And he grows...

Well, today Gavin was weighed at 7 pounds, 8 and 1/2 ounces. The boy knows how to eat! So that's what we do all day. Eat, burp, clean up vomit and spit, and then eat some more, vomit more, then finally settle in to sleep. Gavin was diagnosed with GER-Gastro-esophageal-reflux. Basically his sphincter doesn't keep the food in. I get to give him medicine daily; hopefully he will get better soon. His projectile vomit has gone as far as 2 feet. That's a long way for this little guy! We continue to learn and have fun. My incision has finally sealed completely so I can do more without getting tired. What a blessing! Aunt Becca in Utah sent him some toys and a mobile that he loves to stare at. It's fun to watch him just wide-eyed, taking in the world.

Our Next Adventure

Well our next adventure started on Tuesday. Gavin and I went to the doctor only to discover that we were not going home to finish laundry but to the hospital. He had lost weight and seemed dehydrated. We were admitted and I tried to be brave as Gavin was weighed again and stabbed with a needle to draw blood for tests and set an IV. I held his head and shoulders firm while poor Gavin wailed. Sad story. His arm was taped to a board and wrapped with gauze and red tape in an effort to keep him from pulling it out. I didn't get a picture of it because I was just too stressed, but you can see his little bandaid in the picture. He weighed 6 pounds and 9 ounces. His PKU test for Jaundice came back at 19. Fluids were pushed through the IV and nursing and bottle feeding. Wednesday the score was down to 14.5 and his weight was up over 7 pounds. The IV came out and we were staying until he was able to maintain the weight gain. The problem seems to be a combined feeding/jaundice issue. His jaundice made him more lethargic, sleepy, and not active in eating. Because he didn't eat enough, he got dehydrated which made him more lethargic and less interested in nursing. You get the picture. While I thought I was feeding him for hours, there was more chewing and gnawing than sucking and swallowing. I spent Tuesday and Wednesday feeling stressed, guilty, and tired. By Thursday we had our routine down and today, Saturday, we got to come home. Gavin gets nursing time and then bottle feedings to ensure he is eating the right volume. It's nice to be home again. We go back to the doctor Monday to make sure the weight is staying on. It was very scary and I felt like death. I looked like it too so I didn't put those pictures on! Gavin was as ready I was to go home-his foot demands FREEDOM! So, we are both doing well now. Mom learned a lot and enjoyed not doing all the laundry that Gavin created for 4 days. I am super grateful to the good nurses at the hospital and to Gavin's doctor and to all the support I received through this long week.

A Kicker

Today Gavin was awake and alert and happy to be sitting in his chair watching mom do homework on the computer. When I looked at him just now, he had managed to kick his left leg out of his pants. Notice the bare knee and foot. Maybe he'll be left-footed? It made me laugh and called for a study break to take a picture :)

The boy and his hands

If you asked me, I'd say he was discovering how much fun his hands can be....'no more pictures now mom' he says!

The Faces he Makes

The "I'm not sure I like what's going on here" Face

The Faces He Makes

Big Yawning Face

(I see this one a lot)

The Faces He Makes

Angry Face-the red is accurate

Faces he makes

Happy Grinning Face-yup, he's asleep

Two Week Birthday

Friday the 20th, Gavin is 2 weeks old. The past 2 weeks have gone super fast. We both seem to eat and sleep better. It seems like he dreams as he sleeps; he makes different faces and sounds. I wonder what in the world he has to dream about...then I remember that he has had many experiences and met many people in his whole 2 weeks of life in the big open world. We are both adjusting well.

Gavin being boss or directing a choir

As Gavin and I spend more days together he does more and more funny things. His long arms crack me up. This display is very atypical-he usually does not like to be naked or change clothes. What a funny little boy!

Visit from Grandpa Bill and Baba Maryanne

Grandpa Bill and Baba Maryanne (Russian for Grandma) came to visit on Wednesday and Thursday the 18th and 19th. It was so fun to have them visit. We spent lots of time looking and the little one, taking pictures, and talking. It was so nice. Gavin got to go to his first restaurant when my dad took us to Thai food. He slept the whole time-such a good baby. Wednesday night was the first night he slept through too. He slept from 10:30 pm to 7:00 am without waking to be fed. What a miracle! Gavin loves his grandparents; both Gavin and I feel lucky to have such good grandparents so close.

Visit from Grandma

We went back to the doctor on Thursday the 12th because I was afraid something was wrong with little Gavin because he kept spitting up SO much! He had gained back most of his weight and was then 6 lbs and 12 oz. Mom felt relieved. Friday the 13th Grandma came to visit. Boy was I happy to see her! Funny story....I had finished nursing Gavin and he had fallen asleep. Grandma came to change his diaper and get him dressed and asked if he had already been burped. I said, "No, I don't burp him because he doesn't really like that." Grandma gave me a funny look and said that we had to burp him. Funny thing, Gavin hardly ever spits up anymore...hmmmm... burping-a good idea!

My mom stayed for a few days and did everything for me and helped me and Gavin learn lots of stuff. Burping, putting on onesies even though he doesn't like things going over his head, putting him down to do things with two hands and such things were great lessons. Gavin also got introduced to a swing-he really likes it. On Saturday the 14th was Gavin's first trip to the store when he went with his mom and Grandma to Fred Meyer. It was a long trip and he slept almost the whole time. She set me up with meals-we had so much fun-it was really hard to see her go.

Going home

Tuesday the 10th was the first time Gavin made me laugh out loud. He had a pacifier in his mouth and I was holding him upright while I was doing something when all of a sudden he sneezed and his pacifier went flying about 3 feet forward and hit a table. He looked so surprised...I laughed out loud.

In the Hospital

Stacey and Gavin in the hospital

Gavin Arrives

Gavin Woodward Gardner was born on Friday the 6th of January at 8:24 am. He came out screaming and perfect at 6 lbs and 14.5 oz. Because it was a cesarean birth, we got to stay in the hospital until Monday the 9th. The nurse's were wonderful as I recuperated enough to walk and take care of myself and Gavin. On Sunday the 8th, Crystal Miller (one of my friends) taught Gavin to take a pacifier. That was a happy moment for mommy! Gavin and I had so many visitors. I felt so blessed to have so much support here in Ellensburg.