PLANS AND LISTS

Baby Journal: Vaccines, Anniversary, and other stuff

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 06:40:34 GMT

Dear Gavin,

Oh my son! What a busy month you have had!! Full of developmental leaps, and warm smiles that are more and more forthcoming. I'm sitting here on the eve of your first Easter, and my, recounting all the amazing things you and I have been up to recently.

Your father and I celebrated our fourth anniversary on the ninth. The first wedding anniversary that we have observed as parents. We didn't do a whole lot, but we definitely slowed down enough to give each other warm wishes and let each other know that without the other, none of what we have accomplished as people would be possible. I was more than grateful to look back on the past seven years since we have met and secure the feeling of fondness of being his wife, as well as the pride of being his son's mother. That would be you, love.

Speaking of you, I have spent a great deal of time worrying. I worry all the time over you and your future, however, this time, I have been worrying over vaccines and if we are doing the right thing. There is a certain amount of speculation out there regarding vaccines and the link between them and autism. There's also a lot of criticism regarding the certain schedule and it's aggressiveness, as well as the amount of aluminum that is in them. I worry that you are the one in however many children that have a horrible reaction to them. I worry that you are the rare case in which this vaccination would present the right environment for autism to present itself. I worry about what happens if we don't vaccinate. I worry what happens when we do. Yes, I say when because we are indeed going to vaccinate you. We decided as your parents to put them off until you are six months old so that we can get to know you better and allow for your personality to develop, just in case something bad wrong happens, we can identify it quickly. Also to give your tiny body a chance at growing and better handling the viruses. We also decided to modify the schedule so that you aren't receiving such an aggressive amount of them at one time. I pray we are doing the right thing.

As of late, you are learning how to better roll over. Since you did it once, you did it only twice more since. You have had assistance with the other 30 times that we have practiced. However, it seems that thanks to Auntie Jaime, I have learned how to better 'play' with you. You really seem to enjoy it when I act like a total clown in front of you. You're so close to giggling. You get such a kick out of "Mama's gonna get him", "Peep-pie", "hiiiiiii!!!", and a ton of others. Anything, really, that involves a goofy voice, and a big open mouthed smile. You still have these crazy mood swings where you can go from happy to just melt down mode in all of 10 minutes. But watching you while you're happy just melts my heart. Our favorite place to play has gotten to be my bed. It's big enough for you to roll around on, and allows me to sit with you rather than stand over you, like your playpen. Speaking of, you have been reaching and grasping successfully at your toys hanging from your gym. You are starting to investigate things by putting them in your mouth, and you're almost at the point of figuring out how to manipulate things with both hands. You track things so well, and look at objects with such intensity while you challenge and observe your world. I walked away from you in your playpen one day, only to come back and find you with a rattle that you found and picked up, rattling away, and once you caught sight of me, you gave me a raspberry. You crack me up on a daily basis. But that was the first time YOU found a toy and YOU picked it up.

Your cold is one hundred percent gone. Your teething, however, remains. We have you on teething tablets and BOY do those make such a difference in your demeanor. If you do not get your tablets in a timely manner, you can be one cranky, upset, and miserable baby. We are doing the best we can with helping you through this process. Teething rings, frozen binkies, everything we can think of to help you, we're trying. There are only a couple times a day when it really gets to you and you let me know all about it, but other than that, you handle adversity really well.

Grandma and Grandpa Crawley got us a Zoo Membership!! Kiddo, that means that we can spend lots of time outdoors during the week, and lots of time with your friend, Zane. You'll learn a lot about animals as you grow up, but I'm really excited about this gift. It's going to give us lots to do during the summer. Your first trip was on Friday afternoon with Jaime and Zane. We had a great time. You really enjoyed it when we stopped at the Kimodo Dragon exhibit, at a little alcove with tables and chairs in the shade for lunch. You not only got to go barefoot after that, but you got a quick slathering of sunscreen, too. I put you in your car seat on one of the chairs, and once you figured out you could kick your legs to get a little movement, you were ALL about it!! All smiles and happy-happy coos... it was adorable. We even stuffed you guys in one stroller for a photo op. Turns out, you really didn't mind being squished in there with Zane. You tolerated it, and even smiled a few times, for about five minutes or so before demanding to be unsquished.

We are doing a lot more with those two as of late, and hopefully we'll keep up the trend. You seem to mimic a lot of what Zane has started developing, and mama is learning more on how to interact with you. This is my first time around a baby for any length of time, and I suppose it's a lot of on the job training. You'll have to forgive me if I don't seem very good at this at first. I can mother with the best of them, but I never really went to clown school, I'm afraid. But we're learning each other together, and I can honestly say that when you're upset, you really prefer my arms to cry it out and figure it all out in above all else. That, and a binkie.

I love you son. More and more each day.

Always,
Mama

Baby Journal: Easter!

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:30:43 GMT

Happy Easter everyone!!

