The first month...

Happy One Month Elliot! I love you to bits.

I love the way you hang on me like a koala, the way you study the things around you, how expressive you are when you’re hungry or uncomfortable – all the tiny and big noises that you make, how you're on the verge of smiling, how you love nursing, how you perk up at your daddy's voice…

And as much as I love you now, I look forward to loving more of you and getting to know you better as you grow. I love you, buddy!

I started this post (below) in the first week of Elliot’s birth but never got around to finishing it in time. Although the content might seem dated now, it seems fitting to remember at this milestone...

Bilirubin Saga

Even when we were in the midst of it, I knew this was just going to be a small blip in the big scheme of things. However, it did not stop me from wrenching when I saw how much blood they had to draw from Elliot’s little feet for the bilirubin tests; or bursting into tears when I got a call from the doctor to go back into the hospital with the newborn for phototherapy, just a day after being discharged.

Once we got in, it was a continuous cycle of being in the “UV incubator” for 2-3 hours, nursing/feeding for 15-3o min (I tried to sneak in as much time to hold Elliot as I can, but the nurses kept me on task), changing diapers, checking vitals, and drawing blood every 6 hours; for the next 40+ hours.

There was a short reprieve when Arthur came with Mya and my mother for a visit. We were able to sneak in watching “Big Hero Six” and “Inside Out”. It would have been harder to bear if not for the visit and supportive nurses. Thank you God for working everything out!

This saga gave me a newfound respect for parents who have to go through harder things with their children. I don’t know how they do it. I am sure God will give us what we need to rise to the occasion, but I don’t know how I am going to stomach stitches, broken bones, surgeries, … And my heart broke when I saw pictures of a refugee feeding her son with a milk bottle on the ground. This sure sets waking up every 2-3 hours in perspective!

Squirt

Nick Parker (The Parent Trap) called his daughter Haley “Squirt”. It was cute and I contemplated that as a nickname for Elliot for a while, especially since the movie is one of Arthur and my all-time faves and we watched it together when we were in the hospital for Elliot’s birth.

That is, until the “projectile motion” caught me by surprise. Needless to say, it was nixed as a possible nickname contender as it proved to be too loaded and close for comfort.  

The sweetest little gift