10 Months

Max,

Your first Christmas has come and gone.  We opened presents, ate some good food, traveled, and even took you to your first concert to see the Annie Moses Band.  We may have gotten some funny looks as we carried you (the only baby in attendance) into KPAC and sat down, but you were an angel.  You stood on daddy's lap and listened to the beautiful music and by the end, they had sung you right to sleep.  I'm glad your first concert was all about singing  praises to our Savior, the best gift we could ever receive.

You had so much fun playing with all your new toys, and our living room still looks like a war zone because everything gets pulled out every day.  Your favorite gift so far has been the little walker Grammy and Granddaddy got for you.  I'm getting my exercise too because you haven't learned how to turn it around yet, so that means you run into something and look at me or whomever is around to get you back on the right track.  You are well on your way to walking all by yourself.  Granddaddy made a rocking goat for all the boys.  It is so neat...I know you will have fun on it too.  We had a great Christmas with all of our family.

Right now you are snoozing away, and I'm hoping this keeps up tonight.  Last night, you and I pulled an all nighter in the recliner!  Teething is so unfair.  I wish it didn't have to hurt so much.

Your new favorite things are clapping and holding anything up to your ear and saying bye bye as if you are talking to someone on the phone.  It's so cute to hear you talk!  You are saying bye bye and mama very clearly and lots of other little jabbers.

At your 10 month check up you weighed 22 lbs!  You are getting so big.  You are even falling asleep on your own in your crib...something I thought might never be accomplished.  You like to be held...who can blame you? 

Well, tomorrow we find out if you are having a baby brother or baby sister.  Honestly, we will be thrilled no matter what we find out.  You are so fun loving that I can see you with either one.  I can't wait to find out just how our family is going to grow.

I love you so much!

Mama

Big Brother

10-10-12

You stayed all day long with daddy on Monday because he was off work for Columbus Day.  Daddy loves you very much, but he is not used to keeping you all day by himself.  I called three times to check on both of you….and, of course, no answer.  He couldn’t find his phone all day…I’m sure it was because he was very busy.  When I walked in around 3:00 PM, you were holding onto the couch, standing up, while daddy was lying on the floor like he was exhausted.  You gave me the biggest laugh and smile!  Moments to live for…!  I am so excited to leave work and come to see you each and every day.  

Things you love:

Bathtime—You love to splash, splash, and splash some more.  It’s hard to get you all washed up because you are just having too much fun.  My favorite has been the few times that you, Jack, and Jude have all had a bath together.   While you and Jude are splashing it up, Jack is sitting in the middle just wishing he had the tub to himself again.  He really loves you both, but sometimes he tells Grammy…to “put Max down” or “give Jude to Momma” because he wants Grammy all to himself.

Bananas—You are crazy about bananas and I have mixed it in a lot of different foods for you.  By the time you are finished, we are working to get avocado and bananas and apples and bananas out of your hair and off of your face!!

Laughing—You are just a happy baby!  Everything is funny, and you love for us to play peek-a-boo with you!

I am so excited that your first Halloween is coming up very soon.  You are going to be a dragon, Jude will be a little monster (so fitting J), and Jack is going to be Woody (he is obsessed with Toy Story 3).  I can’t wait to see all of you dressed up.  We will head to Trunk or Treat at church and maybe go to a few houses.  I think Daddy is excited that you can trick or treat now…he wants to eat all the candy.

10-15-12

We had a nice fall break at home!  I loved getting to cuddle with you while you napped, and  I had fun playing with you during the day.  You are growing up so fast!

I found out on Thursday, October 11^th, that you are going to be a BIG BROTHER! You are going to be such a good brother to your little sister or brother.  Our family is growing, and we are so excited.  I hope you two will be as close as your Aunty Christy and I are.

On Saturday, October 13^th, Grammy, Aunt Christy, Aunt Bonnie, and I took you, Jude, and Jack to the Pumpkin Patch in Milan.  We had so much fun taking pictures of you three playing in the pumpkins.  Jack picked up every pumpkin he came across and placed them into the wagon.  You and Jude sat in the wagon and played….Jude tried to eat some of the little pumpkins J  Just think, next October we will have 5 little ones instead of three!  We are so blessed.

Because you have been so congested, we took you to the doctor on Sunday.  Hopefully, this medicine will help that cough!  I hate when you are feeling bad.

I love you, sweet baby boy!  You make every day more fun!

Love,

Mama

Wish they could see you!

