Month one... what a blur.

The first month at home was a blur of bottles, diapers, and visitors.  My parents were here to help get us home from the hospital and the Hubby’s parents came for a visit when they were a week old.  My mom stayed for most of the month and it was a huge help. When she left my brother came to visit along with his girlfriend and my niece.  My best friend, Trey, came to visit as well.  We had many other friends in and out to see the babies and some brought us food (very helpful with no time to cook!). All the help was greatly appreciated and allowed the Hubby to delay his paternity leave so I had help for the first five weeks. 

The first week was spent at various doctor appointments and lactation appointments.  The babies lost more than their allotted weight in the hospital so we had to have several different weight checks as well as jaundice checks.  Landon was showing signs of jaundice in the hospital so they almost kept us an extra day, but they decided we could go home and come back the next day.  Riley didn’t start showing signs until we got home, but by the end of the first week they both got the all clear. We were put to the test that first day home when I called the doctor office to schedule the appointment and was told the only available was in 45 minutes- we were able to feed and dress them both, pack a bag, dress ourselves and get out the door – winning! Ha ha. 

We had to start formula when they were only two days old due to the weight loss and my lack of production. They took to the bottle well and we were able to get a system of breastfeeding, bottle feeding, and pumping into place every 2.5 hours per doctor orders – basically one feeding led into the next.  The Hubby has been amazing throughout the process and has been waking up with me in the middle of the night to help feed, even while going to work the next day. 

Overall the babies did really well in the first month.  I went into it with no expectations of how easy/hard it would be I just knew it was something I had to do – and I think that attitude and lack of expectations helped me to make it through.  I am not going to sit here and say it was perfect.  We were convinced that Landon had colic at one point and would cry for about an hour several times a day.  Sometimes I just cried right along with him.  Riley was spitting up a lot, all the time – we eventually found out that she has tracheomalacia.  Basically she has a “floppy windpipe” making her breathing very loud and labored sounding at times.  If she gets upset she has difficulty catching her breath at times and she snores pretty loud.  She will eventually grow out of this sometime over the next two years. 

After the first bath at home.

Heading out to one of the doctor appointments.

Riley waiting to have her heel pricked.... again. :(

Landon's first time in the bouncer... look how big the socks are!