Home Sweet Home

Home Sweet Home

Feb. 10, 2008 - 14 Photos

Having slept the entire car ride home, we took Benjamin straight from the car to his swing in the house where he promptly slept for 3 straight hours. We had to wake him up just to feed him. He was certainly home!

Sadie and Molly took to him right away. Marsha had brought home one of Benjamin's blankets the night before and let the girls sleep with it in their bed, so they were used to his smell before he even arrived home. They smelled his little head so gently and didn't even try to jump up on him once.

We introduced him to his new room and he fell asleep right away after his first feeding at home in his new crib. But boy did he look small in it! I guess he'll have to grow into that—along with his car seat and swing.

Daddy and Mommy have settled into our little routine with him—sleeping, changing, feeding, sleeping, changing, feeding, sleeping, changing, feeding. Thank goodness for baby monitors! I don't know what we'd do in this world without them.

He had his first pediatrician appointment today—only 5 days old and just 48 hours out of the hospital. Everything checked out great and the doctor said his jaundice is long gone which was great to hear. She commented on how strong he was already and to—of course—never leave him alone as he is already trying to roll himself over. He was—of course—the hit of the doctor's office with all of the parents in the waiting room fawning over him. I tried to convince myself that it was because he is particularly cute, but had to settle for the realization that babies are just plain cute in their first week no matter what. :-)

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Photos: 14 Photos

Leaving the Hospital

Leaving the Hospital

Feb. 9, 2008 - 11 Photos

Our first two days in the hospital went wonderfully. Little Benjamin was quite exhausted on his first day in the world, so he pretty much just slept in our arms most of that first day. By the second day, he was active and alert again and ready to take on the world. We had visits from our friends in Dallas and calls from family and friends far and wide checking-in on how our little guy was doing.

The doctors asked us to spend a third night in the hospital before going home because Benjamin had a very slight case of jaundice, but after spending a night in the "blue suit" (see pictures), they gave us the clearance to take our little guy home. We packed up our suitcases, loaded him in his car seat which he looked so tiny in, and headed home to show him where he was going to grow up.

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Photos: 11 Photos

Little Benjamin Butler is Here!

Benjamin Butler's Birth

Feb. 6, 2008 - 26 Photos

After a long 9 month wait for our little prince to arrive, Benjamin Patrick Butler was born at 9:19am this morning on Wednesday, February 6. He weighs 7lbs 12oz and is 20 1/4 inches long. Momma and baby are both doing great!

Kerri went into labor last night at 6:30pm and wanted to stay at home as long as possible before going to the hospital, so we went for dinner at The Porch a few blocks away from our house. After the waitress gave me a third odd look as I frantically scribbled numbers on a paper napkin, I explained to her that I was timing Kerri's contractions. Based on her reply of "SHE'S IN LABOR?!?!?", I can only imagine that she thought that we were going to have the baby right there at the table. All of the staff took turns stopping by the table to wish us luck and the manager came by at the end to wish us well and hoped that the soon-to-be-3-of-us would be back in soon.

At around 9:30pm, Kerri decided it was time to head to the hospital, so we put in calls to Dr. Dullye and our doula Anna Marie. Dr. Dullye was at the hospital delivering 3 other babies that night so she said, "Come on down!". Anna Marie said, "Wonderful! I'll meet you at the hospital in 30 minutes." Our final call was to Kerri's mom Marsha to tell her we were headed to the hospital and that she should head to the airport. We piled into the car with our 200lbs of suitcases, pillows, and exercise balls and were checked into the hospital by 10:00pm. Contractions intensified quickly through the night. At 5:00am, Kerri's mom strode in the door suit case in hand, at 7:00am we started pushing, and at 9:19am little Benjamin was born.

Kerri did a wonderful, wonderful job throughout the entire experience and it was her dedication to making it all happen that brought him into the world so fast and so healthy. In addition, we were surrounded and supported by so many people great staff at the hospital (Dr. Dullye and Nurse Carol in particular) and family and friends both near and far constantly checking-in on us to see how we were doing. We thank you all for all of your help bringing little Benjamin into the world for us to love!

More info and pictures to come shortly...

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Photos: 26 Photos