Lifesavers

After (and while) we had Ridge, we had so much help from so many people.  I am so, so, so very grateful for all these wonderful friends.  I had forgotten how much time a newborn takes and how much healing and rest I would need. Our friends helped us in so many ways; I really don’t know how we would have survived our first few weeks without them.  

The Tai’s took care of Jadyn the weekend we had Ridge.  She loved it at their place and became instant buds with their boy, Jared.  She adores him.  They laugh and laugh every time they are together.  It can be pretty amusing!

We had lots of visitors bringing meals the first couple weeks.  This was a HUGE blessing as we tried to adjust to a new (read: time consuming) baby in the house.   

 

Betsey and Melissa even came to get Jade a few times in the afternoons for play dates.  Again—MUCH appreciated as we were trying to figure things out and Jadyn surely would have been bored of playing “baby” otherwise.  Betsey also took the first picture of our family of four: 

Then Shanna called after my first day home alone without Cody, telling me she was coming over the next morning to help with whatever I needed.  I was embarrassed to accept but she was adamant that she come.  Little did she know at the time I was falling apart after my first day alone!!!  After I failed miserably trying to care for the new babe, get dinner made, wash the dishes, and get Jade in bed by a decent time, her timing couldn’t have been better.

The biggest lifesaver though was Cody. 

He had two days off for paternity leave.  Yes.  TWO.  But he took three more vacation days, so he was home for the entire first week after we came home.  He was seriously amazing.  He took care of absolutely everything but feeding Ridge:  washing dishes, vacuuming, laundry, groceries, warming up dinner, getting Jade to and from school, changing diapers, playing with Jadyn, setting up appointments for Ridge (pediatrician, birth certificate, and passport), etc.  He let me rest and heal as much as possible.  He was a rock star!  His service to me and our family made me feel so loved.  Although it may sound cliché, I really can’t express how grateful I am for him and how hard he works for our family.  I love him SO much.