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That’s right, little Andrew is 1 month old today. And somehow it seems like I just had him yesterday. He is doing really well. So far he’s proving to be a pretty good baby. Sleeps well, eats well. Night time he does get up every 2 1/2- 3 hrs but eats and goes back to sleep so I can’t complain. He does enjoy his pacifier and he likes being held a lot. But I sure don’t mind cuddling with him- none of us do!
He is becoming more alert and having his own little schedule of when he’s awake and not.
He smiles a lot and I swear he looked right into my eyes recently and smiled at me when I was talking to him, they say it’s young for that but I dunno- it happened!

Anyway he’s a true joy. And gaining well at around 9 lbs right now! Yippee- proving that the breastfeeding is going well.

**Official stats 9lbs 6oz, 19.75in**  EDITED: I was wrong he’s 20 inches!

I must say, that today I also reminded that after 30 days with Mary Elizabeth, we were finally able to come home with her. I cannot imagine just being able to come home now and having spent all that time in the hospital- I’m sure glad it’s not that way again. We all love being home and are very blessed and very happy- including miss Big Sister herself 🙂

Other than that not too much to report- we are busy with friends/family and the fun of wrapping, giving and receiving gifts- as it’s that time of year!

Here are a few pics from today of them in their "Santa picture taking outfits" and with Santa!

So
it was really funny, but little Andrew smiles in his sleep, and just
randomly… as we were leaving the hospital Saturday (a day earlier
because mommy is tough and stubborn), he was all wrapped up in his car
seat and just as we were snapping pics he had a big grin on his face.
Like YAY we’re going home! haha. The picture says it all!

Right now he
looks pretty "tan" but don’t mistake the complexion for having olive
skin like his Daddy. He actually is a lot more fair, but he is a bit
jaundice right now. Nothing major, they said to just keep making sure
he’s peeing a lot and to breastfeed him near the window for natural
light and hopefully it will improve with time. You can kind of see the
difference in the picture below of his pinkish cute little hands by his
face. Nonetheless he’s adorable and precious and around here we can’t
stop staring at him!

Even
ME is in awe of her little brother Drew. And she is great, gentle and
loving towards him. Truly amazing. A fellow online friend
mentioned how watching your child with your new baby ages them at that
very moment- and she is so right. ME seems so much older, so much
bigger. It’s sad that she’s not my little peanut anymore, but it’s
amazing and wonderful to see her interact with my new little peanut.
There’s nothing like watching your children bond together- truly
amazing!

Sunday we had some friends/family come to visit. It
was fun and enjoyable to welcome Drew into the family. I of course
decided to use ME’s thanksgiving dress she was supposed to wear and
never got to. We didn’t have turkey on Sunday, but some of us had
turkey sandwhiches as we ordered deli-food! haha.
The nice part is we got a couple shots of our new little family 🙂

Yea I know I look tired, but hey I just had a baby!!!!
On that note, I’m still recovering from the c-section and busy with the kids- but my goal is still to get pics up by the end of the month as there are many too-cute pics to be seen!

Thank you for all the comments that some of you have posted, and your kind notes, emails and thoughts. 🙂

ONE LAST THING: Results of the baby pool are in!!!!

–Dawn Johnson, my friend is one of the winners being right-on with the date & sex, and close with the time!

–Daniel Ray,
my brother is one of the winners being right-on with sex, and extremely
close with the time, weight and even inches… plus only 1 day off!

actual: 11/22/2007, 7:25 am, male, 7lbs 3oz, 19.5"

We have much to be thankful or this thanksgiving…
Announcing the
birth of our son Andrew Scott Raia Jr. Born at 7:25am on thanksgiving
11/22/07, weighing 7lbs 3oz and measuring 19.5in.

He was born via C-Section due to failure to progress and since this was
a VBAC attempt induction was not really an option. Though all is well,
he is healthy, beautiful, and eating wonderful (breastfeeding). We are
currently in a private room with him overlooking the hudson river at
the hospital, and we couldn’t be more thankful.

We had lots of visitors including Mary Elizabeth of course who
absolutely loved her brother "Drew" as she says it very clearly and
proudly. She helped swaddle him, held him, patted him, and kissed him.
What a great big sister.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Hope it was as special a day for you as it was for us! God Bless!

So I’m celebrating my 30th birthday today, and at 3 pm we were getting ready to leave the house to go to the mall and then to dinner. Instead, I stood up and my water started to break. To make a long story short, I’m at the hospital, my brother is typing this for me, and we are hoping things progress by the morning in order for me to have the VBAC I desire. Either way, there will be a baby tomorrow. Look for another post about the little turkey tomorrow.