The Thomas Family: First Weeks.... Being a Mother

The first two weeks were probably the hardest, so far. Having never babysat when I was younger or been around babies or even children very much; it was a HUGE change for me. One day I'm leaving home care free and I return home a couple days later with a whole other life to care for and protect. I knew this day would come, once I had become pregnant but it just seem to come to this day quickly. I had a huge rush a emotions for the first week after we brought John home. I seemed to cry EVERYDAY at exactly 6:20 pm (probably because that was the time John was born) and it seemed like I did for no reason at all. I would always say "John's already a day old"; "John's already two days old;" and so on and this lasted for like a week. Everything seemed to make me cry, and I mean everything. And every show or commercial about babies = crying. I am glad that that only lasted for about two weeks and then I went back to "normal" or I guess my hormones were less crazy.

For the first four weeks...I got absolutely no sleep on top of recovering from major surgery. Obviously, with a newborn no one gets much sleep (which I was expecting, I guess my body wasn't prepared to loose that much sleep and recover from labor, delivery/surgery). John wouldn't sleep for the first two weeks without someone holding him. Brian or I would have to sit/lay on the couch with John laying on our chests for him to sleep. EVERY TIME we laid him down he started screaming. (I am not exaggerating, he FLIPPED!) We had to hold them for about an hour or two before we could even attempt to lay him down in his crib. (Yes, we started putting John in his crib the day we came home from the hospital). Then all the sudden one night, probably when he was about 3 weeks old we laid him in his crib and he went to sleep and slept for 3 hours at a time. And each night after that he was consistently sleeping 3 to 3 1/2 at a time during the night.

After we had been home for a week my mom came every day and stayed with me while Brian went back to work; it was hard with Brian not being there (because he had been since the day John was born), but it was nice having my mom help and she helped a lot...cleaning, watching John, running errands and making me food while I recovered and attempted to catch up on my sleep. Thank God for moms! She only came for a week; and when John was almost 3 weeks old...I was on my own during the day. I was really scared and nervous at first; but I caught on pretty quick!

I love being able to be at home with my little boy and watching all the new things he does, learns and figures out; although that part is just beginning. Below of pictures from John's first four weeks of life!