Doctor's Checkup and First Days at Home

On Wednesday, Nana and I braved the LA rain and took Lily to Dr. Hemant's office for her first post-hospital checkup. At Day 4, she was 7 lbs (having lost 4 oz) and 19 inches (a few inches shorter), with a head circumference of 34 cm, landing her smack dab in the middle of the 50th percentile. This is a similar shot we took four years ago, five days after Kate was born: Like her sister Kate, Lily got a clean bill of health from Dr. Hemant, who told us to come back in a week to check on her jaundice. Lily likes to nap surrounded by zoo animals. When Kate comes home from school the first thing she does is look for Lily and ask if she can hold her. Appa and Lily, a small loaf of bread. Appa holding Kate when she was a loaf of bread.

Lily has a lot more hair than Kate did when she was born, and so far it seems to be straight and a brownish-blonde. The genetic milkshake that she is, anything is possible.

Going Home Day

Two days after Lily's birthday, Appa and Kate came to the hospital to take us home. Kate proudly wore her "Big Sister" shirt to school that day. And baby Lily makes four. Kate really wanted to try out Mom's cool hospital bed. She particularly liked pressing the buttons to go up and down, up and down. Kate was torn between gazing into her sister's eyes and gazing up at the TV bolted to the wall. Lily's slight case of jaundice delayed our discharge, but eventually we were given the thumbs up to go home. It was an atypically cloudy, rainy, chilly day in Los Angeles, and Nana was waiting for us with a warm, homemade dinner of turkey meatballs and pasta. Welcome home, Lily! Let the marathon of sleepless nights begin!

Big Sister Kate

On Monday, the day after Lily's birthday, Kate came to meet her brand-new, baby sister. Kate had a huge smile on her face as she bounded through the door bearing gifts and balloons. Kate was thrilled to finally lay eyes on her sister. She was also happy to hear we had named her "Lily," her top choice. "Awww, she's so cute!" Lily's lovely, long fingers and toes. We have no idea who she gets these from. The four ladies. As Uncle Mike says, "Proud Papa!" Kisses! Kate can't stop kissing Lily and wanting to hold her. Hopefully, this will last, at least for a few weeks. When we asked if Kate would help change the baby's diaper, she said, "I don't know if I'm ready for that." Of course, she's been eagerly helping us since Lily was born. Then Lily let out some gas and Kate had to ham it up.

And it was back to hugging Lily.

Lily and Nana.

After Kate gave Lily a Little Sister Present (her coming home outfit, which Kate picked out), Lily gave Kate a Big Sister present -- a set of Littlest Pet Shop figures. Kate was thrilled. Chris and his girls. "I love her so much!"

Kate was so excited to wear her new T-Shirt to preschool the next day. She ran up to her teacher, whipped open her jacket and said, "Look!" The teachers were very supportive and asked Kate to stand before the class during circle time to make her "very important announcement." Kate even got a lot of "congratulations!" from her friends, making her feel special.

We love you, Miss Lily!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LILY SO-HEE!

On Sunday, October 11, 2009 at 1:43 PM, Kate's baby sister, Lily So-Hee Weyant came into the world! Thankfully, Lily gave her Momma a relatively quick and easy labor and delivery. The nurse took this photo of Lily seconds after she was born as Appa cut the umbilical cord. When we left the house at 5:30 AM to go to the hospital, Kate sleepily asked Appa, "Why is the umbilical cord attached to the belly button and not the mouth??" Wonderful Uncle Mike Bodie drove to us in the middle of the night to watch Kate so we could go and welcome her baby sister. Lily So-Hee weighed in at 7 lbs, 3.7 oz and measured 21 inches, the same length as Kate at birth. The first thing Chris and I thought when we saw her was, "She looks just like Kate!" And then we thought, "She looks just like Emma!" The same shot of Kate after she was born. After some skin-to-skin and nursing time with Momma, Lily So-Hee was washed up and swaddled.

"Mom, enough with the flash, please!"

This is Kate on her birthday. Lily looks a little like her, doesn't she?

Lily So-Hee.

Kate Sora.

Kate and Nana are coming today to meet you! Happy Birthday, Lily! We love you and are so lucky to have you in our family.

39 Weeks! Counting Down the Hours...

Here we are, in the final stretch! My doctor says Kate's baby sister is upside-down and locked into position, ready for take off. She predicts the baby will come a few days earlier, or around October 14th, give or take. Luckily, Nana arrives tomorrow to help us out in case the doctor is right.

Kate said, "Mom, this looks like your belly button!"

The arrival of the latest Kang-Weyant will be a huge change for all of us respectively, and our little family as a whole, and we're all waiting in nervous and excited anticipation of the big day.