Bye Bye!

The apnea monitor has left the building! We haven't actually used it for 2 weeks, but it's still nice to get it out of here!

Lena

Chloe's Perspective

I've been thinking a lot lately about what I assume to be Chloe's perspective of the last 2 months. I wish I had gotten a picture of one of her perspectives - laying down looking like a giant on the infant gym (fancy name for a play mat) with a pacifier in her mouth. A new habit she picked up just 2 weeks ago after wanting to have nothing to do with one when she was a baby. I am choosing my battles on that one and assuming that it will only become a big deal if I make it one. Instead I laugh and tell her she looks silly. She laughs, too.

So - here are some observations of Chloe's experience and realities:

We did a big sibling training at the hospital just under 2 weeks from when Gavin was born. I had two concerns - it was too far from his anticipated birth date (HA!), and I was worried Chloe wouldn't remember much. The class included a tour. When she came in to see me in the hospital, she walked into my room and immediately realized that the baby's bed wasn't there like it was in the tour. She asked about it for awhile and was confused why the baby and bed were missing when she had been told they would be right by Mommy's bed.

Gavin has been out of the hospital for almost 5 weeks now! Chloe has finally stopped washing her hands up to her elbows NICU style, most of the time. I appreciate the sterile aspirations, but at home it means water everywhere!

My c-section recovery has been of major interest to her, as mentioned in a previous post that I won't repeat again now.

Chloe has her own extra set of pump parts to keep her away from mine. She tells us that mommy milk comes from armpits. She even made up a song once about it.

Feeding a baby as a whole seems to be a little confusing since she's witnessed a feeding tube, NICU bottles, mommy using the breast pump, and now nursing. Pretty complicated, and Chloe is always full of questions. And seems to not quite know how to feed her dolls! Watching her creativity in trying different methods is hilarious. I'm sure her seeing us struggle to get Gavin to eat only adds to her inspiration.

She thinks babies stay in the hospital for awhile, which makes total sense. And she's witnessed and participated in crying and wanting to take her baby home.

She's gone back and forth between talking about being a doctor or being a nurse. Unlike most 2 year olds, she actually has a sense of what she's talking about.

We have 2 books about babies and becoming a big sibling. She's always looking for the boo boo's on the babies (and any other pictures of newborns). One of them actually addresses prematurity in just one sentence, and the illustration has a baby in an isolette.

All this, and she turned 2 just 2 weeks before Gavin was born! I'm shocked at what she remembers from weeks ago even. I wonder what she'll remember from this experience and how it will affect her perspective long term. I'm a big fan of the phrase "perspective is reality" and use it probably too often with our staff (but I've also heard them repeat it, which is awesome). Chloe's reality as it relates to childbirth has been an unusual perspective for sure.

Lena

This Week in Review

Josh mentioned that we've been busy this week. Nothing too exciting, but I thought I'd take this quiet moment to elaborate. Chloe's watching Fraggle Rock, Josh and Gavin are asleep in our room, and I am enjoying a big cup of coffee. Last night was a long one! Both kids were up for much of it (of course at different times!).

I've been saying in past entries that getting to Gavin's due date is a big milestone. It means getting to the point that his little body is developed enough to be ready for the outside world. Since 37 weeks is technically considered full term, some babies catch on a little sooner. You may also remember that our little guy is laid back and takes his time.

If catching up to newborn behavior is any indication of his personality, we've got a procrastinator on our hands that makes it just under the wire (he'll fit right in with our family). Gavin finally started nursing on Monday, his due date! We need to supplement with higher calorie bottles to help him grow, and he hasn't mastered it enough to go more than 3-4 feedings a day anyway. Which is totally fine. It means my life when I go back to work and bring him with me will be way simpler than it could be.

He's also acting a lot more like a newborn in general. That means he's awake more, he's started getting a little fussy, and he seems to have developed some opinions as to how he spends his time. So far the bouncy chair and the swing are no substitute for mommy's arms. Which are getting tired!

As for going back to work, I was originally planning on taking 8 weeks which would have me back yesterday. I'm grateful that our board of directors is allowing me to take an additional 2 weeks because while I'm suffering from cabin fever, Gavin just isn't ready to not have his mommy home all day. BUT...the staff at Dad's Garage has been beyond amazing during my absence, and there are a few projects I need to help with while I'm out (part of my maternity plans all along). I had a lot to do this week, and Gavin even went to his first business meeting!

