Welcome Home Reese!!

The first time I held Reese. A week earlier in the hospital.

Have you heard? I got a new job. And I start next Sunday. I’m going to have kind of wacky hours including working weekends so this weekend I went out with a bang. Let's start with Friday night, shall we?

To kick the weekend off right, our baby Reese, after 18 days, finally got to come home from the hospital!!

Swinging away in her swing!

To say we were all elated would be the understatement of the year. As soon as the clock struck 5:30 Friday afternoon, I jumped in the truck and made my way into Atlanta to have dinner and cuddle and love on Reese. The minute I walked in the door Joe pretty much handed her over to me and I held her until it was time for dinner.

18 days old and only the 2nd time I've held her. Shame.

It’s weird, after all these years of it first just being me, mom, dad, and Jessica and then having Joe the past five years, having a baby in the dining room as we ate was a little surreal. Every movement, every noise, every clink of a fork, we’d all turn to Reese, the center of attention. After we were all stuffed, Joe said, “Jessica, I’ll do the dishes if you change the diaper.” And so it’s begun! Then he second guessed himself, but ultimately decided on the dishes. So what does Aunt Jamie do? I offer to change to diaper myself!

"It was much quieter at the hospital!!"

So, I scooped her out of her chair and made my way to the couch (b/c why walk all the way upstairs to the changing table?) and went to work changing my first diaper. On Reese, not ever. I can’t even imagine the number of diapers I’ve changed in my life. Anyway, that little Reese, she’s a mover. Constantly moving and wiggling, and rolling. Add that to the fact that she’s so tiny and it makes for an interesting time changing a diaper. But I did it. And before I could even snap her shirt back together, I heard her filling her diaper again. Oh, Reese. We gave her a few minutes to finish her business and Jessica said, “I’ll change this one. I’m not going to make you do it back-to-back like that!” So Jess changed her and then, I scooped her back up with no intention of putting her back down until they kicked me out the door. And it was the first time she’s ever really been awake while I was around so that was exciting.

"Hi, Aunt Jamie!"

And then she fell asleep again. Just like this. In my lap.

Around 8 we decided to leave so Jess, Joe, and Reese could get ready for their first night at home together!

It’s such an awesome feeling to know that now at anytime, I can go up for a visit and she’ll be there. And I can hold her and cuddle her and give her hugs and kisses as much as I want. And since I’ll be so close to them, I’m demanding lots of lunch dates on the days I'm working in Atlanta.

Up next, Saturday night at Uncorked and Sunday on the lake!

xoxo