The Kovacs Connection

Uncle John, Jensen and Ellie Vist from Utah!!!!!

2012-01-19T22:04:00.000-08:00

We couldn't have been more happy to see John and his kiddos last weekend....we got to spend lots of time with them and it was so nice to connect my brother and his cute kids! We missed seeing Mimi and Mia and Sam, though! It will be great to see them all this summer!

The weekend started with a wonderful dinner with John, and my Dad, Carol and siblings.

Saturday, we had a wonderful family dinner at my mom's house. I failed to take any pictures at all that night! A highlight of the night was setting fire to Gma's Christmas trees. A bonfire in the snow...it was pretty cool. The kids had a great time sliding around on the sports court while we cleaned up after dinner. Then we played a group game of 'Do You Love Your Neighbor' and then took turns showing off various 'tricks.' It was great fun. Elizabeth enjoyed some quite time coloring with Ellie after everyone else was gone. Wish I had more pictures of them together. We have quite a few of Jensen, since he was able to spend the night Sunday night with us!

The kids had fun watching each other play Jensen's new DSi.

There was lots of wrestling and horsing around too! These two boys are like two peas from the same pod...they just get along so well! It was fun to see their friendship pick up right where they 'left off.'

Despite what you might think...no one ended up crying after this wrestling match!

It was good times all around...and the boys didn't mind Elizabeth joining in on the fun! She misses Jensen and Ellie as much as Levi.

A 'sticky' breakfast gave us the calories we'd use for a morning of sledding!

We are sledding on the nearby Maple Valley Golf Course...free fun!!!

Rachel brought her best friend, Kalani along for some snow fun!

Rachel's specialty: sucking snow off of branches! Who knew?

Spencer on the sneak attack!

Jensen worked hard on this fort....the snow wasn't cooperating well....but his hard work paid off!

On Monday, John's last day in town...we met him and Anne's and Beth's families and Gma Conway for an afternoon of bowling! I am holding Gavin and my nephew, Luke--Anne's baby. John is holding Beth's youngest, Leah.

Gavin loved bowling!

Elizabeth, too!

I think Gavin loved his cup of water best of all!

Rachel and Makayla

Levi

Spencer

The Mob. By the way....I won the 'grownups' game with 130 points!

Saying goodbye was not fun. Especially for Grandma.

OK, well, the boys make it look easy here! Seriously, it was hard to say goodbye. We love you so very much!! Sometimes it hurts to think about the miles that separate our families, Johnboy. We love you and Mimi and are glad that she blogs so much that we are able to share part of your life. Hopefully I'll blog more often, too.

Freezing Rain Hits!

2012-01-19T20:13:00.000-08:00

Yesterday after the world's best snowball fight--freezing rain hit Maple Valley...actually, it was more like 24 hour freezing drizzle that created what seems like a 1/2 inch coating of ice over every little thing outside. The cars were completely coated in the ice....branches have been breaking off of trees--actually trees are being ripped in half from the weight of the ice--causing power outages all over town. We still have power. We have been enjoying our week of no school...movies by the fireside, games, crafts, warm food. Tonight Tim is reading the final chapter of Harry Potter v. 4 to Levi and Rachel...and we plan to snuggle in and watch the movie when they're done! Here are some photos from today:

This rhodie branch is falling over with the weight of the ice.

You can see the ice really well on the carrot nose.

The trampoline webbing was completely solid.

The front yard...you can see the remains of our forts from yesterday's snowball fight.

Well, the bunny is still alive!

Chickens too!

This kind of turned into a tour of our backyard! The fine structure you see here is the chicken coop Tim built last year.

Gavin's 3rd Birthday!

2012-01-04T01:37:00.000-08:00

I can't believe my baby is 3! He is a little guy--compared to all my other kiddos--so that means he's probably about 50th percentile--which is perfect, of course! We measured him on the wall and he is seems to be exactly 3' tall that's 1" shorter than Elizabeth at age 3, and 4" shorter than Levi's age 3. You can see on this photo that it took Liz a whole year to catch up to her brother's 3 yr height! It would be better for his heart if he is smaller in stature than his siblings....but I guess only time will tell!

The cake is a green version of Lightening McQueen's Mac. :) As you may notice while reading this post, Gavin is passionate about anything 'Cars' related! He also loves the movie 'Speed Racer' and has named all his hotwheels cars 'Mach 5' or 'Mach 3 or 4'....but ever since Uncle David sent Cars 2 for Christmas, he has been ALL about McQeen. After a quick google search...I found this sweet Mac cake idea! Since Santa had brought a green semi, Mac has a fresh coat of paint for the party (he's normally red, if you are not up on your Cars trivia). Rachel and Levi baked 2 chocolate cakes and I cut them into 3 long sections, stacked them, and cut out little 'windows' so that you could see inside that the trailer was carrying some pretty cool cars! He loved his cake. I frosted the cake during the dead of night, and then placed it on the highest shelf in my room--so that the Oreo wheels would make it to the party. :)

I loved how, within moments of bringing the cake out, the kids had placed all varieties of cars next to and in front of it...the semi looked like it was moving in freeway traffic!

We played a group game of Guesstures--my favorite game for including players of all ages! It was great to have our friends the Garcia and Williams families there to celebrate with us. And Grandma and Grandpa Conway-who drove the farthest to be there!

Present time was just precious. He was so purely tickled and you've thought he'd just caught the winning touchdown pass each time he opened a gift! And he was full of cute remarks, like..."Are you kidding me?!" or "Yes!" or "Holy K-Molie!"

3...2....1...

Perhaps his favorite toys were these mini Cars that can slide onto a spring-loaded launcher (one that a 3 yr old can actually manipulate!) He has nick-named these cars his "Blast-offs." I love these two pics!

Make a wish!

Family shot!

Silly shot!

My baby.

We both love you so much, Gavin. Your brothers and sisters adore you. You keep us smiling and laughing, and running around the house all day! I love how your favorite meal is PB&J sandwiches but only if they are cut into cookie cutter shapes...I love how you have a special ritual at bedtime that includes the exact order of which light is turned on first, by whom, etc. I love that you are so bright--you have your colors down packed and some letters even! I love how when you tell me "I have a snowball"..it means you need a diaper change. :) I love the python-tight body hugs that you readily give. And the way you like to rub the back of your hand in my neck (some kids just suck their thumb!) is cute too--even though sometimes I have to beg you to 'be soft!' :) You are a blessing to us, sweet baby Gavin!

