Griffin's 1st Month

Griffin at 1 month

Some times it feels like its been a month or more and other times it totally doesn't. The first week alone felt like it was month but then again he's really only been home 3 weeks. Griffin has been all and all a good baby. The only time he really gets fussy if he's hungry or his stomach is bothering him. He has had some stomach issues and spits up more than I would like but nothing terrible. He sleeps a lot which I am not used to. Nash was AWAKE most of the time. He's the opposite. He sleeps 2-3 hours most of the time with a regular 3-4 hour stretch in there. He prefers being held and laying on me most of the time. If he's laying on me asleep, he's good. I put him down. Maybe 5 minutes later he is crying. I pick him up and we are good again. He's nursing and is doing that well. We haven't tried the bottle yet but need to do that soon to see how he does. He isn't a fan of the paci and spits it out. His brother was the complete opposite. I have gotten him to take it for short periods when he was real fussy but that's about it. He has his one month appointment next week. I know he's put on some weight because he is feeling out but it'll be interesting to see how much he weighs. He doesn't like being put in the car seat but once we go he's fine. He has gone a lot more than Nash at this age. We didn't take Nash to church until he was 1 month. Griffin has already been twice and all our Christmas outings and a couple of other outings. He does fairly well with it all. I am enjoying my time loving on my sweet little boy.  Nash likes to love on him too.

Christmas 2011

It was a busy Christmas as always with several familes to visit with a new little one in tow.

 (maybe the only family picture we took this Christmas so we'll take what we can get)

 Nash got this cool train that a good friend of the family who passed away recently made for him.

 Poppy's first time holding Griffin

Nash's scooter that he mastered fairly quickly.

 One of his favorites. His "polar express" train.

 This was Griffin's first Christmas and being three weeks old this is what he did most of it.  I know next year will be totally different. Big brother got to help him open his presents. He got a bunch of things too even though he'll never remember it.

 The cousins around Griffin's chair.

Nash and daddy playing the Cars 2 game Santa brought him.

Nash was very excited this Christmas. Mainly about opening presents. He liked his gifts but was more excited just to open them. Christmas morning when he saw the gifts around the tree. He said "look! Santa's been here". Can't  tell you how many times we threatened him with the whole naughy and nice thing but hey it was effective!

2011 Christmas Program

Nash's class sang three songs. He did perfect. Sang all the songs, paid attention, keep hands and feet to himself.

Every year they make Christmas shirts.  I heart them!

 They had a book exchange. Nash rather keep his Cars 2 book so he traded with his friend Makenna who was very easy going about it. He was happy to have baby Griffin there and Mawmaw, Pawpaw, Mimi, and Poppy.

Nash and Mrs. Mindy. Afterwards they had milk and cookies.

My sweet boy is growing up so fast. If there is one thing that I realized after having Griffin is how fast they grow up. I get sad about how big Nash is and how much time has gone by. I look at Griffin who reminds me so much of Nash as a baby and then I see this big smart happy funny sweet boy and I try to remember how he got that way and cherish all of it because it happens so fast!

Our first week home

So today marks our first week home with Griffin even though he is two weeks old. That feels so weird to say. We've had a lot of firsts in this first week.

First Bath-He didn't like it. As a rule he doesn't like to be messed with. Been messed with too much already.

 First dr's visit-He is doing beautifully. Gained 6 ozs in 4 days. Just a 1 1/2oz from birth weight.

 First visitors

 First outing to big brother's Christmas program at school.

He also had his first photo shoot where we got some really good pictures. Also, had to return to the hospital for his circumcision which was traumatic for him and I. He is a good baby. Sleeps a lot but is waking up more often. Eats good. Poops and pees a lot. Especially on me and his clothes. As you can see his big brother is crazy about him. When we went to Nash's performance, Nash saw us and the first thing he said was "where's my baby?" He is sleeping in our bedroom in his play yard. He has had some long stretches of sleep about 4 hours. Mainly is up every 2-3 but goes right back to sleep.  We are coasting right along...

Keepin it real

It stinks to have what you thought to be a pretty bad birth experience the first time around and now would give anything to have that experience the second time because the second one was way worse.
It stinks to only get to hold your baby for an hour and half after birth.
It stinks to watch your day old child who you have only seen for an hour or so be med flighted to another hospital and you not be able to go with him.
It stinks to be in a hospital for giving birth and not have your baby there with you and then to make matters worse see others with their babies or hear other babies cry in the middle of the night.
It stinks to get a call saying that your baby had to require 100 percent oxygen and is now on a vent.
It stinks to go see your baby a day after having a c-section hooked up to a vent, quivering, and breathing hard.
It stinks for everyone to tell you how common this is when it doesn't matter how common it is when its your baby that is going through it.
It stinks to go visit your baby and every time see new mothers being wheeled out taking their babies home and your being wheeled up to see your baby who is on a vent in the NICU.
It stinks to see your baby laying there hooked up to so many things and have to fight back the super strong urge to pick them up and hold them.
It stinks to get your hopes up that your baby is improving or get estimates on when things will be better only to be let down a million times.
Its good to know your child's doctor made the right call and that if she hadn't things good have been a lot worse.
Its good to watch your 3 yr old son still be in love with his little brother and not concerned because he doesn't know any better.
It's wonderful to have family/friends/church family be very supportive.
It's wonderful to feel a peace about things that aren't so peaceful.
Its great to know that even though your baby is away from you he is being taken really good care of and you can call and visit any time you want.
It's great that even though I haven't gotten to nurse my baby I've been able to pump and have a milk supply stocked up and waiting on him when he is ready.
It was good to actually be awake for your baby's birth and at least have good memories of it.
It has been the longest and toughest 3 day or 4 days of my life.

