Priceful Memories: Five Days in the Hospital with Aiden

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Five Days in the Hospital with Aiden

I know it's been awhile since my last post, breastfeeding takes a lot more time than I remember. Plus, I've been napping when Kels does and spending time with Kels when Aiden is asleep. Oh the juggling act begins! Slowly but surely, I'll post all the pics I've got. Even Greece.

Five days is the standard time for women to stay in the hospital here for a normal birth - longer for C-sections and complications. They like to wait until the mother's milk comes in and both mother and baby are well. For me, this was a nice chance for me to get to know my baby, have some alone time, and enjoy the food. I had some great conversations with the nurses and got to see a few visitors. This was all thanks to my mom and Tally who watched Kelsey. I think Kelsey got to go to the lake beach almost every day. My mom made friends with some of our Swiss neighbors that are always at the beach and now we are best buds. Funny enough, they don't speak very much English and my mom doesn't speak any German.

Leaving to go to the hospital on Friday, July 17th at 10pm

The Birth

I have lots more pictures of the actual birth (never knew my mom was such a shutterbug - like mother like daughter) but none that I'm sharing on the blog

Tal holding Aiden for the first time, moments after his birth

Aiden with mom & dad, moments after his water birth

Dr. Behrens (who was five minutes too late), Tal, Aiden, & Anita (the awesome midwife who delivered him)

Anita, the midwife who delivered Aiden - without the doctor there!

The other midwife who helped deliver him. This was the first birth she had witnessed and was so excited to be a part of it. When Anita, the midwife who delivered Aiden, knew the doctor wouldn't make it in time, she had to call on another midwife to come help/be a witness.

The handsome pediatrician that also saw Kelsey after she was born. He's weighing Aiden, who was 4.030 kilos, or 9lbs.

Grandma dressing her new grandson. Notice his footprint on her arm.

One of the first of millions of kisses to come

What just happened and where the heck am I?

My cute baby boy, in my arms after more than 9 months of waiting

My biggest supports. We were all relieved, so happy he's finally here and all went great

Kelsey meets Aiden

Here's Kelsey's first encounter with Aiden, about 8 hours after he was born.

Love at first sight

First kiss

Family photo on my hospital bed

I love the way Kelsey is looking over at me. She's been putting her hands in her mouth ALL THE TIME and we're trying to break her of that habit. Aiden just looks like he's putting up with her.

So curious about every bit of him

Mother of TWO!? Love that Aiden is yawning. Kelsey wore him out!

Photo Ops of Aiden

He's already a binky baby

Sweet dreams, little one

His headboard stats

praying?

Can you see the little wound in his hand? Here it has healed a bit, but looked pretty bad when he was first born. It's from sucking his hand so hard in the womb! He also had a lot of dry skin/peeling on his hands and feet. The midwives said they think he was more than 5 days overdue - more like 14 days.

I'm going to eat you!

intrigue?

confused? full?

stretching

hungry?

sweet.

yawn

Aiden sucking his thumb. I always feel bad for my babies who act like they are starving for the two or three days before my milk comes in.

Gotta love the outfits they put them in in the hospital

So you're that other voice I heard all the time...hi dad

Visitors

The Wunderbar Todd family. They were so great to watch Kelsey while we went to the hospital. She loves them so much.

Kelsey's best friend "Emma-dee" and her new brothers, Dominic & Liam. My BRAVE friend Jennifer took the train with all three in tow to come visit us at the hospital. It seemed there was at least one kid crying the entire time. We marveled at how our TWO suddenly became FIVE.

Daddy with his little babe and baby - not that he's a visitor, but just to note that he came by on his way to work, on his lunch break, and on his way home. He has 2 weeks paternity but it must be consecutive and so we're using that to go home for Christmas.

Anita came into my room one night (with another baby "attached" to her) and we chatted for at least an hour about everything from relationships to religion. I didn't get much sleep but we sure had fun talking! Plus, it's not like I was going to get much anyways.

We also had three of our friends/Tal's co-workers come by and hold him and I forgot to get pictures! They picked out the cutest outfits and got me a nursing boppy. Thanks you guys!

Hospital Perks

Our family walk around the hospital grounds

Our newest addition is so fun to watch

A bit uneasy with Kelsey running around and poking/touching/hugging/holding him

A sweet kiss, but he's not so sure what to make of it

Grandma or "Mimi" has her hands full with two grandbabies!

Koo-koos! Peek-a-Boo!

A tantrum thrown when it was time to go back inside

Look mom! I love how excited she gets about even the little things

Dinner for Two

Our date night at the hospital. They gave us a complimentary dinner and free babysitting (of Aiden, my mom took Kels). With Kels we ate it up in my room but this time, we decided to "go out" (to the hospital restaurant downstairs). We tried "tar-tar" for the first time.

