the first week

Walter is already a week old and here I am finally getting back to blogging! Hi everyone ...

As expected but long forgotten from last time, it's been quite a week! Thankfully I was able to come home "early", after 2 nights stay instead of the usual 3, as I was recovering remarkably well from the c-section and Walter checked out just fine. Bethany and Henry joined us at the hospital and we finally put our new double stroller to good use as we all rolled out of there, with our 367-day-apart boys! Once home, I thought again as last time, "Ok, what do I do now?". So strange and confusing, this new transition. And over the next few days I was reminded again and again just why I was so vigilant in getting to all my Before Baby To Do Items beforehand as certainly nothing else was getting done besides Walter and Henry, Henry and Walter, one or the other either feeding or sleeping or playing or needing changing.

And we couldn't have done this without Bethany here ... she was a star for leaving her own family to fly out and take care of mine. Henry got along with her famously this time though you'd never know it from the photo I included! - he's actually just quite mad at being forced to wear that silly hat before they headed out for a walk! Thank you, thank you Beps, we're so thankful you wanted to help us and were there at the very beginning to meet our Walter.

I'm sure I've cried every day. Either in joy or frustration or from exhaustion. I'm so thankful that this time I got that sleepy newborn you always read about as Henry certainly was not! But feeding has been intensely difficult again and so there is alot of emotions tied up with that. It's been hard too not being able/allowed to really take care of Henry as I can't lift anything heavier than the baby for a good month, and when he's upset I feel so helpless. So often he just wants his Mum and it breaks my heart that I've had to let someone else step in. Sigh ... I know that this too will pass but still ...

And besides the feeding pain and drama Walter has been an "easy" baby. Simply and easily falling back to sleep after each feed. Such a stark difference to Henry! And his cry is far less hysterical than Henry's too ... just a pitiful little whine, it's actually very cute. When he is awake and opens his eyes I put my face a few inches away and we have a little talk and he quiets right down, looking pretty certain that he recognizes that voice. Sam is thrilled that Walt looks like him, as it's quite obvious that Henry does not, and the two of them have great snuggles together. Sam has simply been utterly wonderful in these early days and I love him even more for the great support and help and fully-hands-on-Dad he is to our boys.

The boys. As we have two now.
I love that.