911 Call for Elizabeth!

2011-07-16T09:07:00.000-07:00

Friday, June 15th was supposed to be a quiet night. Tim and Spencer were in the mountains on a campout and I had planned a quiet, rainy evening working on my blog and other projects--I had dinner done early and Liz and Gavin in the tub by 7 p.m. (Pretty early for a summer night--even if it w)
as rainy!)

Elizabeth was having a little too much fun splashing water and I had asked her to stop getting the floor so wet--but when I left to get the towels, things took a turn for the worse when Levi got upset at Elizabeth for splashing soapy water at Gavin. So he grabbed the nearby Clorox Cleanup bottle (my bad) and squirted her face--the bleach got in her eye. I was so shocked, scared and angry.

Levi felt unjustly punished ("isn't soapy water just as bad for your eyes?") until he realized that the firefighters were coming to check Elizabeth and that we hoped she wasn't going to be blind...he began to cry-no sob- in agony, louder than his sister. To the point that Liz stopped crying and asked why Levi was crying, and I told her "because he is worried about your eyes, because he loves you so much." That made an impression on her.

Meanwhile, I had decided on calling 911--with Liz screaming, Gavin and Levi too, and me trying to flush her eye--I couldn't really decipher the label on the cleaner for accident procedures. The firefighters were there in a few minutes--Liz wasn't even dressed yet. We slipped something on her and laid her on the bathroom counter where the 'rescue hero' flushed her eye with saline solution for 10 minutes. (It was more a flush, blink, rest, repeat process.) During the process and following it, they determined she was more than likely just fine, but that we should take her to urgent care for a professional checkup.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth was becoming very enamoured with her rescuers! They really are rescue heroes--coming in with all their muscles and confidence and smiles and just taking over. She immediately calmed down--she would never have allowed me to run water over her eye like that! When it was determined she was ok, the mood was very light and they were friendly and chatty and full of praise for Elizabeth. They even let her sit inside the aid car and told her how the computer helped them find our house, etc. She was basking in the attention. :) They also asked who sprayed the cleaner...Levi fessed up. They made him promise not to repeat that. I think he has definitely learned the hard way--hopefully all my kids have learned from this experience not to spray any substance at anyone's face, EVER!

After the firefighters left, putting on their lights for a show and all, I was able to leave the three other kiddos at my dear neighbor, Myfa's home, while I took Elizabeth to the urgent care clinic. We checked in at 8 p.m. and finally saw a doctor at 9:30 or so--the doc put some yellow drops in her eye then turned out the lights and turned on a black light that made her eyes glow yellow--Freaky! The doc was looking for damage from the bleach--but she checked out just fine. At that point I was quite sure she was OK, but is a relief to know for sure.

Elizabeth was feeling so fine during this part of it, that the outing felt to her more like pampered time with Mom--like a Mommy/Daughter date. We colored together and chatted together, etc. And then she even got a sucker from the nurse.

On the way home, she asked me, what if I had squirted Levi with the bleach? Well, he would have had to have his eye flushed out and gone to the doctor (been possibly blinded...) She quickly replied, "Good thing I was the lucky one!" You don't want to do that again, do you?(I asked, amused but a bit concerned.) "Oh NO!" she replied.

Making Jam with the Girls-July 14th

2011-07-16T08:08:00.000-07:00

During the summer we try to pack a lot of fun adventures in...but we also treasure those days spent at home. This particular day we were all grateful for a quiet day after I had spent 2 days helping at cub camp and the kids at playdates with friends and with grandma.

So today I took advantage of our quiet day and taught the girls how to make strawberry jam! We made a batch of freezer jam and a batch of cooked jam. They like the freezer jam style best, of course--much safer process! And it sure tastes good!

We also accomplished a second project...scrapbooking last year's schoolwork (i.e. putting the papers/cards/memorabilia together in 3-ring binders). I have a new organization system that I implemented after a class at Education Week last summer--and it worked! I bought a file drawer that I actually keep in the kitchen corner so that I can easily use it throughout each day. Among other things there is a file for each kiddo where I place the"keepers"--schoolwork and memorabilia that I think they will want to keep. Today I took a file out one at a time and Rachel and I put them into their binders. This was SO much less painless than my previous method of stacking all the papers in the cupboard in one big messy stack! It also helps that I had the help of my wonderful daughter--four hands sure make the work go faster!

July 2, 2011 Levi's Baptism Day!

2011-07-14T11:23:00.000-07:00

I guess you might say this is a 'welcome back' to the blog post....it has been a while! I try to keep my journal current, but sharing photos is just so fun--so I'm hoping that if I find time more often, that it will get easier!

A very special event prompts this post--Levi's baptism! It turned out that his baptism fell on a date almost a month following his 8th birthday--which was difficult for him to wait...but was fun for us to share his anticipation and excitment! He glowed the whole month long!

We spent several family home evenings focused on baptism--one of which we talked about the significance of names. We took the opportunity to use an example of Levi's name...opened his baby book and read about why we chose his name ('Levi is from the scriptures, it also means 'to join'-which is applicable for the 3rd of 5 children, the Levites were given charge over temples, and 'Martin' is his Grandpa's middle name). We spent a few extra minutes sharing other cute things we had written about baby Levi. He felt special. Then we tied the discussion into baptism by pointing out that just as Levi's name is special, so is the name of Christ and when we are baptised we promise to take the name of Christ upon us. I'm not sure why I wrote about this...except just to try to remind me down the road of some of the special moments leading up to his baptism.

We were blessed to have many family members attend his baptism and share this milestone with him! Grandma and Grandpa Kovacs from Arizona were able to come, as well as Tim's sister Kirsten and her family from Logan, UT! (more to come on that later!) Grandma Conway and many of my siblings and friends were able to attend also.

