Snapshots of 2016: September 22

Seriously the WORST night of sleep. Actually quite funny when ya think about it.

We left the hospital WITH OUR BABY around 9:15 this morning!

We had (and continued to have for several weeks following) SO MUCH SUPPORT from friends, family, neighbors, ward members who gave us/did for us so many things like:

homemade dinners
homemade bread & jam
homemade cookies
homemade pies
homemade tomato soup & bread
organizing multiple dinner drop offs
darling baby outfits, bibs, and blankies
rides for our kids to & from school - for MONTHS
notes & texts of encouragement
being "Boo'd" at Halloween
thoughtful birthday notes & gifts for me
gift certificates for dinner
diapers & blankies
homemade blankies
groceries
visits & witty jokes to cheer our spirits
watching our kids at night so we could go to the NICU
play dates for the big kids
homemade cakes
getting our kids to & from school & soccer & everything else
prayers on our behalf

NICU Tender Mercies

We *almost* bought a house and would have been moving in around the same time Crosby arrived. The sale fell through.

We live in a city with stores like Babies R Us where I can go buy a nipple shield for breastfeeding instead of ordering online & waiting.
BRYAN HAD TWO WEEKS OF PATERNITY LEAVE.
We had just gotten the baby stuff (furniture, clothes, car seat) out the weekend before Cros was born.
So many prayers were said on our behalf. We felt them all.
Bryan is a worthy Priesthood holder and was able to bless both me & Crosby.
Our names were put on the temple prayer roll by many.
Dr. Broberg was able to deliver Crosby! He also delivered Nora and I was crossing my fingers that he'd deliver again. He's so calm & level-headed & knowledgeable.
I didn't tear during birth.
We were able to get a free breast pump through our insurance.
My physical healing from childbirth was the easiest one of the four kids.
The big kids at home were so well behaved. Hazey had been having a hard time with anxiety & it seems to almost disappear when Crosby was born.

Andlie's fell and bruised her eyes the week BEFORE Crosby was born.

[One year later - posted on FaceBook.] September 22. The day Crosby graduated from the NICU.

During our stay at the NICU, Bryan gave me a Priesthood blessing. He blessed me to be able to recognize that time as a unique blessing and that I would look back on it and cherish it. At the time I was like [eye roll].

But even in the days after we got home (and many times since), I have realized how blessed I am and how beautifully unique our time was at the NICU. Sometimes I still miss the smell of the NICU wash in soap because it meant that it was just he and I - snuggling to our hearts contents. Crosby is one of our greatest blessings.

He's been a joy to our hearts and home since the day he was born.