Home at Last

Everyone checked out okay, so this afternoon around 1 o'clock we finally got everything and everyone packed up and headed home. Makenzie slept beautifully the entire ride home and has adjusted to the change in scenery very well.

The two big sisters helping carry their new baby sister out to the car.

All snuggled and packed in to the carseat. (Thanks, Bumper family!)

Makenzie's favorite sleeping pose.

Final Hospital Update (hopefully...)

We've survived our second night. Makenzie actually slept well last night between feedings.

She's doing very well overall, though as of yesterday morning (24 hours since birth) she had lost 7% of her weight already. The doctors are mildly concerned: 5% or maybe 6% is normal for the first day. I sounds like 10% is the max they would want by the time Mom and baby go home after 48 hours, so we're a little anxious as we wait for this morning's weigh-in. She also sounds to have caught Julie's cold a little bit, so she's breathing a little raspy -we'll have to keep an eye on that to make sure the infection doesn't take hold and work it's way into her lungs.

But so far, as much as you can tell in the first two days, Makenzie is proving to be our most mild-mannered baby yet. She has rested well, been relatively easy to sooth, and slept "like a baby" for much of her first 48 hours. Jadyn and Karina's first 2 days were night and day different from Makenzie's, so it's been a wonderful change of pace for us. We're not naive enough to assume this is going to last very long, but what a blessing it's been to start out the first few days this way.

Assuming all doctor's visits go well today, we're hoping to be on the road towards home before noon. We'll keep you posted - thanks for your continued prayers! We want to thanks to all our family and friends who came to visit us - it was great to see you all and have your support here at the hospital. A double thanks to Julie's mom, who we lovingly call Gramda, for watching the big sisters so we can both here!

A few closeups

Here are a few closeups. We're still waiting for some shots with her eyes open. She did well, as newborns go, through the first night - lots of feeding, a few quick catnaps, but still adjusting to the big new world.

Some more pictures of Makenzie Nicole

Do you have the George?

Karina, Jadyn, and I (Mark ) were in the car last night on the way home, when Karina asked me to put on the CD that has "Jesus Loves Me" CD on the radio.

I put it in, and not two seconds later Karina asked, "Daddy, can you put the George song on?"

I quickly dismissed her request, saying, "Honey, let's just let the CD play." The kids always want to jump from one song to the next, and I just wanted to let it play and concentrate on driving. But then her request hit me. I don't remember the "George song"... what was that?

So I asked back, "Karina, what is the George song?"

"I think it's number 6 or 9," she replied.

"I don't remember that song," I said. "Are you sure it's on this CD?"

"Yeah," she answered, "you know... 'I've got the George, George, George down in my heart!'"