We are home with our new addition to the family; Grady Michael. Delivery went well, and recovery is also going well. I can't believe how much better I feel this time. I guess never going into labor is what made the difference. Besides sleep deprivation, I don't feel like I had surgery last week. My biggest pain is this darn carpal tunnel. I now have no feeling in all of my finger tips, I can't feel my middle and ring fingers on both hands and my elbows hurt. This has made nursing quite uncomfortable, my hands cramp and I have a hard time holding and burping Grady. The nurse at the hospital said it will take a few weeks for it to go away. I am guessing thats how long it will take for me to drop all of the fluid I am retaining. My feet are like marshmallows, they are so swollen they feel like they are bruised.

Grady is doing wonderfully. I was worried when his weight dropped from 8 lbs 5 oz to 7 lbs 6 oz, which is more than the 10% maximum they like to see. We went to the doctor Tuesday and he has come up to 7 pounds 10 oz and he's nursing very well, so I think we're well on our way back to his birth weight. He is a little jaundiced, but they did blood work yesterday and the doctor said it should clear up in a couple weeks.

Madden doesn't really seem to mind her baby brother. When she first came to the hospital she didn't want to hold him, but now she asks to hold him often. He doesn't try to play with her toys yet, so this could all change. She is very gentle with him and seems to understand he is fragile.


Here is Madden the morning of delivery, on our way to drop her off at Aunt Shell's house.


Here he is!



What a sad face...

Matt got to put the first 2 diapers on. Grady peed on the first one before Matt could get it on. I was still on the operating table and I heard Matt say, "Well, that works..."

A picture before we left the delivery room.

Grady's first bath.

I'm not sure how long Grady will tolerate this...

I LOVE this picture.




Here is a video of Madden singing. I am working on getting her on video reading some of her books. She has a couple that she knows most of the words to. She shocks me when she quotes these books. I didn't realize she was paying that close attention when we are reading. Her current favorite is "You are my I love you." I think she knows almost every page.