Max,

Yesterday, I looked at you rolling around in the floor and couldn’t help but wonder where my tiny baby had gone.  How could it already have been seven months since you joined our family?  I feel like I’ve always known you, like you’ve always been a part of me.  I’m wishing we could make all of these moments last just a little longer!

These past two months have brought so much loss to our family.  Two of my great uncles and two of my great aunts have passed away.  Though I was not very close to them, I couldn’t help but think of those who have gone on to be with Jesus who I was close to and who would have loved to meet you and love on you.  It has been 17 years since Grandma Hinson went to heaven.  She loved babies, and she was the best cook!  She had 5 children, a few gardens, cooked every meal, collected antique dolls, could sew anything (she made clothes for my barbies and for aunt Christy’s), and she always had big league chewing gum for us to chew!  Granddaddy White went to heaven in 1994.  I remember him always saying, “Oh Hello,” as a response to everything!  He was a farmer, and he wore overalls a lot.  I was going into the fourth grade when he died, but I still remember that he liked to watch wrestling on TV and he always sat in the rocker by the window.  Granddaddy Hinson died in 2008.  I was 18 years old, and I was in college when he got really sick.  He was so active even at an old age.  He farmed, he cut hay, and he just loved to be outside.  He could cook the best breakfasts, and in the summers my mom, Christy, and I would eat breakfast with him.  He always spoke his mind, and he was a hard worker.  He liked to drive his tractor fast, and he loved to eat seafood!  Uncle Johnny went to heaven in 2011.  He would have loved to see all these boys.  He was a farmer too, and he was an educator!  He was a strong leader and loved his family.  And funny, he could be so funny!  I wish you could have known them!  You are so blessed to have such a good family and to have so many who are here who love you!

Funny things you are doing: You can click your tongue and make noises just like me and daddy.  You think it is so funny to mimic our sounds.  You laugh and smile as soon as you see your daddy walk into a room.  You want everything we are eating.  We’ve had a few close calls as you have grabbed BBQ from my plate and shoved it in your mouth along with eggs and anything else you can get your hands on.  And…sweet potatoes…I thought you loved them, but this past month with all the spitting and horrible facial expressions, I decided we would stick to butternut squash, avocados, bananas, and well anything but sweet potatoes.

Spoiled?...I decided you have been a little cranky because of the 2 new bottom teeth you have coming in.  For several nights, you have woken up in your crib, and would only go back to sleep if you were rocked or lying in bed with me and daddy.  You like to be held….maybe it’s because I didn’t put you down the first 5-6 months of your life….  Some may think you’re spoiled (like daddy), but you are only a baby for one year, and if you want to be held….I’m going to hold you!

Since your favorite chew toy is my cell phone, I’m thinking about just giving it to you.  But then what kind of mother would I be if I let you have your first cell phone at age…7 months?  The truth is I have already been thinking about all of the awful things kids/teenagers do with cell phones.  I’m already dreading the day that you want one!

Halloween is right around the corner!  I can’t decide what I want you to dress up as: a monster, or a dragon?  They are both so cute.  I’m excited for your very first Halloween!    7 months—How time flies! 

I love you,

Mama

Changes...

Max,

What a whirlwind the past month has been!  I started back to work, and even though I knew it was getting close, it was still very hard to get back into the swing of things.  I loved our days/months together, and those will always be very special to me.  Thank goodness you are staying with Aunt Bonnie...she loves you as much as I do.  That made it a little easier, but the tears still fell the first day I went back full time!

Stress!  That is how I would sum up my first week back to work.  So many changes were being implemented, and there was so much I wanted to do in order to feel successful and in order for my 7th grade students to be successful that I was becoming overwhelmed!  That is when God intervened.  I learned of an opening at Lakewood (where Grammy and Aunt Christy work), and I seriously considered it.  I found out about the school counselor opening the Thursday before the Monday all the students were coming.  I had to make a decision fast, and looking back that's probably the only way it would have turned out the way it did.  Your daddy and I talked about the positives and the negatives.  And...the biggest positive was that I was going to be home with you more, and in the end that's all I really cared about!  I took the job on Friday, and my life became a little less stressful.  I loved my teaching job at Inman, I loved the teachers at Inman, and I made some of my very best friends there!  That has been the hardest part!!  I miss my IMS family terribly...and part of it is I'm not fond of change.  But, when I leave work each day, and I have you home by 3:15....I know I made the right decision.  You are only little once...and I just want to be around to see and experience as much of it as I can.

