Gavin at 12 Months

Gavin at 12 months is an active, giggly, silly boy. I love this 12 months picture because it shows his new teeth. With these teeth, he looks more like a toddler instead of a baby.

Taking these pictures were a pain! Gavin refuses to sit still now and immediately rolls over to start moving and climbing around. I got one picture of him forward facing only because Dallin sat next to him. This then started a wrestling match which is a whole other post.

Here are some funny things about Gavin:

While at a restaurant, Gavin got a hold of a lemon from my water and enjoyed it immensely. He has had several now.

Gavin is persistent and knows what he wants especially when he is crawling. If something is in the way, a toy, legs etc, he just crawls right over it. There is no going around something for Gavin no matter how big.

Gavin loves his paci. When we put him in his crib or naps, he will stand up, giggle for awhile, and throw his paci. We then come in and lay him back down and give him his paci back. He thinks this is the funnest game and will continue it for a good 10 minutes before he gives up and sleeps.

We also put two paci's in his crib at night because he moves so much so when he wakes up on the opposite side of the bed, there is a paci right there. If he can find paci, then he falls back to sleep. It is funny though when he realizes there is two in the crib. He will put one in his mouth and hold the other then switch them to see which one taste better. He will fall asleep holding his extra paci like it is his blankie.

Reading stories to Gavin is also a lot of fun. He giggles the entire time. Every picture is the funniest.

Gavin is on the move and is just content to crawl. (He can walk along the couch though, but he still prefers crawling). He is also a picky eater. This showed when he was weighed today at his well check up. He gained 8 oz from his 9 months appointment. The doctor wasn't worried. He just is on the move all the time!!! Now that he is in the clear to eat anything, his new favorite foods are yogurt and peanut butter bread.

Here were some other cute pictures (I took at least 30 pictures trying to get a couple where he was facing me.)

Gavin is such a fun boy and I love seeing his personality coming out more and more. I'm always amazed with adoption how perfectly everything works out. When we were visiting his birthmom, Tracy and I talked about the miraculous way we were brought together. It is a testimony that God has a plan for each family. Gavin fits perfectly in our family.

Happy 1st Birthday Gavin!

We celebrated Gavin's birthday three days early because my little sister was in town and left that night. We had a family party where we ate lasagna, opened presents, and then had cake and ice cream. I picked lasagna for dinner because it feeds a lot and figured Gavin would try it, refuse it like other table food, and then eat his baby food. I was pleasantly surprised when he loved it. Apparently lasagna is his favorite dinner!

After dinner we opened presents. With tons of little kids around, it got a little hectic. As Zane and I watched the video back of the event, I'm putting tissue paper back in the bag that Dallin or someone else had just pulled out while giving the present to Gavin. I think the whole present part was over in a few minutes as I tried to keep up with the little kids. Poor Gavin was over whelmed. At one point he received a yellow ball from Caleb and Carter. He held onto it for a few seconds, dropped it, and then it was snagged up by someone else. Multiple times in the video you see the ball come close to Gavin again, he reaches for it, and then it is moved away by another kid. In the following clip, you will even see me pull tissue paper out of his hands, Gavin reaching for sippy cups that I'm holding and me tossing them aside without realizing he wanted them, and the famous yellow ball. Poor Gavin. He wasn't able to enjoy the opening of presents because of the choas. (Also notice in the background Dallin opening one of Gavin's presents.)

Zane and I made an alligator cake because Gavin looks like an alligator when he crawls. The big boys were very exciting to eat it. The cake is turned around because all day Dallin liked to touch the alligator's face (it was made out of candy and marshmallows). No matter how many times we talked about not touching it, the candy on it was just too tempting!

The Cake (the candies on his back are different because we ran out and had to use different brand fruit slices.)

Gavin didn't quite get the blowing out the candle thing, but he was intrigued by his cake.

Gavin making his usual disgusted face when seeing food or taking a first bite.
He calmly took small bites like eating cake for the first time was no big deal.

He eventually got more into it.

And in the end, loved it!

Gavin has been a wonderful addition to our family. It has been a great first year!

Father's Day

These boys love their dad.

There are many reasons. He plays fun games with them like Gavin hat (putting Gavin on his head and bouncing which makes Gavin laugh like crazy), wrestling with Dallin, throwing the boys up in the air, racing them (both running and army crawling), and kicking balls around. I'm sure there are tons more games.

Zane tells the funniest made up stories and uses really silly (he would say cool) voices when reading stories.

He can make the boys laugh like no one else.

They are so excited when he comes home from work and hate it when he leaves. Sometimes I wonder if they rather I worked instead.

