Lauren's First Week - Friday

Friday was a heck of a day [sadly, one with few if any pics worthy of inclusion however].

To start the day I had to take Lauren in for the scheduled jaundice checkup. Bear in mind I didn't have to - Lis was certainly willing - but a newborn isn't exactly difficult company. They just lay there sleeping while you soak in praise for the 'bravery' you showed in taking them with you.

Actually I took all the kids, which (pat on the back) is a wee bit harder, but not exactly the equivalent of climbing Mt. Everest.

We waited for the doc in relative peace, then waited some more in the examination room itself. At some point Park spilled water on the exam table, making a puddle on the paper sheet.

Naturally the doctor walked in and had a cow, making a relatively big production out of a small matter.

The checkup proceeded and all seems ok, tho' the Doctor was still worried about jaundice. She left to go get a lab order for bloodwork and said to me, as she left the room, 'Don't let the baby fall off the table'.

A. The baby's newborn  - she can't roll.

B. She could roll like a ship in a tsunami and I wouldn't let her fall.

I let her know my opinion of the statement, although it amused me more than I'm letting on here.

Give her credit - she apologized when she returned and even complimented me on bringing the kids, saying her husband would never have managed the feat.

She went all overboard on the potential jaundice, saying I'd have to bring the baby back every day, blah blah.

Look, YaYa was so jaundiced you could have mistaken her for a highlighter. I wasn't worried about a kid who had a taste of the stuff - I think it eventually tested at ~ a 12 or so.

The worst part was of course the bloodtest, holding my newborn as her heel was pricked and blood drawn. I'd done that for YaYa too - it sucks.

So I leave the Dr's office and on the way home call and update Lisa. By the time I got home the Doctor had called LISA and updated her too, saying she didn't trust a man to relay the message.

SWEET!

I found it amusing but it really pi**ed Lisa off.

After lunch and a nap I took the brood out again. To the appliance store (we'd gotten the wrong part) - but this time I remembered quarters for the candy machine - and to another appointment we had.

At this second appointment Parker fell and scraped his knee. No big deal - he's pretty tough that way - but it had ramifications later in the weekend.

Now you may recall I'd gone to the library -our local branch - the day before. But the book I REALLY wanted was only available downtown (Scalzi's last old man novel). So I decided to take the kids down there, to my old stomping grounds.

Only I had my fill of watching 'em all, and no way was my anxiety ridden self going to watch all of them in the huge central library.

Thus, I drafted my niece Caitlin to go with us.

Not much to note there, save the fact that the kids LOVED the lightower in the children's section and played up there forever.

[note: one neat thing I love about my kids. They are such frequent patrons of the library that they request you go to a specific location, identified by the activity in the children's room or the shape of the building: the 'round library' (Zablocki), the 'robot' library (Washington Park), the 'Lightower' (Central), etc. ]

[a librarian heard yelling from the tower and came to scold me (being a man) for not watching my kids. I'd had enough testosterone bashing for one day, thank you.  "Those are boy's yelling. Last I checked, I have one boy and he doesn't talk. Go talk to her" I said, gesturing to a nearby Mom.]

The kids rebelled a bit at the checkout desk, leading one punk clerk to say "That's why I don't have kids". Lucky for the world, a*hole, lucky for the world.

At my girl's request Caitlin stayed the night at our house.

In the evening word came back from the Doc - Lauren would need to be seen again tomorrow.

* * * *
One more thing, and I don't know if it was Friday or Thursday, but my sisters made my family dinner and dropped it off at the house to ease the post-birth burden on us. Mashed potatoes, roast, corn . .yum. It's such a good idea, and so helpful to the family that I think it will become our new 'gift' to new parents.