THREE!

Three boys! Three S's! Third time's the charm!  Three might be my new favorite number!  

I would like to introduce...

 Steele Samuel Sullenger

Born October 1, 2019 at 6:43 pm.   

9 pounds 3 ounces

21.5 inches long

15 inch head

Apparently his little ear had been folded during utero.  It has unfolded now into a normal looking ear.

Penny caught a similar picture with all three boys moments after they were born.  Something about Gunnar's hand on the baby's head melts my heart a little bit.  

Apparently my body likes to grow jumbo babies!  We were all surprised with how big he was.  If I had had to guess before he was born, I would have guessed in the mid 8s, and my midwife said she was guessing high 7s.  And then came Steele in all his big head, fat roll glory!!

 

My last pregnancy picture with Monte on the left and my last one with Steele on the right.  I don't know where Steele was hiding but I certainly didn't look or feel as big as I did with Monte!

He was one ounce lighter than Monte, but much bigger skeletally which is what counts in the whole birthing process!   But even though he was my biggest it was our smoothest birth by a mile!! Pretty "text book" actually if there even is such a thing. 

He came out with big feelings and honestly screamed a lot right at first.  Finally he burped a whole bunch then calmed down and we got to snuggle for a long time.  He latched pretty fast and hasn't stopped since.   During all of labor but especially at the end I kept saying "I just want to hold him!  He's never going to come out and I just want to hold him!"  So after he settled down and I got all cleaned up and settled, getting to just snuggle him while he looked around was pretty wonderful! 

 

Gunnar's favorite part of having a newborn is getting to nap with them.  When I saw this, I knew that his dreams were officially fulfilled!

 Just so much squishy goodness!

He looks quite angry when he gets sleepy or when just looking around.  We often comment how much he looks like Monte.  As he's gotten older, I definitely see more Kit but those cheeks just make us think of Monte so much!  

My Dad got this camo outfit for us for Christmas when I was pregnant with Monte and Monte and Kit both wore it as their coming home outfit. Since Steele didn't need a going home outfit, we used it as his first going out outfit.  

Steele seems to like a pacifier which I'm actually kinda grateful for.  Since he's the third, having a "just give me few more minutes" tool seems like it will be wonderful.  We actually got my brother to go to walmart the night Steele was born and pick us up some because I hadn't bought any.  With three boys needing me, having a pacifier feels like a good way to help keep him happy for a moment longer while I'm finishing whatever else I'm doing before I can feed him.  We'll see if he continues to like it...

More Daddy snuggles.  

He's been quite the spit upper so far but I think it's because my supply is just so great right now.  He's often gulping to try to keep up and I think he just gets so much so fast sometimes that he can't handle it.  Some days aren't bad and then others he's like a fountain! haha He also gets some mean hiccups!  Regularly.  He got them in the womb a lot and they were so hard they almost hurt me.  I get it now, they are pretty strong.  I feel bad for him but he doesn't seem to mind them.  Kit got them really bad too as a newborn and quickly outgrew getting them on a regular basis so hopefully Steele does too. 

He dream smiles quite a bit and I promise that he has smiled at me twice on purpose.  Gunnar doesn't believe me and I actually am not sure about the first one but the second one he totally smiled in response to me talking to him! 

At the 24 hour mark, he had lost 3 ounces.  At his check up at 9 days old, he had gained a whole pound and was up to 10 pounds even.  I think "thriving" is a great word to describe him! He's mostly doing 2-3 hours stretches at night but often does a four hour stretch at some point.  He has done one 5 and one 6 hour stretch too.  That was nice!  He's been kinda gassy a few nights too where he was just uncomfortable but didn't want to nurse.  That was kinda hard and exhausting.  Hopefully I'm figuring out what I'm eating that his tummy doesn't like.  

In his stars!  Aunt Sara bought this outfit for Monte when I was pregnant with him.  I am pretty sentimental and love the special outfits we have that all three boys have worn.  Also the animals on the window were mine when I was a baby and so was the bank on the left.  Two of the books were mine when I was a baby, one is Steele's gift from Aunt Sara, and the last one is one my grandmother read to my dad when he was a baby. 

Welcome to the family Steele.  We love you and already can't imagine life without you.  You are our answered prayer.