Movie of Grey (7 weeks) & GG

To Grandmother's House We Go

Matt started work on Monday at UNC Hospitals, and so he has temporarily relocated to Southern Pines to be closer to Chapel Hill (an hour commute to work). Therefore, Grey and I spent the last few days in Southern Pines with Matt and Grandma & Grandpa Raynor. The car trip to SP entailed 2 1/2 hrs of screaming crying, but then Grey slept for 6 hrs that night (hmm . . . is 6 hrs of sleep worth 2 1/2 hrs of hysterical crying? that's a tough-y!)
We celebrated Matt's 33rd birthday on Tuesday with gingerbread cake and lemon sauce! Here are a few pictures from that night . . .

Here are a few shots of Grey at 6 weeks . . . at this time, he has spent half of his life in NOLA and half in NC (half Cajun & half Carolinian!)

Here, Grey is sporting his Budda onsie (it says, "I am here to teach you . . . patience")

Great-Grandma (GG) and Grey

A few pics of Grey and mom, back in Gastonia . . . luckily, the trip back to Gastonia was much quieter!

Baltimore trip & the Family Reunion

Last week Matt and I travelled to Baltimore for 3 days and then to Charlestown, WV for my family reunion (actually, my mother's side of the family). Traveling with a 5 week old is really not that easy. We packed 3 bags of stuff for Grey, and Matt and I put our clothes in one suitcase! Not to mention, the pack'n play and car seat . . . it's really a lot of stuff for one little guy! In addition, because our Grey is a 'spitter' (to say the least), we had to do laundry every other day.
Anyway, a few pictures from our trip . . . Matt and Grey at my sister's house in Baltimore (both are very excited to be there, obviously) . . .

Jackie's new little one . . . Ian Russell Bates at 2 weeks old

Trip to Charlestown from Jackie's house . . . Grandma ("Nanny"), Noah, and Grey in the backseat

Grey in the car, on the way to Charlestown - Grandma is trying to appease him during the ride with the binky

Grey's first dip in the pool . . . he didn't seem to enjoy it so much . . .

Friday night, at Valerie's (my mom's cousin) big victorian house in downtown Charlestown, we had a big cook-out with burgers and chicken (great food). Here are some photos from the front porch . . . . first, the Bates family . . .

Jackie and Ian, me and Grey

Jackie with my cousins Kristen and Kim

Jackie with her snug-bug

Picture of Grey at Val's

Grey, passed out at the hotel . . .

Grandma with Ian on her shoulder . . .

Grey, Grandma, and (great) Aunt Sheila

Aunt Sheila, Aunt Donna & my Grandma (sisters)

Me and cousin Sara (actually my second cousin)

Matt and Grey at the reunion . . .

My Aunt Diana's family (from left to right, top row then bottom): Mike, Paul, Matt, Paul's girlfriend Brittney and her little girl, Uncle John, Aunt Diana, and my Grandma

So good to see all the family, and Grey was a big hit! Everyone loved meeting him, and baby Ian. I am so glad I got to spend some time with my new nephew - Ian is just precious. Visit my sister's blog to see more pictures of him.

the Faces of Grey

Our little fellow has such an array of faces . . . lighting up our life! You can always tell what's on his mind . . . here are just a few of his many faces . . .

Grey is doing extremely well now, except for the daily tummy ache. He is eating about every 2-4 hrs, which is, of course, associated with much spitting up, burping, and pooping. I almost bought this onsie that said, "iPood", on the front - how appropriate that would have been (it was just sooo expensive)! Grey sleeps a lot as well, which allows us to get a lot of packing done. The big move day is planned for July 31st, and Matt's big exam is on the 29th. So, much to be done still.

My Sleepy Grey

The past few days have been a bit overwhelming . . . worrying about this little guy is about to do me in. In the past 2 days since we've been home, Grey has been sleeping A LOT . . . which I know is normal for newborns, but he had a nap for 7 hrs on Sunday and for 6 hrs yesterday! I tried to wake him up to eat, but he was not interested . . . sleepy Grey!
We had his first pediatrician appt today, and the report was really good. He was back up to 5 lb 5.5 oz, which is close to his birth weight (he was down to 5 lb 3 oz when we left the hospital). And, the doctor thought his jaundice looked better. I reported his lengthy naps to the doctor, and even he thought that was a long time for such a little guy to sleep without eating! (so I'm not completely crazy - just rightfully concerned) Anyway, he is eating really good now, and my milk supply has definitely come in. So, hopefully now mommy can get some of that peaceful sleep that Grey is so enjoying!

