Quick Update

As of Wednesday afternoon, we're home. We're enjoying Grandma time while my mom is here in town. As I have explained to those who have asked, having my mom here means that the dishes get done while I stare in awe at the baby, dinner gets cooked while I coo at the baby, floors get swept while I feed the baby, and the baby is tended while I try to grab a few winks of sleep. In other words, we're exceptionally grateful for the help.

Ian is doing well. We've had some significant challenges with the whole feeding routine, but we're learning together and are finding ways to overcome our problems. Ian had lost a great deal of weight over the first few days of his life due to latch problems, but with the help of some changes in our feeding routine, flexibility and a bit of formula, we've brought him back up to what promises to be a healthier weight and he's back on breast milk alone, most of it from a bottle. That was not my ideal. However, I'm quickly learning that parenthood requires one to let go of expectations in favor of realities, using what is helpful by way of freely-proffered advice... and lumping the rest. I am also learning that I need to be gracious with myself. Not living up to my own expectations or that of others is not a failure -- carrying the disappointment of unfulfilled expectations is, because the main thing is overcoming the challenges, not failing to have them in the first place.

Ian has been a very sweet baby so far. He has been very mellow the vast majority of the time, and his Daddy and I are in love with him (and each other)! We think his grandma is quite fond of him, too. I love nothing more than gazing at him (when I can stay awake to do it) and reveling in the wonder that he belongs to us. Daddy has been helping a great deal with feeding and diapering, and he's also beginning Ian's cultural education by reading poetry to him and playing classical music for him. It's fun to watch Daniel settle right in to fatherhood.

I've taken more pictures over the last few days, but I am not quite ready to post them yet... so, with that teaser of good things to come, it is almost certainly time to feed a certain sweet little boy again...!