You are growing so quickly...sitting up (barely...you still have a little balance issue), moving and rolling around, eating real food (your favorite is avocado and banana mixed), cooing and trying to talk, and growing out of all your clothes too fast!  I love every second of it.

We also found out that you are going to have another cousin...you will no longer be the baby!  Aunt Christy and Uncle Josh are adding to the clan.  Baby Hendricks #3 is scheduled to arrive in March.  I can't wait to watch you, Jack, Jude, and Baby #3 grow up together.  I know you will be so close!

Right now we are waiting on some teeth to come in.  It seems like you have been teething forever!  I hate to see you hurting, so hopefully those teeth will start coming in very soon!

You are blessed to have so many people who love you!

Love,
Mama 

Life: Then and Now

Max,

Every time I do something, I can't help but think about how differently I go about doing it now.  Just getting out of the house has become a bit more complicated.  I was amazed the first time I took you out at everything I needed to pack for you to ensure that you would have everything you needed.

SHOWER:  Before you, I could take a shower any time I wanted and spend as long as I wanted  taking it.  Now, it goes something like this: ok, he's asleep...I'm going to lay him on my bed, get in the shower as quickly as I can, scrub, wash, dry off, jump out, grab clothes, leave hair wet..., and it only takes me around 5 minutes to get done what used to take me around 30!  You are teaching me how to save so much time, it's unbelievable. 

EATING OUT: I have learned how to hold you and eat with my other hand quite efficiently now.  At first, it was a bit difficult....I went through a few meals without really having tasted anything. 

WAL-MART- Thank goodness you love to ride in the basket because I feel like I'm at wal-mart multiple times during the week.  I just make sure to go inbetween feedings.  It's all about the schedule.

CHURCH- oh me, I didn't realize by just adding one person (a tiny person at that) to my list of people to get ready, which before now only consisted of me, could be so tough.  I get up way early and spend way too long getting myself ready, you ready, feeding myself, and you, and making sure I packed everything you needed in the bag the night before for just an hour of church. 

NAPS- Never really needed them before...if I took a nap, it was really hard for me to sleep at night.  Now, I sleep wherever I happen to land and whenever I happen to land.  :) you have made me very active.

STRANGERS: weird title I know, but no strangers ever felt the need to touch me before you....At the strangest places, people would ask me to touch my belly. I guess some women are comfortable with that, but not this one!  I really wasn't even comfortable with family members rubbing on my enormous belly....just so weird, I think!  Now, that you are here I get endless comments on how cute you are (that's true), and only some ask to hold you :)  You are irresitable....what can I say?  I have met so many new people because of you..

TWINKLE, TWINKLE...well, you know the rest.  I have basically worn out that song!  It's time to venture out with some new tunes to rock you to sleep.  I was never much of a singer before  you...maybe in the car :), but now I find myself constantly singing...I've even had to look up the lyrics to children's song on google because I can't remember them.  I start singing, and immediately I think, "I bet Max would roll his eyes if he could!"

6:00 AM...I never see six AM during the summer...well, now I do.  And sometimes I see 4 AM and 5 AM.  You and I are definitely up by 6, and somehow you have the most beautiful smile on your face.  And since you can smile and be happy so early, so can I.  (Also, because I know you will want a nap in about 2 hours!!)

STYLE...I have never been a fashion guru, but I'd like to think that I do dress well...nice clothes, shoes, accessories.  Before, I spent SOME time on my ensemble (maybe not as much as other girls), but now my main accessory is spit up somewhere on my clothing.  And, I honestly don't care.  At first, I would go change my shirt or pants after you spit up, but then I realized it just wasn't worth it.  I was only adding clothes to the mountain that needed to be washed, folded, and put away....so spit up as my perfume?  I think I will!

I'm sure if any mothers read this, they will wonder what did I think I would be doing when I had a baby.  The truth is that everyone can tell an expecting mother that her life is going to change forever, and she is not going to GET it until that sweet baby is actually here!  Life changes can be so good! 

