Friday, July 24th, we welcomed our second sweet, little boy into the world and became a family of four! Over the past month, I have been reflecting on our last year and how wonderful that the Lord allowed us to bookend this past year with such a beautiful blessing. This year has been filled with miscarriages, specialists, therapists, and an Autism diagnosis. This year has been filled with walking with many, many friends through times of suffering. And, this year has been filled with deep suffering in our families. Although there have also been many, many wonderful times and blessings, this year has been one of the hardest years Mitch and I have encountered. BUT GOD did not allow it to end there. He graciously allowed us to bring gladness and rejoicing into this year through the birth of a sweet, wrinkly, healthy baby boy and we are so overjoyed and thankful.
Almost a week over my estimated due date, after the quickest labor and not even 4 pushes, Christopher "Lucas" Jaeger joined us at 4:32pm on July 24th. At 6 pounds, 13 ounces and 20.5 inches long, Lucas came into the world looking EXACTLY like his older brother & daddy (Apparently I only bring them into the world and that is where my contribution ends). Because of my Myasthenia Gravis, Levi's difficulties after birth, and the fact that sometimes babies can take on symptoms after birth (i.e. respiratory distress, etc.), the NICU team was present for the delivery and Lucas was immediately handed to them to be evaluated. Thankfully, he passed inspection with no problems and I was able to hold him a few minutes later. We are so thankful for how well the staff at Midtown Medical Center and especially Dr. Ted Thorne cared for and took precautions with Lucas and I!
Every single detail of our birth experience was so different this time! Since we were living in Mississippi when Levi was born, we had barely any friends and almost no family (except my selfless mother) around during his birth and the first few weeks. However, Lucas and I had constant visitors at the hospital and for weeks after his birth. I cannot even put into words how precious having our friends and family around was to Mitch and I!
In addition to having so much support, Lucas' clean bill of health was an incredible blessing! After Levi's rocky delivery and first month of life, we were fully prepared to walk the same path with Lucas. However, not only did Lucas have no Myasthenia symptoms, but he also was free of Jaundice AND he was able to eat on his own immediately after birth. The Lord is so gracious!
We came home late Sunday afternoon and introduced Levi to his new brother. It has been a slow adjustment, but overall Levi has done incredibly well with Lucas. Although he is not interested in him at all, Levi is slowly learning to be aware of where Lucas is and that he has to be gentle around him. We have had 2 or 3 hitting incidents, but we have had so many sweet moments between Levi and Lucas as well.
In the last month, Lucas has put on a whopping 3 pounds! Overall, he is an incredibly sweet baby who is a GREAT sleeper compared to his brother at his age. Since coming home from the hospital, Lucas only wakes once at night and then again around 6:00-6:30am. So if it looks like I am well rested, it is because I am! (For any mothers reading this and wanting to hate me right now, go back and read my blogs about the TERROR that Levi was as an infant and you might not hate me as much!)
Sweet Lucas we are so thankful that the Lord gave you to us according to His timing and not our own! You have truly been a cool spring in the middle of (what seems like) an unending desert.