Good Eatin'

The top right is my favorite thing and I ordered it every day for breakfast: Birchermuesli. It's a Swiss yogurt with cereal and fruit. Hard to explain, best just to try it.

Going down in history

These charts hang in the Labor & Delivery room and show the cycles of the moon on the days of the year. For every baby that is born, they put a pink or blue tack on the day on this calendar. Here is Aiden next to his and Kelsey next to hers. We're responsible for a pink and a blue tack on the wall ;). Isn't that a cool idea?

Amazing Staff

I'm drawing a blank on her name, but she was a hebamme or midwife that was doing a rotation on the wochenbett or after labor care side. She helped me a lot and went the extra mile for me. Or shall I say Kilometer ;). In this hospital, I never had a bad nurse, or even an unfriendly one. Every nurse, especially the midwives, were exceptional. That's why I chose it - never met a midwife I didn't like. Everytime I met one I thought, "I hope she's working when I deliver."

Going Home

A half-smile, or a little gas perhaps? I think he's just glad to be in daddy's arms

We have a similar picture with Kelsey here when we brought her home from the hospital

Coming up next...first day(s) at home!

4 comments:

Holly said...: You are quite a picture taker...and how awesome to eat all that yummy food in the hospital. I left the hospital the minute Katie was 24 hrs old because a). the food was horrible, and b). they don't have a nursery so I never got a break anyway so I might as well rest in my own home. It would be so nice to do it the way you did! :) He is adorable!; 8/06/2009 3:43 PM
jessi said...: I love how you captured your hospital stay with photos. Takes me back to Chloé's birth. Yet again, another handsome Swiss pediatrician. . . (sigh). Aiden is so cute, along with his sweet big sister. I know that when Abram met his little sister for the first time, I thought. . . "what a big grown up boy he seems to be now." Talmadge seems so exctied with the baby boy in his arms.; 8/06/2009 9:31 PM
grandma lang said...: Great pictures, Thanks so much for taking the time to share all of this with us. we can hardly wait to meet the new little person in your family. Kelsey is so cute with him. we love you all grandma and grandpa; 8/06/2009 11:45 PM
likeschocolate said...: I think it is so cute that Kelsey just knew that she needed to sit down to hold the baby. Such a sweet baby. Congratulations once again.; 8/07/2009 2:01 PM

Kelsey Speaks

April 14: Advertising works, even for kids. Kels just came up to me with my iPhone and the app "Team Umizoomi" ready to purchase. I asked her how she knew about it and she said, "this mom put team umizoomi on for her kids and it teached her kids and he did it all by himself!" I've seen that commercial too, but never realized how much she soaked in! I'm a sucker, I downloaded it.

March 14:

We were having a new babysitter come and Kelsey wanted her to play a game but wasn't sure she'd know how. "What language does she speak?" I said, "English." Kels said, "Oh no!" I said, "Kelsey, did you know that YOU speak English?" She looked surprised, "I do!?"

October 17:

We had our carpet pad replaced today and the carpet guy was using a heavy duty iron that smelled like burning. Kelsey came in and said, "Mom, is that dinner I smell?" Thanks Kels, thanks. Says a lot about my cooking!

October 11:

So I'm on the phone and the Kelsey does soemthing that makes Aiden cry. I tell Kelsey, PLEASE make it better, say your sorry and make him stop crying. She starts singing, "Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine, make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine..." I started cracking up. I think she's a little too obsessed with Tangled.

February 19:
Family prayer
"Thank you that Aiden is incredible and that he could watch Incredibles with me. And thank you that mommy can change things."

February 9:
Family prayer tonight by Kelsey: "Thank you that mommy could be a good listener (?), thank you that mommy can be so stretchable...in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." I laughed and asked her what stretchable meant. She said it meant that I can read Aiden books and change his diaper, put us to bed, play with us, and wiggle us and throw us, stuff like that. Does that mean she's grateful I can do mommy stuff?

January 5:
While at my mom's house in California, she said, "I want to stay at Mimi's forever!" I asked, what about your toys and our home in Utah?" She replied, "I like Mimi's toys downstairs." "But what about your friends back in Utah?" She replied, "they can get in the car and drive really, really far and come see me!" She has it all figured out.

January 4, 2011:
Tally read aloud a sign as we passed a church, "Jesus is making a list." She said, "No, Santa is making a list, and checking it twice."

December 20:
She was sad after I scolded her for taking her brother's food. I asked her why she was sad and she said, "My life hurts right now."
"With Christmas just a few days away?" I said. She perked right up.

December 13:
Tal was going to bed early and we all jumped in bed to give him hugs and say goodnight. Kelsey said, "I like it when our whole family is in bed together. Dad, you're hot. But I like it hot. You're the hottest."