The baptismal service was perfect. Beautiful music and thoughtful talks. A highlight for me was that our family was able put together a musical number with lae-night rehearsal with the Bartons (Tim's sister) and Gma and Gpa Kovacs, a Janice Kapp Perry arrangemnt of "I Love to See the Temple." The children sang the traditional music and the adults sang a verse titled 'Teach a Child.' Grandma played the piano. My favorite moments were those spent practicing around the piano at home-but the performance was good, too, I'm sure. :) The other moment that I will always treasure is the one that we shared the night before his baptism when he and his Dad and I met in our bedroom for a quiet moment away from the happy hub-bub of a house full of loved ones. There he and Tim practiced the best way to go under the water, and we gave him a picture of Jesus and a white towel towel to remind him of the Holy Ghost can provide throughout his life, as he lives to be worthy of such a gift. It was 'cream-of-life.' :)

Most memorable, however, was the fact that Levi just glowed at his baptism. His Dad and I are so proud of him! We are so proud of the faith that he has and for the goodness in his heart. We are so pleased when we hear him pray, that we can feel the faith he has in a listening Father in Heaven. Levi has a heart of gold, and a smile that warms our own hearts.

A Letter to Levi:
Levi, I am so proud of you for accepting Christ into your life, by being baptized into Heavenly Father's church, by the same priesthood authority that John the Baptist held. I believe that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true church of God, restored in its fulness through the prophet, Joseph Smith. I know that this church is led by a prophet of God today, just as in ancient days. I believe in Christ. I believe that he showed us the way and gave us divine guidelines, or commandments, that will bring us peace and comfort and even joy as we journey through life. Choosing to be baptized is the first step in that journey back to our heavenly home. We sincerely pray that you will always find joy in choosing the Lord's way. We love you, Levi. Love, Mom & Dad

Not What I Wanted to Hear

2009-12-02T23:09:00.000-08:00

Today I heard the cardiologist reassure me, "Don't worry, this is what we want to see"-- right after she told me that today's echocardiogram showed that Gavin's aorta repair looked perfect (Hurray!), but that his ventricle tissue had thickened in over the last 6 months and he would need to go back on meds, probably for life. Wow. That threw me for a loop. I had left for today's appointment announcing to anyone near that this would be Gavin's last surgery follow-up and that he would be officially weaned from his last blood pressure med today! So this news, while not devastating, is a far cry away from the outcome Tim and I were expecting since the time Gavin's coarcation was diagnosed.

I remember them saying that he would be off the meds a few months post-surgery. Then wait--if I think harder, I also remember them mentioning that a very few kids end up on medication indefinitely, a statement that was quickly qualified by a soothing but don't worry, that hardly EVER happens... And so worry I didn't. What is the point of too much worry anyway. But the fact remains, that Gavin has found himself numbered among the very few. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, considering what a difficult time he had in the hospital with regulation his blood pressure. But still. So what the doctor meant, I believe, by "this is what we want to see" is that his condition is treatable and not an emergency.

So I'll try to explain why he needs medicine:
As I mentioned, Gavin's heart tissue has thickend. This is not good, because it shows that the heart is being required to work harder than it should (so it builds more muscle). As far as I understand, the doctor doesn't really know why his heart is having to pump harder, but the medicine (Enalapril) that he is back on, will help the arterties in his extremities expand, thus allowing better blood flow. Another factor to mention here is that Gavin has a bicuspid valve--this is a very common thing and not necessarily a problem--but the doctor says there could be a correlation between the valve and the tissue issues: "People with a bicuspid valve sometimes have less elastic tissue" or something to that effect. It is all a little hard to fully digest. His blood pressure today (while active) was 110/53 which is in the normal realm. If it weren't for his heart tissue issue, he would be off of the med. I'm sure it would be smart to have a 2nd cardiologist take a look at his Echo at some point down the road. But for now, it is comforting to know that we can help his little heart with just the minor inconvenience of medicine once a day.

Having said that, it is not a small deal to have to take medicine every day the rest of your life. I don't even have to worry about my blood pressure and am completely independent of medicine. It is sad to think of a child having to worry about medical issues. On the other hand, Gavin won't know any different, so it probably will not be a big deal. As he gets older, he'll just give himself a little pill, I'm sure. As for now, we have to deal with the inconvenience of having to keep the liquid med cold in a fridge and remembering it when we visit Grandma's house, etc. Remembering to order the refill before you run out and on a day when the pharmacy is actually compounding medicine (3 days each week), is actually the biggest headache. But hopefully they'll fill bigger prescriptions for us and then we won't have to get refills as often. The doctor says that Gavin will be able to participate in any physical activity or sport--he will just get monitored on a treadmill at the doctor's office first, so they can adjust his meds if necessary. This makes me so sad. So this is a sad night. In the doctor's office, the nurse and doctor were so positive and reassuring that I was OK, but by the time I got to the parking lot, I felt a fleeting panicky feeling --a dejavu feeling to those weeks back in March. But by the time I had finished talking to Tim and Mimi (and finished a strawberry shake I might add :), I am feeling....OK.

It was just hard for me to finish that last sentence. 'OK' might not be the right word. Probably it is. What I know is this, that Gavin will be fine. I will be able to take care of him, and we'll just make this medicine a welcome part of our family. What a blessing it is to live at a time when we can help our little ones grow up. Not many years ago, babies like Gavin would have had to suffer a sickly childhood, if they survived at all.

I have not been a very faithful blogger. At least once a week I think about posting a blog. Tonight the dishes are not fully done, a christmas pagaent robe still needs to be sewn this evening and I've got Girl Scouts to plan tomorrow, laundry to fold and email to go through....all these are the kinds of things that thwart my desire to record our family history--but this all takes second place as I take time to contemplate and record my feelings.

Gavin is 11 months old today. He weighs 20 lbs and is 28 3/4 inches.

Gavin with his cardiologist Dr. Vernon

Today is Tim's birthday! We celebrated on family night. The guy at the local GameStopper store thought it was great that the DS game I was buying last week was for my husband--BrainAge. The kids thought it was funny when I told them that I had bought Daddy an "outfit" and a "toy" for his birthday. I told them, grownups are just big kids, we still like new clothes and toys. I made Tim a football cake at Rachel's suggestion. Happy Birthday Honey! Love, "S"

Elizabeth is 3!!

