Week one with Gabriel

We all are head over heels crazy in love with Gabe. He is such a sweet little guy. We've had some really sweet moments with him around here. I especially love seeing Michael and Rachel with him. 

My parents were staying with us for the first week home to help us out. They were awesome about getting Michael ready for school and taking him to school. My dad entertained Rachel and took Michael and Rachel on several outings--usually to a thrift store where he let them pick out a book or a toy. He also spoiled them with donuts. My mom helped so much with dinner, feedings, doctor's appointment visits, helping me pick up our Mazda from the dealership (where it had been for four weeks while they fixed a few things and installed a new transmission, which thankfully was caused by another problem that was under warranty). I was pretty tired, and horrible about taking pictures of Gabe with my parents. Fail!

 With Gabe around, everyone's nurturing instincts came out:

 Michael and Rachel constantly smother Gabe with kisses and always want to hold him or feed him.

The day after I got home from the hospital, my milk started coming in, which was not very pleasant. I find it kind of funny that when you're nursing, you have to try so hard to get your milk in. It feels like such an up-hill battle involving lots of pumping and worrying about your supply drying up. In fact, everyone says to not let your baby go more than 3 hours without eating or you could dry up. No underwire bras. Eat well. All that. And then, I found myself on the other side. I did absolutely nothing, and my milk came in anyway, and it kept coming until I was absolutely miserable. Experts said that pumping would just keep making it worse. Out of desperation, I tried pumping anyway, but that didn't help and only produced the most pathetic bit of colostrum, which I happily dumped into Gabe's bottle. I tried ice packs and cabbage leaves. I cried and cried Tuesday night, trying to figure out ANYTHING find relief. The nurse at my doctor's office suggested benedryl and ibuprofen. I was already taking ibuprofen, but I added benedryl and continued taking percuset, which I'd been trying to avoid since it made me so sleepy and dizzy. So, I spent a good chunk of my week with my mom completely drugged up and lethargic because that was the only thing that helped. Finally, after a few miserable days, my supply lessened and finally went away just over a week after I got home. 

 It was totally worth that miserable week to not be nursing though. Can I just say how much I am enjoying NOT nursing? Everyone enjoys the fact that I'm not nursing:

 I was worried that the nurses and our pediatrician would give us grief over the no nursing decision, but everyone has been so supportive, especially our pediatrician.

Remember that whale onesie that Michael made for Gabe at his shower? Well, here it is on our sweet model:

 And with it's creator:

 During that first week, Gabe also got his first bath. I know you can't tell by his face, but he LOVED it. I think he would have stayed in there for hours.  

 Getting out? Less thrilled about that one.

 Look how tiny he is:

 My parents headed home on Friday, when Gabe turned one week old. We were so grateful for their help with cleaning, cooking, and even a little painting downstairs. Later that afternoon, I took Gabriel's newborn pictures:

 I'd been planning on this newsboy outfit thing for his pictures for months leading up to his arrival, and I commissioned my sister Emily to make this outfit for me. It didn't arrive when USPS said it was delivered, and I spent several worried days upset over it and frustrated with our mail carriers for losing this important, irreplaceable, time sensitive package. Thankfully, it showed up almost a week after it said it was delivered, and I was able to have the outfit just in time. Phew! A few tears were shed in the meantime though.

 When I asked Em to make the newsboys outfit, I picked out the pattern, and somehow, Emily accidentally printed the wrong one and made these cute overalls instead:

She sent me the finished picture and I said, "Uh, they're cute, but I wanted pants with suspenders." She figured out what happened, made the other pants, and gave me both outfits. Isn't she awesome?

 Also, a shout-out to Brian's Aunt Martie for the afgan that Gabe is laying on. It was so perfect for this shoot!

 And Chelsea game me this awesome thin swaddler blanket:

 This was the easiest newborn shoot I've ever done because Gabe is just so chill. He just went right to sleep and stayed asleep, which was really nice since my studio is loaded up with furniture (so we could drywall the other rooms), and we had to do this shoot on the kitchen table, which meant I couldn't get it really roasty toasty up there. Turns out, it doesn't have to be super warm for Gabe to sleep.

On Sunday, Brian got the kids, minus Gabe, and himself ready for 8:30 church, and Gabe and I stayed home and slept. Even though he didn't go to church, I still dressed him in his tie onesie, and had to take a picture of him with Rachel, since she helped make it:

In case you missed it, we're completely head over heels crazy about our little Gabriel.