Without further adieu...

Last Monday changed our lives forever.

I learned that my heart could grow to love another more than I ever thought it could.

Matt became an official "Dad."

 *While he never fully understood the absolute love I had for Connor, he definitely knows the feeling now!

The fun journey began about 8:00am Monday morning.  My goal was to keep Connor's routine as normal as possible.  We had to have Connor to school at 8:00am as well as be at the hospital at 8:00am.  We woke up a little bit earlier that day (who am I kidding...I never slept that night), headed to Connor's school about 20 minutes early to meet up with Nana in the parking lot for a doughnut picnic in her car (so we could get to the hospital on time).  From Nana's reports, Connor was very excited to announce to his teachers that today was baby brother day!  So while C was at school, Matt & I were checking in at Health Park.

They had me shower (again) and gowned up in the Pre-Op area.

The whole process was pretty smooth & went by so incredibly fast!  We had a few family visits from parents before they wheeled me back into the 'exciting room.'  I got a spinal (which was probably the most painful part of the whole C-section day), they moved me quickly into place, Dr. Fleishman was in, I believe they started the procedure, then Matt was brought in.  There was barely any pressure/movement felt during the whole process & within minutes, precious Noah was out!  From that point on, it was a little blurry.  They took Noah into the next room to clean him up & check him up, where Matt was right there with him.  I could hear his lungs at work from the surgical table--he was squawking away in there!  It didn't seem long before they brought him out to me for the remainder of the procedure.  We just stared at him.  I remember thinking he was perfect.  He didn't seem as big as the nurses/Dr. made him seem when the pulled him out.  He resembled Connor, weighed more than Connor, but looked smaller to me.  Not small--just right!  It was all so easy, relatively painless, and here he was---we were so in love.  I was so relieved he was ok.

Matt went out with Noah back to my Pre-op room (that was obviously now our Post-op room).  From what I hear, there were lots of family awaiting his arrival in the room!  While they finished my final stitchings, Noah graced everyone with his presence!

Our little Noah Matthew Sears

Born 9/30/2013 at 10:48am

8 lbs, 12 oz

20.5 inches long

He was absolutely perfect!

(I patted myself on the back...I make some beautiful babies!)

Within minutes, I was wheeled in & ready for my babe!

He was content & quiet.  I was in Heaven.

While we waited in our Post-op room until a room became available upstairs for us, we tried to have it all sink in.

Before long, while I was still pretty numb (could start feeling my legs a bit), we were moved to our final room.  I couldn't get enough of him!

It wasn't long before family were in the visit!  I couldn't wait to see my Connor!

Mr. Big Brother arrived after school with Nana!

The boys that hold my heart!

There was love all around...

The next day was a little emotionally overwhelming for me.  There was hospital staff in often interrupting Noah's feedings and sleeping.  We were recommended to have an ultrasound of Noah's head to check for extra fluid (since his head was measuring at the top of the charts).  I reassured the Dr. that Noah was fine, since his big brother had an equally large head :).  We went ahead with the test anyway.  I walked Noah down to ultrasound (where walking was not a friend to my incision, but there was no way I was sending him on his own).  The results came back normal (as we figured), but we knew for sure now.  Noah also had a routine hearing test done, where he failed in both ears.  I'm sorry, but that freaks a Mom out!!  The hearing tech reassured me that it was normal for C-section babies to not pass the hearing test the first time, since they may have remaining fluid in their ears (that vaginally delivered babies get 'pushed' out when being squeezed through the birth canal).  She said she'd come back in the morning to do another one.  Another woman came in to do the PKU test (where they poke your baby's foot to collect drops of blood for testing).  I forgot the pain of hearing your completely content baby cry in the arms of a stranger at Dr's visits.  I cry more than my babies.  So after all the testing, seeing Noah upset, and chaos of the day, I was grateful to have my Connor come to visit.

He's one proud big brother.

He loves to give kisses, touch Noah's cheeks, and rub his feet.

Fast forward to the next day...

Noah passed his hearing test (yay yay!) and we were home & settled around 4:00pm that day.

He was home!  Reality started to sink in.  All the baby gear now had a baby.  I loved the feeling of having him home.

This was after being in the car to take big brother to school.  He's this content in the car for our 45 minutes in the car!  We decided to get some fresh air when we got home & this was the precious pose I got.  Couldn't you just eat him up.

Wash cloth bathes are an exciting evening to-do.  This little guy enjoys being on his belly as well as naked & towel swaddled!

My two favorite little boys!!!

More to come!