Our first week!

Oh my goodness! Where did the time go?? I already have a one week old!!

Needless to say, we have had a very exciting week! Dave and I have experienced so many new things together over the last 7 days. And so has little Ryan!

So far, we are very lucky parents. Ryan is making this parenting thing pretty easy on us. (Knock on wood!!) She is a good sleeper and a good eater, a good pooper and a pee-er. We joke that she is the best baby ever because her poo doesn't even stick to her. It just comes right off in her diaper and all she needs is a quick wipe! Mom dubbed her "Teflon Ryan". :) She sleeps good at night, with just a few exceptions...but she was just getting the hang of things, so we forgive her. When she fusses, she is pretty easy to settle down. She loves being talked to and sang to softly. At first, she preferred Daddy's voice, but now she seems to prefer Mommy's voice. She is very expressive and makes lots of faces. My favorite is her ooo face (rhymes with "you" and "two"...not sure on the spelling). She raises her eyebrows, puckers her lips, and opens her eyes up really wide. I call her my little squeaker, because she instead of moaning or goo goo and gahing, she squeaks...ridiculously cute. She loves her bottle, and when she is done, she loves to sleep on my chest...and I love it when she does...she is so soft and snuggly and cozy and warm and she smells so sweet. This is making me want to go hold her right now....

Sweet little girl, all bundled up!

After she was born, we had some visitors in the hospital Friday night. Both of my parents were there and Barbara (Nana B). My parents brought us some McDonald's for a quick supper, and my brother, John, came in around 7:00 pm. I could tell he really liked Ryan. He couldn't wait to hold her and take her picture. Ryan's Aunt Holly and Cousin Aurora came around the same time. Aurora brought her best friend, Lexi, also. Everyone took turns holding little Ryan. After everyone left that night, it was just mommy, daddy and Ryan for the very first time. She had her first meconium poo for the nurses right after she was born, but she had another that night, just for us. Luckily, it was NOT silent, so we were able to change her immediately before it dried into the "tar poo" we had heard so much about, and it was no big deal. We laughed a lot at the dark chocolate Jell-O pudding in her little diaper. We had heard so many horror stories about how bad the first few poos are, but this just came right off in the diaper, and really nothing stayed on her skin. Lucky us!

Dave did most of the "work" that night, since I had only had about 6 hours sleep in the past 48 hours, and my legs were still a little tingly from the epidural. I was afraid to walk around with Ryan because I kept picturing my legs giving out and me dropping her. I tried to sleep that night, but it was tough! Each time Ryan would squeak, I would bolt up to check on her. I was so in awe of her, I just stared at her in her little clear plastic tub next to my bed.

Dave was a wonderful daddy, from the very first moments. I showed him how to swaddle her and change her, and the nurses showed us both how to feed her, but he didn't need anyone to tell him how to love her more than anything! He was on cloud 9! She woke up a couple of times in the night, and we fed her and changed her. It didn't take us long to get over the fear of breaking her...it seems like you are always so clumsy at holding a baby until you have one of your own!

Ryan and mommy

Saturday, the hospital brought us a very special lunch, which they call a "Stork Meal". It was a nicer-than-usual hospital meal, complete with chilled "champagne" (sparkling white grape juice...which tastes just like champagne anyway!). It was a special touch that really made me smile, and just another reason to add to the long lists of reasons that I was so happy that we chose this hospital. They really do all they can to go the extra mile.

"Champagne" to celebrate!

Dave and I enjoyed our special Stork Meal together quietly, and talked and laughed together as Ryan slept. The food at the hospital was actually really good...it is kind of out in the country, and all of the food was really southern...I can just imagine some little old southern lady frying chickens and slicing peaches down in the kitchen.

My parents came to see us again that afternoon. Mom brought us some Reese's peanut butter cups, and said that she would have brought flowers, but she figured we would just prefer to have $40...she knows us so well! Our good friends Mike and Jayme came later that afternoon. They brought us some flowers and a balloon, and took lots of pictures of us and baby Ryan.

Mommy in the hospital

We decided to stay an extra night in the hospital, since we wouldn't be able to leave until after 8:00 pm, and it just didn't feel right to pack up a baby to take home for the first time so late at night. Dave ran down the street to get me a salad from Wendy's and a burger for himself.

Sunday morning, my doctor came to see us. I thought she was coming to check me out to make sure that I was okay to go home, but her visit was really more social. She said that she just wanted to check on us and see if we had any questions. We took a photo of her with Ryan and had her sign Ryan's special book.

Dr. McGee!!

We got all packed up to come home, and Dave started to change Ryan's diaper to get her ready to come home, as I called the nurse to let her know that we were ready for our discharge paper work. As I signed us off for discharge and the nurse gave me all of our discharge instructions, Ryan was brewing a special treat for daddy...he started changing her poopy diaper, only to find out that she wasn't quite done yet! I ran and grabbed some paper towels and threw them under her just as a little poo splat fell on them...and she just kept going, and going....and going. Just as she would finish, Dave would reach for a diaper and she would start going some more! Then she peed everywhere, and pooped a little more...this lasted about 20 minutes and we were both laughing our heads off!! She finally finished, and we put her special homecoming dress on her, strapped her in her shiny new car seat, and they wheeled us out to the car. We hugged our nurse goodbye, and we were on our own!!

