New domain

Hi everyone! I'm switching over from Blogger to a new domain:

raimolovesjessica.com

So if you follow me, edit that web address and delete raimolovesjessica.blogspot.com. See you there!

Dear Berrett

3 weeks out. You still have lots of wrinkly soft skin and smell so great: my other babies seemed to be more strong than this- you don't hold up your head at all. You really do that newborn thing, curling up your body. I love it! I remember Rose was straight as a board when we'd lay her down on the rug, and she was holding her own head right away. This little guy loves to sleep and snuggle!!! I love it. You have just started to wake up a bit and sleep less easily/frequently. Your eyes were closed most of the time in the hospital and it was always such a treat when you'd open them and give me a glimpse of the little person inside. You are seriously Sooo soft- such wonderful fuzz on the shoulders, and your skin is just so silky. I get so busy taking care of 3 kids that I feel like I don't get enough time drinking in this newborn phase. It is my VERY favorite! We sure get quality time in the middle of the night, but that is less special and more about me forgiving you for making me even more of a zombie. When you breastfeed, you cross your top leg over the bottom one, and you rest your hand on me while you fall asleep. You are a lazy eater- always sleeping!  I love your sweet tiny ears and love nibbling them whenever I can. I'm also in love with your darling nose. It is not squishy at all! It's a straight, solid little man nose! Your hair is so beautiful and perfect! You've gotten lots of compliments on it. Your siblings both think you are SO cute and tell you so all the time. Both Rose and Finn love to touch you and kiss you and rub your hair. They know innately what I know too... How special you are and how close to heaven you are. Bringing a new baby into our home brings us all together in an interesting way. Even though we have a lot of chaos and not as much time to spend with our other children, somehow it is a unifying and boding experience. It is so worth it! I didn't get to snuggle you and pore over you for the first few days of your life because things didn't go to plan. In the hospital you were hooked up to so many monitors and cords and a huge IV strapped to your tiny hand. I feel like we have been making up for lost time. In between all the busyness going on in our family, I find time to just savor your newness and sweetness. I love you, my baby, with all my heart! 

August: A house and a baby

August was absolutely nuts. So many big things happened with lots of little details in between. First of all, we spent the first half of the month trying to finish up packing.

I did pretty well in July, packing just a few boxes a day, but as week 36 and 37 of pregnancy rolled around, I was OVER it! Raimo picked up some slack at the end thankfully and powered through a lot of our final stuff. I spent the summer in a spirit of being patient- waiting for things to happen (especially with finding the right house). I was really nervous I was going to have the baby before or during our move to the house. In the end, we were able to bump up our closing date from August 15 (30 day escrow) to August 12 (26 day). That week of closing, both kids got the stomach flu and were vomiting over and over for multiple days. It was not great timing. A wonderful woman from our ward that I had never even met offered to bring us dinner. She had just moved in a few weeks before. I was so amazed at her service and will never forget how she showed up with her four kids with chicken noodle soup and homemade bread, having no expectation of anything in return- we obviously would not ever get a chance to know each other later because of the move. Oh! And Thursday night I had a baby shower with friends from our ward at church. Lindsey and Annie put it together and it was so beautiful and fun- I'm glad I got to see a lot of friends before moving and have a last hurrah before baby. 

So Friday the 12th finally rolls around, and we head over to clean the house with my family as soon as we got the keys. The house is filthy and the work exhausting for me at 38 weeks pregnant. My family worked all day with us, and Lindsey kept calling and offering her help. She came that evening and helped me transfer all of the clothes in my closet directly to the new closet. This was the most tiring day of the weekend- I got really sore. The next day, Saturday, we moved. Our elders quorum moved us out and our new elders quorum moved us in. Kari and Landon came to help too. We got everything done so fast- we've never had so many people help us move before. I really couldn't believe it. Even having the men doing the heavy lifting, I still did way too much lifting and walking. It was exhausting! Raimo and I continued to work and clean into the evening. Rose and Finn were at grandma and grandpa's house so we were able to get a lot done. On Sunday we kept cleaning, unpacking, and did a Costco run so we would have food if the baby came, and picked up the kids. Lindsey came again that day and we unpacked most often kitchen, which was a big job. I remember going to bed every night with dirty feet. We also discovered after moving in that the gas was off so no hot water for us or stove /oven use. The cold showers were a bit rough (there was also no microwave, so no cooking). Monday Raimo worked and I took the kids to Lindsey's and had to clean the old apartment. My RS pres Emily, my new friend Alisha, and friend Kate came and helped my clean. I guess this act of service really stands out to me because it was so hard for me to let them do it. But there was no way I could bend over and get all of that work done by myself. And Emily kept texting me and insisting on helping me with SOMETHING. And I was so touched that they would come do such a dirty job. My friends and family did a lot of service for me and I really needed it. This is not a month I want to relive. 

After cleaning I went back to Lindsey's and she made me a ham and cheese sandwich with home-grown tomatoes that was SO delicious, and I thought it might be my last meal before baby. I was having some pain and the usual tightening contractions but I was extremely worn out too. Monday night I unpacked the bathroom a bit and put together some postpartum supplies. I was really not feeling well that day. We laid down about 11, and I woke up at 1 feeling crampy pain. It was so uncomfortable I didn't even want to roll over to wake up Raimo. I just started saying his name, and it took about 5 minutes but he finally came to. I said I think this is it, and started telling him what things to throw in a bag. Pretty soon I was saying get the kids in the car! We have to leave NOW! I will skip over the birth story because I don't feel like re-living that one. It was very painful. Anyway, a baby boy was born at 5:18 am. He was not breathing when they placed him on my belly, and NICU nurses whisked him away. All ended well thankfully. I spent a lot of time going back and forth from my room to the NICU to hold and feed him. We named him Berrett James, and he couldn't be sweeter. 

My first real look at him 

More nutty-ness: Rose had Kindergarten orientation the day he was born. She started school the following day, so I had to miss seeing her off :( 

Then she got bumped out of her school because it was too full, Finn got hand foot and mouth, I got a breast infection, and life continues on.

My family helped a lot with unpacking and getting our house in order. I am still unpacking and putting things in place. 

I didn't get the family picture in the hospital that I hoped for or picture of all 3 kids. So many things did not happen in a convenient way. I tried to roll with the punches as much as possible. Being home with the baby I was finally able to really enjoy him a bit and be together with all our kids. 

It's been a happy few weeks, though a bit chaotic. We had air conditioning installed! Hallelujah! We had to call pest control for ants

Look at that handsome man! He was born with a head full of beautiful blonde hair. The ultrasound techs could see his hair even before he was born... "lots of long hair on this guy." And when I was pushing him out, the doctor told me he could see a head with lots of strawberry blonde hair, and that kept me going ( no strawberry in there though).

Only recently is it hitting me that this new house is really mine. I am really starting to enjoy it. It is so beautiful and I have so much to be grateful for. Right up there at the top of the list is a fridge with a water and ice dispenser. I've been very grateful for hot water after not having it for 4 days prior to giving birth. I'm grateful for a backyard for kids to play in, for lots of Windows and light, for privacy, for a master bathroom, for a beautiful kitchen, for space, for a nice closet, for a garage to pull in to, for a washer and dryer! We did without for so long, and all of a sudden we have so many great new things. And a baby. A baby!!!!!!