New

I had this vision the kids meeting the baby for the first time and I'd get it all photographed and blah blah blah. Listen, on two hours of sleep after delivering this sweet little peanut...Tim and I didn't exactly have our whits about us. When I say we didn't have our whits about us, what I mean is that we COMPLETELY FORGOT to put the camera in our room for this moment. So...his iphone had to suffice. 

Kennedy came in all dressed for school with Avery in tow all dressed for the day and whispered to me across from Tim's side of the bed: "Momma, what are you doing? The clock is green and Avery and I are ready! {The kids have one of those alarm clocks that turns green when it's ok to wake up (read...exit their room) and it was green and I wasn't up which is completely out of the ordinary...I'm awake before everyone 99.9% of the time}. I opened my eyes and said "the baby came last night" and if looks could communicate something - oh.my.word! Her eyes got so big and she smiled so huge and then immediately wanted to see him: 

Tim drug himself out of bed to go feed the kids breakfast while I nursed Micah and then when they all came back upstairs the kids took turns holding him. The feelings I had being home, watching my kids meet their new brother in my own home...my own bed..it's just really indescribable. 

This was pretty much the scene for the next several hours: 

Although it wasn't super apparent that morning, it became clear that Grey was definitely jealous that someone had his Momma's attention. 

 I pretty much stayed in PJ's but moved from the bed to the downstairs chair so I wouldn't feel so distanced from the kids and the family happenings. My babies! 

In the immediate couple of days after Micah arrived we had few visitors - my Mom & Jim and then Tim's parents drove from WV to meet him too. 

A few days later Pranee was scheduled to come and take newborn photos. What could be sweeter than a brand new baby? I just love how they are all wrinkly and squishy and how they sleep 24/7 (except at night when you need it most;) and how they just curl up after eating and snuggle up in a little ball on your chest like it's their sole mission in life. It's the best! Of course I wanted that stage/phase documented. 

As fate would have it...because we planned this and because he's an unpredictable infant...he WOULD NOT go to sleep that morning. Even though he'd essentially slept non-stop since having him, that morning he was staying awake as if his very life depended on it. True story. Bless her patient heart because I swear it took us a good hour or more to get him to be all sweet and smushy so we could pose him however we wanted to and get some sweet pictures. He was either crying, pooping, or going cross-eyed when he looked at the camera. Perfect, right? Sigh...

She managed to work her magic and get some really sweet shots. I may have needed another shower after she left from the buckets of sweat I oozed with the stress of it all. Honestly. Just keepin' it real folks. 

In the end, it was all worth it. See for yourself! 

I love these pictures and I'm so proud of our growing brood :). Nothing makes me prouder than being their Momma. The fact that Tim and I created such beautiful little things...it literally blows my mind. 

I thought I'd share the "out takes" from this session because I like to laugh at myself and my kids - all in good fun! 

Oh newborn babies and their crossed eyes. ha! 

 These next few could be titled "the many faces of Avery"

 I mean, I may need to be concerned that she's not quite expressive enough - right? 

 I think Grey was kind of over it. What do y'all think?

The best part? Family photos will only get more interesting and challenging. Bring it on! =)

After

Now that I've completed the birth story of Micah, I thought I'd go ahead and blog about the "after" and share some more of Pranee's incredible photos.

After my "duties" were done, the midwives helped me into the shower while Tim got snuggle time with Micah. 

 This little man came out on a mission to eat! I had a little snack myself and then nursed him again. 

 I was so exhausted at this point. I mean, don't get me wrong: I was on that adrenaline I just had a baby high like all women get afterwards, but I was physically exhausted. Due to my being so tired I was kind of unaware of all going on around me but I think the midwives were taking notes and getting cleaned up as well as getting ready to examine both Micah and I. 

Once he was done nursing for round two (about 4:30) it was exam time for he and I both. Big boy weighed in at a whopping 8 lbs and 4 ozs. 

 I don't remember exactly all they did but I do remember it being incredibly thorough. I have 3 pages of little "baby records" to prove it :). Lots of people have asked me about vitamins,m vitamin K and eye ointment...he had none of the above. We planned to have him circumcised once he was 10 days old and we'd follow up with a pediatrician after (more to come on that later). 

Love this little naked hiney shot. 

After his exam the midwife got him all dressed and swaddled and I nursed him once more before we all called it a night...er...morning. Everyone was out and we were hitting the hay right around 5 AM. It was so surreal to place him in the bassinet and then go to sleep in my own bed. No nurses and medical technicians would be waking me up around the hour. No pediatricians and nurses coming in to take the baby for this test or that exam or anything. Just our little family and rest lay ahead. I use the term rest lightly: the girls entered our room about two hours later around 7 AM. What a surprise awaited them!