What a whirlwind of a week! Bringing Wills home from the hospital has been exciting, exhausting, emotional (for mom), and an overall week of pure joy. We never imagined the capacity of love we would have for the little guy. He is so blessed to have the family and friends in his life who are all so crazy about him. William and I are also so thankful for the flowers, sweet cards, dinners, calls, facebook messages :) and visits from everyone. The outpouring of love has meant more than words can express.
Getting him ready to go home was a little stressful. We had doctors and nurses in all morning with discharge instructions and paperwork. Plus, we were trying not to let him go too long without eating. Thankfully, Aunt Sissy came to help. However, when it was time to get dressed, Wills also seemed to feel the stress of the morning. According to William, he only fussed because he had to wear a dress home from the hospital. William told him that he would have fussed too. :)
My mom (Gammy) bought Wills this beautiful day gown, which I LOVE! We had his initials monogrammed into the collar. So sweet!
We tried the first night home from the hospital on our own. That didn't go so well. After being held the majority of the time in the hospital and all day on Tuesday when we brought him home, William and I finally decided we would put him in his cradle, by our bed, around midnight and try to get some sleep. He didn't like it at all. William is busy at work and was having to leave for a little while the next day. I forced him to go to sleep and called my mom around 4 am. She came over and was a life saver. I was able to get some sleep while she rocked the little boy. She ended up staying the next two nights and helping us get him on the Baby Wise schedule. Ever since then, he has been a "by the book" baby. We are so blessed! He eats, we keep him awake as long as possible, and then he naps. This rotation occurs every 2 1/2 to 3 hours. William and I are adjusting well, taking turns with his care, and actually getting some sleep. We pray that as long as we keep his routine the same, he will continue to be a happy, peaceful baby.
In the hospital and his first week at home, Wills has been a popular guy. He has had visits from Gammy and Papa (my parents), Dede (William's mom), his Godparents: Aunt Sissy and Uncle Tone Loc, Uncle JD, Uncle Stevo, his Greatgrandmother Nanny, William's Aunt Lisa, my Uncle Bubba and Aunt Kim, Pau Pau Steve, Rebecca, and Uncle Kenneth, Uncle Lee, Aunt Chasity, and Garrett, my sister Merry Glenne, Mariah, Shawntae Gunder, Emily Parker, Keith and Kristy Brigham, Danielle and Paul White, my Uncle Lee, Allison and Madison Yawn, Cathy and Mary Katherine Abramson, the Ingletts, Patti Massingale, and Julie Newman. (I hope I haven't left anyone out.)
He went for a weight check at the doctor on Thursday, September 29th. He was perfect! I was so nervous about the visit, but he was a complete angel, even when he was stripped down to his diaper in the cold examining room. He didn't fuss at all. William was GREAT with him. If he would have been in my arms, sensing my anxiety, it could have been a whole different story. He had dropped from his birth weight to 7lbs 6 oz. Dr. Herzwurm wasn't too concerned, but she did want to see us back on Saturday. On Saturday, he was 8 lbs! Yay! We go back for our first official appointment in two weeks.
Wills also experienced his first Georgia game! Go DAWGS!
Other thoughts about the first week: Wills loves his swing, bouncy chair, and boppy pillow. During the day, we let him take naps in any of these places, including his crib. At night, it's all about the cradle, which he also likes. He loves his nature lamb that we turn on during the night. We usually use the whale sounds which are peaceful even for us to listen to. He LOVES to be swaddled. At first we used a blanket, and I was constantly checking on him and making sure it wasn't coming undone and moving too close to his mouth. We switched over to the swaddle-me velcro sacks, and it has made all the difference in the world. He loves sleeping on his daddy's chest. He met Finn, and so far, that has gone really well. Finn will occasionally sniff him, but for the most part, seems to be uninterested right now. Wills loves for us to talk and sing during his wake time. He really focuses in on our faces when he hears the sound of our voices. It is really sweet. Unfortunately, I am a TERRIBLE singer, but he doesn't seem to mind. William, on the other hand, laughs and reminds me of this regularly. Oh well. :) Thankfully, William has a great voice and plays the guitar. He wrote Wills a really pretty acoustic lullaby that he plays frequently. So far, Wills hears a lot of "You are my Sunshine," Bob Marley "Stir it Up" and "Three Little Birds," Jimmy Buffett "A Pirate Looks at 40," and The Temptations, "The Way You Do The Things You Do." I'm sure William has exposed him to much more, seeing that if he doesn't have a baby in his arms than there's a good chance he has a guitar in them, but he's the music buff, and these are the only songs I recognize.
I can't believe a week has passed us by!
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