Party of Four

We are adjusting well to being a family of four and we’re all quite smitten with our new addition! How’s everyone doing?

Daddy

It’s Mike’s busy season and so far he’s been able to keep a pretty un-adjusted schedule. He skipped one road trip right after Hannah was born. We’re really thankful for the help my mom and MIL provided as it was one less thing for Mike to stress about!

We’ve taken a divide-and-conquer approach to the kids, with Mike handling most of L.J.’s care the first two weeks. This was as much necessity as anything with me recovering from my c-section.

Mike and L.J. have had a few special outings together, including a visit to the bounce house and going to see a train exhibit at a local museum.

Mommy

I feel better 2+ weeks post-delivery than I did 4+ months post-delivery with L.J. It has been so night-and-day different, and really just a huge blessing. My c-section recovery has gone fine so far and each day I’m able to do more than I was the day before.

Hannah has been exclusively formula fed. I initially felt guilty for not attempting breast feeding with her, but I know I made the right decision both in terms of protecting my health and making sure she was getting enough to eat.

I’m tired, but I don’t feel barely-functioning-exhausted like I did after L.J. was born. I’m sure that’s some combination of already being a parent and not having the complications that occurred last time.

It’s been really nice being home and feeling (mostly) caught up instead of feeling constantly overwhelmed by the daily grind. I’m loving all my snuggle time with Hannah!

Landon

L.J. has done really well adjusting to Hannah! We haven’t had a lot of fits, but he is keenly aware of how much time I spend with her and has been asking me to do more and more for him. So he’s a tad bit jealous, but handling it better than we expected. (Most of the time…)

He’s pretty enamored with “Baby Hannah” and likes to help with her care, helping me hold her bottle or putting her paci back in when it falls out. He’s very insistent on seeing her and giving her a kiss before he leaves for school (Hannah and I are usually still asleep) and he wants to see her immediately when he gets home. It’s very sweet!

He tries very hard to be gentle with her, but he’s three so we definitely don’t leave her unattended when he is up and about! (Well, not that we ever leave her unattended, but we don’t let him near her by himself…)

Hannah

She’s quite happy to be doted upon after her much-anticipated arrival! As I mentioned in her two week post, she is most content when she is being held and snuggled.

The biggest adjustment for us so far has been her size. She is average newborn size, but a peanut compared to L.J.! We keep marveling at her tiny hands and toes, and how extra squishy and “fragile” she feels compared to her brother.

She doesn’t look like L.J. did as a newborn, but they make the same exact Mr. Magoo face when they wake up and they both inherited my dimples. I love seeing little similarities like that between them.

Another comparison picture – L.J. at 7 days old and Hannah at 3 days old: