My jaundice baby.

Like her big sister, Clara had jaundice.

When Olivia was a few days old I was given a take home lights kit. I was told to keep her under it for a full 24 hours taking her out only to feed and change her.

Olivia hated being under them, and would just scream nonstop.

It was horrible.

So, I decided that it was doing more harm than good to have her under them so I took her out and just kept nursing and taking care of her.

Well what do you know, her levels dropped.

So with Clara I knew exactly what she needed.

Just time and a lot of mommy's milk.

Clara's first doctor's appointment was a few days after she was born. Her pediatrician was out of the office so I agreed to see another pediatrician there.

What a mistake that was.

He walked in, looked at her for seriously 2 seconds and said what week was she born at?

And I replied, "38 weeks."

And he responds, "In your dreams." She does not look like a 38 week baby she looks like a 34 week baby. And if she really is 38 weeks than she is growth retarded." (Oh and after he got a glare from me he quickly said well I mean IUGR- intrauterine growth restriction.)

OH MY GOSH.

I was SO mad. 

Just because my baby is smaller than the average baby doesn't mean she isn't just as healthy.

The nurses and doctor's in the hospital were all impressed with how strong, smart, and healthy she was for being such a tiny thing.

I could not believe how rude and disrespectful he was being.

He goes on to say that she was very yellow and that he would test her and that he would most likely want to admit her to the hospital to spend the night under the lights.

So they pricked her little heel.

And I walked out of the doctor's office ticked and in tears.

About an hour later I get a call from the doctor. He said that her jaundice levels were a 19 and that if she were a "normal" baby he would not admit her to the hospital until her levels were a 21 but since she's wasn't he would like to admit her that night.

So still extremely mad, I told him that in my eyes she was a normal healthy 38 week baby and that there was no way he could tell that she wasn't by just looking at her for 2 seconds. I told him I would not be admitting her and that I would be making an appointment that next day with her actual pediatrician and we would go from there.

Anyway to make a long story short Clara is doing perfectly fine and was able to fight off the jaundice all by herself. We did have to go in daily for weight checks and more heel pricks, but she did not need to be hospitalized. 

I definitely plan on writing up some complaints about that doctor I saw.

But nobody knows my baby like I do. It's pretty obvious now that I just have small babies.

And even though they are teeny tiny they are just as healthy as any other average/or bigger sized newborn.

One day, the sun was out (which is rare in these parts).

So we walked to the park and Clara got to lay out in the sun for a while:)

She really enjoyed herself!

Isn't she a little doll?

We can't get enough of her cuteness!

Clara's first bath.

It's pretty exciting when their little umbilical cord decides to fall off because that means no more washcloth baths. It's time for the real thing!

When Olivia was a newborn she absolutely loved her baths. Well she still does.

So we were curious if little Clara would love them just as much.

And she does.

Enjoy the pictures.

She's totally loving it!

And in case you were curious, the picture on the right is of Olivia during one of her first baths.

They definitely have some similarities:)

Nice and warm in her little towel.

That she of course peed all over seconds after getting out!

All ready for bed.

Even though she is small she still has a bit of chub on those cheeks.

I seriously kiss them all day!

Looks like she might have her mommy's big eyes:)

Love this girl.

Baby Clara's first 3 weeks part 1.

Monday May 27th- Memorial day.

It's time to go home.

(She is weighing in at 4lbs 15 oz.)

Enjoy the pictures cause there's a lot.

All ready to go home!

I can't believe how tiny she looks in her car seat.

She really is almost too small for it.

And she's wearing the same outfit Olivia wore when she came home from the hospital!

Our first family picture.

Olivia is thrilled that Clara is finally home.

(And haha on Michael's face. He was not happy about having his picture taken.)

She was very excited and wanted to be the first one to hold "baby ta."

Daddy and Clara.

Our tiny little girl.

Such a doll.

Just like daddy, Olivia was not too happy about having her picture taken:)

She LOVES holding her sister.

And I love snuggling her too!  

Of course, Clara is not a fan of having her diaper changed so Olivia always holds her hand and says, "its okay honey, it's okay honey." Cutest thing ever!

