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7 Weeks

Tomorrow, Gavin will be 7 weeks old, how crazy is that?! He is changing more and more, he has already grown 4 inches and is over 10 pounds. He is starting to smile more and make little coos and squeaks, it is so cute!

He got his last cast taken off, and his new little boots last week. He. Hates. Them. He wakes up almost every hour during the night when he is wearing them because he realizes that he can't move his legs independently. Here I was thinking that the sleeping would get better as he got older, but it is getting worse. I almost wish they would just keep him in a cast longer if we could skip the boots. The doctor did warn us that the casting was the easiest part...boy was he right.

To be honest, I don't really have much to update this week! It's been a "slow" week around here. Ryan's mom is coming down on Thursday and we are looking forward to her visit! Hopefully soon I will have more to update on Ryan's job as he is set to possibly deploy sometime this year.

Oh, we got family pictures taken! Here's an preview!

Oh boys...

As I sat down to start writing this post, Gavin, who is sleeping in his swing, just let a ridiculously loud fart rip. I am out numbered by boys... Unless I can count Miss Kitty.

This week was a 72 for Ryan (three day weekend) because of President's Day. We got a little crazy and decided on a whim to drive up to Los Angeles. We have both been wanting to get tattoos for a while now and Ryan did a little research into the tattoo parlor that is featured on TLC's L.A. Ink called High Voltage. We decided to drive up and see if we could walk in to get our tattoos. Lucky us they had openings and we got our ink! Ryan got the Eagle, Globe and Anchor, which is the "logo" for the Marine Corps and I got Gavin's birth date in roman numerals. It was the first tattoo for both of us. I got mine on my wrist, and I'll tell you what, it hurt. The center of the tattoo hurt the most, it felt like he was dragging a needle through my skin...oh wait, he was. Ryan got his on the left side of his chest. Our artist did a great job, they both look really good!

These were taken right afterwards, so they are a bit red and still healing. I got mine in white ink, Ryan's is just black ink.

We stayed the night up in Hollywood, at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel right off of Hollywood Blvd. It was cool, we could see the Hollywood sign from the hotel! We walked down the Walk of Fame, and saw the Kodak Theatre. It was really good to get away and do something just the three of us. Gavin did really well. He was a bit fussy when we got home, I think he was a little constipated. He was much better today. We had our family pictures done today, by a photographer we had met when we were in the hospital when Gavin was born. I am excited to see how they turned out! I can finally get birth announcements out!

This week will be very crazy for us! Gavin has his one month check-up, his cast removal and shoe fitting as well as his hip ultrasound. I also started back to work (extremely part time) and so I will be working and doing payroll while my boss is gone. Uffda. That is all I can think about when thinking about the rest of this week!

Here are a couple pictures of Gavin and our trip from this week:

Our little guy is one month old already! Hard to believe, because it feels like it's only been a couple of weeks since we have been home from the hospital.

The other day, Gavin rolled over, completely on his own! I even have proof, I have it on video, hopefully I will be able to figure out how to upload it on here so I can prove that our little man is amazing (I don't need a video to prove that but you know what I mean...).

Gavin is really working on smiling spontaneously, and has been more alert and hyper focusing more and more.We are slowly getting into a routine. It's been a little hard with all the traveling to the doctors and having visitors, but we are working on it! He sleeps about 3-4 hours during the night, and then from 5:30am he will sometimes sleep up to 5 hours (which is AMAZING).

We took him to the doctor again today to get his new cast put on and we got good news! This cast will be his last one! This is cast number four, and usually they do casting for at least six weeks. The doctor also is putting off the surgery for now and we will move right into the boots/shoes next week. We are SO happy that we don't have to do all six weeks of the casts! It is amazing what the casting has done, his little foot is already completely straight. From here, Gavin will wear the boots, 23 hours a day until he is able to stand up on his own. Then, he will wear the boots at night until the doctor gives us the clear. Very worst case scenario, he could wear them until he is four years old (only at night), but I don't think that will be the case, it might only be until he is 1 or 2, but time will tell.

Where does the time go?

Holy moly, I can't believe that Gavin is already three, almost four weeks old! Where has the entire month gone?!!?

Right now, I am having a very blissful moment. I am in the living room, on our couch, the baby is sleeping next to me. I have my scentsy warmer, spreading black raspberry vanilla aroma around the room, and Fleetwood Mac playing in the background. I know that the only thing that would make this moment better is if I were sleeping along with both the baby and Ryan, but after laying in bed for an hour I decided I was wasting precious time, so it's me time, baby.