Chloe is back in gymnastics again on Monday mornings. She really likes it, and I think it's important for her to still be able to do it. This session ends the beginning of October, and I am keeping her out of the October-December session. I'll be taking Gavin with us, and we need to keep our germ exposure to a minimum during that time.

And our dear Chloe is being a handful. She really seems to be testing is to make sure she's important enough to be disciplined when she misbehaves. Which has meant a lot of time in the corner!

We've spent some time walking with our neighbors. I'm finally off of medical restrictions, and I'm eager to get rid of this belly fat. And I love the company! Though the walk ending with a stop at the ice cream place may not be helpful with my goals...

Other excitement - we had our Children First appointment. Gavin's considered high risk because of his prematurity. That's the entry point for services through the state as well as a resource for identifying both public and private resources. I'm hoping Gavin will be like his sister and not need to take advantages of anything other than the wealth of informational handouts that the nurse dropped off. She will call periodically to check on his development. The only thing I'm really worried about is making it through the flu and RSV season safe and sound. Gavin's considered high risk for both.

And last but certainly not least - we visited with a friend of mine from high school. Her daughter was born 2 days before Gavin and weighed 9 lbs 14 oz! It was a little funny to see the two babies together, but Gavin will catch up soon enough!

So that's how we spent our week. Not too terribly exciting, but that's a good thing!

Lena

Does the Scale Lie?

Ours at home tells me Gavin weighs 8.4 pounds!!! And yes, he's wearing horizontal stripes and a jacket to appear bigger.

Lena

Oh, Boy!

Sorry for the haitus. We've been busy. Chloe thinks you should get yourself some ice cream, too. She got "Purple Dinosaur" (vanilla with purple food coloring).

A Very Merry Unbirthday To You!

Today is Gavin's due date! If you remember from a post from a while back, preemies have two ages - chronological age and adjusted age. Each one is used, so we have to remember both. For example, shots are given on the normal timeline based on chronological age. Most developmental milestones are instead judged based on adjusted age. I just realized that means we have 3 months starting from today to hope that he sleeps through the night!

So, Gavin - congrats on turning zero! You're no longer zero minus X days and weeks!

Now catch on to nursing already, would ya!?!

Lena

Grammy & Bapa Visit

Here are the first round of pictures from my parents visit this weekend. I'll post more over the next few days; I'm just tired right now. It was a long day at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, grilling out with neighbors, and trying to get two children bathed, one of whom took a nap WAY too late today. Enjoy!

The Things Kids Say

Against my better judgment, I'm sharing a story about Chloe from tonight. I was glad my mother-in-law was able to witness it as well. Chloe told us tonight that she wants to be a doctor. Awesome. I asked her if she wants to fix babies, mommies, or daddies. She told me immediately that she wants to fix mommies with "boo boo 'ginas." Fabulous. Gavin's godmother is an OB and I'm sure will be proud!

This is, by the way, following a time period (roughly the first 4 weeks of my postpartum) that Chloe told everyone that would listen that Mommy has a "boo boo 'gina." Kid - I promise the nurses at the hospital already knew. Our neighbors and your teachers at school probably had a hunch as well, but thanks for the first of I'm sure many embarrassing moments to follow. I love you, Chloe. Even with curiosity and discoveries that sometimes make Mommy squirm.

Lena

Prayer Request

I mentioned a bit ago about a set of preemie twins in Texas. They are experiencing the typical preemie behavior of 2 steps forward, 1 step back. Mom and Dad are especially worried about the one named Christian. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Their blog is http://barefootbabies2.blogspot.com/.

Lena

A Lot To Be Thankful For

Our time in the NICU is already starting to fade in my memory. Much faster since Gavin's pediatrician has taken him off of the apnea monitor. Being able to walk around the house carrying my baby without having to first unplug him from the wall and lug around a heavy and awkward pack goes a long way toward feeling normal. It makes it feel like we have a newborn instead of a sick and fragile baby.

I am so thankful that after what we went through, we're already closing in on normal. We'll continue to have some challenges during the first year or two due to prematurity, but hopefully they will be kept to a minimum and be free of long-term implications. We don't anticipate any surgeries like both sets of our neighbors have endured. We don't anticipate daily breathing treatments like a few kids we know. Even our long hospital stay pales in comparison to the experience of so many other NICU families. Little Elizabeth - our first preemie friend and inspiration - shared so many similarities to Gavin's health early on, and she was in the NICU for 45 days, which is our equivalent to this Sunday. It breaks my heart to even think about it. One of the twins that lived across the street was in for 10 weeks - they were only 2 weeks younger than Gavin at birth.