Love,
Mama

4 months

Baby M,

What an exciting week and couple of days we have had!  You made it the whole 9 hours (though with all the frequent stops, it was closer to 13) to Gulf Shores, AL, and you were such a good baby!  You went on your first crab hunt, had your first pictures made in white and khaki, and put your feet in the sand.  You were not much on soaking up the sun, so we took turns with you inside our beach house!  You had been trying to roll over for a while and had done it once before but had always had trouble getting that one arm out from under you, well on Father's Day (June 17) you rolled over and over and over!  And now you won't stop!  We have got to work on getting you to roll back the other way because we are constantly rolling you back over so you won't get mad (you're not a tummy kinda baby).  On the way back home, we stopped to eat breakfast at a Cracker Barrel in Greenville, AL.  I was holding you/rocking you while trying to eat, and this sweet lady came over and wanted to hold you so I could eat.  I have to admit I was a little wary...who was this crazy person trying to hold my baby...her table was next to ours and her daughter was so embarassed.  I eventually gave in, and she rocked you right to sleep.  However, I don't remember tasting any of my meal...I gobbled it down, so that I could come grab you back!

Finally back home from the beach, and you have turned 4 months old, which means time for some solid food.  I have been planning for a long time to make my own baby food.  I want to know exactly what you are eating, and I want you to be healthy!  I made so many bad choices which negatively affected my  health when I was younger, and now I'm working hard to exercise and eat foods that are good for me.  I want that for you too.  I have heard a thousand times from other moms that I probably won't keep it up, especially when I go back to work, but I'm going to do my best!  Your first solid...a sweet potato!  I think you liked it...you made some funny faces at first, but after the first couple of bites, you were opening up your mouth in anticipation!  Another first!

Inservice and school are pretty much back in full swing for me.  Part of me is ready to work; teaching is just part of who I am.  However, most of me is agonizing over the fact that I'm going to miss so much of your first months!  I am going to miss rocking you during the day, playing and laughing, and even changing all those diapers.  I'm doing what is best for both of us though!  One request: become a doctor, and let this mama retire early :)  Love you

Mama

Beach Baby!

Max,

We are headed to the beach in just a few days, and I am so excited to get away for just a little while before school starts back and everything shifts into high gear.  You probably won't remember your first vacation, but I'm going to take tons of pictures for you! You are set with your own pair of sunglasses, swimming trunks, go pod, straw hat, beach towel, sun tent, and swimming float...can't wait to get you in the sand!

Right now you have a sinus infection and you don't feel very good, but you still smile all the time.  You are such a happy baby! Dr.  Minor said you weigh 15 lbs and 1 oz.  You are getting to be such a big boy so fast!  You are even rolling over now.  Sometimes you can't quite get one of your arms out from under you, but you sure are trying.  The last time I wrote  you were just starting to sleep in your crib at night.  You have transitioned extremely well!  You still get up for a middle of the night feeding and every now and then you wake up, and you just want to be rocked. :)  It is so hard for me to let you lie in your crib and cry a little, so that you can soothe yourself back to sleep.  I haven't quite mastered it yet. 

I am learning how hard it is going to be to go back to work full time at the end of July.  We have had such a good time together...all I can think about are the things I'm going to miss.  This month I had a few inservices and by the time I got home, it seemed like it was time for you to get ready for bed.  I felt like I hadn't seen you at all.  The good news is that you will be staying with Aunt Bonnie and Baby Jude.  You will have so much fun, and I will be missing you!  The great thing is that we still have a month and half...we will make the best of it. 

You, Jack, and Jude are just the sweetest things.  Jack calls you "Jack's baby" and he is always wanting to give you kisses.  And you and Jude just watch each other all the time.  Thankful for all of our babies.

I love you!

The firsts!

Max,

You are exactly 68 days old! Your daddy and I are finally starting to get the hang of this parenting thing.  I can distinguish a hungry cry from a sleepy cry, and I know exactly the face you make when it's time to go potty :)  You think my hair is funny (I'm hoping that's just you and that it really doesn't look as funny to other people), you have learned to sit in your bouncy seat and watch me exercise...which you also think is funny (I'm certain everyone would laugh watching me do Insanity), you have started to watch me and your daddy walk from the living room to the kitchen, you still love to be held (not sure I'm going to break you of that and not sure I even want to), we've added cereal to your bottle, you are starting to fall asleep without being rocked (sometimes), you were in your first Fish Fry parade and won a first place trophy, and  you have thrush...your very first time being sick.  I hate it as much as you do. 

Yesterday, on your 67th day, we decided it was time to try out the crib.  Thus far the crib has been a useless piece of furniture taking up space in the nursery I barely use.  I have to watch myself or I let some of your baby clothes pile up on it...then I remember that I'm actually supposed to be using this thing.  We spend our time napping in the recliner, and you sleep right beside me in your sleep n play or bassinet, so trying out the crib has not been a priority. Though I wasn't excited about this idea, I knew we needed to try it. I was afraid that if we didn't use the crib soon, you might be sleeping right beside me until your 5th birthday.  I realized that we are headed for lots of firsts!  Some of them I am so looking forward to....and others I'm not quite ready for.