Gavin has changed SO much in the past few weeks, even in the last week. He is starting to fill out, last Tuesday he was 8 lbs 5 oz, and I know he has gained weight since then! He is such a strong little bugger, since birth he has been able to lift his neck for a couple seconds, but now he can damn near hold it up on his own! We had a little tummy time the other day and he was lifting himself up onto his elbows/forearms and holding his head up to look around. I can't believe it, I have never seen a newborn with that developed neck and back muscles! And I shit you not, we were laying on the bed and he rolled over. Granted, he had two things working with him: 1.) The weight from me, making the bed curve in (hold the fat jokes please :) ) and 2.) The weight from his cast helping to pull him. But still, it was amazing, I wish I had it on film so I could prove it! He still sleeps pretty well, about 3 to 4 hours at a time. He only cries if he is hungry or needs a diaper change. He is such a good baby.

This past week we had Ryan's family down for a visit. They were here for a week and it was so nice to have them here! This is the first time in the 10 years that Ryan and I have been together that I have been with all of the Scrupps' side all at once. His brother Chris was there with his fiance, Amber, and then his step-brother Walt and his wife Chris and their three children and then Ryan's parents Jay and Kathy. The week went by so fast! Jay & Kathy were able to join Gavin at his doctors appointment to get his second cast on at Rady's Children Hospital. He did so good! I was really nervous, because I wasn't sure how he was going to do with the saw taking the first cast off. He couldn't have been better, he just layed there completely indifferent to what was going on...not a care in the world! The sound from the saw didn't bother him, or the other babies crying that were getting their casts on/off. Gavin could have cared less! I was so relieved! Gavin got to spend time with his uncles and aunt and cousins, and even had his first trip to the zoo. Yeah, he slept.

Gavin got soo much love this week, it was great. Grandpa Jay and Grandma Kathy just fell in love with him (and so did Gavin ;) ). He was a perfect little pooper for Grandpa Jay, I think every time he held him, he made some type of bowel movement, HAHA! Gavin just slept the time away, he cuddled with everyone. At the end of the week, Ryan's aunt Joan and uncle John joined us in Oceanside. It was awesome to get to see them and just a wonderful surprise! Gavin of course won them over. We all went out to eat at Joe's Crab Shack, which was amazing, and kind of loud, but Gavin slept right through it....surprise! He even got his first "Peace, Love and Crabs" onsie from his great aunt and uncle!

Here are some things that I have noticed in the past week or so: He loves laying on his side. He has been A LOT more alert in the past couple of days. He is starting to really focus on things around him and he will follow objects with his eyes, like a toy or his mobile for example. He was getting really bad gas bubbles that he wasn't able to get out the first week that we brought him home, and now he can get them out...and by this I mean Gavin farts like I have never heard in a baby. It is HILARIOUS and also kind of embarrassing, like when he does it front of nurses and doctors...hahaha. Gavin loves his mommy and daddy. He gets SO excited when he hears Ryan's voice when he gets home from work. I love how he calms down when I pick him up, and he sighs and lays his head on my chest. It melts my heart. The other day, I said, "hi baby!!" and gave him a huge smile and he responded with a little smile. Needless to say, I totally cried. He has the most adorable pouty face when he cries. He is totally going to get whatever he wants whenever he whips out the pouty lip, because neither Ryan or I will be able to resist it.

Basically, with every passing second I fall more and more in love with my son. I can't believe how wonderful he is and I just can't wait to see what type of person he grows up to be. I can't wait for his personality to start showing and for him to start cooing and smiling.

Just so you all know...I already have well over 200 pictures of Gavin....But, here are just a few of the past week or so:

His eyes are staying blue I think! They are like a tealish blue, because they do have a little green in them!

Love him.

Some cuddle time with Mama.

Oh, and with his Papa!

 So sweet.

I know it won't be cute forever, but look at him sucking his thumb!!

Snoozing with Grandpa Jay

Meeting Uncle Chris for the first time.

Cheeks!!

Three Weeks Old Today!

Joe's Crab Shack

Soon, Turtle, Soon....You will be mine.

My sweet boy :)

Gavin ~ 2 Weeks & Orthopedic Update

I cannot believe that we have had Gavin at home with us for almost two weeks now! The time is already flying by, it is crazy that he will be three weeks old in four days.

