Maternity Leave

So I finally have found out why you get maternity leave.


It IS NOT for 8 weeks of hospital visits, doctors appointments and laying in bed in extraordinary pain.


It IS for bonding with your newborn, getting the hang of nursing, adjusting to a new schedule, healing, enjoying the first couple months of a new baby, adjusting to crazy hormone changes, and waiting for baby's sleep pattern to line up with yours.


God has completely blessed our family beyond measure. I prayed and prayed for some sort of normal time home on maternity leave after this birth. And God never fails to deliver! All I wanted was to enjoy my new family and have time to recuperate. And that is exactly what God gave us.


This is what life looked like after Drea was born: They sent us home from the hospital only to have to go back the next day and stay for 3 days so Drea could be treated for jaundice. Then three weeks after she was born, I woke up with some of the worst pain I have ever had and was admitted to the hospital with kidney stones. At the same time Andy came down with shingles and wasn't allowed to be around our newborn. That wasn't the easiest thing in the world - we didn't even get to go to her 1 month drs visit (poor Nunnie had to endure her granddaughters first shots.) Then three weeks after that (still having only a six week old) I had another kidney stone and had to have surgery on this one. Then two weeks later, Drea had RSV and we spent the weekend in the hospital watching her lay in an oxygen tent.


I know many people have had it worse but I just wanted to experience having a baby and getting to just enjoy a new baby without all the other stuff. And that is exactly what has happened. Thank you God!



PS - I never got to post my last belly shots before Charlotte was born. I can't get over how round my belly was. I can't believe there was a 9 lb. 6 oz. baby in there.