The trip home

I thought I would get bored in the hospital for two days but that was not the case. Every few minutes we had someone knocking on our door to come in and take a test or do this or that. We didn't have a free second alone as a new family or a chance to even take a quick nap. We were suppose to leave at 11:00 am but didn't end up getting out of there until about 5:30. I was so ready to get home. 

My mom came to stay with us the first few nights to help us out with Athen and allow us to get a little sleep. Rick and my mom did such a good job each night working together to change his diaper and clothes and bring him to me when he needed to feed. I was able to finally get some sleep. 

The doctor wanted to see him the next day to check up on his jaundice. Our appointment (an hour away) was at 9:30 am - traffic time. We woke up at the butt crack of dawn trying to get ourselves ready, him feed, dressed and packed in order to make it on time. I woke Rick up and told him to hop in the shower. He sits up in bed and said "I am so tired" and then fell back down. My mom captured the moment on camera. His first morning at home as a new papa.

We have had to bring Athen back to the hospital everyday this week for check ups. His jaundice has caused him to be so sleepy that he doesn't want to eat. We have been struggling with getting him to latch on and get some nutritents. Yesterday we spent time with a lactation consultant. Right now he is too sleepy to learn how to breast feed right and he needs food in order to get over his jaundice. We have been having to bottle feed him with breast milk while I pump to get his health and energy up. Hopefully in the next week or so all this will be over, he will be healthier and we can focus again on learning how to breastfeed together.

Rick the Daddy

Rick is the best daddy ever. I always knew he would be a great dad because he is so good with children and they all love him. However, he has always been really nervous around little babies and unsure of what to do. He would always tell me to give birth to a toddler so he could run around and play with him. Well come to find out, he is a natural with newborns as well. 

He changes his diapers (more than I have) changes his clothes, feeds him his bottles, burps him, takes off his shirt to hold him against his skin, cleans, cooks, runs all the arands and is an amazing support to me. I love him to pieces. Every time he looks at Athen he says "This guy is so stinken cute". He is the best daddy and husband ever!