A Busy Week

I have been in PA for a week and it ended up being a busy week. 
 
Thurs. Aug. 26- I arrived in Philly at 11 am and Ruth had a 1 pm appointment at a fire hall for help in installing her car seat.  Yes, the car seat will fit in her Hyundai accent, but no one can sit in the front passenger seat when the car seat is in the car. That's OK. When they go places, Jimmi can drive and Ruth will sit in the back next to the baby.  They hope to get a new car in the spring, but this will work for now. We got a lot of useful information- this is a nice program from Children's Hospital that they run at various locations.
     Ruth goes to hospital at 7 pm to be induced. Her good friends Alex and Allison come with us and stay at the hospital until she is settled in her room. Ruth is given something to soften her cervix and a sleeping pill. I go back to her house to sleep and my son-in-law comes a little later.
 
Fri. Aug. 27- When I get up, my son-in-law, Jimmi, has already gone back to the hospital. Ruth had been told they would probably begin giving her medicine to induce labor around 10 am. However, the hospital had 2 births that morning and so that was delayed. 
   I planned to stay at the hospital all day. However, after lunch in the hospital cafeteria, my stomach is feeling upset and I am very tired. Ruth is only having a very few small contractions, so I go back to her house and take a nap. Her house is only 2 1/2 miles from the hospital, so it is real convenient. 
    When I get back to the hospital, Ruth is smiling. She doesn't look like she is in labor, but I hear how she was in tears a little while ago and now she has had an epidural and is feeling much better.
     Around 8:15 pm Ruth is ready to start pushing. After a lot of pushing, Lorelei Elizabeth is born at 9:49 pm. She weighs 8 lb.1 oz. and has lots of dark hair. Ruth ends up with a lot of stitches. My first baby was 8 lb. 2 oz. and I likewise had a lot of stitches.
 
Sat.- I have time to rest at my daughter's house before grandparent visiting hours start at 11 am. I visit for a little while and they leave so other visitors can come- only 2 are allowed at one time. I go back and visit again in the evening.
 
Sun.-  I went to church at my old parish and played my charango, which I brought because it is easy to carry. It was good to see everyone again. I didn't really appreciate how nice a parish we had until we moved away. 
   Ruth and Lorelei came home from the hospital around 12:30. My friend Sara had invited me to go to a guitar concert at  Mt. Gretna  with her. Everything seemed under control with mother and baby, so I went to the concert. It was very nice and I was glad that I went.

Mon.- When Lorelei wakes up, I notice her left eye doesn't look very good. I don't want to say anything and worry Ruth, but then Ruth asks me if Lorelei looks a little yellow. I say her skin looks OK, but her eye looks a little yellow.  Ruth calls the doctor and makes the baby's follow-up appointment for Wednesday and then asks if she should be concerned about the eye. The doctor says come over and she'll look at the eye. The doctor says it looks like a little jaundice, but it doesn't look like it is in the skin yet. She gives a script for a blood test and says to put the baby in sun light. The blood test comes back normal, so that is good.
 
Tues.- At 6 am Ruth tells me Lorelei has been up every hour all night. We go to change her and see she baby has a rash all over her back, stomach, and on her arms and legs. Poor baby- no wonder she didn't sleep well!  I am immediately concerned because I know Ruth used All Free and Clear to wash the baby clothes and not something specifically for babies. We call the doctor and they say to wash her clothes in Dreft and that we can put a moisturizer on the rash.
      Ruth has a morning appointment with her doctor  because she has been having a lot of pain when she goes to the bathroom. They do a urine test and say there is no infection, it is just because of  all the stitches.  
       I begin washing Lorelei's clothes. When I finally have a blanket that has been rewashed and is dry, I lay her on the blanket in the warm upstairs bedroom, wearing only a diaper, and she takes a long nap. When she wakes up the rash is almost gone.  However, a few red splotches reappear when Ruth feeds her. Ruth gets very angry with me when I suggest Lorelei could have an allergy to their 2 dogs. When Ruth nurses Lorelei, her dog Iris sits right there on the couch with her and Bogie is usually at her feet.

Wed.- At the baby's checkup, the doctor says the rash is a normal baby rash and not from the laundry soap or the dogs. Jimmi's parents come over and bring their other granddaughter, Chloe, who is almost 2 and a bundle of energy.
 
Thurs.- Jimmi  has knee surgery. His mother takes him and it goes very well.
 
Fri.- Ruth is finally feeling good enough to shop and pick out material for baby's curtains for me to sew. She has valences that match the crib set, but needs curtains with them. I stay up until almost midnight sewing. 
 
Sat.- My son and his wife, John D. and Sara, and Ruth's friend, Alex, come to visit. The heat wave has broken and it is a beautiful day. We have a picnic dinner sitting on Ruth's front porch and everyone takes turns holding Lorelei.
 
Sun.- Another beautiful day and another picnic. My brother Ray comes from New Jersey with his girl friend Allegra and his daughter Dominique. We have a real nice visit. Jimmi's parents also come over with his grandmother. 

Lorelei.

Ruth's baby picture.