He has a name!!

We finally decided last night on Canaan (KAY-nen). We haven't picked a middle name yet but just having a first name means the world to me.

So Canaan had his first appointment with the pediatrician today. He's up to 10 lbs 3 oz and doing great! We did his circumcision today and it was absolutely traumatic for me. I dreaded it, hated it while I knew it was being done, and cried when he was back in my arms and I knew he was forever altered from the way he came out of me. I'm crying again now just thinking about it. It didn't bother me in the slightest to circumcise Malachi and Graham, except the feeling a parent has when their child has a blood draw or some other thing that's a necessary pain. This time it really, really bothers me. But anyway, it's done. Immediately after that we took him to the hospital for a blood draw since he's jaundiced. His levels came back at 15.7 so home health care is coming out with a bili bed this afternoon.

I woke up in the night seriously engorged - my milk is definitely all the way in! My nipples are sore from a tongue habit he had, which my friend Amanda helped me to correct, so hopefully my nipples will heal quickly. He's great at nursing and it's adorable watching him adjust to the new milk supply.

The older kids are loving being big siblings!! They ask to hold him a lot and they're just all really sweet and helpful with him.

My family and friends are so amazing. My Mom has been so helpful this week, making sure the dishes and laundry and everything are taken care of so all there really is for me to do is feed Canaan (and myself). Alif's parents have stepped in big time with the big kids, having them over for an hour or two every morning until today. Several friends have brought dinner, so we've had dinners every night. That is a HUGE blessing!! It means that I don't have to cook but we still have healthy, home prepared foods to eat, and it also means that we don't have to go to the grocery store this week. My Mom went yesterday and got some fruits and snacks and milk and juice. It's just such a blessing having a baby, and when everyone's so supportive and loving and involved in celebrating him with us, it's all the more wonderful.