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Claira

Go to Slide Show Smaller Images My Youngest Daughter


July 29th

As Claira gets older we get more time with her when she is awake and not angry for milk.  She is starting to track people (moving her eyes and sometimes even her head) to follow where people are.  It's nice to be able to interact with her a bit.

Claira In Touching Her EarClaira Almost SmilingClaira In My Hand Before Bath

July 14th and 15th (Claira 18+ Days old) - Hanging out with Nara

Nara Looking In On Claira
It's tough to really "play" with your younger sister when most of the time she is either sleeping or on your mothers breast.  Just because she can't play, doesn't mean she isn't interesting.  Nara often wanders by to see what all the fuss is about.  If Mom is willing to read a book while feeding, it's almost as if nothing is wrong at all.

Nara And Claira Holding HandsNara And Claira Nara Smiling

 
Claira Napping On Bed Claira On Bubble Pillow
Claira of course is getting larger and more awake.  She opens her eyes more and more actively looks around.  She tries to follow voices.  One of those "Oh yeah, I forgot" realizations is that she needs help to get to sleep.  Nara basically just goes to bed and sleeps.  Claira needs some rocking a to nod off.  It's amazing how quickly your forget.

Claira Looking Out Window
 

July 10th (Claira 14 Days Old) - Making faces

Claira Doing SurpriseClaira Has Eyelashes
I'm sure that babies don't make faces because they are trying to communicate or even know what the faces they make mean when read by another human.  That said, they do sometimes make some pretty amusing faces and you do sometimes wonder if that smile really does mean they are "happy".
Claira Smiling On Change Table

July 7th (Claira 11 Days Old) - Have a Bath

Claira In The Bath Bucket
Baths are a special time for babies - most of their days are just eat, sleep, poop so bath time is quite an exception.  Claira really likes her baths (no crying at all) so it's fun to give her a bath.  We couldn't find the bucket for her first bath so she got bathed in a large mixing bowl.

Claira In ATowelDad Done The Bath

  June 30th (Claira 4 Days Old) - Life at Home

Claira Sleeping On Her Side
Now that you are home you try to make a new routine.  We have the feeding situation well in hand so Claira is getting lots of sleep (and Mom tries too).  Of course there are a lot of new things to do - a never ending stream of Laundry and a surprising number of diapers, but it's all in hand.
Claira In My Hand

  Claira Held By TheresaClaira Smiling At Grandma
Being home means easier visits.  Grandma has been by pretty much every day to see her newest Granddaughter.


June 28th (Claira 2 Days Old) - Last Day at the Hospital

Helen And Claira About To Leave The Hospital
Nara was an unplanned C-Section.  After two days of Labour, Nara was born in a surgical suite and we were exhausted.  The next three days in the hospital were a confusing blur and we never really felt we got on top of sleep and the new developments.  (We didn't know at the time, but you never get your sleep back).  With Claira we didn't start with a huge sleep deficit and we had some idea of what to expect and how to navigate the system.  We got all our visits done and at two days we were quite happy at the prospect of going home.


Of course Claira wasn't so thrilled with the idea - she had never had a car ride and having to share parents with a sister - the horror!  Claira did really well with the transfer and everyone was glad to be home.

Sorry Kid We Are Leaving HereAnd You Have An Older Sister


June 27th (Day 1)

Sleeping With Huge Hat
The experience for first and second child is night and day different.  First child, I stayed at the hospital for the first three days after the Nara was born and was basically a zombie.  For "Baby", I go home to take care of Nara overnight and arrive at the hospital fresh as a bunny.  Helen has her Aunt here providing support, but I'm sure her life is far from a walk in the park.

Awake And Looking Around
 
Given our feeding experience with Nara, "Baby" is being supplemented with donor breast milk.  Everyone is happier compared to our first. 

  Keen To Get Some BottleAfter Milk Drunk

Nara and I dropped by for dinner - Nara misses her Mommy and still doesn't really want to acknowledge the baby.  Hopefully tomorrow is come home day!

June 26th (Day 0)

Nara was born after two days of labour and an unplanned C Section.  We knew very little of what to expect (even though we took the course), were tired and basically just kept our heads above water.  With our second child we had a planned C Section booked (two days before due) and were almost well rested before the surgery.  (Neither of us slept well the night before - even Nara got up in the middle of the night to return some noodles from our "Last Dinner").

Okay This Sucks Post Measurement Nap
The surgery was a bit late so we had lots of anticipation time.  Once things get under way, it goes very quickly.  We haven't yet picked a name so we are currently calling here simply "baby".  Baby was delivered about 12:30 and was willing to yell at the new world.  She quickly calmed down and did well through the testing phase.


Post surgery, we are shuffled to the recovery room and we get to appreciate what is going on.  Baby was very well behaved - she did well with the latching and after a "feed" hung out in the bassinet and surveyed the room.  She was easy to settle and seemed to be having a good time.  We moved up to our longer stay room fairly quickly.

  Mom What Did They Do To MeMom Gets Skin To SkinWho Are You Exactly

Some time after 4pm we were ready to receive our first guests.  I left around five to join my Mom and Nara (who had graciously picked up Nara from daycare) and after dinner we returned to the hospital so Nara and my parents could see "Baby".   Helen was getting over the drugs and felt much better.

Grandma And Baby Grandma Holding Baby
Nara recognized there was a baby in the room, but she wasn't keen to interact.  Mommy read Nara some stories before we took Nara home for a bath and bed.




Sleeping With Huge Hat
Person: Claira
Claira In ATowel
Person: Claira
Nara And Claira Holding Hands
Person: Claira, Nara
Tags: holding hands
Nara And Claira Nara Smiling
Person: Claira, Nara
Claira Almost Smiling
Person: Claira
Awake And Looking Around
Person: Claira
Claira Held By Theresa
Person: Claira
Mom What Did They Do To Me
Person: Claira
Claira Doing Surprise
Person: Claira
Sorry Kid We Are Leaving Here
Person: Claira
Keen To Get Some Bottle
Person: Claira
Claira Smiling At Grandma
Person: Claira
After Milk Drunk
Person: Claira
Claira In My Hand
Person: Claira
Grandma Holding Baby
Person: Claira
Helen And Claira About To Leave The Hospital
Person: Claira, Helen
Mom Gets Skin To Skin
Person: Claira
Claira Sleeping On Her Side
Person: Claira
Claira Has Eyelashes
Person: Claira
Claira Looking Out Window
Person: Claira
And You Have An Older Sister
Person: Claira
Who Are You Exactly
Person: Claira
Grandma And Baby
Person: Claira, Janet
Claira Napping On Bed
Person: Claira
Nara Looking In On Claira
Person: Claira, Nara
Claira In My Hand Before Bath
Person: Claira
Claira Smiling On Change Table
Person: Claira
Claira In Touching Her Ear
Person: Claira
Okay This Sucks
Person: Claira
Post Measurement Nap
Person: Claira
Dad Done The Bath
Person: Claira, John
Claira In The Bath Bucket
Person: Claira
Tags: bathing, bucket
Claira On Bubble Pillow
Person: Claira
Tags: bucket(1), bathing(1), holding hands(1)
People: Claira(33), Nara(3), Helen(1), Janet(1), John(1)
From: John Harvey Photo > Pictures of People > Claira
From: John Harvey Photo > Claira

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Last Modified Saturday, January 28th, 2023 at 23:15:40 Edit
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