Back to reality.

So!  Postpartum!

After that beautiful, amazing birth, the week of recovery was one of peace and delight and happy joyful family times, right?

all riiiiiiight! (4 days old)

Ha.



Sunday was quiet, although as I've already mentioned Mr. Pickles wasn't feeling well.  He made it to Mass by himself in the evening, though.  Everyone else stayed in their jammies pretty much all day.  Miriam went to bed at 7pm, even missing out on having a piece of Dominic's birthday cake, which she had decorated.

waking up is soooo haaaard

Monday morning, however, Andy woke us up early to inform us that his diaper was ew.  (and the floor.  and the carpet on the stairs.  and a couch pillow.)  Because nothing says "welcome baby" like gastrointestinal illness in the family!

aw, man, I need my coffee first

Dominic had his first doctor's appointment scheduled for Tuesday, and Miriam needed her stitches taken out.  We were contemplating various scenarios for what to do with the rest of the brood.  Bring some along?  Get a sitter?

Then Andy developed a fever.

And Joseph.

And at some point Daniel began having intestinal issues as well.

a real conundrum.  see how concerned I look!

Finally we decided that Mr. Pickles would have to stay home with all the sickies, and I scrambled to find a self-sacrificing friend to drive Miriam, the baby, and me to the doctor's.  (Love you, Michelle!  You're the best!)

Dominic checked out great, Miriam's finger was stitch-free..... and then Andy threw up all over his bed that night.

say what??

I had to come out of hibernation then -- stomach flu clean-up really is a two-man job.  It's one of those things you have to deal with right away or you will really regret it later. 

Then another one bit the dust.

this was before we knew she was sick, although at this point I should have suspected

We honestly tried to keep the baby quarantined, but really he was just too irresistible.  (We did insist on washed hands and no kissing, at least.)  I'm just praying I was able to pass some immunities on to him.

First bath!  "I'm beginning to suspect something Unpleasant is about to happen..."

Meanwhile, during all of this, I received two home visits -- one from the birth assistant on Monday, and then another from the midwives on Tuesday. (to check vitals, my emotional health, & answer any questions)  And then we had to bring Dominic to the hospital lab to get blood drawn for the PKU test on Wednesday, then go back to the doctor's for a weight check on Friday.

"I knew it!  I knew it!"

The good news in all this is that due to all the rest I got those first couple days, my milk came in very quickly.  Because of that, Dominic never got very jaundiced (huzzah!), and he has already regained his birth weight!

But, seriously, the stomach flu???

"We hates them!  We hates them all!"

Everyone is mostly on the mend -- the fevers are gone, but we still have to be careful with diet.  I think this has just been God's way of reminding us not to expect perfection on this earth.

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This last postpartum shot is purely to freak my mom out (and probably some sisters-in-law), and contradict everything I've tried to assure her about modern, non-hippy homebirths:

Look, Ma!  I'm a cannibal!