Baby Oren is Here- Part 3

Mekonen Meets His Baby Sister
(Click here for Part 1)
(Click here for Part 2)

As soon as I got back from the recovery room, Jon's mom and dad came and brought Mekonen to meet his sister. (I might cry even typing this). It was a very sweet time for us and we chose not to have anyone else in the room, but the four of us, and no cameras or videos. We wanted him to meet her in the most comfortable, non-threatening way possible. It was perfect. I was in the bed with Evie and Jon went out to get Mekonen and came back in. Jon had tears running down his face, something I can say I have seen only a small handful of times. Mekonen was very quiet, but in a peaceful observant way. He reached out and touched her head. We all sat together on the bed and told Mekonen about his baby sister. I think he was the first person we told her name and the first person she was introduced to. These first few moments as a family together were incredibly special to us. I didn't know it was possible to love these two kids so much. We are extremely blessed. 

Mekonen, Grandpa ("Boppy") and Grandma Magz with Evie on her birthday!

After introducing Evie to her Grandpa Oren and Grandma Magz, Mekonen started warming up a bit to the room and all the activity going on, except for me! After the initial meeting Evie and seeing Mommy those few moments, Mekonen got very weird about me. He wouldn't come near me or the hospital bed. It broke my heart. It had nothing to do with Evie I don't think, because he was fine with her and would talk to her, touch her, etc. But if she was near me, he kept his distance. Jon took Evie from me and we tried to get Mekonen to come sit with me, give me a hug, etc. and he said in a scared, quiet, voice, "no, no." I reached out to touch his head and he backed away. That's when we realized what it was. My IV and hospital bracelets. Mekonen had blood taken several times this past year and had an IV. It was a traumatic experience for him and ever since he has been totally weirded out by hospitals and people in scrubs. He saw the IV in my hand, which is where his was, and he got freaked out. I also think he sensed that Mommy wasn't feeling well and had a "boo-boo." He left that night with his Grandma and Grandpa and I just cried (as I did most nights when he left). For our whole hospital stay he wouldn't come near me, or the bed. We eventually coerced him to sit on the bed when Barney was on. :) As soon as they took my IV out a day later we thought he would be fine, but then he got freaked out by my hospital bracelets. 

We got Mekonen a special gift from his baby sister to her big brother- two stuffed dinosaurs! It was so cute. We sat them next to each other and told Mekonen that Evie got him a special present for being her big brother. He was very excited at the matchbox cars gift bag and absolutely loved the "dinos" inside. 

The dinos giving "Baby Ebie" kisses! 

Mekonen's special treats at the hospital were watching Barney and drinking chocolate milk (and of course entertaining our visitors and the nursing staff).

Once we got home, Mekonen was a little leary of me for a few hours, but then realized the IV wasn't coming back and the bracelets were gone, and he was doing much better. It took all evening for me to get him to come close and a couple days for him to pursue me, like sitting with me, etc. But now he is doing perfectly fine and showing all his usual affection towards me, which is good for this Mama's heart. I'm not sure I could've taken it any longer. But through it all, he has been great with Evie!