Thursday, October 10, 2013

October 8: Phil Still Has No Nap


Phil dropped to sleep about 3:30am, after the midwives had left. He roused himself painfully in the morning. The brothers came in to meet Caleb. They compared beloved stuffed animal Sam with Caleb, for size (Sam was longer, but Caleb heavier).

They compared the size of their fingernails and big toes.

I went to change the baby's diaper and he peed. His brothers loved that.

Then I sent them back to the homestead, thinking that Phil could take a nap. Instead, the brothers watched a couple of movies and did some clean-up before the grandparents arrived. And Phil shoveled. He had reached a point in trenching where the backhoe would have been too dangerous, and so he dug by hand for hours.

His parents and grandpa (90 years old!) arrived in mid-afternoon.

They all came to see me, still in bed where I had delivered. The brothers were less timid. Isaiah was willing to hold the baby.

So was Abraham. Joe just looked on with fierce joy.

Since Cheri had just arrived, Phil had been working all day, and I certainly wasn't making dinner, we were at a bit of a loss on how to feed the eight. Thankfully, we had enough hot dogs and sausages in the freezer to make up that meal. So they went back to eat, and I stayed in the quiet home for the night, being treated with carrot-raisin salad, squash soup from the garden, quinoa and such. It was peaceful like a monastery, but felt more like a spa.

And everyone back on the homestead went to bed right after dinner.

That first full night, Caleb and I were awake for much of it. Exactly 24 hours after his birth, he was looking around and doing well.

2 comments:

  1. SO glad that you are resting and being so well cared for. Thanks for the updates, happy that it all went to plan and so well. Congratulations again.

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  2. What a sweetie! What a chunk! ;-)

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