Whew!

So, Nicolás is officially one month old (as of yesterday), and once again it feels as if this postpartum time has just flown by. I'm certainly not 100% healed and it feels a bit slower this time around. That's probably because caring for Alex is just as exhausting as caring for Nicolás. We feel very blessed to have both of our sweet boys so I can't complain!

Nico has been a very nice addition to our family. Given his little problem with jaundice he was slow to gain weight at first but he's now 9 lbs 14 oz and is gaining at a very rapid pace according to his pediatrician so we are very excited about that.  We're still trying to get his feeding down because he seems to have a milk protein intolerance so I've been put on a dairy free diet to reduce gassiness.  When we supplement with formula, we have to use soy formula. So far it seems to be helping and time will tell if we have to make any other adjustments to help the little guy out.

I'm still adjusting to having two boys. Just this morning, my sanity was tested as I was trying to take a quick shower before Nico's one month check when Nico suddenly woke up hungry. Just then, Alex walked in holding his underwear telling me he had pooped and needed help getting cleaned up and putting his underwear back on. Somehow, I manage although I'm sure Nico is learning to be a much more patient baby than Alex had to be, and Alex is learning to be more patient and not to expect me to immediately respond to his every request. For those of you who don't know, Alex nailed down the pragmatic skill of requesting at a very early age. :-)

I'm still cautious about taking Nico and Alex out to the together because Alex is pretty difficult to manage by myself so we've still been holed up in our house all day til Daddy gets home. I'm hopeful that once I'm fully healed I'll be able to take both boys out and about so that Alex won't be completely bored out of his mind all day. 

In the meantime, Alex is talking up a storm and repeating everything he hears (a really dangerous thing if you're in a bad mood or say something naughty.) He has a habit of letting his imagination run wild and talks about seeing dragons and purple butterflies in the suburbs of San Antonio. I love that little guy and he can drive me crazy and have me cracking up all within the same minute. He's such a joy in my life. I never imagined being able to love two little boys so much!

I'm hopeful that soon we will once again know more than 2 1/2-3 hours of sleep at a time. We'll get there I'm sure. :-)

Complete

Nicolás has been home for a week and 2 days now, and we are having a great time adjusting to our newfound family dynamic. Grandma Mary left this morning so now the true test of Alex's adjustment begins. We've all had the luxury of having grandma to distract Alex when Nicolas requires attention from both Eddy and me (which isn't very often thank goodness). Alex fully understands that Mommy must take care of Nicolas but he is having some jealousy issues when Eddy is handling Nicolas. He is too funny! Overall, I'd say that he's adjusting very well and hopefully will continue to do so.

Nicolas came home from the hospital with jaundice but his bilirubin levels were never high enough to warrant phototherapy. Apparently, the jaundice has caused him to be very sleepy which has resulted in him not eating very vigorously. This has in turn has affected my milk supply. We had to rent a hospital grade pump so that I can pump as much as possible in addition to supplementing with formula because his weight gain has been very limited. We're hoping that he will be back to birth weight by his 2 week appt next Wednesday. I have hope because he is eating a lot more now that he is not having to feed for 30 minutes and only getting an ounce. I am very grateful for the lactation center for helping us...they are AMAZING!

Otherwise, this little guy is such a calm and sweet baby. He sleeps like a dream. Last night, he went 3 hours and then 4 1/2 hours between feeding sessions so I feel very rested. The Lord really knew what he was doing when he blessed us with Nicolas. We have a very spunky and vibrant 2 1/2 year old and now a calm, easy-going baby...I couldn't be happier.

Before having Nicolas, I kept telling Eddy that I wanted to try for at least one more, but at this point, I would be happy if we decided to just have 2. Having children is a huge task! It is emotionally fulfilling and exhausting at the same time. We'll see in a few years if we can handle another but as far as I'm concerned, I feel complete. A 3rd addition would just be sprinkles on the cupcake. :-) I love my boys!