Scatterbrain Mom Thoughts.

I have a ton of thoughts rolling around in my head, a plethora of blog posts topics. However, I have a newborn baby (!!!) so I the time to formulate them all into nice posts isn't going to happen!

Here is my attempt to tell you a few of these thoughts, short and sweet:

1. You know how I thought we had way too many 0-6 month clothes and was worried he wouldn't wear them all? That was before I realized how often he needs to be changed due to random bodily fluids on his clothes. Seriously. At 3am last night I ran out of good options for him to sleep in! And only because the Grandmas took one day off from laundry! So no worries if you gave Eli that. I now feel like he will get to wear it all.

2. I am grateful that Eli looks like his daddy. I usually can't tell if newborns look like anyone but a generic old man, but I guess when it's your own kid you can see a bit more. And I see his daddy. And that makes me happy. Especially because he's got long limbs like him and will hopefully not be the shortest kid in class like me.

3. On clothes: one week in and I'm a big fan of anything with feet in them.

4. Eli likes his hands by his face. Eli loves to be on his side. Eli is lazy and needs to be stimulated a lot in order to eat like he's supposed to. Eli has awesome faces.

5. I hope everyone was able to appreciate the post on his name. Since we ended up heading into the hospital that day, some may have missed it. And even though at the doctor's office on Monday they called him "Ellie", I still think his name is perfect. Just like his sister's name.

6. I miss our daughter being here. Greg and I have often thought how crazy stressfully awesome it would be if our almost 13-month old was here exploring and experiencing her new brother with us. We still grieve her even with the monumental blessing having Eli here alive. We still remember her.

7. We are blown away thankful for the out-pouring of love towards us. God created us to live in community for a reason. Even though I consider myself a fairly private person (yep, I do have a bubble), we have shared our lives through this blog and elsewhere and have been blessed. You have cared. You have prayed for Eli's safe arrival. You have loved. You have encouraged us when we needed it badly. You have remembered Maelee. You have been curious, from all around the world. I hope that we can love people like we have been loved this past year.

8. A lot of what we grieved with Maelee is being fulfilled (ie, using the car seat, sleepless nights, baby crying in the house, Greg coming home from work to baby and me, posting photos of a growing, live baby, this list goes on and on). We still miss that we didn't get to do these things with her. It doesn't take away our loss of her but it does help the heart.

9. Eli's a little messed up with his days/nights. But this is a problem I am so willing to have. I get a little emotional, wanting to be doing right by him, but overall, I am just so thankful he's here. I do feel overwhelmed at getting to be a parent on earth (thinking "I have NO idea what I'm doing!?!" and "I can't believe they just let you go home with one of these things!?"). Anywho, we have an appointment tomorrow to check his jaundice so we'll keep you updated.

10. How do people do this without family to help? I think I may try imitate Eli and whimper "don't go!!!" when our moms leave.

11. We hope to see you Sunday at church or from 2-4ish at our place for Meet Eli Day. Eli's already excited. If you can't make it, hopefully we can work out a time soon for you to meet our son. Being that it's Mother's Day, we understand if you got plans spoilin' your momma.

12. I think that's one of the first times I wrote "our son." Pretty. Darn. Awesome.

13. If I were to do one of those thankful posts, I would be typing for a really long time.

14. I find this stage of bringing home a newborn really selfish. I mean there is a ton going on out there in the world. This is oddly similar to how things were in the midst of our deep grief, too. A whole world going on but you are completely focused on one thing. Don't get me wrong: I love our "one thing". But soon I hope I can refocus a bit. Eli doesn't need a helicopter parent.

15. I like to end on a good number. I'll post a photo of EJK tonight.

-Heather