Wow, you guys. Blessed and thankful are two words that don’t even barely begin to describe how I feel about this little guy that we’ve been graced with. But those words will have to do because limited sleep and an aching body tend to limit my capability of thinking of words more profound than amazing and wonderful. What an incredible gift.

Blake is doing amazingly well, settling in to life in our family. We came home from the hospital on Saturday, much to the Bear’s delight. It is really great to get started and begin to find our rhythm as a family of four.

Thanks in part to a little bit of experience, a lot of helping hands, and answered prayer, this beginning seems to be so much easier than the Bear’s. Blake is already nursing very well and I’m looking forward to finding out how much he weighs when we’re at the hospital for a vaccination tomorrow. {Did I tell you the nurses were calling him “Fatty” and he was the biggest baby in the ward while we were there?} He also gave us a couple of good stretches of sleep in the night last night — about three hours once and two and a half the next round. Score!

HH’s folks arrived on Sunday and you know the special place in my heart that gets touched when I see grandparents with their grandchildren. It is just so, so lovely. We are really glad they’re here. More on that later.

The Bear is handling the transition, although I think the upheaval of our “normal” life and schedule have been a bit of a challenge — he has started to use some faces and display some attitudes that my mother-in-love says are very much the manners of a two-year-old. He is slowly but surely learning the new normal. He liked coming to visit me in the hospital but didn’t like it when he realised he was leaving again and I wasn’t. Along with appropriate discipline, he is getting extra bedtime stories, extra treats, extra attention and extra love. Grace for a Bear in transition.

He finds Baby Brother interesting and would like to give him toys (which we have to advise against at this stage, of course) and is happy to give him a wave and an occasional kiss. And he thinks baby brother’s belly button (the part that hasn’t come off yet from the umbilical cord) looks like poo poo. Very disturbing to the Bear.

Hero Hubs, who just last night was busy calculating his average speed on the way to the hospital Thursday morning, is more of a hero every day. The laundry is done and things are moving along and getting done around the house (of course with the help of Agnes, and especially HH’s Mom who is cooking meals!) and he is still helping (as much as you’re able to when you’re not lactating) day and night to keep our baby boy happy and help me though it all. I’m so thankful for him I get teary.

And, finally, I am a very happy mother of two. I’ve been taking regular pauses for thankfulness that regularly bring me to tears — partly because I’m overwhelmed with these blessings, partly because giving birth and starting to nurse a little one are some great ways to take your hormones for a spin. I’m opening this little MacBook for the first time in many-a-day and for those of you who know me, that’s a significant point of interest. Resting and recovering from the (slightly traumatic) speedy delivery has taken priority. I trust you guys have patience for me!

I can’t wait to share more photos and especially share the labour story when I have a moment to sit still and type it out. “How to Have a Baby in 60 minutes or Less” and “My TV Birth Story” are appropriate titles I’ve been pondering. 🙂

Thank you so much for the encouragement, the sweet wishes and the congratulations. This grace-filled and peaceful transition is an answer to so many prayers — many thanks to many of you for praying them!

More soon!

xCC