I’m so sorry! She was crying so loudly that I couldn’t wait any longer to feed her,” the nurse said. “So, I gave her some formula,” she continued. Ella was in the NICU following her birth for severe jaundice caused by incompatible blood types (Micah spent time in the NICU for the same thing. Read about it here). We were a couple minutes late for her feeding because we had gone home for a quick shower–our first real one in at least two days. Exhausted, yet eager to get back to feed our little girl, we were a bit astonished that the nurse didn’t wait just a few minutes for me to feed her. I was, after all, trying to be breastfeed her. Since we weren’t there to determine what had happened, and we certainly weren’t intending to starve our baby girl, we assumed the nurse did what was best and moved on.
Four days later, when we brought her home (Yay!!!) and were entirely responsible for her care, we immediately realized why her nurse felt compelled to feed her so quickly. This girl had a pair of lungs 😂! She screamed at the top of her lungs when she was hungry, when her diaper was being changed, and when we didn’t hold her just right. She certainly knew how to make her preferences known. We. Were. Not. Ready. 😂
Micah, our first, was such an easy-going baby, and still is to this day. He cried only when he truly had a need to be met, and otherwise was content to lay there quietly. This was not the case with Ella. Coupled with the sleepless nights any new parent experiences, and throw in the stresses of living through a pandemic, most of this year has been a complete blur.
When it came to sleep-training, Ella took 2-3 weeks to fall into a rhythm, whereas Micah took 2-3 days. To say they are different is a complete understatement. However, the way in which they are able to bond and connect, despite their differences, at this young age is so beautiful to see. He makes her laugh like no other. He truly loves his sister, and her parents love her even more.
In spite of the sleepless nights and almost constant crying that filled those early days, we are so filled with love for our little girl. The smallest glance her way causes the biggest smile. She loves to be held close. Her curiosity is unlike anything we’ve seen before. And every morning we look forward to big, wet, slobbery kisses. She’s an absolute joy and we’re so grateful for every moment with her and her sweet big brother.
And what’s more? She’s even started to mellow out! Either way, we can’t wait to see who this little girl blossoms into!
