First two weeks

We had a rough first couple weeks after bringing Claire home from the hospital. All my kids got super sick. Corbin had flu like symptoms, but luckily that only lasted for a day. Kent had a terrible cough that then spread to the other two. My kids were sick for a week. Luckily my amazing parents would take them during the day and somehow Claire and I never got anything.

Having my kids sick made for a hard transition to having a new baby. They all wanted to help and hold her and touch her things. Every time they did I would ask them not to and it was a big problem, especially for Maggie.

Finally once everyone was healthy again we could adjust to real life. The kids love her! Maggie really loves her, until having a baby interferes with me doing something for Maggie. She has had the hardest time, which really surprised me. I don't know if I realized how much Maggie needs my attention. The boys play pretty good with each other, but Maggie really likes me.

These pictures aren't really in any order, just a few of my favorites from her first few weeks of life.

Maggie picked out this outfit when she was shopping with Grandma Davis. Claire has worn it a lot because Maggie loves to pick out her clothes when I am getting Claire dressed.

Kent has done great with Claire. He isn't really affected by her. He pretty much only likes to hold her when someone else comes over to hold her. Other than that he just leaves her alone and does his own thing.

She was not too impressed with the bath.

Corbin was so excited that he was the only one old enough to walk around with her. He made it about three laps around the couch.

I am in love with her hair! It can lay flat if I do it right out of the tub, but why keep all that hair flat on her head?

Getting a picture of four kids was an impossible task. Kent would not be in the picture without his sword. Corbin had to be the one holding Claire or he wouldn't be in it. I had already told Maggie she could hold Claire, but luckily she likes a good picture as was willing to give her up. This really was the best we could do.

Once her umbilical cord fell off she enjoyed being in the tub a lot more.

It took me about two solid weeks to get a decent picture of all four of my kids together.

I am so in love with this little girl! It has been an adjustment for sure. I have not loved having a newborn in the winter, because of all the sickness and it is cold. We don't go anywhere. Part of that also is that it is hard having four kids, what an adjustment! Claire is just along for the ride to school, dance, all of our running around. So far she is a great baby and just rolls with it.

Lost Tooth

Last Sunday Maggie was biting into a strawberry and started crying because her tooth hurt. I wasn't at all sympathetic because she had been so whiny since Claire was born, I was sick of it. A little while later she started crying biting into a cutie. I looked at her tooth and it was super loose. She was so excited. She wiggled it for the next couple hours and then I pulled it out before we went to dinner. 

It was really nice to have her so excited and happy. She was able to show everyone at dinner and have attention on her, which she needed.

She put her tooth under her pillow that night (after staying up late looking for her lost tooth.) The tooth fairy came and left Maggie $5. At first she thought the tooth fairy left Corbin more on his first tooth because he got lots of bills. But Corbin assured her it was the same, he just got five ones instead of a five dollar bill. It is hard what a good memory these kids have about certain things.

I can hardly believe how old my kids are getting! Loosing a tooth seems like a big deal because  she is growing up!

Claire Jenkins

I was scheduled for an induction on Monday, January 29th. My parents came to my house at 6:30 that morning and Matt and I headed to the hospital. We got there right at seven and they were super quick to get me started. I was on my first dose of penicillin by 7:20. I had to be on the antibiotic for four hours. My nurse put me on the lowest dose of pitocin to start my contractions, but not make me go too fast. When my doctor came to break my water I could feel contractions, but they were not at all painful. Dr. Lister broke my water at 11:20. I immediately felt my contractions and strong. I waited about ten minutes and then asked for my epidural. It took the anesthesiologist about ten minutes to come. By the time he got there, my contractions were so painful. Before he even finished placing my epidural I told me nurse my baby was coming. I told her that a few times, but I just had to wait until my epidural was done. He didn't even put a pump on it, he just gave me one dose of medicine.Once my nurse finally checked me to hurried to call my doctor to make sure she was still there and have her come quick. My doctor came and I pushed for like five minutes. Claire was born at 12:06. It was all so fast. The epidural didn't have time to even work. I was still glad I had it for after because I could feel my stitches, but I do think the epidural took a little of the pain away. 

Claire was 6 lbs 14 oz, 19 1/2 inches. It was so amazing to hear her cry and have them put her on my chest! Matt put on her first diaper.

 

Matt grew out his beard longer with Claire than any other of my kids.

My parents came up with my kids a couple hours after she was born. When Emmett was born they would not hold him and weren't sure what to think. I was super excited when they were so excited to hold her. Corbin asked a few times in the hospital to hold her. They all loved her. 

Maggie was the least distracted by me and the hospital stuff, she was smitten with baby Claire.

My parents had just bought Kent this awesome super hero set before he came to visit.

My amazing little family!

Even though I was GBS positive, I was able to go home the next night. We were home before my kids went to bed on Tuesday night . I didn't sleep at all the first night in the hospital, so it was really nice to be home. The second night was so much better. I love the carseat pictures because they always look so tiny.She was mad at first when we put her in her seat, but she fell right asleep.

It has definitely been an adjustment having four kids, but so far she is a good baby. We are so glad she is here and healthy!