2009-04-03T11:27:00.001-07:00

Have you ever seen a happier birthday girl? You could almost literally see her soaking up the attention that had been so sparse in the days prior while we were in the hospital. She was so happy and soooo proud to FINALLY be three! And I was so happy her cake turned out! (It is a Barbie pushed into an upside cake-baked-in-a-bowl. I made the wings up an hour before the party! Can't believe it came together!)

Elizabeth had long been planning her "Mariposa" (butterfly fairy) party! It turned out she had to wait longer than the 12 months normally between birthdays, due to Gavin's hospitalization. Needless to say, she was confused as to how she could be three (March 9) when she hadn't had a birthday cake! The babysitters told me about the arguments she was having with her siblings about it and it was one of the hardest things about being at the hospital-she was already having a hard time adjusting to the baby....but, I knew, once we were home, she would have her big day, and her "world" would be right again in more ways than one! (Refer to the photo in the previous post to see how she was feeling on our homecoming day) :)
Following are some highlights of the party---sorry in advance for the sideways photos. I downloaded them before I rotated them and now to fix them I'd have to download ALL of the photos over again-and I am just refusing to do that!)

First, the butterflies were given their wings and danced while we waited for guests to arrive.

Cousins Eli and Isaac were the butterfly kingdom "guards." So cute!

Cousin Cayla made a beautiful butterfly fairy, with "Prince" Levi!

The remainder of the party revolved around enacting our version of the Mariposa story. First, the disguised evil fairy "Henna" (Rachel) poisoned the butterfly queen (Aunt Beebs). Then Prince Carlos (Levi) led Mariposa (Elizabeth) and the other butterfly's on a journey to find the magical flower--the antidote to the poison!

Wouldn't you know it, but the magical flowers were being guarded by the "Skeezites!" Giant butterfly-eating bugs! The girls carefully picked their flowers, making sure not to wake the sleeping bugs (Tim, Spencer and Cameron).

Hurry! They're waking up!

AAAAHHHH!!!!

Attack! Throw the "balls of light!" (Foil) Skeezites can't take the Light! (These costumes by the way were a complete surprise to me. Kudos to Tim and the boys! The girls were extremely thrilled by the whole skit--largely due to the half fascination/half fear of the Skeezites!)

Just in time, the butterflies save the Queen with the scent of the magical flowers! (Allergies, Anne? Eve? Are you in there somewhere?) Little side note: I sent Tim to the store that morning for a bouquet of carnations to divvy up for this skit, and he came home with these beautiful little bouquets--turns out the florist at QFC found out what Tim was using the flowers for, and made these up for him all for just $6 total! I was amazed!

Sweet moment with Auntie Beebes.

Getting a little tired at this point. :)
Cozy with Grandma Conway her new blanket for her "big" bed in Rachel's room! (the trundle)

Follow Up on Gavin

2009-04-01T23:49:00.000-07:00

Well, we've been home a week now, and we thought we'd give a short update...everything is going great for Gavin. Today he had his first visit to his official "cardiologist" today. They did a follow-up ECHO and found his aorta healing perfectly from surgery
and the blood is flowing well, etc. As of yesterday we started cutting one
of the doses of meds in half, and his blood pressure is still stable. So
we're moving in a good direction!

He had a stitch from his side removed today (from the wound where the chest
tube came out). He would not hold still and the stitch was embedded and so
he got poked with the scissors and was bleeding. It was a long five minute
ordeal for both of us! I have a follow up visit
with kidney docs later this month (they are the ones monitoring his BP right
now). After his BP regulates, the kidney doctors will "drop" him, but Gavin will always have a cardiologist-to check for recurrance with his coarct and for (rare)complications down the road with his bicuspid aortic valve.

We are keeping a pretty low key pace with regards to other activities this month, which is nice. I pretty much have no obligations during the day except the doctor visits and Gavin's meds, and a few household errands. (Yesterday I took Rachel to get her prescription for her 1st pair of glasses!) In the evenings we have gymnastics and cub/girl Scouts things though, piano wed mornings. But the slower pace during the day is very nice--especially for Elizabeth and I to have plain "old" time together.

I just want to add another quick note of thanks to those reading who may have helped us on the home front while I was at the hospital. So MANY hands helped with child care and meals, even laundry! This all went on without my knowing who did it, as I was away, so there is no way I can properly thank all of you. Please know that your service was of tremendous help to my husband at home and to my peace of mind at the hospital. We look forward to a chance to "pay it forward!" (return the favor)

Day 11 Post Op-Going Home!

2009-03-24T22:16:00.000-07:00

Wow. Two weeks to the day we were admitted, Gavin was actually discharged today!
His discharge was almost prolonged a week longer because of the fact that the special blood pressure machine I need at home is not available. The hospital is scouring the country for one for us to rent, but in the meantime, I asked if I could possibly go the pediatrician each day. So that is now the plan! Gavin will need his BP taken twice a day for one to six months, so a daily visit to the doc would not be a realistic plan long term--needless to say I'm grateful insurance had agreed to pay for the special equipment so I can do this at home.

You might wonder why this machine is so hard to come by? Simply because babies just don't usually have blood pressure issues--Children's Hospital only has about 5 patients a year who need one. Even transplant and open heart surgeries have less impact on blood pressure than "coarc" surgeries because it impacts the flow of blood through the arteries so severely.

Gavin is on two blood pressure mediations--five doses total at different times throughout the day. As his kidneys adjust to his fixed aorta and his blood pressure lowers, I will keep the kidney and cardiology docs informed weekly, and his meds will gradually be decreased, so that we don't allow his BP get too low. The significant role I have in this process is a bit humbling!

Coming home was wonderful! Leaving the hospital was an indescribable feeling. I felt like any moment someone would stop me before I could sneak out! I was so grateful that Sister Dickerson and her son dropped by for a visit right when I was discharged--they were so willing to help me load up all my things. I know this was not just a coincidence, but an answer to all the prayers so many of you have offered in our behalf!

Grandma Conway was here the the kids today and they had made a welcome home poster and cake for Gavin and I. I LOVED the bedtime time I had with them this evening. All the kids have been so brave, but I know they've been scared. I know, because I know how scared they were for Mia. Tonight I told Spencer about how when I was a kid, I thought my brother, John, might die. He was VERY sick with scarlet fever. I was an avid reader, and I knew that this used to be deadly. My parents didn't seem to be too afraid, but I still wasn't so sure. I think I quietly shed tears with this nagging fear, and it was really upsetting to see my brother so ill. Needless to say, John made it! Spencer seemed to like this story.