I'm thankful that we live close to my family, which has made this whole experience so much easier than it could have been. I'm thankful that my mom's work schedule will allow her to keep Gavin twice a week when I go back to work. I'm thankful that I can take him to work with me when he's not with Nana. So important while we make it through this first flu and RSV season.

Of the many things we have to be thankful for, I've been particularly touched by the love and support that we've received from you. It has made such a world of difference and I know has helped so much with our speedy physical and emotional healing. So...thank you!

And speaking of thanks...we're finally starting to get thank you notes sent out. If you sent over a gift and don't get one in the next week or so, please let me know. Things got to be a bit of a blur for awhile there, and I'm sure not everything made it on my list!

Lena

Pants, No Pants

At about 7 lbs and with virtually no control of his body, Gavin has somehow managed to wiggle his little butt out of 2 different pairs of newborn-sized pants in the last 24 hours. I blame it on his meeting 3 Dad's Garage improv ensemble members and spending alone time with Lucky on Saturday while Josh and I enjoyed a dance at the wedding. For those of you totally confused by the Dad's Garage Theatre Company reference, come to our 8pm New Year's Eve show, and it will all make sense!

Lena

Save the Date!

There will be a big party on Sunday, October 11 to celebrate little Gavin's life. It will start with his baptism that morning. I've been looking forward to announcing this special day, and I'm looking forward even more to planning it!

I apologize to those of you that dealt with me being crazy about the subject of baptism when Gavin was in the NICU. I was a bit out of my mind by suggestions of having an "emergency" baptism in the hospital. One of the deacons from church even showed up at the hospital ready to do it. I told him that wasn't necessary.

The idea of an emergency baptism made me nuts because in my mind, it suggested that people didn't have faith in Gavin's ability to fight through the challenges he faced particularly in his first week of life. To me, discussing an emergency baptism was a fine line from preparing for his death. It hurt me so much to even consider that as a possibility, though I now can recognize in hindsight that things were pretty touch and go for awhile there.

With that behind us, I'm ready to have Gavin baptized as a celebration of his current and future life. If you'd like to come to the ceremony or party or both, just let Josh or I know and we'll give you the details. You can even just post a comment requesting to be added to the list if that's easier.

Yay Gavin!

-Lena

Sweetheart, That's Daddy's Nose

Nursing is getting slightly better. Gavin still gets a little confused...but at least he's latching on!

Visitors & Germs

   

   

   

As you can see from the photos, we're starting to venture out a bit and see more friends and family. We'll be kind of crazed germaphobes until RSV season is over, which is around April 1. Our awesome and laid back pediatrician is also really concerned about Gavin getting H1N1 virus (I like calling it swine flu more). I just read in my preemie book the other day that one in four preemies are re-hospitalized in the first two years, usually for respiratory problems. What may seem like just the common cold can be a really big deal for a baby like Gavin.

Because my delivery was so sudden and unexpected, we weren't able to get the steroid shots that can help with lung maturation. As a reminder, I saw the specialist on a Tuesday and had a sonogram; everything looked great except for low amnio fluid. Gavin was born the following Thursday 90 minutes after I realized something was wrong. Anyway, underdeveloped lungs combined with the pneumothorax (hole in his lung), related collapsed lung, and time on the nasty oscillating vent may or may not make Gavin even more sensitive to respiratory issues.

If you want to visit, let us know. We've got some time booked with out of town guests, but we can find something. Unless...

If you have the slightest runny nose or cough, or if you've been around someone that has been sick lately - let's wait. A common cold for you or I can be life-threatening for Gavin. And with that in mind, I apologize in advance if Josh or I attack you with Purell when we do see you.

Lena

Please Make My Sister Be Quiet!

Feeding Frustrations

I hear that when babies are hungry, they open their mouths to drink from a bottle. Some even nurse! Or so I'm told.

