Paxton Bailey

...Introducing Paxton Bailey...

...it's been way too long since I've blogged...and for good reason...

...the last time I blogged, I looked something like this...

...but all excuses from blogging aside, the longer I go, the more concerned I get about being able to put together the perfect post to introduce our third child, Paxton Bailey to the world...

...but the reality is that nothing is perfect...but you can see from the glow in our eyes that he will challenge that statement...

...Paxton came into this world at 2:22pm on Monday February 24th, it was a Monday afternoon on the day of his scheduled induction...he was delivered by Dr. Bruce Morris, our high risk OB who delivered Chase and Ava also...and while his delivery was the roughest of the three, it wasn't too bad...we had a huge delivery room on the sunny Monday morning and the doctors started the pitocin once we arrived at 7am...they didn't call for us to come in to the hospital so the impatient Mommy that I am, I called them and they said we could go ahead and come in...the delivery was quick, once the pushing began, Pax's heartrate (which had been irregular for the last six weeks) began to drop so they got him out quickly... and his irregular heartbeat corrected itself immediately at birth...he was born a healthy 7lbs 9oz and quite handsome...

This one cracks me up because this is the fattest he ever looked as a newborn...and this was one day old...

Early sleepy smiles from the hospital March 2014

...he loved getting his hair washed...and he had enough of it...

...and then it was time to meet the whole family...

...so between bouts of sickness...Grandma and Papa shuttled everyone up to the hospital...

...it was love at first site...

...for all of us...

...and then it was time to pack up and head home...

...we had spent the week fighting strep throat and stomach flu prior to (and during) his birth but we were all ok for his arrival...but let's hope that his birthday every year doesn't bring the end of winter sicknesses that plagued us this year...

...and whether it was related or not, Pax wasn't able to eat enough to fight off his newborn jaundice so as quick as we got home, we were back in the hospital but this time in the NICU to get his bilirubin levels down...the nurses were great and he recovered in 48 hours under the intense blue lights and with almost constant feedings...just as anticipated but the scare of a newborn in the NICU is something that will forever be etched in my brain...

...there is no filter on these...

...and of course Kirk had just flown internationally for business when we were admitted...but he was able to return early...and arrived just in time to get home along with Pax and I... which was just what we all needed...


...and we laugh because Pax has been a great sleeper since the day we brought him home...probably partly to do with the jaundice...but regardless...once a night feedings are sure ok with us...

...and we are all adjusting to a new normal around here...and it isn't perfect and it isn't easy...but it sure is met with a lot of smiles...

...the purpose of this blog has always been for my children...to look back on the memories of their childhood...and so I ask that you forgive me little Pax, because you are my last baby and you are such a loving little snuggler, so I am not going to prioritize blogging right now, and surely not worry about perfect posts...because these moments won't keep...

...I love you with every ounce of my being, Paxton Bailey...you have made our family and our hearts complete...