Happy Thanksgiving!

"Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

2 weeks

Well Eli had his little procedure to clip the frenulum under his tongue. It was not a pleasant experience. We were initially told by two different people at the hospital that it would not hurt him or cause any bleeding. That was wrong. But we were already in the specialists office when the doctor warned us that it would cause our little guy pain. So, I left the room with Selah while this was being done, and Dan stayed with Eli. With the way my hormones are lately I cry at the drop of a hat, so this experience would definitely set me off. After it was done they came to get me so that I could nurse him. While trying to nurse my sweet boy began having trouble breathing. He was making gurgling sounds and really struggling. Air was not passing through his airway completely. They put a suctioning tube up his nose to remove the fluid, and this caused him to cry and clear his lungs even more. Eli is doing well now. He gained 1 lb. in a weeks time!

In happier news, I am so impressed by how well Selah is doing with having a baby brother. She is just so sweet with him! The other night we were getting ready to put her to bed when she walked over to Eli's cradle, gave him a kiss on the head and said good night. All without being prompted. Of course I teared up and scooped her up in my arms (I can finally hold her again!). She is very concerned when he cries or if he doesn't have a hat on. Every night at dinner we hold hands and pray, and she made sure Eli was included in the hand holding. She offers him cups of tea when we have tea parties, which is everyday, several times a day. I just love that girl! I really hope that they have a strong bond to one another as they grow.

A day at the park

Dan and Selah have enjoyed playing at the park quite a bit since Eli was born. It allows them to have some daddy-daughter time and get out of the house. It allows Eli and I some peace and quiet! Well this trip Eli and I tagged along. I was tired of being cooped up inside, and it was a beautiful fall day. Here are a few pictures of my sweet girl having a blast, and Eli...well sleeping.

One week later

With my two beautiful babies!

Selah thought this was very comfortable.

Daddy watching a blazer game with his son in the hospital.

Eli's bed when we were in the hospital.

Going home! This is nurse Lois. She was the best nurse I've ever had!

Sister and brother meet for the first time!

*sigh* Oh I just love him so!

Little piggies!

Things are going quite well in the Newcomer house! Tomorrow Eli will be one week old. It is hard to believe that one week ago already we welcomed our son into this world. It has been a week that has been nothing less than amazing! We had our first outing on Wednesday to see the lactation consultant. Eli has had no trouble latching on. He took to breastfeeding the first day he was born. The main reason we went is to see how much he was eating, which we found out he is quite the little chow hound. Also, in the hospital we found out he has a frenulum (sp?) under his tongue. The connective tissue under his tongue does not allow him to extend his tongue past his gum line. This poses no problems for him eating, but it does cause me pain. Next week we will see a specialist who will clip this. Thankfully it will cause no pain to him, because there are no nerves in this tissue. They also weighed him, and he has gained back his birth weight.
Eli is such a sweet baby boy! Thus far, the only time he cries is when he is hungry or has a little gas bubble. And when he wants food he wants it now! Goodness, the wee one eats every hour from 7-10 in the evening, and the rest of the day every 2-3 hours. He loves to be cuddled as well, and I don't mind that one bit. He has a special fondness for his sister and responds positively to her voice. We have had quite the experience with diaper changes. One of my fears with having a boy was that his little wee wee would spray everywhere. Well, that came true! But it's okay. I just feel bad when he pees on himself. But I learned quickly to cover it as soon as it is exposed to the air. I realized I just referred to his penis as it. Hmm...:)
Selah has shown to be affectionate, curious, and cautious. She will bring her brother his hats or his Thumper bunny she got for him. She will casually come up to give him love pats and just stare at him. She also reminds us that, "Eli sleeps a really, really long time!" I pray that they will have a strong bond with one another.
Dan has been a huge help around the house. He and Selah have gone to the park quite a bit. He said to me today that he feels closer to her and is enjoying seeing all sides of Selah. I think it is difficult for dads to see their children as the moms see them, because they only spend a short amount of time with them in the evenings and on the weekends. I think this time is such a blessing for the two of them to spend one on one time together. Dads are so incredibly important for their daughter's well being as they get older. I am glad Dan and Selah are building a solid relationship now.
As for me, I am recovering well. I tried to stop taking the pain medication, but realized I wasn't ready. So, after being lectured by Dan and a friend of mine I am taking it again. Emotionally I am doing well. I have only had a couple of times where I spontaneously cried over something silly. Dan just says that he understands something is going on inside me, and it's okay. Other than that I am very overjoyed with our sons arrival and seeing him and Selah together. To sum up my feelings as of late...Praise God for allowing me to be a mom!
Thank you to those of you who have brought meals over to us. They have been such a blessing and oh so delicious!

Eli Daniel Newcomer

Our son has arrived! He weighs 7 lbs. 6 oz. and is 20 inches long. He was born at 9:14 a.m. on November 6.
More pics to come...