The Story of Griffin

Well Griffin is here but just not home yet. His birth story started on Monday November 28th where I went to my 38 week appointment. I thought this would be an uneventful appointment as they weren't even checking me as I had a scheduled C-Section the following Monday December 5th. However, I get on the ole so lovely scale and had gained 6 and 1/2 lbs in one week. I was shocked because really I hadn't been eating as much because I felt so full and my blood pressure was high. I was trying to figure out where all this weight came from. When my doctor came in I asked her how it was possible to gain so much weight in a week. She was concerned. She looked at my legs and they were very tight and swollen. She felt like the majority of the weight was fluid and my blood pressure was high. She was afraid that it would be good for me or Griffin to wait til Monday so she said I could come in that Tuesday or Wednesday for a C-Section. I couldn't wrap my head around it that fast so I choose to go in on Wednesday. She had me on complete bed rest that night and the next day. I was at the very least freaking out trying to wrap my head around what all needed to be done at home and at work before then. I got it together. I spent Tuesday resting and doing work stuff.  I tried to sleep Tuesday night and maybe got 4 hours of sleep as we had to be there bright and early at 5:30am and the C-Section was scheduled for 7:30.

So, the day of I was excited and nervous. I felt like I was going through this for the first time as I don't remember much of Nash's birth so I did talk to my best friend who had her c-section a couple of weeks ago and she walked me through what to expect which was helpful. So we get there, sign in,  get in the gown, get hooked up to monitors, get the iv started, and we are well on our way. As I was hooked up to the monitor I started having contractions 4-5 mins apart so this baby was coming one or way the other. I had family there with me as we were getting ready. The nurses and doctors were all super nice. I explained how I was nervous because the spinal tap didn't work last time to find out that apparently in 2008 they had a "bad batch" (no lie). We get back there and the spinal tap was easy peasy and worked pretty quickly. It was the strangest feeling to have my legs tingly and numb. My doctor came in and assured that were just fine and this time would be better. She made the incision and said  I just made the incision and I was shocked because I barely felt anything. During the procedure there was a lot of pressure. Then when it was time for Griffin to come out they told me to take a deep breath and they pulled him out. It was the craziest feeling. I kept saying "oh my goodness, oh my goodness". I just couldn't believe it.  This is Griffin's first shot out of the womb. PRICELESS.

My doctor said he looks so much like Nash and Chris said the same thing. They put him on beside us as they were suctioning him out, getting him measured, etc. I was just amazed that he just came out of me. My first thought was "he's so small". The lady said "honey, he's not small". He was 7lbs 3 oz and 20 inches long at 38 weeks and 2 days. Nash was 7lbs 1oz and 20 inches long at 39 weeks and 3 days.

 I was so excited to get to hold him and it felt like forever until I got him. She laid him on my chest and wheeled me back to my room. Where he stayed on me for a good hour or so and his brother got to come back and see him and spend some time with him. Then family got to come in and see him.

 One of the few close ups with his eyes kind of open.

When he came out he coughed up a bunch of stuff and I kept asking if that was normal and they said it was. He got at 9.9 on the scale so it seemed like things were going to be fine. As most of you know things didn't turn out fine. We went back to our room and he was still coughing up stuff and grunting a lot. His color wasn't good so they took him back and found out his oxygen level was low. A very long story short is that he has what they call "wet lungs". It is apparently super common in caucasian males who are born a little early. They kept giving him oxygen and he wasn't responding. He wasn't getting much better and had to work hard to breathe so when the pediatrician came by she decided it would be best for him to transfer him to the NICU. Don't want to get into all the details because it's still pretty emotional for me but he's doing better and hopefully will get off the ventilator tomorrow and start breathing on his own. He got tired  of working so hard to breathe and needed some extra help and some medication to help clear up his lungs. He's still in the NICU and will be for a little bit but it should keep getting better daily and he has made major improvements in 24 hours.
I will have some more pics of Nash getting to see his brother. He is in love with him and calls him "my baby". He's not really asking too many questions and kind of doesn't know that what going on now is not normal.
As we get through the NICU part in the next week or so. I hope to be able to blog about that experience as well and about him coming home. That will be a great day!