goodnight kiss

Last night, after family prayer, Grandpa asked Avi for a goodnight kiss. Avi then proceeded to kiss everyone else goodnight, several times, finally turning to Grandpa and said, "bye bye!", with a cute little wave.
What a character! She did end up giving him a goodnight kiss.

Idaho

ha ha ha.. I am getting really bad at writing.. We are living with Gunnar's family right now. I feel it is similar to living at my mom's because everyone is gone during the day.
Avi loves to "jump"- she says 'jump' and tries to get off the ground. She has located grandma's and grandpa's shoes under their bed and loves to sneak them out. She also, so my shock enjoys going into their bathroom to go into the shower- shocking because she does not like showers. The other day she had very unpleasant one because she opened the lavender oil while I was changing her diaper and dropped some into her eye- poor kid!
Gage is getting so big! I am finding it more of a challenge to hold him as I nurse. I got on the scale with him the other day, and with clothes/diaper on he is eleven pounds!! What a man!
Sleep has ever been an adventure. The other night Avi was up from 11 pm to about what was it 4 am?? I don't know, but I would get her to settle, then I would hear Gage and go to take care of him, and there would go Avi, finally thankfully Teresja was visiting, and she came up to help out with Gage as I was with Avi. We were all so tired- the next day I found two new teeth coming in.
Avi loves to swing. She'll swing around twenty minutes. Avi has really enjoyed playing with her cousin Lilly- when she is around. Avi has the cutest garbally tongued way of saying Lilly. She is liking to find drinks in odd places- the water in the bowl from rinsing the grapes, or the water in the dishwasher after it has been run, or on the swing after it has rained- right next to the bird poop- is has been an adventure to keep her safe. She also picked up a little bit of poo out of the dirt filled wheel barrow out front... She has become familiar with the "choo choo's" that pass rather often, and enjoys seeing the horses at the neighbor's.
Gage is becoming a bit particular- he usually starts to complain when I turn out the lights- he also likes to sleep with me, but mostly he is very chill and rarely cries.
I am reading the Fable Haven series. It is fun to be reading. I also have recently finished Change Your Questions, Change Your Life by Sis. Nelson. I really enjoyed and would love to work through it some more. It has some great tips and ideas.
We went to Pocatello today to look for outfits to wear to Emily's wedding. We were able to find a sweet dress for Avi, but no luck for Gage or me. Avi loved the play ground at the mall. She was quite the climber up 'the mountain' that was steps on one side and slide down the others. She really does enjoy being out. Grandma took her on one those mechanical vehicles that move when you put a quarter in. Avi really liked being in it, till it turned on :). She jumped out into Grandma's arms- and a little girl that was in the area hoped on to enjoy the ride.
I am getting anxious for Gunnar's return, maybe it is not a good thing it is getting closer... ha ha ha, but I am trying to stay relaxed it is still months off...

My little ones

one month old cutest bumble bee

Today was one of those days Gage just mostly slept in his crib. I think he might being going through a growth spurt, because he has slept most of the last two days, and he had just started being up more. I miss my little man, but when I would go to get him to hold him, he would be sleeping so peacefully- so I just let him be.
We went to the pediatrician on Tuesday. Gage weighed in a whopping 8 pounds 12 ounces and had grown an inch so he is 19.5". I am very proud of my growing boy. Avi has a latex sensitivity- really I am amazed at all the allergies this little girl has! I put a band-aid on her last week and she still is red from where it was, I have been putting hydrocortisone cream on and waiting for it to improve. Still working through reoccurring diaper rash and dia a few times a week... she got her blood drawn to test for celiacs on Wednesday- I think I was more traumatized... she got to have a whole sucker after. Poor girl is a little bruised. I thought I would handle it better after watching Gage go through all his IV's but no, I wanted to cry with her.
 Avi loves non-dairy quiche- ya for something that she will eat and contains vegetables. I really enjoyed the french onion soup I made- I promised myself I would learn to make it on our honeymoon (we had it in Epcot) and finally I have made it!
Avi and I have been loving the sunshine. We have gone out the last couple of days to kick  and throw the ball, go down the slide, look at the flowers, hid and seek around the trees, learn to pretend to be an airplane or a bird, chase the cat, look at the flowers, and try to be gentle with them... When Avi hears the birds she says, "tweet, tweet, tweet" and signs 'bird'- though she signs it backwards. She has also recently learned to sign "grandma" and 'beautiful"- she says "pretty pretty" for beautiful.
Gage is a spitter- poor boy it is even through his nose! thankfully is usually not in huge volumes and not projectile, but it is often. We do lots of laundry.
I have learned some things-
-You never know how much a mess cotton balls can be till they get in the hands of your 19 month old.
-My worst postpartum hits about one month in- the exhaustion from the last month culminates, and I get down, and wonder why in the world am I allowed to have children.
-How fussy the oldest child can become in the adjusting time
-cat food can be thought tasty by a toddler
-straws can entertain for a good 20 min.
-relearned, I love the crock pot
-how exhausting it can be to go out with two children- we went in to get Gage put into DEERS for insurance, and took Avi to get her blood drawn the same day- I thought I was going to die after, it took a day and half to recover... may I plead I was on bed rest for 3.5 months??
-How much love you can have for two children!!
-How to make home made baby wipes (shorter cut paper towels are a must!)
-How messy rice can be- and that plain uncooked rice A. can be found delicious by toddler B. will go straight through
-You can never set your heart on going to bed when you plan- it usually ends up two hours later, and count on a crazy middle of the night.

