The first two weeks were definitely an adjustment and solely based on trust... trust within ourselves with our instincts to know what to do, trust within Kendal that he would help us know what he is needing, and trust in God that we would survive these 2 weeks... after all, no woman has ever given birth to a child right?? We were the only ones. :)
After 2 nights in the hospital for the routine stay and the third night Kendal remaining in the hospital due to a little Jaundice, it was day 4 that we got to truly see what being a parent was all about. When we got home, we put the infant carrier in the living room with Kendal still in it, and sat it down and stared at him, and each other... what now??? It was this point we knew Kendal would help us through the next few days... after all, a cry can only mean a few things... he is hungary, needs to be changed, or is hurting... and we knew most of the time it would be the first and second option!
Thankfully Clint was home these 1st 2 weeks to help me be frustrated, tired, in awe with such an amazing gift and in love with such a cute little guy! Clint was so hands on it was amazing!!! There was no diaper he feared, and he got his fair share of the human water fountain as well as "dirt". I took the evening shift since we knew we needed to get into some type of schedule since Clint would be returning to work soon and Clint did a lot during the day.
Kendal continued to thrive during these 2 weeks, as his weight at his 2 week check up was 9.9lbs (after coming home at 8.6lbs) and now was 21 1/4 inches long. Did I forget to mention that this kid knows nothing about newborn anything??? :) Luckily, we did not have too many newborn things and were able to return what we had.
On Wednesday the 18th, Clint went back to work. I must say, I was apprehensive to be home by myself. I was nervous about being "on" during the night and then during the following day as well. Would I be able to handle it?? I knew what I had to do, love on him, feed him, change his diapers, embrace him, console him-- but I feared being overwhelmed and frustrated.
That Wednesday, I decided we had been in the house for 2 weeks and it was time to go somewhere... so I loaded up the car, and to Conroe we went. Kendal and I went to introduce him to my grandparents. Meme absolutely fell in love and loved holding him and feeding him. Popper, was something else- even in his current health condition and mental state. He was vocal towards me and understood who I was and that Kendal was mine. I am not sure if he realized that Kendal was his 19th great grandchild, but it did not matter, he still agreed to babysit and do diaper duty!! :) Popper would wink after agreeing to both of those duties and kissed Kendal goodbye and thanked me for coming. I love visiting with my grandparents as they are so dear to me and my heart!
It was on our way home from Conroe that I learned that our child was an alarm clock -- and its batteries were working very effectively. As I was driving, I knew I was coming upon 3 hours since his last feeding. It was 3:49pm and I was turning on Hwy 99 to get on Westheimer- about 15 minutes from the house...
at 4:04pm- Kendal begins to wail!!! There was no consoling him unless you had a bottle in hand! There was no waiting til I got home. So I pulled over into the Target Parking lot and there, I tended to "Master Jackson's" needs and fed him. Thirty minutes and 3 ounces later, he was a happy camper and could not be bothered.
