Cara Comes Home

*UPDATE* Dinner arrived fifteen minutes later from the church. Pot roast and potatoes and carrots. Fresh from the garden green beans. Hot rolls and rice and gravy. I do not know how people survive in this world without a church family.
Cari, Ian is not displeased with his new sister. In this picture, he was just getting over being severely scolded. I was bent over the baby's diaper bag when he crouched down right behind me and when I turned, I fell over him. I almost couldn't right myself and would have fallen flat on my face with the baby. It was a near miss.

After a VERY long day yesterday, Cara came home. I was so anxious all morning at the children's hospital--fearful that something was going to fall through at the last minute. Her temperature would rise (the medical angle), or some form would need a certain stamp (the legal angle), but things fell into place and our plane arrived right on schedule. One neonatalogist (who had not seen Cara until yesterday) tried to give me a hard time about remaining in the hospital "a few more days to a week" for them to switch her off of breast milk and make sure she could tolerate the new formula.


"But she has a prescription for donor milk from the state milk bank."


"But in my experience those arrangements rarely work out. There is much red tape, and then, the parents must consistently defrost and prepare the milk. And since she is strong and gaining weight, one could say she does not need the breastmilk."


Well, his experience must not include any headstrong cajuns. And by this point, I was about ready to throttle the next doctor who told me that, "babies do not need breastmilk." Have these men not read the American Journal of Pediatric Medicine? Where have they had their heads buried for the last twenty years of medical research? Could it be that she is strong and gaining weight BECAUSE she is getting breastmilk?


Ugh. I told him clearly and firmly that the last two neonatalogists who had been on rounds--and had treated Cara for the last three weeks--did not share his concern and had both assured me that we could be discharged on Monday. I had already purchased our tickets home. She was maintaining her temperature and taking her feeds. I had every intention of continuing the breastmilk--was already having a case FedExed to my home--for as long as the milk bank would issue it to her. And even if the ground opened up and swallowed Austin tomorrow (which really wouldn't surprise me), I was certain my pediatrician could make recommendations for a substitute formula and monitor her tolerance of it. WE WERE GOING HOME.


He acquiesced.


Cara loved riding in the sling all warm and cozy on the flight home. The master and all the kids and Nana and Papa were waiting for us. It felt so good to hug them all. We drove over to our agency to sign our placement papers. Denise took our first family photograph that you see here. Then it was home again, home again, jiggety jig.


We have had a rather laid back first day. Cara is in her bouncy seat, sucking on her binky, and the older kids are outside in the backyard playing. If only I could tell you dinner was cooked!