-try to go bed by 8 pm ('try' is the key word), it is a life saver, and I love that I can give Gage 'tummy time' as he lies on me and I take a nap while he and Avi sleep.
-How reasonable it seems to fly over to Afghanistan to swap Gunnar jobs- I have tons of pumped milk in freezer...

Pictures

So today is Gage's due date, so in honor the day I decided to put pictures on the blog.
This morning Gage wanted to feed more often and be held. I am wondering if he starting a growth spurt. He was more settled in the afternoon. He got a bath today- he is soo cute all bundled in his towel! When he was cold as I was getting him dressed he cried a little- he has saddest sounding cry. He is such a sweet baby. I hardly cries, some days go by without hearing him cry. He looks so much like his dad. I have notice his nose is growing to look more like his dad's, he has the tiniest bit of cleft to his chin like his dad... and he is a sweet heart- just like his dad.

Avi looks so funny in this picture- but the others Gunnar looked strange so I chose poor Avi to suffer... Gunnar got in about 10 pm on Feb 6. We took some family photos and talked, went to bed around midnight, and to the hospital around 2- I had started labor about 1:30 am ish.

I made it so the doctor I did want to deliver was off, and my doctor was in the office! I was glad to have a 'longer' labor. My contractions were never really regular, but I progressed and obviously gave birth. They did break my water and a few hours after that I delivered. I felt excited and mostly comfortable with the epidural, but about and hour or so of transitional labor- I was nauseated- I threw up a bit, even after the anti-nauseous medication, and felt faint. When the pushing contractions his, Gunnar and I sang the chorus to the song "under pressure". I pushed for about five minutes- I felt like giving up before the last push it really felt like he wasn't going to come out! He did have the cord around his neck once- loosely.

Our handsome little Gage Delivered Feb 7- 10:42 am, 6 lbs 10 oz, 18.5". I was so glad he came out crying. I was afraid since he was 36 weeks, he would have serious lung problems. The briefly put him on my stomach to clean him off, then whisked him to the respiratory team to checked out. They took him down to the nursery because he would stop breathing every couple of breaths. I so missed having him with me. I had to wait an hour to go see him.

 

Gunnar went down to the nursery with Gage and took this picture, came back up to the room to show me- my heart dropped to see him. Standard procedure is to do C-pap for about an hour to see how they do after that- then they gave surfactant then...

They put him on the ventilator to be ready to transport to the NICU.

Saying good bye. Thankfully the doctor discharged me quickly. Gage left in the afternoon, and I was discharged around 6 pm- though I got off a bit later because I had a panic/anxiety attack... it was a crazy day with no sleep....

Gage at the NICU. When we got there that night it felt so good to be there. I really believe there is a special spirit there. The nurses and doctors are so well trained. I felt relieved to have my baby in good care. We slept in recliners at Gage's bed side. He was so exhausted he 'rode the ventilator' (he would stop breathing and let the machines breath for him) much through the night.

Sonja brought beautiful tulips to celebrate Gage's birth. Avi was so cute smelling them.

A few days later we got to hold him! We had to be very careful- he had an umbilical arterial line in.

Avi and Daren- a year apart and almost the same size!

