Those first three weeks.

Before too much time passes, I wanted to share of my favorite pictures from those first 3 weeks with Eleanor.  She was so small!  

^^Flowers from my mom for when we returned home from the hospital. 

Aaron and I snapped these above pictures on the morning of Eleanor's one week old birthday.  Aaron took a week for paternity leave but on this morning he was going back to work.  I wanted to document our family before we had to go back to "real life."  It was so wonderful to have Aaron here 100% that first week and boy did I need him.  He was very present that whole week, helping with diaper changes, singing and soothing Eleanor to sleep, swaddling Eleanor, syringe feeding Eleanor the supplemental breastmilk and so on.  I think he surprised himself with how much he was needed and with how much he enjoyed doing it all.  I wish it could be the three of us home together all the time but I'm so grateful that Aaron is willing to work and support our family and allow me to take care of Eleanor at home.

Eleanor's first week was eventful for sure.  She was born on Thursday morning and we returned home on Saturday afternoon.  Upon entering our apartment, Aaron whisked Eleanor around to each room, giving her the grand tour of her new home.

My mom had already been down to San Jose for both days of our hospital stay and she came down that Saturday to stay with us and help us during that first week.  Wow, did we need her and so appreciate her.  She cooked, cleaned, took on every night shift in between feedings and was such a great moral support (thank you Mom!).  With all of the nursing/pumping/syringe feeding breastmilk that first week, it really was a full time job for me, my mom and Aaron.  The first week was blissful and stressful all in one.  We've come a long way since then and part of me wants to go back to that first week and see what it was like all over again (except for the part where my body really hurt...).

Eleanor at 2 weeks old...

^^Oh and this stretch?  It's my favorite thing that Eleanor did.  Arms above her head, legs curled up and back arched.

At 2 weeks, Eleanor was still not okay with laying on her back unswaddled and fancy free.  She would freak out and cry.  The only way I was able to get these above pictures was because she was still mostly asleep.  Seconds later though she definitely let me know she was not happy to be laying there :)

Aaron's parents came for the weekend when Eleanor was 2 weeks old.  It was so special to have them meet Eleanor for the first time.  Susan got up in the middle of the night to keep me company whilst taking care of Eleanor.  We all took an afternoon trip to downtown Willow Glen and Eleanor was a doll and slept through it all.  I didn't get to take a lot of pictures when they were here because we were just so enjoying their company.  But here is a cute shot with Mark holding Eleanor.  He was a master at calming her down.

And we also gave Eleanor her first bath at 2 weeks while Mark and Susan were here! Pictures taken by Mark.

I love the sequence of these three next pictures.  It describes her progression of feelings throughout her bath perfectly.

First, "I don't know about this guys..."

Then, "Ah I don't think I like this very much..."

And then, "Oh wait this is kind of nice.  Wow, I mean, I reeeaally like this.  Like a lot." And then she was the calmest she had ever been in her life thus far.

^^Maybe a little red going on??

And just like that Eleanor turned 3 weeks!  She was looking adorable when I took these next two photos and I then rushed around trying to get us out the door to drive up to Walnut Creek.  When I grabbed Eleanor though to put her in her carseat I noticed she had peed AND poo'ed through everything.  Life with a baby is unpredictable for sure!  Goodbye outfit and goodbye being on time :)

These just melt my heart...

At 3 1/2 weeks, we took a trip to Utah, which was truly ambitious and turned out to be wonderful and stressful all at the same time.  But that's for next post....