Ten Months - Day 39

10 months ago we started this parenting journey. It’s surreal to me that it’s been 10 months. I met my son for the first time, and held him and starred at him in awe. And 10 months ago we started our journey of breastfeeding. 

Before we were pregnant I knew that I wanted to nurse our children. First it’s custom made and just for them, and secondly the accountant’s wife comes out in me and knows it’s the least expensive option. So I started to educate myself, bought and studied this book.

 

Then 12 hours after Gray was born I was introduced to my wonderful Medela pump. Not what I had planned when I thought about our journey. Gray was allowed to try and nurse a bit the first few days, but after a bout with apnea they started to exclusively tube feed him. So I pumped and pumped and pumped for the first 3 weeks of his life. Gray was allowed to start learning how to nurse again after those 3 weeks, and goodness it was a journey. I sat there just praying that we would get this figured out. I had a love hate relationship with my pump and I really preferred that into be hooked to it 24/7 for the next year. And on February 22^nd we got it figured out. 

We’ve had some hiccups along the way; low supply leading to some medication, going back to work and pumping at work every day. But 10 months have passed and we’re still going strong. I love our morning snuggles in bed before we start our day and our family story time every night when Brian reads to us as Gray nurses. We’ve gotten through the first two teeth and I know we’ll get through the next ones too.

I’m so thankful for all the support we’ve had; from nurses and other NICU moms. Brian has been so great! He does as much as he can so G and I can have us time if we need it. He’s also great at making sure I’m getting enough sleep so I don’t lose my supply. He supports me pumping at work and getting G as much good stuff as we can. So far he’s only had 10 ml’s of formula and that was back on day 1 and 2 of his life. My boss has been great. He totally understands when I have to ‘disappear’ for a bit to pump, or the extra time I’m away from my desk. And my co-workers are great too, answering my line if it rings and making sure that clients are looked after.

Our end goal is to make it to 1 year correct, four months to go. After getting this far and everything we’ve been through I have no doubt that we’ll get there.

Infant Development - Day 37

This morning Gray and I ventured downtown to see Kathy our Caseworker. Our second favourite Kathy, second to Mrs Kathy at daycare.

We had our 8 month corrected development appointment. Gray played with Kathy and showed her how big he’s getting. And although it was a bit disappointing that he’s falling behind where he was 4 months ago he’s still doing great.

I’m so thankful for the program. Even if Gray stays right on track or close to where he should be developmentally I don’t think our time there is a waste. If we need help to bring Gray back to where he should be we’ll have it.

Even though we came away with quite a few things to work on to keep G on track, it was worth leaving work early and running around.

 

Love Them - Day 36

I’m so blessed to have such a supportive family. We’ve been working on our plan for Gray when my dad gets the call for his new lungs, and who’s going to look after G while I’m at the hospital with my mom and sister. 

Brian’s dad and stepmom are our go to people for when we get the call, and so this afternoon they came over for a visit, and to find out where we have some things stored in case they need to come over. I went over G’s schedule and where in the freezer G’s milk and food is. Brian talked golf with his dad. And we went over our first plan of action if we get the call. 

It’s so great to know that while I’m off in Toronto with my family, G’s going to be taken care of here at home.

Scrapping - Day 35

Tonight I’m sitting at my desk in the basement, catching up on tv shows I’ve missed and making some cards. Brian is gone for the evening and Gray is sleeping, so I’m taking this opportunity to do something I love and something I haven’t made a priority in a while.

A friend asked if I would make some cards for her husband’s business and I needed to get some done for work, so this was a great time to just sit down and get some work done.

The best part of this is I get to make a bit of extra money that Brian said I could allocate towards my blog and advertising.

I’m thankful for a night to do something I love, and make a bit more money for the blog. 

And it was great to chat with a friend while scrapping away. Miss you Jennifer. 

 

Thanksgiving Will Never Be the Same – Day 33

 

Meg is a great friend that I have had the honour of getting to know in the last 10 months. Meg is a bedrest graduate and NICU grad just like me.
Meg is taking over my 100 Days of Gratitude today. It’s American Thanksgiving and she’s sharing what she is most thankful for this year. 

 

Kaleb William - born January 21, 2011 at 28 weeks

 
This Thanksgiving we are reminded where we were just a short year ago, and just how far we have come.


Tomorrow we will get to enjoy turkey as a family of 3. There really are no words that will suffice in expressing our gratitude to God for allowing us to celebrate the holidays with Kaleb. Thanksgiving will never be the same — we will always remember how God spared us from great tragedy on this day in 2010, and will ever praise him for the great joy he has brought to our lives. Thank you Lord for your many mercies and for blessing us so richly this year.

Kaleb 10 months old - happy, healthy and SO loved

We wish all of you a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving. We thank you all for your overwhelming support and love to our family throughout the past year.

All our love,

The Spilmans

Keith, Megan and Kaleb
 
Meg,
Thanks for all you have done for me. You have been a huge support and blessing to me! And I am so thankful to have you in my life. I pray God’s blessings on you and Kaleb and Keith.
Love you lots!


 

Medical Minds - Day 32

I have finally mastered, well maybe not mastered, but at least conquered the motherly way of staying calm on the outside when the insides are frantic. Tonight was a bit of a test.

I went to feed Gray his dinner after getting home from work. I went to clip him into his highchair and saw there was blood coming from his finger. So I went upstairs, grabbed a bandage and went on feeding Gray. I thought maybe I accidentally clipped his finger while buckling in him into his chair. And then half way through dinner G reached up and wiped his hand across his face and left a trail of blood. WHAT?!?!?! He had bleed through his bandage. So dinner went to the side and I called my mom and got some ideas for trying to stop the bleeding. A sock that was too small and some hockey tape and G’s happily playing again. And then he bleeds through the sock!

I was starting to get a bit frazzled. I had found the source of the cut. He had gotten his finger in the air intake vent on the wall and must have taken off some skin. My dear friend Amber had come on Skype and being a nurse she was more than helpful. We were ready to head off to the ER after over 50 minutes of bleeding and finally it stopped.

I’m so thankful for my mom’s advice and Amber’s help. Without them we probably would have sat at the ER for hours for the Doctor’s to do nothing.

G’s finger is doing great, no more blood and we covered the vent so no more cuts.

 

My Girlfriends – Day 31

Day 31 of my 100 days of gratitude is over on Jessi’s blog today.

Head on over and check it out. 

Thanks for your Patience

Thanks for being patient with us as we continue to import old post from the old blog

If you’re looking back through you might notice some new posts going back to our NICU days and the first weeks at home. I’ve been going through my personal journal from that time and updating posts to fill in some of the blank spots.

See if you can find some, and keep looking, they’ll continue to pop up over the next bit.