He's Here!

Baby Thumper arrived on November 16, 2011 at 2:47 pm.  And Thumper is a HE!

I must have the worst maternal instincts in the world.  I was convinced Thumper was a baby girl.   The good thing about that is: when you have backward instincts like mine, the surprise at delivery is all the greater!

Weighing in over a pound less than his sister and an inch shorter, he is the smallest baby I've ever held.  Although he is not a "small" baby by most standards; he weighed 7lbs, 5 oz and measured 20 inches.

Growing up in an all-girl household and raising a daughter, I know this boy will be a big change.  Diaper changes are already quite different :-)  In fact, they are a lot more difficult!

The clothes I made for him look like they were made for giants compared to his little frame.   The good news is that he is already filling out and stretching out more each day, so they will fit him soon enough.

Clara is doing very well as a big sister thus far.  When she visited at the hospital, she was very sweet and wanted to point out some of his different features: eyes, hair, ears, nose, mouth, hands, toes.  At home, she likes to smell him and give him kisses.  We do have to remind her to "be gentle."

I'll post pictures once I get enough of a moment to upload them.  Thankfully, I have taken a few (although not nearly as many as with Clara).  Even with my parents here, having two children is a handful.  The first few hours at home felt totally out of control.  The needs of a newborn are almost constant: holding, feeding, changing.  The needs of an almost-two-year-old are fast-paced and all over the board.  My own personal postpartum needs are somewhat time consuming also.  Somewhere in there I'm supposed to sleep, but I can't say that I've done that too much.

There is so much that I want to share (his birth story, photographs, the big sister room progress) but less and less time to share it.  I'll get around to it eventually, though.

Welcome home, Baby Paul!