November 24th- 18 days old

We had a great weekend. I'm finally starting to feel better from the mastitis and Declan is getting on a better eating plan. On Saturday evening we went to Snohomish to visit Grammy and Pops and Uncle Todd. Todd was in a terrible car crash, so we wanted to cheer him up with a cute guy. Don't they look alike? 

Funny faces and a black eye :( 

Grammy gave Declan a warm blue bear suit to wear

Auntie Kristine dropped by some warm clothes on Saturday too. Declan wore his white bear suit to church on Sunday. It was his first time there. He was sleepy the whole time and never made a peep. 

In the mail today Declan got gifts! He got a special panda bear blanket from his great aunt Pat. She made it just for him! 

He also got new pjs from Gretchen and Gary and a new book too! The his friend Samantha came over to bring him the blankets she made for him. She put his name on the blankets too! 

Declan also got a card in the mail from his cousins Doug and Sandy! They sent him money for his college fund! :) 

Did I mention Declan gets to use a bottle now? It's way easier than finger feeding expressed milk. Here's Brad giving him a bottle for the first time. 

Cozy snuggle  boy! 

November 18th: First Day Alone

Brad went back to work on Friday. Grammy came over and we took Declan to see his pediatrician for the first time. Afterwards he had an outing to Joann fabrics. Over the weekend Brad went mountain biking on Saturday. Declan's friend Avery and her mom Sam came over to visit. Then his cousin Elias and Auntie K came to visit in the afternoon. On Sunday Declan and I went to Grammy and Pops house. Brad and Pops went skiing at Stevens Pass. Then we all had dinner with Great Nana and Aunt Paula. 

Today Declan and I had our very first day alone. We had to go to the pediatrician for a weigh in. D has lost a little weight so he's back on the supplements, so I spent the rest of the day feeding him or pumping! Lucky me. He is such a sweet little boy. Today he never cried one peep! He quietly let me know he was hungry. Brad came home and read him The Very Hungry Caterpillar. He loves that story and looked at the book while Brad read to him. 

Here are a few pictures from the last few days: 

Visiting with the Linns 

Visiting with Ava 

Snuggling with Daddy 

Taking a snooze on mommy 

Bouncing in his chair 

Studying with daddy 

Reading with daddy 

Great Nana's 89th Birthday Party

On November 10th we took Declan to Snohomish to celebrate his Great Nana's 89th birthday! We spent the evening with Grammy, Pops, Aunt Kristine, Uncle Scott, Cousin Elias, Uncle Todd, great Aunt Paula and Cousin Dan. Declan also met his dogs, RJ and Caleb for the first time. We had pizza and ice cream cake for dessert. Declan loved sitting on Great Nana's lap.

Nana made this quilt for Grammy when she was a baby. 

Cousins: Declan 6 days old, Elias 3 months old. 

First bath

On Declan's second night in the hospital he had his very first bath. Chereese his nurse assistant first gave him a hearing test and then got him all clean. His hair wasn't nearly so dark after his bath. Brad took lots of pictures and even a little video. He cried during his bath. Afterwards he was put under the warming light to get all toasty! He loved it and smiled almost the whole time, just like he was sunbathing. Brad told him he was acting like his Grandy. 

Under the heat light sunbathing: 

Pops notes and pictures about Declan

Declan's Grammy and Pops came to visit us in the hospital. Pops took some pictures and wrote about Declan's first day in the world. Here's what he wrote: 

First day out!  It is really bright around here!  They won't let you sleep.  Always fussing with something.  I would rather just eat and  sleep for now.  No new powder yet! But pretty soon.  Tomorrow they take me to a new place up north.  I think they call it Bothell.  I get to meet two guys named Caleb and RJ.  I hear they eat a lot.  They told me that I will meet a cousin named Elias.  We will have a great time!  I bet he already knows how to fish and ski.  He has been around about three months more than I have. I hear he already has been hiking to the Oyster Dome, Boulder River, Barclay Lake, Rainbow Ridge and places like that!  I hope they take me with them on the next one.

For those of you that haven't met me, my name is Declan.  We plan to have a great life!

Love to the World!

Declan Hamilton 

You can also see the cute sock monkey and taggy blanket Grammy and Pops brought him.