My very special homecoming dress!

Mommy's belly, after we got home...it takes a few days to go down!!

We got home around noon and mom had been here all morning cleaning for us! We came home to a spotless house, which is always nice! The boys were staying at mom's house while we were in the hospital, and Nana B brought them home after we all got settled in. Ryan was sleeping in her cradle in the living room, and neither of the dogs noticed her at first. Tonka was the first to spot her, and it was love at first sight!! He was so curious, sticking his nose as far as he could through the cradle bars to get a whiff of his new baby sister. Grimm hasn't taken to her yet. At first, he was very jealous. He is always afraid that any newcomer is going to steal a bit of his thunder. He has started to warm up to her a little bit, but he really doesn't pay her any attention. Tonka, however, stands guard next to her crib when she is napping in her room, lays at our feet when we feed her, and sneaks kisses from her when she is in her bouncy seat. He is already very protective of her!

My big brother, Tonka, checking me out!

Brother Tonka, guarding little sister

Monday, mom, Barbara, and Cathy came over to see the baby. It was Cathy's first time getting to see her, and she held her for a long time. Mom and I gave Ryan her first at-home bath while Cathy read the paper to us that told us how to bathe her. After they left, Dave and I took Ryan for a walk around the neighborhood. As we were getting home, the lady across the street was in her yard and the lady next to us was pulling out of her driveway. They both spotted the baby stroller at the same time and came darting over!! They ooed and ahhed over Ryan and talked to us for quite a while.

Nana B

Aunt Cathy

Tuesday, we took Ryan to her first doctors appointment. While we were in the waiting room, Dave and I were smacked in the face with the very real fact that we were going to have to get used to being around other people's children....other people's completely rotten, horrible children. Our waiting room experience was the opposite of peaceful, and we jumped for joy when the nurse came out and called our name!! Ryan had to strip down completely and she decided to have a pee on the table scale. She weighed 7 lbs 5 oz. Once we were in our room and everyone was dressed again, the doctor came in and we LOVED her!! She was so great! She was young, nice, easy to talk to, and you can really tell she adores babies and loves her job. She told Ryan over and over how beautiful she was, and she answered a lot of questions for us.

Our friend, Susie, stopped by after work to drop off a huge box of newborn diapers that her 3 month old had grown out of. We were just about to run out, and were going to go buy some more, but they grow out of them so fast that when she offered them, we gobbled them up! My parents came over and brought their dogs to introduce to the baby. J. Otis didn't really care too much, but Maisy was OBSESSED with Ryan. She was very curious and sat next to whoever was holding the baby at all times. Mom made dinner for us all, so I wouldn't have to cook, then we went to get some frozen custard. Ryan slept through the custard...I tried to give her a little taste on my finger, but she was out of it and didn't care.

Wednesday, daddy spent the day getting caught up on some household stuff and mommy made chocolate chip cookies for everyone. My mom came over and made chicken-n-dumpings so I wouldn't have to cook again...we have eaten very well this week!!

Napping with daddy

Thursday was a busy day for our little girl! She woke up around 8:00 am and had some breakfast. Then she sunbathed in her window for a while since she has a touch of jaundice. Then she had some lunch and then it was bath time! We were all going a little stir crazy from being cooped up in the house all week, so we took Ryan to Nana's house for the first time. Dave mowed her back yard while mom and I took Ryan shopping at Old Navy! Then we came back to our house for a photo shoot, which didn't go so well...Ryan was wide awake, and I was wanting more of the sleeping beauty photos. That night, our friends Greg and Valerie dropped by to meet Ryan. They were so very sweet and brought us dinner as well!! Valerie is in the process of making a playmate for Ryan - She and Greg are 14 weeks pregnant! We are so happy for them!!

Tanning in my window

Bath time!

Modeling for my photo shoot

And today (Friday) was another busy day for our little lady. We all got up this morning and went to my physical therapist's office so everyone there could meet Ryan. Everyone was so excited when she came in! My doctor held her, and she was ready for lunch, so we fed her while we were there. Next, we were off to Wal Mart to grab some game day onesies for the Georgia game tomorrow. Then we went to the produce stand for some fruits and veggies. Then daddy had to drop off our tattered American flag at the American Legion and then we had some dry cleaning to pick up. When we got home, our friend Samantha stopped by on her way to work to meet little Ryan. Ryan slept in her arms for over an hour and I told her all about the delivery day.

Actually, she's got daddy wrapped around HER finger...

So that was our first week with our little girl. I don't know where the time went!! I am so sad that she is already a week old! This is going to fly by, and it is really depressing to think about how fast she is going to grow up...can't she just stay little forever??

Precious.

The Sullivans

Have a great week!!

~the Sullivans