I'm not gonna lie to you, that first night home was not easy

We're talking the first twenty minutes of Saving Private Ryan kind of not easy. Milo's crying woke Henry, who would in turn cry out from his room, "My baby! My baby! Daddy need to see my baby!" It was an all night pee and poo show that included ten diaper changes (all tossed into a pile on the floor of course), one change of bed sheets, three Tylenol with codeine, six Advil, and daddy traveling back and forth between bedrooms, occasionally bringing in Henry so he could see that mommy was not hurting his baby. Milo and I worked on our breast feeding issues as I prayed we would make it through the night. We did.

In the morning I woke early to survey the damage. In spite of everything the room looked so sweet in the sunlight. All of my Althoff men were strewn about the bed amidst the discarded batteries from the nightstand light and all of the baby puke clothing. I began formulating my plan of attack for night number two. I was hopeful for the new day and thankful for the love explosion that Milo has brought to our home. I took in a deep breath and then stepped right into the middle of mount diaper on my way to the bathroom to clean poop off of my arm.

MI LO(ve)

Home Again

We're a few days late with this post, but we're home and recovering nicely, except for whatever hellish migraine Kelsey had yesterday.

Short Legs, Long Torso

24HR

First bath and general processing

God Bless Milo Wynn Althoff

8lb 6oz
21" long
11:58am

Welcome to the Thunderdome

8:59am
Here we are at the hospital room. Took 4 tries to get an IV in Kelsey, but finally had some success in her hand.

At check-in:
Nurse: Is this your first baby?
Kelsey: Yes.
Greg: Are you sure?

9:26am








The view of the mountains is ALMOST worth the deductible we'll be paying after this adventure.

9:50am
Kelsey is off walking the halls. Unless I don't know something, we need her to have this baby.

89 years ago, in presumably much different surroundings than this hotel-like hospital room, my Grandmother was born. We're very excited to have Milo share her birthday.

10:23am
Go figure, two and a half years after Henry and hospital food hasn't improved any. My cinnamon roll had the taste complexion of mulch. I know. This is very hard for me. As I type, Kelsey is breathing through some hammer contractions. But she didn't have to eat my cinnamon roll.

11:12am
There we go, Dr. Nawrocki, or as we call him "The Angel of Mercy" just administered a walking epidural. Bonus points for the buzz he said Kelsey may experience as the drugs take effect. Feels like college all over again. Minus the having a baby part.

Waiting on you

Dear Milo,

You can come whenever you want now. I am ready. I think. I have friends that have way more kids than I currently do who get more accomplished in a day than I can in a month, but don't worry, all you will really need is love, right? Love and diapers. And my boobs. Am I forgetting anything?

I can do this. I think. Even though it was only weeks ago that I swam as fast as I could to dry land when we saw a lightning storm close in on us at the lake, as your brother was drifting away alone on a raft. I believe that was when your dad told me I have the maternal instinct of a sea cucumber. He was joking. I think. To my credit, I thought your aunt Jen was watching him. And it is not like he was't wearing a life jacket.

I can already tell that things will be different for you than they were for Henry. You are lucky because you will be getting a far laid back version of parenting than Henry got as a baby. That means we get to have more fun and less worry this time around. Since these blogs are the closest thing you and your brother will have to a baby book, your dad was adamant that you have your own. We made you a special room, purchased diapers and washed all of your little baby clothes. See, you are important already and you are not even here yet. This is going to be an adventure for us all and I can't wait to kiss your sweet face and experience everything you will bring to our family. We are ready when you are. We really are.

Love,

Your Mommy