That's not our experience with Gavin. Nor was it with Chloe for that matter. Both showed "typical preemie behavior." The abnormality of our normal is more apparent when we're around other people. We braved leaving the house to say hello to my co-workers and to see a friend on Friday, and we even went to a wedding with Gavin in tow on Saturday. Seeing other people that are used to more typical feeding experiences react to what it's like to feed Gavin is enlightening.

I did have one woman at the wedding try to tell me how babies work and what I should be doing with Gavin which was entertaining. Oh, honey - thanks, but stick with what you know. I'm pretty confident that what our doctor tells us is more valid than your opinion and experience as a nanny. It was a good exercise in patience for me, which isn't my strong suit.

Chloe caught on to the whole eating concept faster and easier than Gavin did, so the curiosity from others about Gavin is a bit new. As first time parents, we were probably a little more hesitant to have her around other people as well.

These are all tips by the way from Gavin's doctors and nurses as well as general things to know about feeding a baby like Gavin:

• If you cradle him in your arms, he might get too comfortable and sleep instead of eat. Unless he's really alert, best bet is to hold him out in front of you facing you. This would be uncomfortable if he were full size, but at a great big 6.5 lbs, it is pretty easy to do.


• He has started crying when he's hungry just in the last week. Before then, we had to set an alarm to wake him to eat.


• Preemies often have trouble with locking their tongues up to the roof of the mouth. When Gavin does that, he can have a bottle in his mouth and even seem to suck on it for awhile (like 20 minutes!) without actually getting any milk. It can be really hard to tell if the bottle nipple is over or under his tongue.


• He can be crying with hunger and still not open his darn mouth for a bottle. We talked to his pediatrician about it. As we've said before, we really like her. This conversation was particularly memorable and hysterical. Her response: "It's easy. You just have to pry his mouth open and shove the bottle in. Here. I'll show you." She then got the Gavin work over. Her first comment as she was trying to juggle a baby, a bottle, and a free hand to pry his mouth open: "Do you usually have two people available to feed him?" Us: "No..." Followed by "Wow, this is hard!" Yea...we know.


• So to recap, getting a bottle in Gavin's mouth usually involves prying his mouth open and coaxing his tongue down from the roof of his mouth. And then practicing a series of tricks to get him to take it. They include twisting the bottle, stroking his cheek, manipulating his jaw, tickling his feet, and a few more.


• Keeping Gavin from falling asleep before he's full is a challenge.


• It usually takes him 30 minutes to take 2 ounces.


• Nursing is still too difficult for him, and we talked to his doctor about it. He gets worn out without actually eating much and is in danger of burning more calories than he's getting. She doesn't want me to try to have him nurse more than once or twice a day at this point.


• What does that mean? I'm spending time feeding him a bottle and also spending time pumping to have something to put in it. Basically, it takes a lot of time. And is a total pain. Josh helps with bottle feeding a lot. Lots and lots of preemie moms don't keep up with pumping for many valid reasons. I really believe that the antibodies contained in breast milk can help keep Gavin healthy especially during cold and flu season. I don't know reasonably how long I can keep this up, though!


• Gavin's doctor said that she knows and appreciates that what we go through to get him to eat is very challenging, but that it's obviously working. He's putting on a lot of weight, and as he grows, he'll hopefully outgrow some of the difficulties.

I wanted to do this post in part because several people have asked how things are going. Amazing and leaps and bounds better then they could be. I worry about sounding ungrateful for our many blessings by complaining that our otherwise healthy boy is a pain to feed. I guess I just felt the need to explain myself after having a few difficult feeding sessions in a public setting. So if you see a mom or a dad wrestling a tiny baby's mouth open followed by physically forcing a bottle in, please don't assume they are bad parents or don't know what they are doing. As bizarre as it can be to witness, their baby might just be a preemie.

Lena

Random Pictures

Here are some random pictures I pulled off the camera. For your viewing pleasure.

Chloe Pointing to Her Picture on the Wall of Hope at the NICU



Picking Blueberries





Great-Grandma & Great-Papa Stopped by on Their Way Back to Florida

Today Was Supposed to be Your Birthday

I caught myself saying that to Gavin earlier. I was scheduled originally to have a c section this morning. Instead I have a beautiful preemie that is getting bigger everyday.

The little write up below was sent out on a listserve that I'm on for women that have had HELLP syndrome. (Editor Note: this is an altered version of a poem; the original was "The Special Mother" by Erma Bombeck)

On mothers of preemies.

Did you ever wonder how the mothers of premature babies are chosen?

Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth, selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs His angels to take notes in a giant ledger.

"Beth Armstrong: son. Patron Saint, Matthew.

"Marjorie Forrest: daughter. Patron Saint, Celia.

"Carrie Rutledge, twins. Patron Saint... give her Gerard. H's used to profanity."

Finally, He passes a name to an angel and smiles. "Give her a preemie."

The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy."

"Exactly," smiles God. "Could I give a premature baby a mother who knows no laughter? That would be cruel."

"But does she have the patience?" asks the angel.

"I don't want her to have too much patience, or she'll drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it. I watched her today. She has that sense of self and independence so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has a world of its own. She has to make it live in her world, and that's not going to be easy."

"But Lord, I don't think she even believes in you."

God smiled. "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just the right amount of selfishness."

The angel gasps, "Selfishness?! Is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she will never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't know it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a spoken word. She will never consider a step ordinary. When her child says "mama" for the first time, she will be witness to a miracle and know it. I will permit her to see clearly the things I see – ignorance, cruelty, prejudice – and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side."

"And what about her Patron Saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in the air.

God smiles. "A mirror will suffice."

Day of Appointments

Gavin had another well visit to Doctor Woodhams today and Lena had her final follow-up with Doctor Shin. Both went well. Below are pictures from those visits. Gavin weighed in at an amazing 6 pounds, 7.5 ounces, or 10.5 ounces gained in one week. We were still shooting for 1 ounce per day, and we overshot it again. That makes 1 pound, 6 ounces gained since his discharge from the NICU. The doctor is pleased, but she's decreasing the amount of formula mixed in with the breast milk he's getting to make it 22 calorie, down from 24. He's still stubborn when feeding, but it's getting better...slowly. The point is that what we're doing is working, but it's a struggle, and it's getting better.

Also, because of the nature of Gavin's delivery and his stay in he NICU, this was Doctor Shin and her staff's first meeting with him. One odd thing to note: it's a little strange to hear a woman who delivers babies for a living comment on how little and light your six-week-old is when she's holding him. Wow!

Enjoy the photos!

Just Rolling


Doctor Woodhams and Patient


Doctor Shin, her Patient (Lena), and the Result of July 2

Birthday Confession

Chloe Helps Mommy with Her Birthday Candles

Today is a little bittersweet. Not because I turn 31. My doctor's office had scheduled my pre-op appointments for this morning way back in May or June when my tests looked normal and they thought it looked promising that I would carry Gavin full term. I was scheduled for a c-section on Friday.

The woman at the office realized that a half day at the hospital might not be how I wanted to spend my birthday, and she had offered to move the appointment to Thursday. I told her to leave it.

I had secretly treasured the idea of celebrating following in my friend Wendy's footsteps and having an issue-free second pregnancy after a challenging first due to pre-eclampsia and HELLP Syndrome. I had even looked forward to going out to dinner at Scalini's to celebrate the day and to order their famous labor-inducing eggplant parmesan. Josh and I started planning our date night months ago.

I have a whole lot to be grateful for, but I'm still mourning the loss of a "normal" pregnancy and delivery. I think I'll heal from that faster this time around, but processing the inability to ever be pregnant again is still a bit of a challenge.

I didn't lose the day to the hospital. Instead I struggled to bottle feed a 6lb baby that still can't quite get it together. But he is home and healthy, even if he was still scheduled to be in my belly for another 2 days.

I can't explain it, but we still went through with our plans to go to Scalini's tonight. I was at a loss for any other dining option. It was a little unnerving to walk in and see the wall of gigantic full-term babies whose mothers had come there desperate for any promise to relieve them from carrying any longer.

I had a good time there with my family including my mom, sister, and brother-in-law. Gavin even drank his bottle - with a lot of coaxing from Daddy. I had the lasagna.

Lena

Gavin the Guinea Pig

A quick, or not so quick video that Lena promised a few days ago. She wanted everyone to hear the noises Gavin makes when he's being burped. Enjoy!

