About 5 hours after Ivan's birth, I was sent down to mother- baby unit. Bryan left to go home and relieve Kandi from watching our kids. It was weird not having him around the first night. Ivan hardly slept that night and I was transitioned fast to what it's like to go without sleep at night. The next morning, the kids excitedly showed up to see their new baby brother. They all had been waiting for this day and it felt like way longer than 9 months for them. It was so cute to see their smiling faces as they adored their new brother. Unfortunately, Ivan had been breathing really fast and after being checked, they confirmed that he had congenital pneumonia and they wanted to treat him for a week. The NICU was full ands so they set him up in the PICU. Since I went with him, I left the mother baby unit before 24 hours which was the fastest I had ever been discharged from the unit. Everyone was so nice to us. I think it helped that Bryan was friends with all the doctors and nurses

Evelyn and Ivan

Christian, the big brother

waited for this day, for so long!

Hudson giving lots of kisses

first family picture of 7

wiring him up

poor baby!! He was a champ the whole time though

It was such a blessing that we were admitted to the PICU because it allowed me to stay overnight so I could nurse him and also to stay in a bigger room. 

The first few days were really hard as I adjusted to this new life of staying in a hospital room all day without much to do. I tried to sleep, but nurses would keep coming in and checking on Ivan. It was such a blessing that Bryan had paternity leave so he could stay home with the kids while I stayed at the hospital. I experienced a lot of mixed feelings that week as I was recovering from birth and also being away from my family and husband during this special time in our life. As much as the silence was nice, I missed being in my own home and I bow down to the parents who do this so often when their child is sick! I have such an appreciation for them and all the nurses and doctors! We were spoiled. Ivan was one of the only patients and so all the nurses adored him. He got lots of cuddles and smiles! After 7 days, I was so glad to be able to bring Ivan home and be back in my own bed. I look back on the experience, and so many things happened to well for us, even down to the fact that I got to be in the hospital for a whole week, to just lay there and recover from a crazy birth. We were also so blessed by they generosity of so many who brought meals and offered to watch our kids so Bryan could visit the hospital or help him out. We are so blessed and can't thank our Heavenly Father enough!!