My mother arrived today from North Carolina to help us out for a little while, and I am so appreciative! Already, she has cooked us a meal, cleaned up around the house, and of course, helped with Grey. We are really thankful to have her down here . . . it will be a comfort for me and Grey! More updates to come . . .

When the whole world fits inside of your arms

When the whole world fits inside of your arms . . . this is a line in a Jack Johnson song, but it has been running through my head over and over. Suddenly my whole world does fit inside of my arms, and just about nothing else matters. Everyone was right - you really cannot fathom the love you feel for your baby until you experience it. I would give my life for him in a second, without a second thought. It's truly amazing!
So, here's the whole story . . from the beginning. Wednesday I worked all day (6:30-3pm), came home and napped, bathed, finished packing, and then Matt and I left for the hospital around 7:30pm. Here is my last pregnancy shot . . . 38 weeks and 6 days.

Once we arrived at Lakeside Hospital (which is actually not anywhere near a lake), we went to ER to be admitted and arrived in our room a little after 8pm. The nurse, April, came in and started my IV and placed the cervidil. I really liked April, she was so supportive and really took great care of us. Anyway, the cervidil took immediate effect, and by 1 am my contractions were coming in groups of 3 and 4 (and not returning to baseline) . . . it was extremely painful. So by 2am, I asked for the epidural. The anesthesiologist did an awesome job - after that, I felt nothing! (no pain, and also, no legs - I could feel nothing below my belly button . . . I kept touching my legs to make sure they were still there. It was really a weird, out-of-body experience!) After this, Matt finally dosed off for some sleep, but I just couldn't. At 5 am, April started the pitocin, and I was dilated 2cm, effaced 70%. At 7am, we got a new nurse, Linda . . . who had been doing L&D for 30 yrs! She was extremely knowledgeable and also took excellent care of us. Dr. Grace came in around 9am and broke my water (which I could not feel, thank God!). By 12 noon, I was dilated 8-9 cm and fully effaced with contractions. By 2pm, I was fully dilated, but the baby was still a little high (+1 to 0, for those who know what that means), so Linda said to wait just a little while longer to let the baby come down. By 3:30pm, I was ready to push and just waiting for the doctor to get there - so I got my epidural redosed. Just before 4pm, Dr. Grace arrived and I started pushing. Everyone was so supportive and encouraging . . . Linda coaching me through it all, telling me when to push and when to breathe.
These are pictures of me (and of me and Matt), just before the pushing . . .

At 4:39 pm central time, Harrison Grey Raynor was born . . . 5 lb 7oz and 19 3/4 inches long. The experience was almost surreal . . . I just couldn't believe I was holding my little boy! Then, I just remember being overwhelmingly tired. I felt like I could hardly hold my eyes open.

Our first picture together . . . me and Grey . . .

Just after the delivery - Matt, Dr. Grace, Grey and I . . .

I think Grey was more awake than I was at this point . . .

First moments of life, and a camera flash in your face! How happy would you be!

Getting weighed was not fun either . . .

Matt and Grey the next day . . .

Now this picture almost broke my heart . . . definitely brought tears to my eyes - look at his little heels. He had had to have multiple blood sticks, and bandaids covered his little heels.

After sitting on ice for 24 hrs, and 2 days in the hospital with horrible hospital food and no privacy, we were discharged home. Saturday morning, we met with the pediatrician, and then around 11:30am, we packed up our room and Matt went to get the car. I was told to wait for the wheelchair, which arrived with a 79 yr old woman to push me out. I felt so guilty riding in the wheelchair with her pushing it! I felt like I should be giving her the ride!

Meanwhile, our carseat swallowed Grey whole! He was tiny in it!

Because of his size, hydration status, slightly elevated bilirubin level, and no breastmilk yet, we decided to supplement Grey's diet with some formula . . . here is Matt feeding him a bottle . . .

Grey always looks very serious/concerned during feedings . . .

Grey's first bath . . . not a big hit . . .

Just after his first bath . . .

More pictures . . . on mommy's lap . . .

On daddy's lap . . . bright eyed . . .

To help his jaundice, the pediatrician recommended that we put him in the sunlight . . . so his crib has been right by our big bay windows . . .

And no problem sleeping in the sunlight . . .

Picture from Matt's iPhone . . .

Please keep us all in your prayers. I thank Jesus everyday for such an incredible gift! I don't know what I did to deserve him, and I will probably never be able to answer that. But I'm so in love! and so is Matt!

Thank you everyone who came to the hospital to see us, and all the phone calls. We are blessed by having such a supportive network of friends and family!
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