We would like to introduce the newest member of our family, Nait Thomas Strong. Nait was born via c-section at 8 am Friday, January 4th. He weighed in at 8 lbs. 1 oz. and was 19 inches long. He came into the world screaming and kept screaming until he was wrapped up and back on my chest. He is a healthy beautiful boy. Daddy got to put on his first diaper and help with his first bath while I was in recovery. Then they came and sat with me until I was released to my own room. Granma was waiting there for us too. Nait was very alert and quiet the whole time daddy was holding him. As soon as I took him, he was ready to eat. I've never had a baby, or known a baby who was so anxious to eat so early after birth. But he latched on like a pro and hasn't wanted to let go since.
Later that afternoon, my sister-in-law Laura brought the other kids in. They were all so excited to meet him and help finalize his name. He debated and voted and finally about 9 pm decided on Nait. The kids each held him as long as we would let them, then Laura took them back home a couple of hours later. We had several visitors through the day and everyone enjoyed the visits. Nait was so good letting all the kids pass him around and love on him. We are very thankful that none of the kids were sick that day. It would have been awful to have kept one or two away while the others gave him lots of loves. 
I felt okay most of that day but was really ready to get my IV and other stuff out of my by that night. I had to wait 18 hours to make sure the IV wasn't needed anymore, so at 2am I told the nurse I was ready, it had been 18 hours exactly. We all slept much better the rest of that night. Nait awoke several times to eat, and when he didn't, Thomas encouraged him to wake up. We were all pretty tired the next day. All the adrenaline from the first day was gone and we were just tired. Thomas stayed with us all day and brought me anything I wanted. He and Nait spent lots of time bonding while I tried to sleep off the pain and groggyness. He was so good at waking me every three hours to nurse, knowing how important it was to Nait and I. My mom brought the kids in the afternoon. Thomas took them out for some shopping and daddy time while granma spent some alone time with Nait. Nait was ready for real milk by the end of day 2, and my milk wasn't quite in, so he was a bit fussy the second night. He would get so frustrated that there wasn't enough coming out, but would eventually settle down. He did this every hour and a half. It was a very long night. Thomas was great to walk him up and down the halls so I could sleep. The walking really settled Nait down and he let daddy get a little sleep as long as he was on his chest. 
By morning, I my milk started coming in and we had a much happier baby. I thought he would never let go. But he was happy to come back to nurse every hour throughout the day. It was a much better day. The kids came in again and each held Nait. Thomas took them to David and Laura's house for dinner and so granma could get some more bonding time with Nait. I was suppose to be released that day but some issues came up that made the doctor and myself think it was best to stay for another day. I developed a large bruise on my right side above my hip from some internal bleeding. He checked my blood counts and felt sure it wasn't still bleeding, but wanted to keep me. I also developed a rash from the sticky drapes used in surgery. And I still had some bad clotting going on, so we decided to stay. That night Nait did much better. He ate like a champion and slept great too, snuggled up right next to me or dad. 
The next morning I was feeling much better and definitly ready to come home. Everyone got the okay from doctors, the nurse did a fabulous job removing my staples ( I didn't feel a thing!! ) so by 1 pm we were all on our way home. 
Just a side note. The weekend we were in the hospital the largest storm in years was raging outside. It took mom and the kids an hour and a half to make the 25 minute drive home Friday afternoon. The Sierra Nevada Mountains, that were right out my window, received 10 feet of snow in just 24 hours. On our drive to the hospital Friday morning it was raining pretty hard, by Saturday morning, we had 3 feet of snow at the hospital. It was beautiful to watch from my window, but scary knowing my family was out driving in it. But there wasn't much that was going to keep my mom or the kids away. The sad part was my dad, my sisters, niece and nephew and brother-in-law were all planning on coming over for the weekend too, but Donner Pass was completely shut down the whole weekend. They were all pretty sad they couldn't come see Nait. So everyone is very anxious to get here this weekend to see the little man.
Since we've been home everything has been great. Nait is the best little eater I've ever had. He will eat as long as I let him switching sides 3 or 4 times. He burps great, and sleeps great too. The first night he wanted nothing to do with his bed and was only content in our arms, which was fine with us. Ever since, he has been sleeping great, in his bed, between feedings. Thomas gets up with him and gets him ready to nurse, then will rock him until he goes back to sleep. I told him to wake me or my mom if he needs to sleep and Nait isn't ready, but I think he really enjoys the quiet time with him. Broc has been great at helping where ever needed. He will hold Nait and talk to him, he even showed him all his Star Wars guys and told him each of their names and what they did. Mom has been great to let me rest and my house hasn't been this clean in months!! She takes the girls to school, picks them up, takes them to lessons. I think she is remembering the days she was this busy, and thankful her days like this as over. But she does it all happily and we are very very thankful for her help.
I am feeling better everyday. Nait is sleeping and eating more everyday. We are so grateful for this new little spirit we have been blessed with. All the troubles we went through to finally get him here was well worth the efforts. I stare at him everyday and I still am amazed that such a perfect thing is possible. He is so sweet and makes the sweetest expressions, it is impossible not to be completely in love with him. As the days go by, I already catch myself wishing it would slow down so he could stay tiny for longer. Then I look at the older kids and wonder what he is going to be like, who's personality traits he will have, and who he will look the most like. It is an exciting time for our family, and I can never give enough thanks for the opportunity we have to raise him and love him and teach him. 
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