Nana Rule brought Rachel home after a 4 day sleep-over (thank you SO much Marg). Here's Rachel saying "Hewwo Ewwiot".

Finally home, Elliot looks less than impressed with his new digs. Sorry buddy. It's the best we can do.

Mom, Dad and Baby #2 on their way out of the Civic Hospital.

Good news. Elliot has stopped losing weight, and is finally creeping back up towards his birth weight -- which means we can go home!

Here's Jeanette with Elliot looking beautiful and handsome, respectively. You really can't tell that she has spent the better part of yesterday night and today with gastro-intestinal flu, and that he has just been circumcised...
Both are feeling much better.

Tough day for the little guy

New photos: however, note that the pics are still from November 20th - Elliot's birth day. There are no pictures from yesterday, which was a tough one for the Van Ruleduinens.

First there were feeding problems. Elliot simply wasn't latching on, even though he was showing obvious interest and rooting well. This led to additional concerns about his health and weight, and a *mercifully* brief trip to the neonatal special care nursery. Eventually he did latch on, began eating normally, and was released back to the normal nursery.

Then Jeanette came down with some kind of gastro bug that raged through her system all night (medical people: yes she was tested, and it's not C. Difficile). I'm just back from the hospital now after looking after Elliot for most of the night (i.e. almost no sleep), BUT Jeanette was feeling much better by the time I left, so here's hoping that's over with. Prayers are always welcome.

Rachel has been in a few times since Elliot was born, and has gone from being very shy around him and not wanting to say his name, to saying "I wuv you Ewwiot" and "Good night brother". Our nurse in neonatal intensive care remembered Rachel from her stay there 23 months ago, and was delighted to see her grown up and healthy.

Rachel shows off her new trademarked "Welcome Elliot" line of apparel.

Elliot looks for a crescendo from his little orchestra.

Elliot conducting his little orchestra.

Elliot with Mom

Dad and Elliot

Baby Elliot sleeps

Baby Elliot - getting some sleep after that whole birth-ordeal thingy.

Rachel visiting her new brother

Rachel trying to out-cute the poor little baby brother. Ah, the sibling rivallry begins! 

The whole family

 

Elliot shows off his lungs

 

Cutting the cord

You can see Dennis using his non-broken hand to cut the umbillical cord. No those aren't tears... it was just... lemon juice. Yeah that's it... 

Elliot is born

The obstetrician is carrying Elliot over to the observation table after showing him to Mom and Dad. He was abit grey in colour, but scored perfectly on his Apgar tests, so we're pre-enrolling him for Harvard. 

Lion on the driveway

 

Rachel the lion

Rachel went out for Halloween as a lion last night. She seemed to like the concept of strangers giving her candy and chips. So much so that she said "tick-er-teat" at every door, and roared pretty convincingly...