5.

On Saturday my mom snapped the first photo of us five together. It didn't happen in the hospital because Annalee was so beside herself (and feverish) and it took awhile for me to realize we missed that shot. So to show that we are indeed glad to be together:

Love these people!

-hlk

Procedure.

Evan had his lip tie cut today. Poor kid. It's a very quick and simple procedure but still painful! He's been getting many snuggles today. 

I've nursed him a few times since and it does seem less painful but still not perfect. I think he needs to heal a bit before I start forcing his mouth this way or that. Hopeful a better latch is coming!

He is 8lbs, 14ozs today! Growing great, very thankful for that. Glad we've had him on the outside for two weeks on his due date today. 

He burps and farts and smiles often, this boy. And we are loving it all!

-hlk

Newborn Photos.

Saving money by taking some newborn shots of Evan myself... which I'm somewhat regretting because having someone else do it for you is way nicer. I'll wait for the professional for family photos sometime this year. Plus Evan is so cute! And we don't need a ton of perfect shots... so if I take 1,000, there's bound to be a handful of "suitable for framing" ones.

Here's one that his little hand got in the way:

I know many of my images would pop if I put them in black and white but it's really, really hard for me to put newborn shots of a live baby in black and white. To me, if your newborn is full of life and color, then let's celebrate that! Black and white is awesome but I'm scarred with too many baby loss images only really able to be in black and white. Our only images of Maelee are not in color. Therefore, you will see color-only shots of this little man when he's this tiny (today probably back up to birth weight!).

-HLK

Nursing Update.

Mr. Evan is following suit with his sister in regards to feeding issues. The difference is I'm a mom that went through that with Annalee and now I'm armed with knowledge and perseverance in order to avoid that pumping-only fate.

His latch is still painful. Most times it's toe-curling painful on initial latch and gets less severe as he nurses. The good news he is gaining and healthy and doing great. And the other good news is my supply is good, plenty of milk for this guy.

There are about five to ten "clues" that he has a lip tie, just like Annalee did. Again, the difference is that we didn't figure that out and get hers clipped until she was two months old. By then she was addicted to her bottle and would not latch. This time I'm nursing through the pain, not giving Evan a bottle (well, he's had an ounce a couple times) so that he doesn't get used to that immediate gratification.

TUESDAY we will have Evan's follow-up with our primary in the morning and then in the afternoon, we have the appointment with the same great doctor that cut Annalee's lip tie. I'm hopeful that soon thereafter, we will have a better latch with much less pain.

The lactation consultant nurse yesterday confirmed my suspicions, affirmed that I was doing everything I could and should possibly be doing, praised that I was problem solving on my own with different techniques and positions I was trying. She left feeling helpless just like she did two-plus years ago with Annalee (yes, same person came then and she remembered us, remembered feeling terrible she couldn't help us out). She did say he could have a hard-to-diagnosis slight tongue tie as well so I will be mentioning that to the doctor.

All I need to do until then is keep Evan gaining and keep my supply up. Then after Tuesday we will need to make sure his lip tie doesn't heal up and attach again so it'll be swiping his upper mouth area often.

Signs of his bad latch (for those curious to know):

1. PAIN!
2. Clicking sound when he's nursing
3. He de-latches - not fully all the time but slightly
4. He doesn't open wide enough and get enough of the nipple area in (this is the main cause of pain)
5. Less pain as he goes on means that my nipple is softer (after initial release of milk when I'm full) and therefore, he's able to get more of the nipple area in with his suck (hard = hard to suck, soft = easier to suck in)
6. He's got nursing blisters on the bottom lip
7. When nursing, you can see his top lip is tucked in usually and not flared out
8. Lip ties are hereditary

I have alleviated some pain by using my thumb to hold down my top nipple area while nursing. There's an official name for this trick and I came up with it by trial and error!

I'll be awaiting Tuesday and praying this will lessen the pain so we can keep moving forward nursing this sweet little man.

-HLK

This Boy!

He melts your heart with his happy, dreaming smiles.

-Evan's Mom

1 Week.

A week old!

Head and Heart and Boobs.

My heart is fully grateful for Greg. He could be a mediocre dad. Just doing what he needs to be there. Instead he consistently goes above and beyond to interact with our kids, show them life and his love, engage them and care for them. What a special day to see him care for yet another baby this Father's Day. Evan has no idea how much he's going to love this guy!!

Annalee's FD drawing for Greg:

My dad showed back up today from being up north so we got to see him too. It's always great to give my dad a hug on Father's Day. I missed my FIL but I'll see him this week for my hug. 

My head hurts. I got a nasty migraine in the middle of the night last night. I'm sure it's lack of sleep and hormones. It's a doozy and besides ibuprofen I can't take anything. The day was hard to get into and I'm sure the night will be hard. But I'm alive. It'll go away. We will have sleep again too. Yes.

My milk came in yesterday. Oh my - huge. Evan has no jaundice issues! His latch is still needle-poking terrible, especially on initial latch, but we will get there. He is often very sleepy and it's hard to get him nursing on both sides fully. Nursing woes are just part of this process for us. On the plus side, he seems to be better if I can get a good burp out of him and keep him upright after feeding. Much fewer crazy gulping gasping episodes. And he did have his first spit up today, mid nursing, all over. I'm pretty sure he gets what he needs in seven minutes what takes other babies 15 minutes. Much grace needed in all this feeding sleeping business. 

If anyone wants to come hold a snuggliy baby upright for awhile so I can sleep...

-Hlk

Biggest Sister.

I wish that Maelee were here to experience being the biggest sibling to this littlest one. At six years old, you know she would just be all about this tiny human.

Grateful he wore home her outfit and in the photo on the hospital web site, you can see her name. She is still so much a part of our family. 

The other thought about Maelee I treasured while at the hospital - when birthing a baby, all your previous pregnancies matter. Regardless if you got to bring them home. There aren't enough times when Maelee is counted in my kids. The reality is Evan is my third child at home and the average person won't see her in our family tree. But when you are at a hospital about to birth a kid, all those other kids matter, how they came into the world, or didn't, matter. The medical side of things makes the fact I had went through birth three other times, not two like many would see, matters. It's a nice feeling to have her counted in the same facet as the others.

-Heather