These boys are so lucky to have Zane for a father. I picked a pretty good one. :)

Medical Emergencies: Ariane

My medical emergency was actually a month ago on the last week of preschool (much to my sister's dismay who had to cover all the prep I usually do.) I learned a lot about taking care of infections and about doctors with this problem. Warning: I will include pictures at the end, but you may want to skip those if you have a weak stomach.

Saturday (May 21): I woke up with a slight throbbing in my right pinky. I had a little cut on that finger which was starting to have a red circle around it, so I immediately thought of staph. Dallin had a staph infection on his knee the week before and I was the one taking care of it (meaning I popped it.) We know a lot about staph infections in our family because my sister has become a pro taking care of her son's many staph infections. By the middle of the day I started to take some over the counter pain medication because the pain was bothering me.

Sunday: The swelling on the bottom half of my pinky was getting worse and redder. By that night the pain was bothering me so much that I knew I needed to see the doctor. In my mind the infection needed to be popped, but it wouldn't. My mom informed me she had nothing to do the next morning (meaning she had tons to do but was willing to drop everything to come babysit...bless her). I really struggled with sleeping that night because of the throbbing. I think I woke Zane up a couple of times informing him I couldn't sleep. He loved that.

Monday: We are on a new insurance plan this year where we no longer pay a copay but have to meet a deductible. We hadn't met it yet, so when I made my appointment, I made it with a PA. I have seen many PA's in the past for small things with much success. Not only are they cheaper but you can get in right away whereas a doctor may have a hard time fitting you in. I went in first thing in the morning hoping the PA would recommend lancing. This just shows the amount of pain I was in. I was all for lancing knowing whatever pain this caused would bring relief.

The PA confirmed that most likely it was staph (we couldn't be positive without taking a culture) but then said that lancing wasn't possible because of the many veins in the finger. Instead she prescribed an antibiotic. She considered giving me an antibiotic shot to get things working faster but decided I should come back in on Wednesday if things were getting worse. All I could focus on was that she wasn't going to provide relief and I was going to be in pain for awhile longer. When I mentioned the pain, she kind of looked at me strange and asked if I wanted a prescription for pain medicine. She obviously didn't think my finger could hurt that bad. I kept thinking I'm some kind of baby because Dallin didn't complain this much when he had a staph infection.

I slept very little that night.

Tuesday: I woke up with my right hand all puffy and my finger growing bigger. I decided not to wait until Wednesday and started calling the PA's nurse to tell them how it was getting worse and ask what I should do. The nurse and I played phone tag all day until she finally called me back at 5 p.m. (when it was too late to come in) to tell me to come in the next day but that this PA wasn't going to be in so I needed to see someone else.

Wednesday: There are two offices in my area for my doctor. I was able to get an appointment with a PA down by my mom which was perfect because I could bring my kids to her. This PA took one look at my finger and said, "That must be really painful." Oh thank you. She said it was more painful because the infection was stuck in such a small area. (She probably didn't say it like that though.) The infection was also in the right pinky, so I had to use that hand a lot and the kids kept bumping it. She then said that an antibiotic wasn't going to do any good until the finger was lanced and the infection was allowed to come out. While she tried to get me an appointment with a doctor right away, the nurse gave me the antibiotic shot in my rear end. I should have insisted on this shot on Monday but I have a big problem with needles (ironic since during my infertility years needles had to become my best friend.) The antibiotic shot is a killer. My bum hurt for a few hours after wards (not like my finger hurt, but for a shot, it was annoying.)

I got a doctor's appointment for that afternoon with the dermatologist associated with this clinic. Luckily the kids were at my moms and getting well taken care of. I joined them for lunch, got Gavin down for a nap, then headed to the dermatologist skipping out the door (I was that excited for the lancing.)

This doctor was wonderful. He took one look at my hand and also said the wonderful words making me feel less like a baby, "That must really hurt." I felt in such capable hands because this doctor had dealt with this problem many times and quite frankly loved it. He was so excited about the prospect of pushing out all that mucus.

As he and the nurse started prepping me and explaining the process, I finally had the thought that maybe I should have had Zane with me (if I'm ever getting a lot of shots or anything with needles I usually have someone with me in case I faint. It has happened in the past many times.) The nurse was telling me that since my finger was so big they may not be able to get the whole thing numb and I may feel the lancing. This doctor was wonderful though and made me feel so comfortable and laughing. He then started giving me shots in my finger which weren't the best (better than the antibiotic shot though) and after three I couldn't feel the last two as much. (6 shots in one day; not bad.)

At first I didn't watch the lancing process, but I couldn't feel anything so I decided I wanted to see what was causing all the pain. Let's just say it was all really gross (but the doctor loved it. You really have to be weird to be a dermatologist.) Soon my finger had shrunk and the doctor was stuffing the cut with packing (the material that keeps the wound open so that it could continue to drain kind of like a candle wick.) He wrapped up my finger and we were done. It was the best money I have ever spent.

