Wowsers.

What a day.

Boobs were quite humongous and sore this morning! Thankfully Charley had an hour and a half nursathon (interspersed with a nappy change and some hiccupping) and I felt much better after that.

And his cord dropped off when I changed his nappy! That was exciting.

I even managed to get dressed this morning, before Steve arrived!

Steve arrived as soon as he could, and we waited for the paediatric doctor to arrive to do Charley's rebound test for the jaundice. While they were off doing that I tidied up a bit, putting things away, occupying myself....

..... they arrived back with big smiles on their faces - a good result!

WE COULD GO HOME!!!!!!!!!

The midwife came and did the paperwork to discharge us, and eventually we got all our bits packed and ready to go.

We were home before 1pm and by then I was exhausted - walking from the maternity ward down to the hospital entrance and then to the pick-up point was the most I'd walked in three days! Steve said it was evident I was getting a bit of cabin fever in hospital because every time he saw me I was tidying and re-organising around my bed.

Home. Very loud. Lots of activity. Cue one mama wanting to hide away - and cry! Charley, however, chilled out to Ben's drumming. Evidently seven months of listening to enthusiastic drumming while in utero has had a rather fantastic effect!

I did have a bit of trauma though. Going to the loo. A number 2 is no problem at all, I am really very lucky in that respect. But.... peeing.... it's like peeing fire when it gets onto the tear and the raw areas. Unbelievable pain. Quite different to labour pains which come in waves. Pouring water over doesn't help. The one trick I have found helps is bending over so my hands are touching the floor - stops the pee from going near the sore bits!

My parents did one last laundry / shopping trip for us, and around 5.30pm they set off for home. It's been so good having them here, giving Ben the continuity of care needed while I wasn't around at all and Steve was in and out. They've looked after Ben brilliantly, he's hardly been scarred by the experience at all ;0)

Once they'd gone we put Ben to bed (eventually), got Charley wrapped up in the ellaroo and started to make dinner. Mmm. I missed out on braised lamb shank with sage dumplings at lunchtime at the hospital so it was particularly nice to have lamb chops and roast potatoes for dinner!

Sorry this is another backblip. And a late one at that! I hit my "tired wall" at only 9.30pm last night - the past few while in hospital it's been just after midnight when I would hit that wall, because of doing so little. I did quite a lot yesterday.

Bedtime was interesting. Climbed into bed next to Ben, got Charley down next to me, and lay there so happy to be sandwiched between my two boys :0) I've not been able to say that until now: my boys. The boys. The children. Because until yesterday (monday) I didn't feel like we were a family yet.

Now we are all together. Now we are a family again. I am so so blessed. An utterly blessed and happy - if a little overwhelmed at times - mama to my boys and wife to my husband :-)