introducing lewis william

Meet Lewis William!

Born April 26th at 8:02 a.m. // 7 lb, 7 oz., 19 inches long

I'm working on Lewis's birth story, but really, the entire procedure from start to finish was perfectly uneventful. Lewis and I were only in the hospital for two nights, despite the fact that I was recovering from a C-section. That really is a testament to how well the birth and recovery for both mama and baby is going so far!

The best part about our hospital stay, besides the fact that I was able to read an entire book in peace and quiet, was when Pippa and Teddy came by to meet their baby brother for the first time! Pippa had been gushing about the baby for weeks, so I figured she would be eager to get her hands on him. Once she entered the hospital room, though, she hung back, seeming somewhat apprehensive about the newest member of our family. Teddy, on the other hand, marched right up to Lewis cooing, "Baby!" and planting a giant smooch on his forehead. 

Pippa eventually warmed up to Lew, and once she got a chance to hold him, she didn't want to give him up. I'm pretty sure my heart was a puddle on the floor as she softly sung him the ABCs. She is such a good big sister, and quite the mother hen with Lewis at home now! Meanwhile, Teddy is working on being "gentle"... and progress is slow.

My mom has been a godsend this week! She flew in on Sunday night, and has been helping out with Pippa and Teddy, cleaning the house, and grocery shopping during the birth and recovery. I honestly don't know how we would be getting through this week without the extra help! It's so nice to be able to put my feet up or take a nap, and not have to worry about the big kids. I'm so incredibly grateful to her, and I'm not really sure how one would go about recovering from major surgery while caring for 3 kids ages 3 and under. 

Speaking of recovery, I've been feeling surprisingly great for being 5 days out from my third C-section and avoiding pain medication other than ibuprofen, since I don't like the side effects of the stronger stuff. I'm definitely still a little sore, but overall I've been able to move around very well. We even made it to church yesterday morning! I credit my recovery (so far) to a few things:

1. God's grace. He was watching over us on the operating table, in the hospital, and now here at home. As my OB reminded me, not every C-section is as laid back and easy as mine was, so I have a lot to be thankful for! 

2. Rest and help! As I mentioned before, having my mom to help with chores and kids allows me to get the rest I need! Justin's been amazing, too, and it was nice to have him home from school for a few days. Now I just need to remember to actually rest...oddly hard to do when you're feeling good! 

3. The Belly Bandit. Seriously, why did no one tell me about this magical band of fabric before? I had read so many good things about it, but I thought I would be really fussy about having it on, or that it would be really uncomfortable. The truth is, I feel more comfortable with it on, since it provides amazing abdominal support and protects my incision from clothes rubbing on it. I definitely won't complain about how quickly my midsection seems to be shrinking when I use it, either! 

4. Good nutrition. I've been continuing to use my superfood shakes and bars, because they are the perfect balance of carbs, protein, and fats, and use the highest quality whey protein sourced from happy cows in New Zealand. If anyone needs healthy food on the go, it's new mamas! Our nutrition affects us both physically and mentally after birth, so I turn to the shakes and bars along with tons of water, fruit, fiber, and whole grains to help me feel my best even when I'm sleep deprived and recovering from surgery. 

As for Lewis, he's been eating, sleeping, and nursing like a boss. At night he's giving us 2-3 hour stretches between feedings, then goes right back to sleep when he's done. He still looks so small to me compared to Teddy when he was a newborn, who was 8 lb 10 oz. His first check-up with the pediatrician is today, so we'll find out where he's at weight-wise now. We've been loving watching him start to open his eyes and observe his crazy family. (If you want some of the behind-the-scenes chaos, check out my Instagram stories). 

So far life as a family of 5 has been a whirlwind, and we couldn't love it more. Welcome to the family, Lewis!

Teddy's Hawaiian shirt // Pippa's strawberry dress // Lewis's going home outfit - from Baby Gap but no longer available.