The Recovery:
I took pain killers after I drove home with my kids and then as we (Zane left work slightly early to be home when I got there) were leaving the house to go to my sister's for dinner, I took what I thought was my antibiotic. It was actually a third pain pill (I guess I was a little out of it and open the wrong bottle.) At my sister's house I got in a huge fight with my littlest sister on the phone then I bit Haley's head off. Next thing I know I was crying horribly and on the couch sick to my stomach. I don't think pain killers mix well with me especially when I take too many. By the next afternoon, I wasn't even taking pain killers any more.

The only problem with the recovery was changing the bandage and soaking the wound in a vinegar/water mixture. Because of the packing sticking out of the wound and the fact that it was still draining, it was pretty gross looking. The first night both Zane and I got a little queasy changing it. The next morning while changing it, I looked at Zane and he was as white as a ghost telling me he needed to go lay down. I think it was too early in the morning for him to see it. After that, I got pretty good at changing it myself even though Zane kept saying he could do it.

I was still pretty frustrated that my finger was still so sensitive and I couldn't use it. I tried to play the piano to see if I could play the organ for Sunday, and I couldn't do it. I wasn't in as much pain, but if anything bumped my finger, it hurt pretty bad.

By Friday I was allowed to take out the packing. I spared Zane that job and went to Kari (the nurse.) I think the doctor stuffed at least an inch of packing in a tiny cut. It stung pretty bad coming out but about an hour later my whole finger felt so much better. I could move it again and the pain was gone!

Lesson learned: PA's are great for small things, cold, pink eye, persistent coughs etc. If it is something serious, see a doctor. I could have gone straight to my dermatologist and had everything done on Monday. I would also have saved $150.

Second lesson learned: When taking care of someone else's infections, wear gloves. This should have been a no brainer. I got my infection from Dallin.

Here are the pictures. Look only if you feel up to it. Luckily I was taking pictures with my old camera which was dying so the pictures aren't the clearest.

Before lancing; I didn't get a picture of my whole hand which was all puffy.

This picture was taken on Friday, two days after the lancing so it doesn't look as bad. For some reason, the skin around the cut pealed off.

A few days after the packing was taken out- When Kari took at the packing, she was amazed how deep the wound was. At first she thought she could see bone. You can see that my pinky was almost back to a normal size.

Medical Emergencies: Gavin

We arrived home from our vacation on a Wednesday. The Friday after wards, Gavin had a really bad, smelly blow out. The same thing happened on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. One blow out each day, that was it. Gavin wasn't eating or drinking his bottles as well either, but Gavin is a finicky eater, so not having a good appetite doesn't raise any alarms for us. That week Gavin had been around his birthmom and half sister who at the end of our vacation became sick. He had also eaten yogurt and a chicken and broccoli casserole for the first time in our quest to get him to eat table food. Our other concern was that he was teething. Any of these could cause some bad diapers, so we really weren't sure what was going on and weren't too worried.

By Monday night though, I decided it was time to call the nurses at the doctors to ask them what they thought we should do. (I'm always hesitant about calling the nurses because they always seem to say come in and if we are dealing with a virus, I knew there was nothing they could do.) Gavin was crankier Monday, more lethargic, and he was drinking very little. During the night though, Gavin woke up to drink a bottle and then took a 4 oz bottle Tuesday morning. We knew he still wasn't getting enough milk, but at least he was drinking again. Gavin took a great nap Tuesday morning, so I forgot about calling the nurses. When he woke up though, he was still acting so tired and lethargic, that I finally called the nurses and left a message. We also started pushing water more and more, but Gavin is very stubborn and if he doesn't want to drink, he will not. The nurses returned my call at 5 p.m. and asked the all important question, "How many wet diapers has he had?" I felt like the dumbest mom then because I wasn't even counting diapers or worried about them. When I thought about it, I realized he had one on Monday and one on Tuesday. After talking to the doctor, I was told to get to the emergency room because Gavin was dehydrated.

The Emergency Room:
The first step the doctor took was to give Gavin a popsicle to get some quick fluids in him. This was Gavin's first and well I had to force him to eat the very little that he ate. (We didn't have our camera so we had to use Zane's camera on his phone. Sorry these pictures are so unclear.)

Checking out the Popsicle

Showing his disgust

Then we tried pedialyte in a bottle; he refused. Next we tried Gatorade through a straw; refused again. Last we tried pouring Gatorade down his throat using a syringe. This worked because we could pry his mouth open and pour the Gatorade down. It was a slow process amongst a lot of crying and fighting. We finally got 4 ounces down Gavin and then he threw it all up. We tried again and got 4 more ounces down him when he threw up again, even more than the first time. It was everywhere including all over me.

