Paternity Leave

I wish every mom could enjoy paternity leave like we have. Our two weeks of what felt like almost heaven has come to an end. Scott had to go back to work. I am so overwhelmingly grateful to have had him home with us for two whole weeks after the birth of baby Kate. I realize just how rare it is for a man to get paternity leave, and even more so to be paid for it so that we weren't worrying about the loss of income. (I also realized I should be thankful too for the medical insurance that he has through work. 100% of everything is covered. So even though it was a pain to have an epidural AFTER the delivery, at least we didn't have to pay for it!)

Scott took such good care of all of us. I am more thankful for him right now than I ever have been before. I love the man. He showed us even more how much he loves us and just how good he is. That last month of pregnancy was rough. I was big, uncomfortable and sick. Scott came home every evening and took over. He cleaned the kitchen after dinner (sometimes after making the dinner too), played with the kids and put all three to bed. It was so nice to have him walk through the door each night. 

That continued these two weeks of paternity leave also. Scott took care of the kids and the house while I was in the hospital. When Kate and I came home, he continued to do the laundry, do the dishes, vaccuum, pick up toys, get kids to school, play with bored kids, make breakfast while I slept in a little and help take care of a new baby too. He took away all of the stress that I expected to feel having a fourth child. I was really nervous that I would feel totally overwhelmed. So far, I feel nothing but really happy and a lot of love for this beautiful family we've been blessed with.

(Except for that one moment when we were giving Kate her first bath and I was yelling like a loon. I felt like I had 20 kids climbing on top of me fighting and whining to see. I had a screaming newborn slipping around in my hands in the water, the baby soap dispenser was broken, the water might have been too warm, etc. I came down from that moment, but luckily I had asked Krista to film the bath so it is recorded for all of posterity.)

Because Scott took care of everything else, I got to spend the last two weeks literally sitting on the couch and just holding my new tiny baby, enjoying her and loving her. I've been happy to have my other kids surround me instead of feeling like there was too much to take care of. I have worn pajamas every single day and showered whenever I felt like it. I haven't cooked one meal because of awesome friends that have delivered delicious dinners. I've taken wonderful afternoon naps snuggled up with Kate and sometimes Scott too.

I told Scott I could easily have 10 kids if we could somehow keep our friends delivering dinners and him not going to work. I honestly feel like I got a little taste of heaven. It is such a special thing to have a new baby come into our home and join our family. I hope to remember this feeling.

This was our paternity leave:

A whole lot of holding baby. She seriously made it to one week old without ever having been out of someone's arms. Yikes.

 

 

Scott playing with the kids.

 Hot Chocolate!!!

 Cozy pajamas, cuddled under blankets, watching movies.

Lots of diaper changes. Two kids lined up now (one feeling like a full grown adult male).

And lots of visitors:

I only wish I also had a picture of Landon, Sarah and kids . . . but I might have been in too much of a hurry to take them up on their EXTREMELY nice offer to take our kids for the day. It was awesome! Thank you.

Laura, Abby, Connor and Andrew.

Brian, Rachel and kids.

Aunt Krista came for the long weekend from Rexburg.

Kamber, Brian and family spent most of the day with us on their visit from NY. So fun that they got here just in time to meet Kate.

As of today, we are now cut off from Scott's paternity leave and we are right back into normal life. The dream is over. The kitchen is clean, the kid's laundry is going, the house is vaccuumed, kids are fed and dressed, dinner is cooking in the crock pot . . . now sometime I just need to take a shower.