Bathtime!

Eli enjoyed today's bath quite a bit more than the previous bath, I think because we filled the whaletub up a little bit more. More warm water == happier baby. He also got his first shampoo today, which went surprisingly well thanks to Katie's mad ninja bathing skillz.

After the bath, we put Leah's chocheted hat on him. Thanks, Leah!

Glow worm no longer, and 1 week old!

Eli came off the UV blanket at noon on Thursday, and our pediatrician cleared him as a normal healthy baby on Friday afternoon. YIPEEEEEE!

Here are some pics of him being treated for his jaundice which we superstitiously reserved until he was in the clear. The first two show him underneath the UV lights at the hospital, the next two show him at home wrapped in the UV blanket, with a yellow swaddling cloth holding the whole package together. This had the effect of turning the blue light green, and Eli into a little glow worm. The last picture is just for extra cuteness.

Now that the jaundice issue is laid to rest, Eli can start to meet his fans! We look forward to seeing all of you at some point in the coming days and weeks, as long as you haven't been sick recently and don't mind washing your hands. Give us a call or an email and we'll set up times to visit, starting on Tuesday of this week after my mom and stepdad leave town. We have loved being cocooned with our son for the past week, but we miss all of you! Can't wait to get reconnected. x0x0x

Yet more photos

You asked for it--tons more photos!

Hospital shots 2/27 and 28

Day 4: Everything's coming up Eli

Photo by Dad, baby by Gorgeous-Babies-R-Us.

Eli is sleeping and feeding like a champ. His jaundice has plateaued, but he's still on the UV blanket for now. We've developed a 3-hour round-the-clock routine: wake him up, get him naked, keep him awake long enough to eat (this requires various entertaining noises and stimulation techniques, such as intensive stomach raspberries), burp him, wrap him up in the UV blanket again and all three of us pass out until the next alarm goes off. Repeat. Our bedroom is our universe. My incredibly helpful mom is taking care of basically everything else: feeding us, doing our laundry, running out for groceries. I'm so grateful she is here.

We feel the love pouring in from all of you and will be in touch as things normalize. Until then, keep little Eli in your thoughts and enjoy this gorgeous sunshine. It looks beautiful on the snow from our bedroom window! -- Katie

Home at last

We're home! We've got another bili check at the hospital tomorrow morning, but until then, we're just a little family in Carrboro.