Ailey Grace is a week old....well, was a week old. :P

Monday was the one-week mark.  I can't believe she's already a week old.  It seems like yesterday that Sam and I were still marveling at her not even being a day old yet.  How interesting time is.  I just wanted to share how the one-week check up with the mid-wife went.

First, I had to bring us all with me.  The boys are still having fevers of 100.5 each, so I couldn't take them to daycare.  I wouldn't have wanted to anyway.  I want them to have more of a recovery time first.  Our appointment was at 12:15, so I tried hard to get everyone loaded in the van and ready to go, but we still ended up being a couple of minutes late.  I'm really glad Jennifer doesn't mind about that usually. :)  All I have to say is I'm grateful that Braden can buckle himself in!  Zekey finally got into his seat and then I got Ailey into hers.  She did NOT like that.  I was relieved that the drive to the birth center was so very short, less than five minutes, so I didn't have long to listen to her cry.  She did go back to sleep before we got there, though.  Finally, we arrived.  Here's how that all played out...

We all get out of the van and head into the center.  Both boys are sniffling back snot and look the worse for wear.  Braden is complaining about not having his water to drink.  We go back to one of the rooms to get Ailey and me checked out.  I sit down in the rocking chair and Braden sits on the rolling stool, leaving Zekey to kind of stand there in a daze until he decides he wants in my lap.  (He's been doing that a lot lately and gets so irritated when I'm holding Ailey or typing on the keyboard or eating.  You know, the usual.) So, he climbs up in my lap and my isn't it cozy with all three of us. :)  Anyway, Ailey and I get our blood pressure, heart rate and temp checked and then she gets her second PKU done. By this time, Braden starts whining and trying to boss Zekey around at the same time.  Zekey decided he needed to run around in circles and touch everything he saw.  Ailey was crying through the PKU ordeal.  She got pricked twice.  I must say that the way they do it at the birth center is way better than at the hospital or doctor's office!  They prick the heel and then pick the baby up to let gravity work. She also didn't "milk" the blood out.  She was patient and gentle and even though with the second one she had to prick her again, those are the fastest PKUs I've ever seen!  I've witnessed 6 so far and Braden and Zekey both had numerous heal sticks for blood collection for other tests.  Seriously, why don't they teach the method/technique the mid-wives use for the nurses at the hospital and the doctor's office?  There's such a huge difference!!!  Anyway, about this time Braden decided he was hungry and made that known.  Then he waited a whole two minutes before saying, "Momma, why aren't you giving me any food?!"  To which I replied, "Do you see any food here for me to give you? No?  Then you need to be patient and wait."  The midwife asked the necessary questions about feeding, pooing and all that and she's doing very well.  As a matter of fact, Ailey had already regained her birth weight.  That was exciting for me to hear.  It was yet another testament to the fact that the breastfeeding is going the way it should be.  Thank you, Lord!  Finally, we were done and it was time to go home.  I must mention that Braden didn't stop complaining about wanting water, food, a place to sit (Zekey had gotten in "his" seat after he got up), etc. the whole time we were there.  Poor Zekey just was flat out tired and ready for his nap.  So we all piled back into the van (that whole process is going to take some getting used to as well as a bit of experimentation to get it down just right) and we went back home.  Yay! Our first successful outing with just me and the kids. At least now, I know it can be done!