As I mentioned in the previous post, Gavin was born with his right foot turned in; we took him to Rady Children's hospital in San Deigo on Tuesday to have a specialist look at it. They confirmed it was club foot and walked us through the steps to fix it. Gavin will get a cast put on his leg that will straighten and stretch the ligaments. We will take him to Children's once a week to get a new cast put on for six weeks. At the end of the six weeks, depending on the flexibility of his foot, mainly his achilles tendon, they may have to do a minor operation to stretch it out. If they do have to do the operation, he will be back in the casts for a few more weeks. After the casts (surgery or not) he will have to wear a foot brace that pulls the foot out until he is able to pull himself up. We are hoping that all of this will be done a couple of months.

On Tuesday we got the first cast put on, and Gavin did really great. Me on the other hand, not so much. I was a wreck about it. I went to the appointment knowing that we were going to have the cast put on, but I had envisioned a cast that just covered his foot. His cast literally covers his entire leg. I broke down when they showed me the picture of what it was going to look like. I was not prepared for that in the slightest. I also didn't think he would be in the casts for that long and then have to be in a brace on top of that. It was extremely overwhelming. On top of that my hormones are still going a little crazy. The nurse and doctors were all great, and even warned me before hand that I would probably cry and that it is completely normal, especially for someone who just had a baby. Our doctor had just had a baby five months ago, so she completely understood and even teared up herself a little bit after seeing me cry, haha. The casts do not hurt him, they are only a little uncomfortable for the first day and then he gets used to it. He slept the entire time they were putting this first cast on which was great, I don't think I could have handled it if he were screaming. The doctors warned us that he might be pretty fussy for the first couple days as he adjusts to having the cast on. They were right. The first night was epic...not only was Gavin upset, but so were Ryan and I. It was a very emotional, long day for all of us and we were all a little on edge. Ryan had to go back to work the next morning, so I stayed up with the baby all night and hardly got any sleep. He wasn't too bad, but he was extremely needy. He didn't want to be set down, had to be held in a certain way, and instead of his little cry when he needed a diaper change or was hungry, it was this ear throbbing scream. The timing of his crankiness and Ryan going back to work wasn't a good combination for me. I was exhausted, so exhausted that even when I had the opportunity I couldn't sleep.

BUT, Gavin is doing so much better now, he is getting used to the cast, and this mommy has gotten some sleep! Woohoo! It was looking like doomsday there for a few days but now that I am rested up, things are looking much better :) We are still getting used to a new routine, as Ryan has gone back to work, but for the most part that is going well. Gavin is still sleeping anywhere from three to four plus hours, which is awesome. Last night, I only had to get up twice! He really only fusses when he is either: hungry, needs a diaper change or has gas. Other than that he just likes to cuddle and be held. He has been awake a little more and more each day. He likes to study mine and Ryan's face, which is so cute because he just gives us the stare down. He makes the funniest faces that make me laugh every time! He is such an animated little boy. This morning we were napping on our bed and it was me on one half, Gavin on the top quarter and Miss Kitty on the lower quarter. It was napping at it's best.

First Week Home!

Another quick little update on Gavin! He is doing great!! Most nights he sleeps so well, and is only up once or twice. He wakes up every 3 to 4 hours to eat and goes right back to sleep. Currently he is on formula, however I pump to supplement with breast milk and plan on switching to breastfeeding exclusively, which I will start tonight.

He rarely cries, only when he gets gas bubbles, which I believe is from the formula, which makes me that much more anxious to get him off of it! Overall he is a perfect little guy who LOVES to snuggle! In fact, he is fast asleep on my chest right now as I write this! I love holding him when he sleeps, it's the best feeling in the world. We really need to start getting him used to sleeping in his bassinet though, especially for once Ryan goes back to work; I don't mind staying up with him during the night to hold him (in fact I kind of love it) but I won't have someone to watch him while I sleep in the morning. When it comes to him sleeping in the bassinet, I'm not sure who it's harder on, me or Gavin...probably me.

My parents came down on Monday of this week, and have been helping out Ryan and I. It's been awesome to have them here. They've been spoiling Gavin and giving him endless snuggles. I didn't really know how my recovery was going to go after surgery, and it's nice to know you have help if you need it. My freezer is getting full with my mom's delicious cooking and I haven't had to touch the stove, dishes or laundry since I have been home, how awesome is that!?

Gavin makes the funniest faces! When he is sleeping he is so animated, he definitely gets that from Ryan. I could just watch him all day...and I do! There is this one face he makes when he stretches out while he is sleeping that is my favorite! I want to catch it on camera so I can show you...it is this semi-pouty but yet totally satisfied face, it is the cutest thing ever! He is also a little more alert when he is awake, and stays awake for a little bit longer each day, it's been to watch him take in his surroundings!