Maddy's first bath and some catch up...

In the 17 years since doing this previously, it has escaped me the level of tired that is reached on a daily basis. Maybe 17 years has been harder on me than I thought. I'm not sure I've ever been this exhausted before. Holy cow!! She does sleep for long periods of time (i.e. 4 to 5 hours) BUT... her 'sleeping' is loud and active. She makes so much noise and movements that Dan and I hardly sleep. I know it will be a matter of moving her into her own room to get some semblance of a sleeping pattern, but we're having a tough time cutting that cord! So...until Dan and I can 'let go' and move her down the hall, no sleep will be had at the Eerkes residence! We're not minding too much right now though.
Here is Maddy getting ready for her first bath. She doesn't mind the bath part, it's the getting out and lotioned up and dressed parts that she hates. Something about a naked baby that is soooo cute!

Her favorite place to be, on daddy's chest! I think it's dad's favorite place for her to be to. Funny that you can become so attached to such a small thing. We can leave for a bit, and come home just aching to smother her with kisses and hugs. Even Dan gets a little achy for her when he's out for long periods of time. So cute...

WIDE AWAKE!! She does like the bath. Something about the warm bath water though...makes her just want to pee, every single time! So we spend half the time cleaning out the tub and re-filling it.

She's almost a month old now. Funny how time flies. I'm so greatful to be able to sit around with her and smell her, kiss her, just soak it all in. I didn't get to do too much of that with Am. Plus I don't think at that young age, I appreciated the experience as much as I do now. Must be the maturity part has kicked in at some point. I don't love my girls any differently. Like Dan said once, '... throwing yourself in front of a bus to protect them...' Am has been so good! She says it's a little 'wierd' being an older sister at this age, (When she's asked by someone outside the family.) but, she sure eats it up. She gets home from school and hogs her immediately for a few hours. She secretly LOVES it! And she's good at it. What mother could be happier to have a calm, loving older sibling and a babysitter who BEGS to babysit her. Hmmm, I'll take her up on it more often I'm sure.

Even though we are extremely sleep deprived, I don't think that one of us is NOT enjoying this yummy little baby girl!

We're home...

We were delayed a day in coming home. Maddy's bili levels were too high. They put her under the phototherapy lights for a day and since I had given birth just after midnight on Sunday, they let me stay another night. It was nice to be just down the hall from her, rather than leave her there. We got to bring her home Wednesday. She's under lights at home, but it's better than her being at the hospital still. She doesn't so much love the bed she has to lay in. In fact it makes her a bit fussy. I don't blame her...bless her heart. She's so good and soooo sweet.

Am and Maddy snuggling before bed. So sweet...

Dan reading to her. When she's awake, she just stares at him. She loves his voice!

Mad on her little lights.

My favorite pic of her...so far. She's in her new little swing from Aunt Sissa and my mom. Soooo yummy!

Little Maddy...wide awake.

Maddy's first morning...

Introducing....Maddy Jane Eerkes!

Madeline Jane Eerkes

3-2-2009

7 pounds 13 ounces

19.5 inches long

So, after 3 to 4 weeks of pre-term or false labor...she's finally here!! I was scheduled to be induced on Monday morning around 7:30 am. Sunday afternoon, like many other days past, I started having contractions. Thinking that it would be like every other time and come to a stop, we went on with the day. At Famous Dave's for dinner, they started getting stronger. By the time we got home, they were strong and close together. We were there long enough to grab our bags and head back out. We got to the hospital by 7 pm Sunday night, I was already dilated to 5! Yeah, they didn't want to send me home this time, unlike the week before. Within the next 2 hours, I was admitted, given an epidural, and dilated to 6.5. By 11:30 pm, I was dilated and ready. She was ready to come now on her own terms. At 12:49, after only about 10 minutes of pushing, our little miracle angel arrived!! Healthy, happy, and a strong little set of lungs on her!! Here's daddy to be and I patiently awaiting...wasn't much longer!

Proud big sister feeding little Maddy! Am cut the umbilical cord! I was suprised that she wanted to...but glad!

Cute cousins Savvy, Lukie, and Carter (Smooth like butta...) visiting new little Maddy. After which, they all told their mom that she needs to have another baby. Go Robyn!!! It's your turn!!

Proud daddy! Boy, you talk about 'wrapped around your finger'. It took maybe being in this world a mili-second, and having all of those around you completely wrapped around your finger! How do you not fall in love with that sort of beautiful innocence! Yes, she is my baby, but I must say that she is perfection! Perfect eyes and hair. Perfect nose and chin. Yummy little hands and feet. For the third time in my life, I have fallen completely and totally in love! Yes, I am lucky, I am so extremely blessed. My husband and my girls...are the loves of my life!