Maybe Too Smart for Her Own Good

Baby Doll

The truth came out the other night about Chloe's baby doll. First, the back story. When Lena was pregnant with Chloe, one of her friends gave us a 12-inch tall knitted doll for our soon-to-be-born Chloe. Oddly enough, aside from a blanket that my mom made for her, this was the one item that she latched onto and would not, will not let it go. Naturally, this became a problem after a few weeks when baby doll started to stink; and by stink I mean really stink; think about what would happen if you used a hand towel to wipe up some milk and then left that towel just out in the open for a few days. Got it? Okay, moving on. So, we researched the doll in the hopes of finding a replacement baby doll that we could substitute out while the original was being washed. That's where the first bloackde went up: they're hand-made in Peru.

Great.

However, luck was with us as there is a store here in Atlanta that sells the dolls; and by sells them, I mean that's all they sell are products related to these dolls. You can see them here: blabla Atlanta

Blockade number two actually didn't come up until after version 1.0 was destroyed in a canine attack and version 2.0 was really, really, really dirty, and we had to buy two more. Being hand-made in Peru has its advantages: they're $35 a pop. This isn't that big a deal until you find out that we are currently on versions 6.0 and 7.0.

Version History

Ver. 1.0 - murdered and mutilated.
Ver. 2.0 - retired due to use.
Ver. 3.0 - retired due to use; recently returned to emergency active duty.
Ver. 4.0 - retired due to use; recently returned to emergency active duty.
Ver. 5.0 - Missing in Action somewhere in a Kohl's store.
Ver. 6.0 - Current Tag-Team Member.
Ver. 7.0 - Currently in Chloe's hands.

But Wait, There's More

Chloe has a very strange fixation with chewing on baby doll. Not such a big deal, one might think, until you know that she exclusively chews off their little faces. She starts with the three freckles per cheek, gnaws off their eyes, and then just goes to town. This isn't an immediate process; it takes a little while. But, soon enough, no matter how much we try to stop her, she will eventually chew a hole in baby doll's face. This requires a skilled surgeon to perform surgery. Enter Daddy. Too many times now have I stitched a baby doll's face back together, and I'm always rather sneaky about it. Chloe goes to eat dinner, so Daddy goes to give baby doll a bath, which is just me sneaking the spare baby into the bathroom, misting her with water, wrapping a hand towel beneath her armpits and a wash cloth around her head, and presenting her freshly-mended and clean-smelling to Chloe. In reality, I've just switched them out and I'll go back to mend the broken one after Chloe's gone to bed. There was one emergency day where I had to mend the current one right in front of Chloe. I explained what I was doing and she was completely fine with it, as long as she could watch. Not a problem. Ever, really. It made switching them out a little harder, but it's doable, so we move on.

Hitting the Fan

So the other night Chloe was having her last cup of milk before bed and started whining that baby doll was broken. Not really having the time to fix her in front of Chloe, I snuck her out of the room and swapped them out. Apparently this is where things started to unravel. I announced that I found and fixed baby doll and presented her to Chloe. One look and a fastball that would make a Major League Baseball pitching coach proud later, Chloe was red-faced screaming and crying her eyes out. After several failed attempts to assuage her anguish, we were left with no choice but to reveal the truth behind baby doll. We opted for only one doppelganger during the reveal; after her initial reaction to one baby doll that she viewed as not the real baby doll, this was probably for the best.

Would the Real Baby Doll Please Stand Up

Lena commenced the explanation and when Chloe was calmed down enough, made the second baby doll appear. This did not go over well at first, but the tears subsided. Chloe then grabbed the "real" baby doll -- and yes, it was the really real one -- and more or less told us to put the other baby doll away. Yesterday we made a special trip to JoAnn's to find some heavier-duty thread that matched baby doll's coloring. Baby doll has been scheduled for the O.R. tonight, with Chloe in attendance, of course.

Another Set of Preemies

I heard from my friend Sara from grad school that her sister just had twin boys at 28 weeks on July 28. Sara is one of those incredibly memorable people that are just awesome to be around, so I naturally wish her family the very best.

It is so important to me to remember that we got Gavin home a month before the doctors predicted (and two months before one of his nurses did), and I know that the prayers, love, and positive energy sent our way had a lot to do with that. Please keep the Barefoot twins in your thoughts as they settle down in the NICU and work on getting big and strong. I am so impressed with how well they are doing, and you can check out their progress through their blog at http://barefootbabies2.blogspot.com/. You might notice that they have very different visitation policies at their hospital - I'm kind of jealous!

Sara sent me a note to let me know that some of what we shared in our blog has helped them adjust to life in the NICU. It meant a lot to hear that! What we went through was incredibly difficult, and I am definitely not fully healed from the experience yet. It helps to know that some good has come from it especially if it means someone else's experience might be a little easier.

