We’re home now. All settled in. What can I say about Natalie Joy? She sleeps a lot, as newborns do. She sleeps heavy during the day and light at night. Just like in the womb, where she was very active in the evening when her momma was trying to sleep. During the day she’ll sleep long stretches in the crib but not so much overnight. Those are the times I keep her snuggled close to me and we sleep together on the couch.

She’s doing very well with bottle feeding. Every 3 – 4 hours, it’s a schedule I can certainly keep up with. She is always happy to take that next bottle, and she finishes it each time. We’re not surprised that she’s such a good eater. She comes from a long line of good eaters.

There’s a whole different dynamic here at the house. Most of the time it’s just me, Mike, and Natalie. Luke has been with Grandpa for much of the time. It helps to have him cared for while we are in these early days with Natalie, but I miss him. I don’t feel like I’m adjusting all that well to the new dynamic, but I know with time I’ll start to find the new normal.

The injections for the MS are going much better than expected. I haven’t experienced hardly any side effects, and with the auto injector they gave me the actual injections are pretty pain-free. I think what’s hardest for me at the moment is the slow realization that these injections are indefinite and are a permanent part of my life now. Three days a week, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I need to take the medicine whether I feel like it or not. After today’s injection I certainly did not feel like taking any more injections ever but thank goodness I have two days to muster up the courage for the next one. I think I’m going to have to make sure I have a few people close to me holding me accountable to sticking with it, at least until I get used to it. I’m told I’ll get used to it eventually.

I’m trying to simply enjoy this time with my new little girl but I have this anger looming in the background. I’m angry that I have to be dealing with this damn MS at a time when I should be on Cloud Nine. I am having a hard time focusing on the Joy in front of me. Perhaps if I just let the anger out – in a healthy way of course – it will quit the persistent tapping on my shoulder. I’m not sure what letting it out would look like so for now I’ll use my fall-back distraction – TV (lovin’ the DVR). Although it does help to focus on the positive. This precious, adorable, sweet video for example:

Luke and Natalie from Mindy Richmond on Vimeo.