Our first week at home!

Bronx is 10 days old already!  It makes me so sad that time goes so fast these first days/weeks of having a new baby.  Time fly's anyway, but the first few weeks just seem to go extra fast.  We are adjusting very well to being a family of 5!  Derek was off work Tuesday the 9th, through Sunday the 14th, so was back to work on Monday this week.  We loved having him home, and I dreaded him having to go to work again.  I even cried when he left on Monday morning.  He kept reassuring me though that I was going to be fine, and that I was a great mother.  I was prepared for the boys to act up with Bronx home, and be complete terrors, but they have been so good this week!  Boston is a huge help, and Brigham hasn't really acted any different than normal.  He looks in on Bronx once in awhile, but for the most part he just does his own thing.  Most of the time though, I do have to find room on my lap for 2 little boys:)  Boston loves to hold Bronx, or have me lay him down on the floor.  He just lays next to him and talks to him, or lays by him and watches his cartoons.  It's super sweet to see!  Boston already talks about us having a 4th baby!  HA!

Bronx is also doing great!  He has been such a good baby and rarely cry's or fusses.  If he is dirty or hungry he lets out the littlest cry.  It's just so sweet.  I took him to the doctor for his 1 week check up on Tuesday afternoon and he weighed 6.9, so a few oz. over his birth weight.  I nursed him for the first 5 days, but we were both struggling.  I had the same latching issues with the older boys, so I really debated about even trying with Bronx.  After him wanting to eat every single hour on Friday night, and me feeling frustrated, emotional, and overly tired, I decided I wasn't going to keep at it.  I felt so bad about giving up so soon, and choosing not to pump and bottle feed like I did with the other kids, but I knew what was best for the both of us.  He has been doing great with formula!  He is satisfied after each bottle, drinks about 2.5 oz at each feeding and usually goes 3-4 hours between each bottle during the day.  He has even had a few stretches of 4-6 hours during the night.    

Our night time routine right now is that I feed Bronx around 8 or 9, and then I try and go to bed shortly after that. Bronx is usually sleeping, but instead of putting him in the bedroom with me right away, Derek keeps him out in the living room so I can get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. Derek comes and wakes me up when he needs his next bottle around 11 or 12, and then Derek heads to bed. Derek has always stayed up later than me, so this system seems to work well.  Right now, Bronx is sleeping in the bouncy seat in our room at night.  In the next week or so I will start to transition him to his crib.  I like having him close by right now.  He just seems so little to put in that big empty crib!  He also sleeps pretty sound, so I rarely hear any baby grunts or groans!

The first morning at home with Bronx, Brigs sure wanted to make sure that his mom and dad were close by!

 Wide awake!

I celebrated my 33rd on Sunday, July 14th.  What a special year, having a healthy newborn baby a few days before my birthday!  

Me and my boys!

 33 years ago my mom and dad were holding me as a newborn!  

 He snuggled like this on grandma Peggy for a few hours!  

She only gave him back to me because she had to pee!

Boston really wanted to hold Bronx up on his chest.  He thought it looked so cute how Bronx would snuggle up and just sleep!  Such a proud big brother!

Derek's sister Chelsea and her family are here for a few weeks from New Mexico so on Monday afternoon we spent some time with them!  Worked out great that they were visiting right when Bronx was born!  

 The kids play so well together!

Derek got home early on Monday night, so we were all happy about that!  I think he was missing being at home with us.  I love seeing him snuggle Bronx!  Such a good daddy.

 Bronx loves to lay on his side!  If you put him on his back to change his diaper, or just to let him stretch out, he almost always flips himself to his side and most of the time will fall asleep like that!

On Tuesday morning, my friend Tosha watched the boys while I had a doctor appointment.  After lunch and nap time, we headed back over to Grandma Glady & Grandpa Les'.  The kids just can't get enough of playing with the Eisenga kids!

 Bronx looks so much like Derek's dad in this picture!  We thought the same of Brigham as a newborn too!

 Poop face :)

 Brigs thought it was funny to put my nursing pads on his shirt!  Little boys are so curious about where that milk is coming from!

1 week old!

Thursday morning the boys spent some time with the Elgersma girls again.  Renae took them to the spray park and they had a picnic lunch.  It has been such a blessing having friends and family help with the older boys this week so that I could get to appointments and just have some alone time with Bronx. I could sit and snuggle him all day long, but I don't think the other boys would appreciate that :)