She is absolutely perfect.

She found her fingers!

Snuggles.

Ready for bed.

I love the little diaper in front. 

Can I just say I forgot how many diapers newborns go through a day.

Seriously it's like 10!

Naptime with mommy.

Eating lunch with my girls!

Olivia absolutely loves playing with all the animals ma gave her.

They are perfect because she can play with them in the bath as well.

My two girls all fed and bathed and ready for bed.

I have a feeling our evenings are going to be a bit crazy around here:)

Clara appears as though she is going to take a binky.

It is just so funny because the binkies are seriously as big as her face!

I want to make sure I thank my mom for spending Clara's entire first week at home with us.

She made sure the house was always clean, that Olivia had a complete blast and that me, Michael and Clara were taken care of.

It was so nice to be able to relax and recover.

I forgot that it is sort of painful, to say the least the first few weeks after having a baby.

Not to mention I was exhausted.

And it was nice to have  the extra help.

We were spoiled with gifts and she definitely left our fridge and freezer stocked with yummy food.

Oh and she got me hooked on toffee icecream. I have literally had a larger than life bowl every single night. I don't know how I've survived with out it. It's to die for.

I really think I have the best mom:)

Clara's birth: Day 2.

After being in labor for 12 hours and going with out food for 14 hours I of course was starving.

We decided that for the first night Michael would go home to stay with Olivia and my mom would come back to the hospital and spend the night. And then Sunday night they would switch.

Thank goodness for my sweet mom because I would rather of not eaten than to have had to eat the hospital food. But she brought me back a nice Big Mac and fries along with a dozen donuts from a local little donut shop we love.

I downed my hamburger, fries, and 2 donuts in just minutes. It was wonderful.

After a midnight dinner it was time for Clara's first bath.

She was not too pleased about it, and I don't blame her.

She just wanted to be swaddled in her nice warm blankets snuggling with me.

I of course got little sleep that night, with nurses coming in and out to check on both me and the baby.

But it was comforting knowing that we were being watched. Especially Clara.

I spent a lot of the night just holding my sweet girl.

Sunday morning the Mickelson's came back to visit and brought our little Olivia.

After they left my mom came over and brought an amazing strawberry smoothie, a BLT crepe and a berry crepe. 

I seriously would have died without my mother ha. She definitely made sure I didn't have to eat the gross hospital food. Which I am so grateful for.

We had a relaxing day.

I couldn't stop holding my girl.

She is perfect in every way and I could hardly believe that she was finally here.

I know I said this throughout my pregnancy, and I mean it even more now.

But as I looked at her perfect, precious face I thought to myself how blessed I am. How grateful I am to my Heavenly Father for allowing me to be this baby's mother. And I would go through those awful, yes awful nine months a million times over to hold my sweet Clara and know that she's mine forever.

Later that night Michael came back to spend the night with us. It was another sleepless night especially since they had to run a few of those newborn screening/ hearing tests and I did not want them taking Clara away from me, so Michael and I would go with them. And I'm glad we did because Clara was definitely a lot more relaxed knowing we were with her. She passed all the tests perfectly and hardly cried when she got her first shot and her heel pricked. I think it's safe to assume she has high pain tolerance. Which she definitely didn't get from her daddy:)

Here are a few pictures.

Clara's very first bath. 

All clean and warm snuggling with mommy.

Our perfect baby Clara.

There's nothing better than a nicely swaddled baby!

Olivia visiting us. 

So excited that "baby ta" is finally here and that she gets to be her big sister.

I love my beautiful girls.

Making the funny face just like daddy.

I'm sure someday soon, she'll teach Clara to do it:)

I've said it a million times and I'm sure I'll say it a billion times more. But I am one blessed mommy.

Being a mom to these two darling girls will be heaven I'm sure.

My cute girl.

Here are some pictures of my Olivia on the day Clara was born.

Olivia was so lucky to have 1 grandpa, 2 grandmas, and 2 of her aunts spoil her with attention all day:)

It doesn't get cuter than this!