You fell asleep and slept well in the crib.  Surprisingly, I only woke up a few times desperately listening to the monitor to make sure I could hear you breathing.  The only time I got up to check on you was around 4:00 A.M. when it was time for you to eat.  I can't believe you slept so long in the crib, and even more unbelievable is that I made it through the night without having a panic attack.  Holding you early this morning, I couldn't help but think that this is the beginning of many more firsts for the both of us.  I'm excited to see what you start doing next! 

I love you.

Letters to Max: April 2012

Max,

Right now you are lying on your lion carpet in the living room floor.  I'm trying to type and entertain you with a rattle at the same time: all part of Aunt Christy's schedule-sleep, eat, play.  We are in the playing stage but you really want to go to sleep.  This process is all in hopes that you will sleep less during the day and more at night.  I have to admit though I don't really mind getting up with you in the middle of the night.  Last night, we watched old episodes of  The Nanny and Family Matters together.  You woke up at 2:45, and we went back to sleep around 4:30.  Yesterday, you, Jack, and Jude were dedicated to God at church.  It was a happy day; I pray often that you will grow up to do great things in the name of God.  I pray that you will have a heart to serve Him and love Him, and I pray that your daddy and I can lead you in that direction.  Grammy, Granddaddy, Great Grandma, Aunt Christy, Uncle Josh, Aunt Bonnie, J.T., Jack, and Jude were all there.  After we got home, I got a text from your grammy that said: "Just wanted ya'll to know how proud brad and I were of both of you and your families this morning in church.  Those 3 babies were the cutest things on earth! Ya'll looked like a million dollars!"  They love you so much, and she bought the cute little outfit you were wearing.  What a wonderful day we had!

You turned 7 weeks old on Friday, April 13.  You have really started smiling when we talk to you or when a rattle is shaken in front of you.  It's the best smile I've ever seen.  You are starting to grow out of all your 0-3 month clothing!  I can't stand it...I guess I want you to stay little forever.  I am so enjoying spending my days at home with you.  We usually watch 4 hours of the Today Show before we ever begin our day.  Then I pack you outside, put you in the jogging stroller, and head out for a walk.  You love being outside already!  I can't wait for you to be able to play with Jack and Jude outside.  We are so blessed to have you three.

Daddy and I still are not quite sure who you look like.  I think you have your daddy's mouth and your mommy's eyes.  You have the sweetest cheeks too!  Your hair still has a little reddish tint, not sure if it will be dark like mine or blonde like daddy's or maybe somewhere inbetween.  What a cutie pie you are!


I love you very much, and I am watching you grow and change every passing day.  You have turned my little world upside down, but in such a good way.  I can't wait to learn more about you: your likes and dislikes, your personality, what you think is funny...we have such a good life ahead of us. 