Here are some pictures from earlier in the hospital stay.

Day 10 Post Op-Getting Close!

2009-03-24T22:13:00.001-07:00

My favorite quote of the day (spoken by my cardiologist) pretty much sums up the whole day: "Well Heather, it looks like, maybe you might be going home tomorrow!" I smiled as I replied, that's quite a few disclaimers!

Sun - Day 9 Post Op - Out of ICU! Kids visit!

2009-03-22T23:06:00.000-07:00

Hurray! We got to move to "the floor" on Sunday! It is very different there. In ICU the kiddos are so sick that a nurse is pretty much constantly in the room, this makes it easier to leave to update the blog. On the floor, if you leave the room, your baby is just left unattended--so I wasn't able to get to a computer while I was there (Tim started this one but didn't post it).

Tim came with the kiddos for their 3rd visit to Gavin! We had a fun time together in the room and in the playroom that the hospital provides for patients and families. By the end of their visit Elizabeth was literally "flipping out!"

Sat. Day 8 Post Op-Gavin's Great! Mom's Tired!

2009-03-21T23:34:00.000-07:00

Today was a very big day for Gavin! He is officially off all the IV meds and that meant his nasty "lines" in his armpit and his jugular (neck) could come out! I didn't realize that they had actually stitched these IV lines in! It was so unexpected to see the stitches when they took the dressings off, the way the skin pulled as the lines moved--I must say it was possibly my queasiest moment yet! So he's down to just one heplocked IV on his hand and a few gadgets attached to him (Blood pressure cuff and EKG and oxygen saturation reader). But these are nothing!

The IV "Christmas" tree. Everything is turned off!

Bottom line is Gavin's BP is below 100 consistently, and I think they are going to move him out of ICU tomorrow! And hopefully home on Monday!

Besides watching his BP, the only other concern right now is Gavin's weight. Tonight he only weighed 11 lbs 5 oz. That means he's down a pound since this whole thing started, and that he's only 1 pound heavier than his birth weight. He's 2 1/2 inches longer, so he's kind of on the skinny side! We really do need to plump him up and make sure he's nursing aggressively enough to get the nutrition he needs! If he doesn't gain weight soon, they'll probably have me bottle feed and add a "supplement" to the milk. Whatever it takes! :)

Gavin is a total flirt with the nurses.

And me? Well. I'm getting tired! The adrenaline of the past almost two weeks is wearing off and I have been left with a nagging headache. So I've actually been taking naps in Gavin's room when he's sleeping--which has been just what I needed!

Ah yes. My wonderful visit home! I want to add a note to tell Spencer, Rachel, Levi and Elizabeth how much I love you!! I miss you so much! It was SOOOOO GREAT to have those two mornings and a bedtime and the day in between with you. Being a mom pretty much means being there for those "everyday" moments in life, and I never have appreciated them more than I do now. Thank you so much for being so brave and for your faith and prayers for "baby Gavin." We will be home for good VERY soon!

Making a leprechaun catcher with mommy. So what if it was 2 days after St. Patty's Day.

P.S. One of my good friends from my ward, Elisa Pope is now here with her son Carl as a patient! I couldn't believe it when she walked in to my room with one of those orange parent necklaces! She brought him in to check out the cause for a nagging fever and they found a blood infection probably contracted through dental work--something that people with heart "conditions" are susceptible to. This is something I'm going to have to look into for Gavin!

Fri - Day 7 Post Op - Little Update

2009-03-20T10:43:00.000-07:00

Heather and I are switching off again today and she will probably want to do another post with more details later, but I thought I'd give a little update on what the docs did this morning during rounds just before I left.

Gavin's second IV medication has been turned down a lot, but not quite all the way off. So close! Looks like he could be out of ICU to "the floor" really soon. I can't wait for those arterial lines to come out. He will be so much easier to hold and comfort without a trail of lines hanging off and worrying about them getting snagged.

Another piece of good news is about his oral meds. He has captopril (an ACE inhibitor) and propranolol (a beta blocker). The captopril is not very concentrated, so the dose is a pretty big volume, especially when we think about having to give it to him on our own at home. So the docs decided to try another ACE inhibitor that doesn't need such a large dose. We'll see how that goes.

Thurs - Day 6 Post Op - Progress!!

2009-03-19T14:48:00.000-07:00

Heather and I traded off last night so she can have some time with the other kids and I can eat more cafeteria food. :) The kids were very excited to see their mom for more than a couple of hours and I can't really blame them. Unfortunately for me, we were like ships passing in the night. Our neighbor stayed with the kids after I got them into bed until Heather got home and Grandma Conway, who had been visiting Heather, stayed with Gavin until I got here. No mommy time for me. :(

The biggest news of the day is that Gavin's blood pressure came down quite a bit last night! The new oral medication they started Tues seems to be doing the trick. The different meds work to reduce blood pressure in different ways and it looks like they have found the one that works on Gavin the right way. So they have been gradually reducing one of his IV meds for blood pressure (apparently it wasn't doing much at all) and this morning it has been turned off! One down and one to go.

Just another reason to be a smiley bundle of cuteness.

Interesting tidbit - Gavin does not particularly care for blood pressure cuffs.

Wed-Day 5 Post Op-Bring in the Specialists!

2009-03-18T14:23:00.001-07:00

Gavin is slowly working on his fan base here in the ICU. Today he met the kidney docs! I am so happy that the specialists have their eye on him now. I was kind of worried that a relatively "simple" case like him could be going under the radar amidst all the craziness that has been going on this week with some of the other sweet heart babies. Since the kidneys are the "brains" behind blood pressure, I am sure they will be able to figure out the right combo of meds for Gavin.

Last night, one of the babies whom Mimi knew, passed away. I didn't know the baby or the family at all, but that doesn't make it any easier. It is a surreal feeling watching a family go through that. I can't describe it. I am having a very hard time with another baby here, too. Gavin's 2nd "roommate," Patrick. He is only 2 weeks old and had surgery the same day as Gavin. They were recovering together and we got to know his sweet and hopeful parents. This week has not been good for Patrick, to keep it simple. But so far he continues to fight for his life. He is so little. I have had dreams, and lost sleep over him. It makes me so grateful for my blessings.

