I just finished reading all the wonderful blogs in my watchlist.  I can't believe how much I've missed and it hasn't really been that long!
I love reading your stories, my friends.  Just thought I'd share that.  And now I need to go again.  Nathaniel is ready to eat.
Sending you all lots of hugs and pleasant thoughts.

Now that both Arianna and Nathaniel are napping, I have time to post some updated photos of Nathaniel.

At the hospital, Arianna showered her new baby brother with hugs and kisses:


9 days old, hanging out with Daddy:


2 weeks old:


Arianna and Nathaniel, after his baptism on Oct. 7:

Here's a couple photos of Arianna being a little Mommy.
Burping her baby...

and nursing (she's got it a little backwards)

Arianna is adorable!  She is so observant and picks up on everything.  She's got an incredible memory, too.   For example, she notices if you don't have a watch on when you normally wear one. 
She's been quite interested when I nurse Nathaniel, coming over to look and making comments about how he's drinking and if he's going to go on the other side.  Basically the sorts of things I've been saying to her.  Well today she sat on the couch in the spot where I nurse Nathaniel and burped her new baby doll.  Then, before I knew it she lifted her shirt and proceeded to feed her baby.  It was so cute.  I had the camera right there and when I get the photos on to the computer, I'll post one.  I shouldn't have been surprised.

So I thought I'd just write a quick update and maybe tell you a little about our lovely ordeal.
We had booked two non-stress tests and a biophysical profile before Nathaniel was born in case he went really overdue.  In fact, we had the first NST booked for Thursday morning.  Nathaniel decided he didn't want to go through all that.  My labour was long and hard, not shorter than the first like everyone says.  My contractions were irregular for a long time and then got really bad, I got an epidural and am so grateful for those drugs!  Nathaniel took some time coming, but his delivery went very well.  I didn't tear until his shoulder got stuck.  Then I got to pull him out and up onto my belly!  I delivered my own baby boy, it was so neat.  He looked right at me as I put him on my belly.  He screamed and screamed, so much that doctor and nurses were commenting.
So he arrived and when big sister came to see him, she held him.  But he started crying so that was it for her.  She pushed him away. 
We were able to go home on Saturday morning, especially since they needed the room.  Nursing was already sore, despite using lansinoh ointment and checking his latch each time.  Nurses said his latch was great.  This is where the ordeal comes in.  By Wednesday morning, when the public health nurse came, I was so incredibly sore, she suggested Dr. Newman's Nipple Ointment, the last resort.  By Wednesday afternoon, I woke up from my nap with a very sore breast, now getting red.  By Thursday morning, at an appointment with a lactation consultant, I was told to go to the doctor and there found out I had mastitis.  Yup, all this before Nathaniel was even a week old.  So now I'm still taking pain meds, as well as antibiotics and acidopholus.  Thankfully things are clearing up and my nipples are not as sore.  Yay!
Arianna enjoys her little brother.  Friday morning, in the hospital, the first thing she said after a hello to Mommy was, "I hold him!"  She had lots of hugs and kisses for him and has ever since.
Now, my few minutes are up and I have to nurse again.  Thanks for all your thoughts and kind words!