Love you always,
Mommy

Baby Max is born

  On February 24, 2012 at midnight, my water broke while I was lying in bed.  I had only been in bed for a couple of hours and had woken up because I needed to turn over.  When I moved, I felt my water break and went to the bathroom.  I was in shock!  Baby Max was not due until March 18th, and I was a little nervous that he was coming too early.  I walked out of the bedroom and looked down towards the living room where Bunz was watching tv.  I yelled that my water had broken, and he got up with his ice cream and came down to the bedroom.  At first we weren't sure if we needed to go to the hospital or not.  I was not hurting and we were worried that we might just get sent back home.  So, I decided to call mom.  Dad answered the phone, he handed it over to mom, and she said we definitely needed to go to the hospital.  We packed a few things and got into the car.  I then called Christy just to let her know what was happening.  At this point, I was still not hurting, I was just nervous.  We signed in at the emergency room, signed a few papers, and then Bunz wheeled me to the 2nd floor.  On the way up, I decided to call Mr. Scarbrough to let him know I wouldn't be at work the next day.  When he didnt answer, I called Joey instead.  I'm sure he was thrilled to hear my voice so late.  When we got to the 2nd floor, Nicole, my nurse, checked me and I was only dilated 2 cm.  I was a little bummed because I knew I had a long way to go.  We were then moved to a private room and Mom and Dad were allowed to come back.  By this time it was 1:30 A.M.  Dad was super tired, but I was so glad he and mom were both there.  I was progressing very slowly and since I had not made it to my appointment with Dr. Kimberlin on February 28th for my strep test, I was given 2 doses of penicillian to rid my body of strep if I had it.  Then the nurses started the pitocin in the IV to help get my contractions moving.  At 6 cm. I was in so much pain, pain that brought tears to my eyes, and the epidural was given at this time.  I held on to my nurse Rachel and just tried to breathe through the contractions as much as possible.  The epidural provided some much needed relief and I was able to rest for a little bit.  By this time, Bunz's parents had arrived at the hospital.  They came into the room for a little while, but I was not up for company.  Our parents stayed in the waiting room from here on out.  Now it was just a waiting game.  I had to dilate more in order to start pushing.  By around 11:30 A.M., I was able to push, and I was so ready to see Baby Max.  Rachel helped coach me through the contractions.  It was very uncomfortable, but it was not unbearable.  I could feel each contraction and she could see when they were happening on the monitor.  Each time I pushed I felt as if I were not making much progress, but I was giving it all I had.  That was more than a little frustrating.  After an hour of pushing, I was really discouraged.  I was expecting things to happen as quickly as they did for Christy when she had Jack and Jude.  Another nurse, Crystal, came in to give Rachel a break.  I was hurting!!  I continued to push for another hour.  At 2:00 P.M. Dr. Kimberlin was called in, and he had me slow down on the pushing, an episiotomy was performed, and Max was delivered at 2:23 P.M.  Because he was early, he had a bit of  a breathing problem, but it turned out to be nothing serious.  He was just perfect!  We waited until 7 that night to see Max again.  He was being checked out and given a bath.  My mom was the first person I wanted to see.  After a little while, I saw Dad, Christy, Bunz's parents, Jerry, and Jenetta.  I was in alot of pain that night and was given pain medicine.  Max stayed with us some but was kept in the nursery too.  Bunz had to work on Saturday at noon so mom, Christy and Jude stayed with me.  I was being checked out often because I could not tell when I needed to go to the bathroom.  Dr. Kimberlin checked me out and had the nurses put an in and out catheter in 2x just to see if I was emptying my bladder.  I wasn't, so I wore a cath that night.  We had lots of visitors on Saturday!  Lana, Susan, Grandma White, Joey Brush, Todd and Kelly Henson, Amy and Brody, Megan, Collin, and Ava Claire, Holly, David, and Will, Sonya, Mitzi, Natalie, Mrs. Coats (Darrell passed away on Tuesday and was buried on Friday-the day Max was born), Brother Trent, Tricia and Ronnie ( I didn't see them, but they saw Max in the nursery), Bonnie, my parents, Bunz's parents, Christy, Josh, Jack, and Jude....

Sunday: The day we got to go home was very emotional for me.  I was told Saturday that in order for me to get to go home without a cathether, I had to have less than 150 ml of urine in my bladder.  Luckily, I only had 50.  The nurse went over a few things with me and let me know that Max did not pass his hearing test in his left ear the night before.  I was a basket case after hearing that.  I was worried about my sweet baby!!  I cried and cried and obsessed about it.  Mom, Christy, and Bunz were all there and all were trying to make me feel better.  They performed one more test before we left that day, and he passed!  I was one relieved mama!  We were released around noon on the 26th, and mom, Christy, and dad went to Wal-Mart to pick up some things we needed like formula!  When I got home, the house was spotless, and it smelled so clean.  What a wonderful surprise: mom and Christy had picked up and then hired Christy's cleaning lady to clean our house while we were at the hospital.  I cried!!  It was wonderful.  Bunz's parents and grandma came for a couple of hours to visit.  I was not feeling too well, but I was so glad to be home with my family!  This picture was taken on Sunday, the day we got home from the hospital.

Seeing Max just made me so emotional.  I realized for the very first time and understood what my parents feel and felt for me all this time.  What a blessing Max is to our lives!

The first night at home I did not sleep well at all!  Max was great...he liked to sleep in the rock and sleeper more than he liked the bassinet, so we moved it into our bedroom and I basically watched him all night long.  I got up at some point and came into the living room to sit in the recliner.  I just wanted to hold him and make sure he was okay.  After that first night, I began to sleep a little better.  Max would wake every 2.5 to 3 hours to eat.  I got up each time with him because Bunz was working every day.  I wanted him to get some sleep so he wouldn't be miserable at work.  I could relax a little during the day.

Baby Max lost his umbilical cord on Sunday, March 11!!  He can take a bath now :)
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I can't wait to see what God has in store for our family.  We are so blessed!