Today the kidney doc--Dr. Ruth McDonald--once again looked me in the eye and said, "This was an AMAZING catch your pediatrician made. Believe me. I've seen a lot of cases not work out so well. He saved your baby's life." Wow. Did I mention how grateful I am? It brings tears to my eyes.

Tuesday-Day 4 Post Op--Big Smiles But More Meds!

2009-03-17T13:43:00.000-07:00

So far the news today is that they are going to give Gavin another oral blood pressure medicine--that makes two by mouth and two by IV! Hopefully, by doing this, they can get the BP down, and then they can START to wean off the IV meds. This probably means a couple more days in the ER, because they have to wean the meds off one at a time, by tiny increments and only can do so every 8 hours. As mentioned, they have yet to start weaning him--in fact, today they had to INCREASE one of the IV meds to try to get the BP in the target range. So this is why they are going to give another medication. They are also going to do another ECHO to make sure that there isn't more narrowing of the artery that they aren't seeing--which they don't think is happening, just checking to be sure.

The fact that his BP is so high is unexpected by the doctors-but it just reveals how hard his heart was working to get probably only a little blood through the kinked artery. My nurse has reassured me that, "We always win the (blood pressure) battle!" So that is my mantra to myself these days. Thanks for keeping tabs on us!

The good news is that Gavin is SMILING!!!! He gave me his first set of smiles last night--but today he woke up and was basically one smile after another all morning! He just dazzles me, and all the docs and nurses with that grin! Aunt Bethie got to be witness to some of those grins today, too!

It's a good sign that he is feeling better. No wonder I am feeling calmer today myself!

Monday--Day 3 Post Op-Thanks to those at Home!

2009-03-16T12:43:00.000-07:00

Well, we're still here. Gavin is not cooperating with his blood pressure. So far it's not coming down, so we're still in ICU until that happens. It's impossible to say how long it will take him. Could be today--or a couple of days. The nurse had to give Gavin quite a bit of pain killers to make him comfortable. We share a room with a darling little girl, Gracie, who also had a hard night. (She's had her 3rd successful open heart reconstructive surgery but is fighting infections in her wound.) Apparently we wore the nurse out because the nurse who came on in the morning said, "I heard this room is a bit Crazy!"

It's so important for me to be here. I now realize first-hand the importance of the patient "advocate." It's important both for Gavin's comfort but also for his care. I felt good last night when it was me who first recognized the signs that Gavin needed more pain killers. After watching him struggle quietly to relax and throw his head from side to side, without improvement for several hours--I looked at his BP and realized he was in pain--but just being a silent sufferer! He has always been a patient baby. When I asked, "Are you starting to think about more pain meds?" the nurse looked at me in a way that I recognized as "good idea!" It's not like it's her fault or anything. Pain levels in a baby are hard to read. And that's what the "mommmy" is for.

Which brings me to a message I want to send home, which is:

THANK YOU again to those who are making it possible for me to be here. I know that the kids are in good hands at home. Gavin is actually having a better day today so we'll see--I'm sure we'll be home, putting this behind us before we know it.

Sunday--Day 2 Post Op

2009-03-15T22:22:00.002-07:00

Today was a quiet day in ICU. Gavin was very alert and peaceful and interested in looking at us and interacting in a subdued way. He sleeps soundly. He is not on any big pain meds. Just Tylenol every few hours. But he doesn't seems to be in a lot of pain.

I was a little disappointed in that I thought maybe we might get out of ICU tomorrow, but it's not looking that way. The only thing keeping him there (as I understand it) is his high blood pressure. Apparently all "Coarc" post-op babies take a couple of days for the blood pressure to normalize. His BP is now ranging in the 120s to 150s and they want it in the 90s preferably. He's on 2 blood pressure meds in his IVs and one orally. The goal is to get him off all the IV meds by slowly increasing the oral medication. When they tried to do this today (cut the IV med) his pressure spiked, so they had to increase it. So it's back to the drawing board in a way. But again, the doctor isn't worried about this. It's normal to have high BP because they've just fixed a kinked artery--so the blood flow is much stronger than it was and the body has to "aclimatize" so to say.

Gavin had his biggest fan club visit today--his brothers and sisters! I was so happy to see them too! We spent three great hours together! First they spent an hour in a really cool "Playroom" that is set up downstairs and staffed by Volunteers--there were crafts and a pool table and a giant chess set that we all enjoyed together. Then we took the kids by twos into the ICU to see Gavin. They were so cute with him and so interested in all the numbers and tubes they could see. Rachel was worried that he was getting to filled up with fluids--and it's true, he is retaining a lot. But that is pretty much unavoidable and he is on a drug to help with this too. After all the visits, they got to have an "exciting" dinner at the hospital cafetera of hotdogs, chips and cookies. (Tim had put a dinner in the crockpot before coming, but then the power went out due to a windstorm before they left so we just fed them here.)

In the lobby, someone we had met and befriended asked Elizabeth after her visit to Gavin: "Is your brother doing okay?" and she answered simply, "No. He's sick." She has been quite homesick for me, according to my mom who found her buried under a blanket in her room yesterday. But she and all the kids are being very brave. They know they are lucky that Gavin will be able to recover and come home so much sooner than their little niece.

Oh, the other big news of the day is that Gavin gets to eat again! He started out small--just 1/2 an ounce. But now he's up to 2 oz feedings! He is eating breastmilk by bottle for now so it can be measured. Maybe tomorrow he'll be able to nurse again!

On a seperate note--I am thinking a lot of David and Noel (Tim's brother and his wife) who are scheduled to go in to the hospital tonight to be induced with their first baby. I'm sending a prayer your way! Can't wait to hear the news!
*Heather
p.s. Hopefully we'll be able to add photos to these posts soon with Tim's laptop--but I don't know how to do it on these hospital computers.