We got a short break from the force feeding when they did an Xray on Gavin's stomach. They couldn't see anything so we were told to continue the force feeding. After the first time he threw up, I was starting to get annoyed. We were tired of listening to Gavin cry while we forced fluids down him. When he threw up again, I really was done. We had been at the hospital three and a half hours with no progress. Luckily the doctor was with me and told us Gavin had just earned an IV. I hated seeing the IV in him and Gavin hated it, but he was hydrated quickly. Once we were able to feed him 2 more ounces of liquid (again by forcing it down) and Gavin kept it down, then we were allowed to leave.

It was a good thing the nurse wrapped the IV up completely because he couldn't leave his arm alone. We spent a good 30 minutes trying to distract him.

I spent the next two days feeding Gavin pedialyte from a syringe to make sure he stayed hydrated. We got a little system going and I made sure Gavin wasn't exhausted when I was trying to feed him, so it went much better at home. He still doesn't like popsicles and I had to force and trick him to eat jello (he was on an all liquid diet). By Thursday night, Gavin was back to drinking his bottles again and acting like his normal, cheerful self.

I learned a very important lesson though about Gavin. When he refuses to eat or drink, I need to force him instead of allowing him to push all liquids away assuming he will start drinking when he needs it. I'm just glad everything turned out ok in the end.

Wearing the Kids Out

We did two activities without Gavin's birth family in order to kill time and get some energy out before crashing at the hotel. The zoo in the city we were staying at had a dinosaur exhibit. We didn't have time for the zoo, but we ran to see the dinosaurs. Dallin loves dinosaurs right now, so this was a hit (and honestly, he was a little scared.)

We also walked along the river after dinner Monday night. Dallin enjoyed having some freedom and running around.

We took two days to get out to Tennessee in order to give the boys some breaks while we were driving. Zane was determined to make it back in one day. He felt like driving 14 hours in a car was better than one more night at a hotel fighting the boys to go to bed. He was right. We survived with non stop movies for Dallin and constant changing of toys for Gavin. Luckily, Gavin also slept really well on the way back. He was exhausted from all the attention and lack of sleep. Zane and I were especially grateful to have our bed to ourselves that night and the boys in their own rooms where they couldn't wake each other up! The fun parts of vacations...

A Day at Chuck E. Cheese

The first day we spent with Gavin's birth family, we went to the YMCA and went swimming (sorry, no pictures). We had a great time and it gave all of us time to talk while the kids played. On Tuesday, we went to Chuck E. Cheese. This was the first time for our boys to play here and of course it was even more special because Tracy was with us.

This is where Zane and I squished ourselves in the tunnels/play area. Dallin was too fast to get caught in a picture, but he loved that Zane and I were up there with him. Gavin loved that he was able to join his big brother and cruised through the tunnels.

Playing Together

After Chuck E. Cheese, we spent more time at Tracy's house visiting everyone and then it was time to say good bye. We really enjoyed our visit and look forward to when we can visit again.

A Special Visit

When we picked up Gavin in Florida a year ago, (can you believe this boy is almost one!!!) we talked with his birth family about visiting them a year later. A couple of weeks ago, we made the trek out to Tennessee (Tracy moved out to Tennessee a few months ago where her mom and daughter live) for a vacation. We had a great time spending time with Gavin's birth family.

Tracy: G's birthmom
I loved the picture of Gavin looking at Tracy. I think he sensed something familiar about her.

Gavin's half sister Julia: He loved all the stuff animals she pulled out for him

Mimi (Joyce) and Gavin: his birth grandma

Dallin loved playing with Julia's dog Scooby

Saying good bye to Mimi, Tracy, and Julia
I loved how Gavn's birth family made Dallin feel special and part of the family too.

My only disappointment with the trip was Gavin's crankiness. I think between limited naps (and maybe spending two days driving in a car), teething, and unfamiliar environment, Gavin changed from a little angel who is happiest when he is on the move, to a mommy's and daddy's boy. I really wanted Tracy to be able to feed him, but Gavin decided he didn't want to drink his bottles (Gavin has always been a finicky eater.) Next time I'm sure he will be happier since he will be older. Beside Gavin's occasional crankiness, we had a wonderful time and I'm glad we were able to visit.

Memorial Day BBQ

We ended our weekend with a BBQ/swim party. We had tons of yummy food including home made ice cream (which turned out to be quite a head ache since we discovered our ice cream maker was broken.) Here are some pictures of the kids on the slip and slide.

Notice that in this picture, my brother Jared was throwing his daughter down the slide. The dad's all enjoyed taking turns throwing their kids down.

We had a great weekend!