July Flashback: Parenthood!

Dear Logan,

It's unlike me to do back-to-back flashback posts, but how could I leave things hanging in the air like that?

Here is your very first photo:

From what I could see of you from my operating table position, you looked huge and sounded like a squeaky little mouse! Not bad for a "preemie"! Although, the doctor had warned me that if I didn't stop packing on the pounds I was going to end up with a 10 pound baby! (A remark I didn't deem exactly fair since the pre-eclampsia added about a ton of water weight!)

Fat and sassy! (Now you're just sassy.)

I was pretty much stuck here while they sewed me up. From the look on my face I guess you could say at least they were giving me some good drugs. At this point all I wanted to do was look at you and hold you! I was sooooo jealous of Daddy, getting to follow you all around! Not to mention, I was a tad resentful since for 8 months I did 100% of the work on you! I should have gotten to see you first!

All nice and settled down... My gosh, you were so beautiful to me then. Even now I still think you were a beautiful newborn.

Seven pounds, seven ounces! And apparently not enjoying the weigh-in!

Ohmigod! We're PARENTS!!!

Now what?

Here we are! Our first moment together! Well, with you on the outside.... I had to wait soooo long to see you! Your grandpa and Mary came in to see me in the recovery room and then Pappy and Grammy came in, and I had no idea they were waiting for everyone to leave before they brought you in to me! We waited and waited and waited....meanwhile, the rest of the family was seeing you through the nursery glass and up until that time all I had been able to see was a bundled up blanket with a hat! They whisked you off so quickly when you came out that all I could do was try to keep track of you from my horizontal position - not an easy task! I was absolutely DYING to see you, and FINALLY I made Daddy go and check to see where you were! So really, I was pretty much the last one out of the whole family who got to get a peek at my own dang baby! Yeesh!

But oh, my, how you took my breath away. I couldn't believe you were mine. I couldn't believe you were a BOY! You were just that gorgeous to me. And soooooo unlike what I expected you to look like.

Keep an eye on Grammy - she has this look of bliss on her face in every picture! Meanwhile, I had had a rough night of no sleep and a lot of pain! Is it possible my face got even BIGGER? Good Lord, look at me. I look like a Macy's Day balloon.

Pappy. How funny is it that men just automatically look this awkward when they hold a newborn?

Aunt Sheila, and your cousins Rochelle and Abby.

Dad's cousin's wife "Aunt" Terri and cousin Emma

Cousins Tori and Chelle

This photo looks totally staged. If I didn't know better I'd think this was a still taken from some cheesy diaper or baby powder commercial! But this is how much everyone adored you. In the picture are Grammy, Daddy, Chelle, Aunt Sheila and your daddy's cousin, "Uncle" Joey.

The best feeling in the world...

Grandpa

Step-grandma Mary

Mary's mother

Your great Auntie Joyce

My cousin, "Aunt" Katie

great Uncle Bragg

This must have been the day we discovered you had developed jaundice. And here I had been admiring your awesome olive complexion! But, you and I, we were meant to be palefaces.

Daddy taking a turn with the bottle. You were born a picky eater. You took so long to catch on to breast feeding that we were forced to supplement with formula! You lost a bunch of weight and they threatened to stick a feeding tube in you. At the time I thought that would be horrible - now after going through what we did with your sister, I realize it's not a big deal. It was just that after having such a touch and go pregnancy with constant contractions and worry, I wanted so desperately for you to be healthy!

As an aside, see the pretty flowers in the background? Right out of Grammy's garden, just for you!

Dad's stepdad Harold

Daddy's cousin Nicci

Getting ready to take you home! I know exactly what your dad was thinking in this picture. Just three weeks earlier your grandma Michelle had died in a car accident. It was so tragic and heartbreaking for us, and we missed her so much - and still do. It was hard to see all the family coming in and out of our room and not have her with us. I know your dad is wishing she could have seen you. She was an awesome grandma and she would have loved you soooo much! I often wonder how different our lives would be if we still had her around. She will be forever missed.

There was a lot of love for one little baby in that hospital room.

Love you forever,

Mama