December 9:
I had made a big effort to go to the gym and literally had 30 minutes to work out and then be back before everyone came over for play group. I get Kelsey out of the car and walk around to get Aiden. Kelsey says, "Mom, you can't wear THOSE shoes to the gym!" I looked down and sure enough, I was wearing my Crocs. I'm so glad she saw it before I'd gotten Aiden out of his car seat, gotten the kids checked into day care, and stepped on the treadmill. 10 points for trying, right?

October 22:
"Mom, I don't wanna have a baby in my tummy. I don't want to have a baby doggy come out."

October 3:
"Mom, you shut up and I'll shut down." (playing around with the word shut up to get a reaction from me).

September 30:
"Aiden, you have pretty eyebrows."
August 15
While sitting in our master bathroom, Kelsey said, "You guys have two sinks."
Us: "Yes, we have two sinks, isn't that nice?"
K: "No, I don't like it, you need to take one out. I need more room to sit."
Tal: "When you get married, you can have one sink in your bathroom."
K: "When I marry Aiden?" (who she said she wanted to marry when we were talking about weddings the day before).
Tal: "You can't marry Aiden, he's your brother."
K: "I want to marry DADDY!"
Jess: "He's mine, darlin. Daddy is already married to mommy."
K: "My cousins?"
Us: (Laugh, gave up...we'll have this talk one day when she's ready) She is constantly playing with my bouquet of silk flowers in my room and saying, "I'm getting married mom." I guess she picked that up on her own...I don't think I've ever talked about the flowers with her!

August 11:
As I'm putting her to bed I said, "Kelsey, your little body is so tired because you didn't take a nap today and little bodies need naps."
"And sometimes big bodies do too?" she said.
After the gym today, we caught her doing her hand clasp thing. Tally said, "Don't do that, you're doing it so hard you're getting sweaty."
She replied, firmly, "Well I just back from the gym." (which is true, but she was at the play place at the gym)
May
(While shutting herself inside the kitchen pantry)
K: Alright Aiden, I'm going bye-bye to Lily's house, 2 seconds, and when I come back, I'm going to Zoe's house. Okay? Okay, see ya later.
(about 2 seconds later, she opens the door)
K: Oh, hi Zoe's house!
She has been cracking me up (mixed with a little worry) with her imagination. If you ask her what she did today, she'll say she played with her cousins. We don't play with cousins everyday, but she does, in her imaginary play. She'll tell Libby and Zoe to come downstairs to the playroom or come outside with her. Then I'll hear her telling one of them to go hide or that this doll is for them or that they are nice. She will also throw in Lily and Edie, and an occasional Colton, Carter or Spencer. But that's more rare. Maybe because she sees them the most? Or because they are boys.
She also loves to pretend she's mommy and I'm Kelsey. She'll ask me, "is your pee-pees coming, mommy?" (No, is yours?) She'll also say, "you want a treat Kelsey? Okay. " Or my favorite, "You go in time out mommy, no-no." When I ask what I did wrong she'll say it's because I hit Aiden. Shocking.
She is also such a good sister. When I was reading my friend Mary's blog today who just lost her baby girl and bawling, she came over and gave me a big hug and said, "it's okay mommy." Then, because I wasn't paying attention to the fact that Aiden had run out of Cheerios and was "asking" for more, she fed him her Cheerios. Then she came up to me and said, "mommy, Aiden wants more Cheerios." She's a great little mommy.
5/?- (while Tal is at work)
K: Mom, I want to tell dad I had fun at the doctor today - daddy, I had fun at the doctor today - oh you did - yeah, dr. M was really nice. Yeah? Yeah.
She has little conversations with herself as she imagines the conversation she had or will have. These crack me up. She does it all the time, I just need to remember to write them down.
5/29 -
K: Mom, don't let Swiper come swipe our new house, okay?
M: Okay, I will. I'll tell him, Swiper no swiping, okay?
K: Yeah!
She's on this kick where she says "everytime" or "everday" with almost every sentence. I guess she's learning how to tell time/days?
She also sings all the time, usually "I am a Child of God." How can I ever get mad at that sweet little thing?
February 1, 2010
J: "Kelsey, get up on the stool so we can wash your hands."
K: "Mommy, you need to pull my pants up first."
J: "Okay, sorry"
K: "You don't need to say sorry mami."
She's been saying sorry to EVERYTHING and so I think she's heard that a lot lately from me. It's funny to hear your own words come from the mouths of your little ones.
January 28, 2010
K: "I want to be baptized."
J: "You do? How old are you?"
K: "TWO! Aiden wants to be baptized too."
J: "You have to be 8 to be baptized."
K: "Oh, I EIGHT!"
A little boy was baptized last Sunday and she started noticing it more in her books about Jesus and we talked about it a few times this week. But the subject hadn't come up this day - she said it out of the blue.