From Snapshots - Gavin at home 2

Baby Journal: Cold update and another milestone

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:56:29 GMT

First, thank you Auntie Susan for the get well wishes :) He's been all smiles and talking to me all morning this morning. In fact, he's in his bouncer, watching my every move.

Second, I got it confirmed from the pediatrician's office this morning that, yes, he does have a cold, and yes, he is teething. Teething! I can't believe it's time for that already... I was handed the names of two things to give him, one for the cold stuffs, and one for the teething stuffs. Fun times ahead!

UPDATE

Gavin had two screaming/crying episodes today. The poor boy was exhausted and so tired from fighting his cold that it just made him miserable. And thus, right before I held him to sleep for his nap and bed time, he had a couple of screaming fits. He produced a tiny amount of what I would call a tear during the one before his nap. Poor little guy. He's been sniffly all day, and his cries are so different sounding because of his sore throat. Other than the sniffles/coughs/sneezes, he's mostly smiling and goo-goo-ing when he's awake. But if it gets close to feeding or sleepy time, then he gets all miserable and starts to cry again.

Sigh. I hope he feels well enough for family portraits on Saturday.

Baby Journal: Baby's First Cold

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 02:40:01 GMT

Not exactly a milestone that is joyous, but a milestone nonetheless. Poor Gav woke up from his nap today all stuffy and sniffly. He was also coughing, though he has been coughing for a couple weeks now, so that wasn't really a new symptom. The incessant sneezing, however, was.

We took him on our run today and he was so pitiful. Just looking up at us with his big blue eyes, his forlorn little face. You could tell hims didn't feel good at all. He goes from being all grins to this pitiful, sniffling little boy. He's been sleeping more, trying to battle it. I feel terrible for him. I wish there was something more I could do to help him.

His appetite is up at least, and I was told to nurse, nurse, and nurse some more to help get him through it.

There's no fever yet, but I'm taking his temperature and keeping an eye on it.

I just put him down to sleep for the night... here's hoping he gets to feeling right as rain soon. He's too cute to be sich*.

*sich - "sick" as we call it in our family. Matt made a book when he was a small boy, and one of the adorable words used was "sich" instead of the word "sick". So... it kind of stuck.

Baby Journal: We're no longer safe!

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:03:31 GMT

Guess who just rolled over for the first time today?? Yep!! I propped him up on a pillow on my bed for tummy time as per usual. Unlike usual though, he held himself up for a longer time than normal. Then back to usual, he started to whine and fuss because he hates it. I turn around for a moment to get ready, look back and he has himself on his side on the bed! WOW!! I was stoked!! We've been waiting on this moment for a good while....

So he gets himself all the way over with some cheering on from mom and continues to protest that I made him do it at all, lol.

I wait a few moments after calling Matt and mom to brag on our boy, then I plant kisses all over his cheeks, and stick him back on his belly on the pillow again to see if it was just a fluke.

Nope! He had this figured out and did it again at a faster pace! YAY!!!

We're going to do these a few more times this afternoon to give him a break from all the hard work, but I'm so proud of him! Of course, this is going to mean a whole new thought process on where I can leave him...... boy oh boy he's growing up so fast.

Baby Journal: Thunderstorm

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 03:25:12 GMT

Gavin is sleeping soundly through his first lighting and thunderstorm. It's supposed to go all through the night. I think I'm more out of sorts about it than he is; I hate thunderstorms. But there he is... snoozing away.

Baby Journal: Ummm, update already

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:21:58 GMT

Well, here we are! I've got an especially smiley and happy baby on my hands here lately He's been noticing more and more. He recognizes faces and voices. He's a lot less "cry" and more of a "whine" when he needs something.

He's still trying to figure out this whole roll over concept. It won't be long before he does it, but it's still going to be some time. He's getting that he wants to move, he just hasn't figured it out quite yet. I think that this mommy and me exercise dvd will help move things along in that department.

He said "mom" the other day while mom and I were on our run! Now, seriously, he didn't actually make any connection from the word to my person, but it was the one thing out of his coo-babble that made sense. He hasn't said it again, but we're coaching him to get it back.

He had his first official babysitting last Sunday afternoon. My mom and dad came over to watch him while Matt and I went to see Taken with Carrie and Garrett. It was super nice to get some adult time, but I tell you, if that movie had not been interesting, I would have done nothing but thought about calling and asking about Gavin the whole time. I was a little unnerved leaving him behind, but confident in the capable hands of my parents. I just didn't want to leave them with a fussy baby. Thankfully he was good and didn't require hardly any consoling. He got fed a bottle, and even fussed and cried when they left.

He also examined/investigated his first toy that night as well. Lexie bought him a "wubby" to cuddle up with - a doggy head and arms attached to a blankie. I put it in his arms, and he looked it over, felt it, looked at it some more and was more or less very interested in this new friend I handed him. It was amazing. And I didn't get ANY pictures of it. Matt and I were so entranced in watching him that we totally missed getting pictures.