Lena

Planned Trip to the Doctor

Gavin had another trip to the dcotr this last Thursday, just to measure his progress. He'll be there again this coming Thursday and then Doctor Woodhams assures us that his visits will start getting spaced out. Don't get me wrong, we like Doctor Woodhams, but it will be nice to take trips various places that don't center around going to the doctor or when the home nurse will show up.

That said, here were the stats from last week's appointment.

Weights: 5 pounds, 13 ounces
Length: This is a bit tricky, and really sujective based on who is doing the measuring and how they're doing it. The Tuesday Gavin was released from the NICU, he was measured at 18-1/2 inches. The very next day, the home nurse measured him at 17 inches, which was also his birth length. The day after that, he was measured at 18-1/2 inches. The next Tuesday, he was 18 inches. And finally, Thursday he was measured at 19-1/2 inches. I guess it just depends on how long it's been since he had his last bath and whether he's had time to stretch out again after shrinking. Just kidding.

He's still on the higher calorie mixture for his feedings, at least for another week. The goal was to get him to gain one ounce per day, and he gained 9 ounces over the first seven day period. While that is a great gain, Doctor Woodhams just wants to make sure that he's good to go for one more week before cutting that calorie count.

The only other thing we thought to ask about was how much Gavin should be awake on any given day. The truth of the matter is that the more he sleeps, the more he's growing, and, in turn, he's burning fewer calories, which helps him gain weight, and the cycle continues. So, really, it's okay that he sleeps as much as he does. He'll be bigger soon enough and awake and playing with toys and all that.

Good Morning!

Shopping

I am super excited to have found another source for preemie clothes! Thought I would share to add to my running list from a few weeks ago. Janie and Jack (www.janieandjack.com) has two locations in the Atlanta area, and we came across one while looking for something for Gavin to wear to a wedding next weekend after having no luck at my normal shops. Their preemie clothes are big compared to most at up to 7 lbs (most are up to 5 lbs), but that's exactly the size we need...for now! As he won't fit in preemie much longer, I was especially excited to find something on clearance! Finding clothes for a 6 lb baby can be a challenge. Luckily he'll outgrow that challenge soon!

Lena

The Guinea Pig in the Next Room

Have we mentioned that preemies sound like guinea pigs? I'll have to ask Josh to get a video posted.

Oh My

Apparently Elmo was bad and had to sit in the corner. Interesting choice of corner, though.

Now imagine that you've just walked up the basement stairs, turn to close the door, and see a two-foot tall Elmo staring at you from between the garbage can and wall. BOO!

Sense of scale

Lara from my work came by today. It was super important to me that she be one of the first people to meet Gavin since she was our life saving ride to the hospital. She mentioned that it was hard to realize how small he is from most of the photos, so I thought I'd help by providing a common place item for comparison. Keep in mind that Gavin is now a month and 2 days old, so he's a lot bigger than he used to be!

Lena

The Boys of the Neighborhood

Gavin and his next door neighbor Isaiah! We're so glad to have Isaiah back from his surgery!

Milestone

Josh has officially taken back his blog, but since I'm up in the middle of the night, I thought I'd post a quick entry. Gavin woke us up for both his midnight and 3am feeding. It's a big deal because it means he's maturing enough to have the self preservation instincts to make sure he gets fed. They wanted him to do this regularly before letting him leave the NICU, but the doctors instead settled for our promise that we would set our alarms to make sure little man got fed. We were working on a 4 hour feeding schedule. He's apparently in preference of a 3 hour one.

So as Josh and I start complaining that we're tired, remind us that this is a good thing!

Lena

One Month

I wanted to make this little note to say out loud "HAPPY ONE MONTH, GAVIN!!!" As of this posting at 2:53pm on August 2, 2009, Gavin is officially One Month Old. I would also like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that when Gavin first came to the NICU, they thought he would still be a resident there come this day. Well, he's proved them wrong and is thriving well in our care. Truth be told, we took Chloe there as much as possible to remind them that if they send a tiny, tiny baby home with us, we really do take care of them. Enjoy today!

Bag Lady

Chloe said she wants to go shopping...dressed like this...and taking all that with her...it's 90-some degrees outside...all she needs is a cat or twelve and she's golden.