Saturday-- Day 1 Post Op

2009-03-15T22:12:00.000-07:00

Gavin's first day post-op, Tim and I were at the hospital together. It was great to have each other's support. It was not easy seeing Gavin under so much drugs for so long. He did not open his eyes until 5 p.m.--24 hours after he was wheeled away for surgery. He happened to be in Tim's arms when he opened them, so the first thing he saw was his Dad. It was a big moment for all of us.

Another huge event for that day was getting "extabated" or having his breathing tube removed from his nose. This happened at 2 p.m. It was stressful, because he was congested so they had to suck out his lungs for about 10 minutes, with his body heaving and fighting it. When it was out, he was visibly not getting quite enough oxygen but they quickly put little oxygen lines under his nostrils and he was stable. Nothing alarming to the folks working on him--just difficult for his parents standing by. But at the same time, we knew that he was in reality, in good hands and going to be just fine. Earlier in the day he had the chest/drainage tube removed.
He was slowly starting to get freed from his spagetti mess of lines!

Another event of this day was the fact that was was moved three times in his first day in NICU! This was based on the discharge logistics of other patients. The bonus from these moves was that I've been able to get to know three beautiful HEART babies and their parents--and we have been a support to each other through the good and the sad that we've already seen in the two short days I've been with them in ICU.

All is Well!

2009-03-13T21:10:00.000-07:00

Gavin is out of surgery and all is well! There are no complications that we know of and our little Gavvy is beginning the recovery process in CICU--in one of the rooms that Mia spent way too much time in. Fortunately, Gavin will most likely just spend a couple of days here, then a couple more on the "floor" (regular ward) and then will possibly go home mid-week next week.As we mentioned, he was taken back for surgery at 3:50 p.m. It took almost 2 hours to prep him since they had a hard time getting his "lines" (IVS, tubes, etc) in, so the actual surgery started about 5:40. They called at 6:30 to say he was all closed up and getting set up in CICU! But it wasn't until 7:45 until we got to come back to his room. Seeing Mia post-op had prepared me quite a bit for all of the lines coming from Gavin, but the sight of Gavin's face shook me. I hope I never again have to see one of my children sedated.

Spaghetti a la Gavin. The lines came out of the OR this way, but the CICU nurses have organized them, now.

Gavin and his "Chrismas tree" of medication dispensers on the left.

The hours of surgery went by faster for us since both my mom and dad and step-mom were able to be here with us. Thank you Grandmas and Grandpa! :)

This has been a whirlwind week. It's not over yet--but we have been in such good hands. We have been so blessed and we truly are so happy that Gavin was diagnosed and operated on all within days. We are so blessed to live within just over an hour away from one of THE most premier children's hospitals in the Northwest.
*Heather

Tick tock tick tock ...

2009-03-13T16:49:00.000-07:00

OK, they wheeled Gavin down the hall to the OR at 3:50pm. I suppose I should feel more nervous, but I don't. Am I in shock? Denial? I don't know. Mostly, I think I just have the peaceful feeling of "Gavin is going to be fine." So I'm not worried. He is in the hands of some of the best doctors in the world.
*Tim

Still waiting for the waiting to begin...

2009-03-13T15:20:00.000-07:00

Apparently the surgeries earlier today went longer than expected and pushed Gavin's back. They just came to let us know they are about ready to come get him. Heather and I have each had some time to hold him. Sure is a wierd feeling, but we're excited to have it all start.

Surgery set for Friday around 1 p.m.!

2009-03-12T22:15:00.000-07:00

It seems crazy to be excited about a surgery appointment--but we certainly are so happy that Gavin was bumped to the top of the schedule! They bumped him because while he is stable now--his condition is fragile enough that if his heart gets further stress, it could weaken him enough that he would need more than one surgery--a stent put in before the actual repairing surgery. So they want to operate on him while he is at his strongest.

In these photos we are listening to the murmur of his heart. It is very humbling to hear how hard this muscle works for us. It is just the machine that keeps us going all day and night, and we never give it a thought. His murmur sounds like a whoosing sound. It's very loud--almost louder than the rythmic heartbeat. I was surprised by that. And it seems to have it's own rhythm.

As of tomorrow afternoon, he won't have that murmur!

The surgery will start around 1 p.m. and should take about 3 hours. When he comes out he will be sedated, and have all kinds of tubes coming out of him: his nose, neck, both wrists/hands, chest and probably other places I'm not thinking of. But he should come out of sedation within 24 hours and be home by middle of next week. John mentioned he can't believe we are here in Mia's NICU, about to go to her PICU. It is especially hard to believe since Mia was just barely here! And as it turns out, Gavin's surgery will be even be performed by Mia's surgeon Dr. Kohen (sp?). It is very reassuring to trust our baby with a doctor we already have so much confidence in.

So far I've been able to stay at the hospital this whole time--thanks to much help from my ward family at home! Thanks also to all the offers of help from my fam-family. Tim is keeping you on speed-dial! :) There is a tiny little "sleep room" (think dorm room, but smaller) upstairs where I sleep. I got 4 hours sleep the first night and six the next. I'm hoping for seven tonight! There is a "common area" for families where there are computers for parents to use.

Gavin is still not allowed to eat, so I am kept busy with pumping every 3 hours. I am a little worried about losing my milk, but I received excellent advice from a lactation specialist that really helped. But what helped most was when I realized how tense I was!! As soon as I took my mind off of pumping and thought of something peaceful, I seemed to sense immediate improvement and was able to pump more. I really didn't realize how tense and stressed my body really has been through this.

I was blessed my first day here with very special visitors: my sisters Mimi & Anne, and our kiddos. They all came perfectly staggered throughout the day, and their visits were a huge blessing to me. Mimi with all of her "insider" advice and showing me the ropes of life in NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). Her advice and support have been--well, I can't even describe how reassuring it has felt. (By the way, CICU is the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit--Gavin would be there already except they were too crowded.) Anne was a life-line of sisterly love and kindred spirit. Both of them had there baby girls with them--who were a JOY to see.

And then my kiddos. When I saw them with their Daddy walking down the hall to me, it just choked me up with love and perhaps a bit of homesickness. They got to spend a few minutes with Gavin, before we whisked them away to the cafeteria for a fun meal together! The kids all seem to be coping alright, but it is hard for me not to know the ins and outs of their day and well, just be so isolated from their worlds! They are pretty much having fun with their friends after school, until bedtime when they really realize my absence.

