Attentive Big Sister

"I need to go to the bathroom" after nursing Little Ninja

"Just go. I'll watch Little Ninja"-Eerika in a matter of fact voice. 

Today she held him while he was sleeping so I could load dinner dishes into the dishwasher. 

Tummy time together

She is already talking about the baby girl that we will have next and how then we will have three boys and three girls.

Documenting the documenting:)

"Eerika come and make Little Ninja look at the camera"

Saku being a professional photographer while Eerika's job was to get Little Ninja's attention.

 Happy two weeks to Little Ninja!

Our bubble has bursted a bit since last Friday. Our sweet boy seems to have some tummy issues that really bother him.  He will start crying in the middle of his sleep every once in a while or cries until he lets out a big pause or poops. It also seems that he has silent reflux so while he does not spit up much, once or twice a day, it seems to bother him as milk comes up and then he swallows it back. 

He sleeps next to me pretty much all night. I was not able to co-sleep with Saku and Eerika, but I must have evolved as a mother or just faced the fact that three other people, in addition to this baby, depend on me and I can't afford to be too exhausted, but now I can sleep with him in my arms. He snuggles me on my left side and while it is not the best type of sleep, I can get enough hours to function well. 

I spend most of my days holding him. He likes to be in the wrap, which then frees my hands. I do make a point to lay him down at times, so Saku and Eerika don't feel like Little Ninja monopolizes my attention and they are somehow second best. However, I feel like I waited for this baby and if I spend next few months holding him rather than doing housework, that is time well spent as long as the rest of the family members don't feel neglected. 

Today I asked them how they felt about Little Ninja being part of our family, Eerika answered "happy" and Saku answered "awesome". I think the fact that they are a bit older and they have each other to play with has helped this transition. Today they played together while I rocked Little Ninja to sleep and they didn't feel neglected in any way. 

Little Ninja's first week

Little Ninja has been in our family for a week now. It feels weird to look at November's calendar and see the 3rd marked as a due date while it seems like he has been with us for so long. 

Little Ninja is definitely the sleepiest of our babies. Saku was never a sleepy baby and Eerika slept much more but nothing like Little Ninja. There were times when I really had to work to get him to wake up to eat. 

After diligently nursing him on the scheduled that the doctor gave us, he gained 9 ounces over the weekend. The doctor must be very cautious as he wanted one more weight check on Thursday. While I find a bit annoying, I also like the fact that he is cautious and looks after his patients. 

Little Ninja goes through a ton of diapers. I was worried that I had too many newborn size ones stocked up, but he has generously taken that worry away as he needs a diaper change about every two hours.  So we go through about 10 diapers a day.

He wears newborn clothing as he is a short little guy.

He can get upset with diaper changes but he is easily soothed. 

He takes a pacifier unless you try to give it to him when he is hungry. 

He naps everywhere; the swing, the bouncer, the car seat, the bassinet and the crib, but he still likes to sleep in your arms the best.

He nurses like a champion, but it takes a bit to get latched on when there is a plenty of milk supply. This can be very frustrating for him, but fortunately, we have been able to figure it out.

He gets up twice or three times a night. It has really been an "easy" first week and I am waiting for our bubble to burst. Last night was a bit harder as Eerika came to wake us up around 4 am, so I am feeling a bit more run down this morning, but I am just so grateful for the past good week.

Little Ninja slept through his first sacrament meeting and we survived our first public breastfeeding. 

We haven't had to cook at all. Barb was here with us for three days and obviously took such a good care of us. Then Rachael brought us delicious chicken noodle soup and Corrye brought meals to cover Saturday and Sunday. Now Barb is back with us until Friday. As I have said before, I love the community and the supportive friends that we have. 

Hanging out in the bouncer when I was able to put him down. I really just want to hold him all the time. 

Look at those lips!

Swaddled in Isi's master swaddle

Pretty perfectly round head I would say.

Chilling on the my belly

On our way from the hospital, it was time to feed him but he just wouldn't wake up. I tried for good 15 minutes and the boy just kept sleeping. He would open his eyes for a second and then go back to sleep. 

Saku-more cautious but not less loving brother

Saku had told isi that he wanted to look at Little Ninja but not touch when they were coming to the hospital. He quickly changed his mind, and while he doesn't ask to hold Little Ninja as much as Eerika does, he had showed to be a very loving and helpful brother. Saku also loved the soda and snacks that I had requested after the labor. 

He was disappointed that he didn't get to come and spend the day at the hospital with me like Eerika did. 

Saku talks in a sweet voice to Little Ninja and makes comments about his little hands, ears and feet.  He doesn't want to come anywhere near a diaper change and thinks it's gross that Little Ninja pees in his diaper. 

While there are five years between these two boys, I think they will be quite good friends one day. 

Miss Eerika-the Big Sister of the Year

Eerika had been waiting for Little Ninja's birth with such excitement. We wondered how she would actually react to him when she would see him and the reality of a little brother would kick in.

When she walked into the hospital room on Tuesday, she had the biggest smile on her face. She walked straight to the bed, climbed in with me and wanted to hold him.  She spent a lot of time holding him and when he would cry, she would confidently say "I think he wants me." 

When I mentioned that I had been singing a lot to him, she would start her, slightly off key, singing of "I am a Child of God" each time he would cry. 

Little Ninja was also a model little brother as he patiently dealt with Eerika's poking and squeezing and rearranging of his hands and hat. 

Holding hands with Little Brother.

This picture shows Eerika telling Saku and isi to be quiet because they were making Little Ninja cry.

Adjusting blankets like a pro.

The day after Little Ninja's birth, Troy and Eerika spent all morning with me at the hospital.  She got to watch PBS and hold her little brother and drink lots of Sprite. Plus she had both parents with her. I think it was a pretty good day for her.

Holding continued at home as it was the first request from her. 

Eerika is being more emotional and we are dealing with some extended sadness/anger periods, but she is nothing but a fabulous and loving sister towards Little Ninja.  

I am grateful that she loves her brother and her excitement for him hasn't stopped. 

Day Five of Little Ninja and Äiti of Three Update

Little Ninja is on a strict schedule for feeding. It is only really strict because that is how I operate once I am given a set of rules, but after his four day check up the doctor was worried about his weight  (down to 7 lbs and 10 oz from his birth weight of 8 lbs and 5 oz) and said that he can't go on more than 2 hours during the day and 3 hours at night between feedings. 

So I have been vigilant about it. Ironically, he is a sleepy baby. It can be hard, like really hard to, wake him up. Troy and I are so surprised and in awe of a baby who actually sleeps a lot. We didn't experience that with Saku or Eerka. Also I have felt that he has been an excellent eater and I have plenty of milk, so the weight issue surprised me.

Little Ninja is a great sport when it comes to his siblings holding him. He even tolerates the car seat by falling asleep in it. I keep telling Troy that it is too early to say anything, but he seems like much more calm baby than our other two. I dislike to label babies, and I am not saying it in a bad or good way because I still end up holding, by my own choice, most of the time. I feel like I would neglect him if I just put him in the bouncer...though I know that time will come too. 

My update is that my belly is shrinking. Not because anything I am doing but because my uterus isn't huge anymore. It is nice. I decided to be very relaxed about my body for the first weeks, and I noticed how exhausted my body got after just hour and a half of walking around Saku's school last night for the Fall Festival. 

I got about six hours of cumulative sleep last night and I feel amazing. It is so crazy how quickly your perspective changes, last week I would have been dying with just six hours and now I feel like I can conquer the world.

Little Ninja adjusting to the life at home.