Our Beautiful Girl

Helaina is 11 days old. Oh my...how time flies! Randy, Helaina, and I have been adjusting as a family of 3. She is a very good baby. The first few days home from the hospital were difficult, but that was no surprise to us. Thank goodness we had more than enough help from our family. My parents stayed at the house with us until Sunday, and once they left, Randy's parents volunteered for "day" duty at the house. From help with housework to lunches and dinners...we are so THANKFUL for the unconditional support and help!!!
Randy and I are learning more and more each day about being a parent. It's such a gift to be a mom and a dad. I knew breastfeeding was going to be difficult, but I must admit, it has been the hardest part thus far. She feeds well, but OFTEN!!! It takes almost 30-45 minutes to nurse, and then sometimes she's ready to feed again in an hour. Instead of the "cookie monster", I call her the "milk monster." A friend from hygiene school, Leah, has been a great help as well as the lactation consultants at the hospital. It seems everyday is a new challenge. It's definitely a learning experience for mom and baby, but we're going to get the hang of it...I'm certain!
Today we've been out of the house almost all day! We had newborn photos taken at the hospital, but this morning we also had some shots taken as a family with the lady who did our maternity shoot. It was quite the experience. Helaina nursed 3 times in 3 hours, peed on the photographer and me, and cried for the last hour. I can't blame her though...who would want to be naked and photographed in all these crazy positions at 11 days old. After the photos, we visited Sedy and Sitty for most of the afternoon. It was a great day out of the house! We're hoping she'll sleep well tonight!