Gage in Dad's arms.

  

Hearing test.

Getting ready to go home! Sunday, 12 days after being born. He flew through his care and learning to nurse.

Night before Gunnar left- Tuesday.

Avi's tantrum- I think they are hilarious- she lies down on her stomach and kicks her legs.

Avi always wants to hold Gage.

Hi

I have not written for a while... someday I might fill in what I have written down in a notebook.
Today- I ventured to make my first dinner in three weeks... It was a simple Pad Thai. I thought it was tasty- though it needed more sauce, bean sprouts, and some meat, but Avi ate some- so can I really complain? I plan on making it again.
Mom and I also make an avocado shake- yum yum! I got on at the Banana Leaf in Provo, and have been wanting one ever since, I tried making one for Avi last week (she had liked the one at the restaurant)  but she just dumped it, I think I will try again. They are so good.
Avi followed the cat around with her water bowl today, then she got into the cat food- she had done this the other day- trying to feed the cat- picking some up and trying to have the cat eat it out her hand- well, today she went to the next level.. she tried it.. and said- "yum yum yumm"- uh oh! not what a mother wants to hear.
Gage is turning into a cuddle bug. I have been wrapping him to me, and he drifts off to sleep every time. He is spitter- not in huge volume, but it quite a bit- so between him and Avi's messes we produce  a lot of laundry.

Gunnar's traveling

My sweet little Avi in the last week has started to pronounce words more clearly- "baby", "shoes", "tutu","book" -"thank you" is getting better- "bye" has always been pretty clear. The last two or three mornings she has woken up and gets up and points to where her books are and says "books". It is rather adorable, so we start the day with reading a book.
Yesterday I read that Gunnar had left me a message on Facebook that he was trying get on a plane to come home the day before. I was so excited! I got a call this morning from him to find out he had spent the last two days waiting in a terminal waiting for the weather to clear to get out. I was so sad today- two days I had thought he was getting closer. I just want him here so badly for when this little boy comes. Every backache I am scared is a contraction. I have had intestinal issues today- miserable especially when pregnant, and scared perhaps the pains mean more. I am so tired of being down, feeling selfish for wanting to be up, wanting Gunnar to be here for the delivery, wanting to take care of myself and Avi, get things ready for the baby, hoping baby will be okay when he gets here- I am 36 weeks today-, wondering how to have Avi not do the things she knows she is not suppose to do (she says "no, no" and does them...), and in the meanwhile I am lying on the couch- but 36 I should be off- but I want to make to 37 just in case, and I don't want to have Gunnar miss this- But I so planned on being off at 36 I feel like going crazy! Guilty to be staying down- because I have to have help, but feeling guilty to want to be up, because it could be detrimental to the baby.
Checked facebook again- Gunnar is on his way! few more days he'll be in the States- not sure when he'll be home- hopefully soon!

OB 35 weeks

My 35 week OB visit- up to 139 now and 4 cm dilated same effacement. Even with moderate bed rest, I am up another cm- the doctor said it was a definite 4, no stretching to get there. She said if I have any contractions, even if they are irregular to go into labor and delivery. She hopes I can make it to 37 weeks, let alone to my visit next week.  I told her last time I was at a four and the next week I was about a 6- she said a six when you just went to your OB visit?? I responded yes, she says if I am there next week, she'll probably admit me the hospital. Hoping this little guy will stay in- A. because he is a boy, and boys especially need all the womb time they can get, B. I really want Gunnar to be here.
He called on my way home from the visit- it was cute because he said he had been waiting for it to be time to call me- I had let him know when my visit was going to be. He is going to talk to his command and make his way out here. He said the travel plans he had right now, it takes 4-5 days to travel out here (getting him here the 14 or 15th) I just hope he gets here in time, but I am hoping he can get on a plane in a day or two, and get here faster... Thinking this little guy is going to be here next week... I am afraid, things are not going to be very well prepared for him. Just hoping he'll be okay.
I was commenting on my dysfunctional body- and Gunnar responded that I did not have one- I said- three and half months months bed rest! It may not be as dysfunctional as others, but it is dysfunctional.
Three days in a row- Avi has not been wetting her pants as much- usually only two or three barely wet diapers with two poopy ones for the day- okay big poop out today, but the last two days have been more solid. She is not stellar at drinking, but she takes sips through out the day, I always try to have a water cup around, and she does drink...