Baby Ella

Maxs mom posted about a baby that needs our prayers. Baby Ella was born with type 1 diabetes (one in a million odds). She weighed 4 1/2 lbs. full term. I am adding her to my list of children who need prayer. Her website is http://www.elladozier.com/

Please keep Baby Ella and her family in your thoughts and prayers!

My Boys...

Adam is one in this picture, Gavin almost one.

To Adam...

Happy 3rd Anniversary to my BEST friend. I LOVE YOU!

So Much to be THANKFUL for...

Happy Thanksgiving... This video shows exactly what I am THANKFUL for this year and every year...

Happy 19th Birthday Aunt "KiKi"!

Hope your day was EXTRA special and you enjoy your NEW car!

I love you, Gavin

13 Months

(Eating SUGAR FREE pudding for the first time)

I can't believe it has already been a WHOLE month since your FIRST birthday! Some facts about Gavin at 13months:

Length: 29" (25%)
Weight: 20 lb 2 oz (10%)
Head: 47cm (75%)

You can say:

*Dada

*Mama (only when we say "BummmBummBum" for some reason it makes you say Mama)

*Barbara

*Pepa

*Nana

*Pa (for Papa and Grandpa)

*Ball (when you see football on TV or you see a ball)

*YaYaYa

*Falalalala (we got a children's Christmas sing along CD, he likes Deck The Halls)

*Ahhh (after you take a drink)

*Moo

*Arf Arf (for a dog)

*You love to scream as loud as you can

*Amen (said it in church when he heard other people saying it!)

*Dog

Things you do:

*Cry when Dada leaves, you crawl to the door and bang as hard as you can and scream "Dada, Dada"

*Touchdown Signal

*Point to things you want

*Clap

*Patty Cake

*Sing along when others sing (make sounds)

*Walk around the furniture, however you would much rather crawl

*Dance to music

*You have decided that night time is not sleep time, it's play time, even at 230 in the morning!

Gavin,

Each day makes me realize you are not an itty bitty baby anymore. You have become much more independent, with playing and eating. You love to "explore" the house. You like to see how many times you can get into stuff you are not supposed to before you get removed from the area. You are such a joy and we love you more and more...

xoxo Mama and Dada

We Are Home!

Just so you all know, Gavin was discharged Thursday night and we have been home resting! You do not get much sleep in a hospital! The EEG showed no signs of seizure activity, so we are thankful for that... the main concern right now is Gavin's heart rate when he sleeps, we should hear from the cardiologist this week. We have an appt. with the neurologist with in the next three weeks. Please continue to pray for Gavin as he will have more tests/evaluations for the enlarged ventricles in his brain and for his heart! Thanks again for all the prayers, phone calls, and visits!

Trick or Treat

Greetings from the hospital! Today Gavin had "Trick or Treaters" come and visit him... a princess, horse, cowboy, baby doll, clowns, raggedy Ann and Andy, and more! He got coloring books, crayons, bears, glow sticks and light up toys. He had a fun day! Gavin has been all smiles and an absolute sweet heart! He waves bye bye and blows a kiss to every nurse or doctor that comes in his room. One of the nurses told us how the nurses were talking about how sweet he is, reminds me of when he was born, he really has a way with the nurses! Gavin has had 2 spells but no seizure activity. So far the EEG has been normal. His heart rate dropped to the 50-60 range through out the night, and nurses were in and out, so the adults were without sleep til about 630 this morning. Gavin on the other hand slept all night! We will see the neurologist again in the morning to get details if we can come home tomorrow. Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween Early.....

Gavin says Happy Halloween! Tonight we dressed Gavin up and had family over for dinner. Gavin will be admitted to the hospital on Tuesday for a 72 hour EEG, which means he wont be able to wear his costume on Wednesday. So we thought we would dress him up tonight! I will post more pictures/video from Gavin's birthday party, video from the pumpkin patch, and pictures/video of Gavin painting his pumpkin when we get home at the end of the week!

(Please keep us in your prayers that everything goes smoothly at the hospital, it is going to be hard keeping Gavin still for 72 hours)

Oh and one other side note (since I use this as a baby book/journal, October 28, 2006 was Gavins actual birth due date!)

Pumpkin Patch Part 2

Gavin went to the Pumpkin Patch again, this time with his Nana and Grandpa. Gavin picked out a big pumpkin to paint, rode the pony, and took lots of pictures...

Grandpa Joe let Gavin "back out of the garage" and Gavin thought it was so much fun! He was upset when we put him in his carseat to leave, he wanted to drive!

Gavin and Aunt "KiKi" Kristen
Family Picture
Grandpa and Gavin picking out pumpkins
Gavin saying "cheese" for the camera
Adam, Great Granny BARBARA, and Pepa

Birthday Party Pics Part One...

Here are a few pictures from Gavin's party... The roses on the table were from Gavin to "his Mommy for giving birth to him a year ago" How sweet! ;)

I will post more pictures and video soon!

Gavin started crying here because he couldn't get all of the icing and cake out of his hands, poor kid, the first time we ever really let him get "dirty" and he didn't know what to do!

Listening very carefully to Mommy as she reads the card..."Sooo many presents, I am exhausted!"

Your Smile

Gavin,

Looking back at photos of the past year, all we see is smiles. You have been through so much in your short life however, you always smile. Your smile brightens our day and helps us to stay positive. Your smile lets us know there is hope. Your smile shows us that you are feeling good. Your smile makes the bad days good. Your smile lights up a room. Your smile is never ending. We love you Gavin and all your wonderful smiles!


Love you,

Mama and Dada


**Next post will be BIRTHDAY pictures, just waiting on pictures from other cameras, we didn't take very many with our camera, because we were very busy!

Gavin's One Year Pics....

Thanks again Betsy!
www.gregoryphotography.blogspot.com

October 13, 2006....

.....Mid-Morning I got my epidural, after Adam ran out to "get sick" in the bathroom, we were ready to have this baby! Around noon the doctor came in and said I was not progressing anymore and that it would be best to deliver Gavin via C-Section, to insure that all the proper doctors (because it was getting late on a Friday afternoon) would be in the operating room to take care of Gavin. Then it hit us, this is REALLY happening. Adam got his scrubs on and we were wheeled through the hallway by the waiting room. The nurses/doctors were amazed at the parade of people we had standing there cheering us on! Our family/friends took up the whole waiting room, no joke! We get in the operating room and the doctors and nurses are listening to music and playing "music trivia". I guess they were trying to lighten the mood, while I was about to hyperventilate and they had to get Adam a chair because he was getting a little weak in the knees. The C-Section process began, and within a matter of seconds we heard a whimper followed by a LOUD cry! Tears streamed down my face as I realized that Gavin was breathing. Best part of the day! Adam ran over and took lots of pictures and got to hold him for a couple of seconds before they took Gavin away in his tiny incubator. I had not idea until later, but the whole gang in the waiting room got to peak at Gavin as they took him to the NICU. After that it was all a blur.... Here are some pictures from the day of Gavin's birth...

You are ONE!!!!

(Gavin's one year pictures were taking by Betsy http://www.gregoryphotography.blogspot.com/, she is also a very special family friend, thanks Betsy you did an AMAZING job!)

The rest of the birth story, LOTS of pictures and a sentimental post later, but for now we have a BIRTHDAY TO CELEBRATE!!!! We love you Gavin!

**Please leave a birthday comment for Gavin, I am going to print them off and put them in his scrap book to show him all the people that have cared and prayed for him over the last year!**