July has flown by

We've settled in nicely since bringing the baby home. I love the Welcome home signs the kids made for Gideon.

My mom came for a week to help me after we got home from the hospital. Included in that help was preparing Seth for Youth Conference. (It was his first and I was glad she was here to help him get his stuff packed and ready...and get some shopping done with him. She likes to shop.)

Between Rob and mom, we did doctor's visits, shopping, kids still got to go to the library and church stuff with friends.

Rob took a week off from work to stay home last week. We mostly stayed home for the week. (Part of that was on account of Alee getting sick Sunday night before mom left to go home the next day.) She was quarantined and separately from her, so were Gideon and Mommy! No one else got sick.
On Friday, we ventured out to go swimming. (Gideon still had his belly button stump and I can't swim until everything's healed and the doctor gives the ok. The other 6 swam.) This was the first time all 8 of us went anywhere together in the van - which we now fill up. (So much for that extra seat!)

 The girls love jumping off the diving board. Rob judged splash sizes. Seth just stayed in the water. Gideon and Beth stayed in the shade on the poolside.

 Gideon has quite the fan club around here!

He's starting to do little "almost smiles" at some of us. Kaitlyn was getting some from him here. (Almost smile is that big open mouth or a little closed mouth where you can see the corners of the mouth coming up like he's trying to smile at us. It seems intentional, but he hasn't given a huge real smile yet.)

 Seth and Kaitlyn were also getting the "O" mouth face from him.

My friend let me borrow her bedside sleeper (like a mini playpen with one side lower that straps up against the side of the bed). I'm finally getting him to sleep in it, but only after feedings in the middle of the night. He won't fall asleep any other way besides someone spending a lot of effort holding, rocking, and patting him to sleep.

Favorite nap spot? Someone's chest!

Gideon's first Zoo trip!
This week with Rob back at work, we ventured out to the library, stores, doctor, zoo, and sleepovers.

 Must be baby time at the zoo too - both the flamingos and black footed cat had babies. My nephew said the penguins had babies recently too, but I am not sure if the smallest ones we saw were the babies or if they are cared for behind the scenes?

 My sister in law decided to come with her 2 kids to join us. I was worried our pace might be boring, but I'm glad she came. Being able to focus on Gideon when he needed me and still have someone to take Alee on to the next thing was really helpful. (The other kids' first zoo trip was definitely not at 2 1/2 weeks old! Gideon is the earliest zoo-goer. Our membership expires Sunday and I probably won't renew until the kids have another school break, so we had to get our last use from it this week!)

 I was worried about my little toaster getting too hot, so I tied my mister fan to his carseat to keep him cool. Most of the time, it wasn't too sunny and we went in 3 indoor exhibits that were cool.

 Alee and Kaitlyn got to do the rock wall. (Usually in the summer they are wearing flip flops for the splash area, so they can't do the rock wall, but I said no splash area today and they all wore tennis shoes.)

 At the end, Gideon and I relaxed on the porch at the koala knockabout. (Carolyn wanted to take the picture from up high so that you can see more of the baby, so the angle makes me look slimmer than I am.)

And at the zoo, his belly button stump fell off!d (2 weeks and 4 days old)

Wednesday evening the twins went to a library activity and then had friends sleepover. Carolyn went to a sleepover with a bunch of girls from church. Seth and Alee will have to wait until next week for friend time.

Carolyn came home the next morning, showered and crashed in bed (because apparently no one sleeps at a sleepover at her age!)...and she ended up sick too. At first I thought it was just her being dramatic and from lack of sleep, but Seth got sick this morning. He and she are both wanting food again by lunch time today (even though he got sick a day later), so I still think her lack of sleep caused her to get hit harder (plus she's always a little more sick than everyone else when sickness hits).

Rob's working from home today so I can minimize contact with sick kids and so I could still go grocery shopping even though both my babysitters are sick in their beds. No kids can touch the baby again until all are well. :(

Gideon had a big diaper change this morning, so I decided his belly button was dry enough (it was a little wet looking after the stump fell off Wednesday so I waited to bathe him).

He didn't mind, but swatted at the faucet a little.

I don't like bulky baby bathtubs, but I had this sponge thing Carolyn sat on in the sink I liked. I might try to buy one like it so I don't drench a towel to bathe him.

I decided to "wear" Gideon to shop at Aldi today in my new baby wrap. After I put him in, he started looking for something to suck on and immediately found his thumb. (I want him to use a pacifier over his thumb, but it's cute still.)
He's supposed to be higher up on my chest above where my shirt is, but he kept crumpling down, the way he likes to sleep on us, so I need some help from a friend to figure this baby-wearing thing out.

This morning I had watched a video on how to position the baby for feeding in a wrap. (Accidentally...I was looking for how to put the baby in.) I'm glad I watched both because of course he wanted to eat while I was shopping!
(Feeling kind of "crunchy."  Ha!)

[One day I'll get good enough at selfies that I can smile AND focus on not dropping the phone while precariously holding it with one hand, having a finger positioned over the shutter button. For now I can only focus on the phone! haha]

My boys

(This was yesterday before we knew Seth was going to be sick. Hope Gideon's got enough antibodies from my milk to keep him safe from the germs!)

Doesn't he look so cozy on his big brother?