An Overdue Update

Lucy Ann has arrived and everyone in this house is smitten with her.  If there was ever any question about how it would be to have a new baby and a newly transplanted 2-year old to deal with simultaneously, let me give you a definitive answer: the timing has been WONDERFUL.  There is SO much happiness in this house!  It helps that Lucy is a dreamboat who sweetly sleeps most of the day and is so low-key that I forget sometimes there's a baby in the house.  Although, I can't say her entrance into this world was low-key.  So much for "when should we schedule the c-section"... Lucy decided to make her appearance on her own time.  She was born on Sunday October 27 and she came so fast that even though our hospital doesn't do VBACs, there was no time for an anesthesiologist to get there.  We arrived at the hospital at 3:40 and she was born, with no drugs and lots of freaking out by docs and nurses, at 4:25.  Not at all what I was expecting!  But I'm so glad it went that way, because I was discharged the next day and haven't had to recover from major surgery!

I am one busy woman.  I am very proud of getting through each day, especially the days when I take a shower.  (I'm averaging about 1 out of every 3 days.)  I'm getting Caleb's meds down pretty well, and getting comfortable with his routine, but now of course I've thrown a newborn into the mix.  Needless to say, I don't really ever stop moving.  But we're happy.... I feel like I have everything I could ever want.  Caleb is SO full of life and joy, Jonah is over the moon to have his brother by his side and a new sister to love on.  Lucy is sweet and content and easily handles the insane noise level in our home.  Daniel is a puddle of mush with his new daughter.  At night, when the boys are getting ready for bed, I bring the baby in and all five of us climb into our bed and read together.  Jonah usually can't keep his hands off Lucy, or maybe Caleb wants to be on my lap, and there ends up being a lot of shifting and switching places before everyone is satisfied with who they are sitting next to (or on top of).  It is a messy pile of love.

It feels surreal to think of our days spent in a hospital room.  It feels like someone else's life now because honestly I've been too busy to even think about what all has happened in my life in the last few weeks.  Last night I looked at some pictures from the hospital for the first time since we've been home and it was kind of upsetting, seeing Caleb hooked up to the machines.  To think about how drastically and how suddenly life has changed is almost overwhelming.  Every time I've left the house, people approach me, people I know and often total strangers who ask if I'm Caleb's mom.... they tell me they follow this blog and share with me how our story has impacted them.  And it's so strange because it feels like they are talking about someone else's life.  Was that me that went through all that?  Was that really just a few weeks ago?  Did we really survive all that and actually come through to the other side as a happy, whole family of five?  What a crazy year it's been.

We are enjoying every day.  And we are tired every day.  :)  We are thankful and still a little bit in shock.  Life is so weird!  That's it for tonight.  I have exactly one hour before Caleb's last medicine of the day (11:00 pm) then I will attempt to sleep some before I start getting up to feed Lucy.  Much love from all five Kinnairds and good night!