The long awaited picture post

Getting ready for the final discharge approval

Granny drove us home
Olivia holds Maddy for the first time.
Proud big sister
Shopping trip

Lots of love from big sisters

Visit from Jed and Alyssa
Melanie meets Maddy for the first time

Cousins and their babies (please excuse my post partum belly bulge!)

Brianna's getting so big
Little man Daniel
The two youngest Satterfield grandbabiesBest place to sleep

Well, we've been home for almost a week and are settling in nicely. Thankfully, my mom was here to help with the transition from the routine of the hospital to the relative chaos of being home with three little ones.

Maddy is doing well. Her monitor has been blessedly quiet except for when the leads are going bad. There has been a few times when her oxygen hasn't been on (by mistake), and no alarms. I'm hoping that when she goes for her first evaluation that we can take it off. She sleeps a lot, but when she is awake, she seems so much more observant and mature than before. She likes to cuddle. While she doesn't cry a lot, when she does, I can snuggle with her for a while and she goes right to sleep.

On Sunday, we took Maddy to church for the first time, and we were almost literally mobbed by people wanting to peek at the baby. She was welcomed or mentioned from the platform not less than 6 times between the morning and evening services that I attended, and I think several more in the first morning service as well. She's a well-prayed for baby, both at our church and in many other churches and homes across America, and I know that God is going to use her and her story for His glory. It's so wonderful to have the support of family and friends and people we don't even know. The choir sang "Somebody's praying me through" on Sunday, and I am well aware of how apropos that song is right now. Quite a few somebodies are feeding us well, too, and we're eternally grateful for that. It seems like all I have time for at the moment is feeding, cathing/changing, taking care of the oxygen and monitor issues, rocking the baby and then keeping the house clean and laundry caught up, and the older girls bathed, dressed and combed and happy, so to have meals is a wonderful help.

On Monday night, we had Jordan, Kayla, Brianna and Daniel; Uncle RB, Auntie Pam and Emily; Melanie, Shawn, Ethan, Landon and Morgan; and Mom and Dad all here for a visit. It was so much fun to catch up with every one and to pass our babies around. Too short, but fun. Jordan and Kayla were on their way through from South Dakota and were able to spend the night. Their new baby, Daniel, is only two weeks older than Madeline, but since he was almost two pounds heavier and a couple inches longer than her, he seems like such a big baby. A perfect armful and so adorable. I found a picture of Olivia when she was a newborn that bears a little resemblance of Daniel. So cute!

In other news, Carli is learning to read. We've been spelling and sounding out words at the supper table, but this last week, she really took off. Granny helped her at first with the foam bath tub letters and then the Leap Frog fridge alphabet. Granny would make a word, like "cat," help her sound it out, and then change the first letter, etc. Now Carli is doing it all on her own, both spelling words on her own and reading words we put up for her. I'm so proud of her. She starts kindergarden next Wednesday, and she was tickled to get her new backpack. Unfortunately for Mommy, the school supply list only included the backpack and a folder (besides the wipes, tissues, etc), so I'm not getting to do the back-to-school shopping that I've always wanted to do. I guess I'll have to stick to the clothes. She's excited to ride the bus, for all of five minutes or so, but it will be a big help, since getting Maddy in and out of the back seat car bed without tripping over tank cords or dropping her is a real piece of work.

Thanks for bearing with me while I settled into a routine (are we really there yet??) here at home! Continue to pray that Madeline will grow strong and healthy!