so proud of their new sister.

Sweet feeding times at home

I caught a first smile on camera one afternoon!

She looks happy!

Something else that Steven did while off was clear a path to the creek in the backyard. He'd been wanting to do it ever since we moved in, so he finally go the opportunity. He worked on it during several nap times, then impressed the kids by showing them. They love it!

Our small group is currently just us and the Wayes...so on Wednesday, our normal meeting night, they came over and we had some hang out time. They love newborns and are always so sweet to embrace ours.

Ruby took a nap in her bed all swaddled up one morning while everyone was out. She looked so tiny in it!

I love these sweet expressions!

The neighbors sweetly brought over a gift for Ruby and included something for the big kids, too!

Capturing that hair!! Funny-it is like a reverse highlight. You can see the blonde underneath, but it is so dark on the ends!

On Sunday, when Ruby was just 8 days old, the Busches came to spend the day with us! We were thrilled to see them and excited to introduce Ruby to such a special family in our lives. They came around lunch and we grilled and swam, played in the yard, and the actually went with them to the Athens Kiddie Carnival as they drove out of town back to MS! Crazy exhausting, but lots of fun!!

We have been blessed to have wonderful neighbors-both at our old neighborhood and at this new one. The Broomes also brought by a gift for Ruby and included something for the big kids. Then Mandy offered to bring by dinner. She is the best and we are so blessed by them!!

When you are born in July and live in the South, your first bath can be on the back porch!! We figured it was warmer than in the house, so her first several baths were actually outside. She was calm and happy during them, too. Chill girl!

And just so I can keep some sort of record, here are a few notes about Ruby's first week:

Monday: Home. Slept all day except a long stretch in afternoon wide awake. Facetimed Bushes and Gpa. Good sleep except long stretch 2.5-3 hrs awake in middle of night and eventually held in crook of my arm to sleep. Nice weather for July-89 and breeze.
Tuesday: Cord fell off!  Oily hair! Chick-fil-A, eating and pooping well! Bathed on porch, Broomes dinner and gift, Slept 5 hr stretch (9-2)
Wednesday: Woke very early, so Steven took her for an early morning stroller ride, 9:30 appt with Dr. Dudley (left hospitat 7.7 and was back up to 7.9 and a half-looking great!), big sleeper today from 1-night wo much awake time, trail walk, Wayes visit, slept from 9-1, then woke again 3 & 5.
Thursday: Photographed  kids out front for announcement, Space Center for big kids, napped in bouncy& crib, took drive to get takeout, slept all day, lots of snuggles and funny faces, fed at 11, 3, 6
Friday: Big awake morning (7:30-10:30) and very content, boys golf, girls stroller ride/outside time, eating every 3 hrs, dinner/party at lumberyard, ate at 9, 1, 3, 5:30
Saturday: One week old, sleepy day, Busches visit-content whole time, Ms. Robin held baby girl a lot! Kiddie Carnival