My mom and grandma came by this morning while I went to an appointment to watch him again for me. He did so good, and was good and hungry when I got home. Thank goodness because I thought I was going to burst! We rearranged the living room to accomodate his new playpen. He loves that thing! He sits and coos and plays in his floor gym inside it. It allows him time with us without having to be in our laps or in his bouncy seat. Thus giving him time to wiggle, squirm and hopefully learn some motor skills while in there.

I got him a couple of Baby Einstein dvd's as well. He enjoys the Baby Mozart one for about 10 minutes, then is off looking at things around the room. But for those 10 minutes, he's mesmorized by it! He coos, smiles and wiggles around in my lap while watching it. It's a sight to behold, watching him be entertained.

He returns my grins these days as well. I smile big, he smiles big; I talk while smiling big, he smiles even bigger. He's *this* close to a giggle. I can just see him wanting to express his excitement so badly, he just hasn't quite figured out how. I think he's going to surprise himself the day he does it. Though listening to him do a "cooooo-squeak!" is adorable!

I love this boy...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 05:06:10 GMT

From our sleepy little leprechaun on his first St Patty's Day:

From Snapshots - Gavin at home 2

Baby Journal: 2 months!

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 02:24:46 GMT

Happy Monthday? I guess?? Nope! An unbirthday!!

It's a milestone to be sure however. I took him to his appointment on Wednesday with his pediatrician. He was in a delightful mood when we got there, when I stripped him and put him on the table, he was *amazed* that he could make that much noise all by himself. The table was covered in paper, and everytime he moved, it would crinkle under him. He spent a half hour cooing and wiggling all over the table. It was such a happy moment to share with him.

He is currently 13 pounds and 2 ounces, putting him in the 75th percentile, and he is 24 inches long, putting him in the 80th percentile. We've got a tall little heavy weight on our hands. He has really chunked out over the past few weeks; chubby cheeks, rolls covering his thighs. Just an adorably round baby. Even the nurse pointed out that he was beautifully chunky. And all breastmilk! I couldn't be more excited to have such a great nursing relationship with him; not only is he surviving on breast milk alone, he's thriving on it!

He's really been amping up the coo-ing and grins lately. He melts my heart with every gummy smile I get out of him. He's such a morning baby as well! I wander in for the second morning feeding to a bright-eyed Gavin just smiling away when I peek at him. He knows my voice and my face. He's completely trusting of that. He's even starting to come around to Daddy too, smiling when talked to, and will continue to coo if you mimic what he just did.

Oh, he clicks too! He has started clicking by smacking his tongue from the roof of his mouth. I don't know if he is mimicing the sound of my kissing or if he is just really amused by the feeling and resulting sound of it. Probably the latter. But to watch him around people he knows and to see him recognize faces, it's simply amazing. He's morphing into this tiny person right before my very eyes.

And every single day brings something new. Something more that he enjoys. He loves rattles, having them rattled in front of him, placed in his hand, kicking them on his gym; he just really loves rattles. He really likes things brushed on his face - his cloth diaper, any fabric, fingertips... he smiles when you touch his face. He loves music as well! Anything with a beat will bring out an excited kicking from him. I've started leaving country music on in his room and only playing the lullaby cd on when he goes down for a long nap or for the night.

He lifts and rotates his head 90 degrees on his tummy. He can also hold himself up on his arms. He tracks things from as far as across the room. He reaches for objects, and can put together two syllable ramblings from time to time (ah-goo). He's amazingly average and right on target for his age. I couldn't be happier.

Love Letter: Our Blossoming Relationship

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 04:03:32 GMT

My Son,

I never imagined being so in love with someone. You have been studying my face lately as we nurse. Just memorizing every last feature. You stare me in the eyes with such intensity as you eat. I feel such a connection to you. Every stress, every bad dream, they all disappear when we settle into our glider to nurse. We communicate without words ever being spoken. What was once a struggle for both of us is now just second nature and a moment that we look forward to.

Tonight, as you laid in your crib, I immediately recognized the cries you were sending me. Small cries of gas pains. I walked back into your darkened nursery peered over your crib, and as your eyes found mine in the dim light, you opened your mouth out of instinct. I gave you your pacifier and picked you up. You nuzzled your head right on my shoulder with your fist on my chest. You sucked away as I patted you on the back; your crying becoming a distant memory. Your discomfort being patted out of you. You fought it a couple times, but once we settled into the glider, you gave up a few burps and let yourself settle right into me. I put you back down in an in and out of consciousness state, and you completely trusted me to leave you to sleep, knowing that I would come for you if you needed anything. Knowing I would come back later in the night to feed you again. Knowing that I'm here no matter what.

I do love you. You are the most amazing little being. I can hardly believe how blessed I am that you were given to me. We have had our moments, but we have finally found a place where we can connect.

With all my heart,
Mama