I have a picture of all of my kid’s first bath. Usually it involves the “Clifford Touch”, but this one turned out a bit differently.
It was a “swaddle bath” in the NICU.
I had to watch a whole video on how to do it, and I am pleased to say, I nailed it!
She was in a bucket with a tight fitting net on top to let the water through, but to keep her safe.
And they swaddled her because she weighs in at so little, she doesn’t have fat to keep her warm and her temp drops quickly.
Then I submerge her in the water, and uncover different parts to wash.
Clearly, she was in heaven.
She fell completely asleep in her bath, and I let her just rest in the water for a few minutes at the end.
(Cause that is what I like to do at the end of my baths.)
But I guess that wasn’t in the video, so the nurse had me move it along.
Then there was a little weigh in.
This girl is currently just shy of 4.9 pounds.
Afterwards, I put her into a warm sleep coat to stay warm.
And then I pulled the curtain, and cuddled her and sang our favorite songs together.
It was no Clifford Touch, but I am certain she went to sleep happy this night.
Even though the drive and back and forth is a little old by now, I love my one on one time with Pip in the NIC.
My favorite times are when is it just the two of us doing a little skin on skin. Something really encouraged by the nurses, but maybe a little differently than I do it. When I get there, I just pop that little girl under my tank top and we hang. Only one nurse told me that they have gowns to make it easier, but I like our method best.
Here is a little look into my view.
Navy made the “I Can Be Reverent” coloring page, and the nurses put it in a page protector and hung it alongside Pippi’s official name plate the nurses made her.
(Sidenote: When they gave it to me, I told them I was excited because Navy had one when she was in. Then I mentioned I thought I just lucked out with Navys because Dash never got one. Then the next time I came in, the nicest nurse made a nameplate for Dash, that I could have for when he was in the hospital! Honestly, these nurses are the nicest!)
And speaking of nice nurses, our occupational therapist Jennifer, loves Pippi. Quite honestly, all of the nurses do. But Jen was just out shopping at Target the other night, and saw something really cute for her, so she just bought it. Can you BELIEVE how NICE! It is amazing how attached they all become to their babies. But an outfit?! Beyond nice!
For Family Night tonight, we made a package to send Jake. We first decorated the box and then filled it full of crap AKA dollar store finds and whatever else the kids thought Jake needed to have on his mission. So in a few weeks, after the package’s arrival, Jake will be sporting a new orange football, a put-it-under-water-and-it-grows washcloth, and of course some nunchucks.
You mean to tell me this boy has climbed to a place he isn’t supposed to be and gotten in to things he shouldn’t be in.
You don’t say.
Ka called me last minute to do her hair for Homecoming.
I’m no professional hair stylist.
But who needs any sort of professional title when you can create this sort of masterpiece.
I’m kind of like one of those people who passes the Bar Exam without going to law school.
It is really hard to capture how teeny Pippi is.
She is currently 4 lbs 11 ounces.
But hopefully this picture gives it some perspective.
Keep in mind that my hands are really tiny, and her head easily fits in my palm.
I would say the comparison could be made that her head is about the size of a large orange.
We aren’t talking grapefruit.
We are still in the orange range.
NayNay is in town from college, and my kids are beyond excited! But as excited as they are, I think she is even more excited. So much that she begged to carve pumpkins with them. I must be tired, because I wasn’t totally pumped on the idea at first, but once we got started, it ended up being a really fun night!
At first Dashy wasn’t too keen on the whole “cleaning out” part.
But NayNay walked him through it, and he warmed up to the idea.
These two both got down and dirty.
And the end result….a scary vampire pumpkin.
And a night of sweet memories made.
We love the NayNay!
On Pippi’s 13th day of life, she experienced a lot of firsts.
Like she got to wear her first outfit.
A little preemie number my mom picked up from Red Balloon on the day I went into the hospital.
She wanted to make sure our teeny baby would be well clothed in the proper size.
She also got her first bottle feed of many by her Nonnie.
Rhonda, her nurse, made her first bow, and stuck it in her hair.
During her first bottle feed by Nonnie, Rhonda made up her new bed!
This was her first time in an open crib because she was maintaining her temperature, and was off the lights!
And being in the open crib brought about one last “first”, she got to wear her first hat!
My little girl (who is now the “big girl” with Pippi on board) gets quite the reputation for being highly spunky (or stinky at times). But her sweet side is sweeter than about anybody’s sweetest side. An example: Lately, I have spent most of my nights on the couch. For two months before Pippi came, I slept there for comfort. Then I had a stint at the hospital. And when I came home, I tried my luck in my bed, but apparently I am snoring. So instead of waking Micah up all night, I headed back to my comfy couch.
During the last week while I have been on the couch, each night I get a little visitor. I have a little girl who is mid-musical beds, and stops by to pay me a visit. This is how it goes:
“Hi mom. Are you having a good sleep? I love you. I’ll see you in the morning.”
And then I get my covers tucked in all around me, and then a sweet little kiss before she walks off to bed.
Can anything in the world make a mom happier?
From personal experience….I’ll tell you no.
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