We have had many calls of support and advice, which I so very much appreciate! I haven't had a chance to call or email everyone back, but please know I am grateful for you. Maybe I'll have more time when Gavin is post-op, but right now I am soaking up the opportunity to hold him. You'd think time would pass slowly here--but as of right now, these two days have just sped past.

Tonight Tim gave Gavin a beautiful priesthood blessing, with the help of a dear neighbor/hometeacher. I am confident that all will go well tomorrow, and look forward to hearing that new heartbeat!

Google-ing Coarctation of the Aorta

2009-03-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

OK. Well, I haven't gone down to see Gavin yet, but I wanted to do some Google-ing first. I now have a few more questions to ask the doctor and a few more worries--as Google-ing is wont to create. The ER doctor mentioned stress to Gavin's biscuspid valve, for example, and I need to follow up asking about that. It is good to be informed. Most of what I read, has been exactly what I've been told on this end. But the info helps me process all of this. The two websites I found helpful are: http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/health/heart-encyclopedia/anomalies/coarctation.htm and http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/common/standard/transform.jsp?requestURI=/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/coarctation_of_the_aorta.jsp
There is a picture on the first one.
The purple area indicates the place where Gavin's coartaction is located. It sounds like he's pretty much a textbook case. Very treatable, though recurrence is quite possible, which is also very treatable.

We are Fine :)

2009-03-11T23:47:00.000-07:00

Things are going fairly well. They still won't allow me to feed him (they don't want to make his heart do the extra work of digestion), so that means his surgery will go higher up on the priority list. Gavin is not a happy camper, but the medications have caused him to be drowsy and sleep most of the time. It's pretty heart-wrenching. But I have good nurses. So far we are OK.

Tidbits of info:
Earlier today I was told he wouldn't be assigned a surgery date until Monday. Now I think I will know tomorrow when his surgery will be. The medication he's on is Prostoglandin--it is succeeding in opening the ductus artery more, which is probably giving his heart a break and lowering his blood pressure. They don't know what causes a "coarctation"--but one idea is that when the fetal ductus artery closes after birth, it appears possible that it sort of "sucks in" the wall of the aorta on the other side. In Gavin's case, his heart seemed to have "saved" itself, by leaving the artery open. The severity of his aorta blockage is an "8" on a 1-10 scale. Almost the entire aorta is blocked. The only way Gavin's blood got through was through that open artery, which is supposed to automatically close upon birth. All of his nurses have told me with a bit of wonder, "He's very lucky." Thank goodness our pediatrician took action when he heard the murmur. If he hadn't, they tell me he would have either become very sick, as his extremities slowly got less and less oxygen until his kidneys shut down OR he could have suddenly died if the artery had decided to go ahead and close.

For those now worrying about their babies and wondering what symptoms he had, please don't worry, this is so rare. But my sister-in-law Kirsten was wondering, so in a nutshell, this is how his diagnosis went: a heart murmer and retractive breathing (inhaling deeply under the ribcage) were detected. Blood pressure was higher than desired (resulting in a femoral pulse that is hard to detect). He's not an enthusiastic nurser--possibly because it expends too much energy. (The cold he had is unrelated, by the way). With these symptoms, the x-ray was ordered, and then the symptoms of enlarged heart tissue and fluid in the lungs triggered the ECHO (fancy ultrasound) of his heart--and whalaa--he was diagnosed.

Thanks for all your prayers and emails, and offers of help at home. We are blessed!

Gavin is in NICU--He Needs Heart Surgery!

2009-03-11T09:52:00.000-07:00

I can not believe I am here, at Children's in Seattle, with Gavin. Yesterday I took him for a well-child 2 month old checkup. The doctor heard a heart murmur and ordered an X-ray at Valley Hospital. By the time I returned home from that x-ray apptmt, and picking up kids from their playdates, Tim met me in the driveway and told me that doctor had called him (my cell phone was dead)--we had to take Gavin to the ER at Children's immediately. Wow. Gavin looked fine. He's had a cold for 3 weeks, and granted, he's had a funny way of breathing, but he's been thriving, is alert, everything. He didn't act he was in critically compromised health. Dr. Chan's words to Tim were: "I've called ahead to the ER at Children's. They are waiting for you. You need to find your wife."

I took the news in stride. Talking with the kids, gathering them for a prayer, as I processed this in my mind. It wasn't until calling people and verbalizing "I'm taking Gavin to the hospital" that I broke down.

The X-ray had shown that his heart was enlarged (a big sign of a problem, of the heart over-working because of a problem) and that there was fluid in his lungs.

The bottom line is, Gavin is going to be OK. They called in specialists and did an ECHO right there in the ER. The cardiologist has diagnosed him with a Coarctation of the Aorta. Basically, there is a kink in the artery that is seriously impeding the flow of blood to his extremities. Luckily, the blood flow to his brain has been fine. What has kept him alive and thriving, is the simple blessing that the PDA (artery that delivers blood from mom to baby in utero) did not fully close. The blood that was blocked in his aorta took a detour through that PDA artery and then back into the aorta and on through the body.

The surgery he needs will involve cutting away the section of the aorta with the kink and bringing the two ends together. The surgery should be done through an incision in his left side--moving some ribs aside, should give them complete access to the aorta. He should fully recover. His heart is enlarged right now, because it is having to pump extra hard to get the blood around the kink. After surgery, his heart won't havt to work so hard, the tissue will shrink back to normal, which will allow the fluid in his lungs to clear up. This is how I understand the facts at this point.

Gavin spent the night in the NICU. I slept for a few hours in a sleep room. They arent' letting him nurse. I can't bear to deny him. It is a terrible thing. But so far he has been exhausted enough not to fight it--he was sleeping when I woke up this morning. So I went to breakfast. They will page me when he wakes up. They don't want him to nurse, because he is on a medication to keep the fetal artery open, and they don't know if because of lack of bloodflow, if his stomach lining has been compromised. It's possible his stomach can't tolerate the medicine and the food. Doctors have also noted, and been concerned that he's only gained 2 lbs since birth (he now weighs 12 lbs 6 oz). He's never been a voracious eater--that could be because of the amount of effort it took him to eat and keep oxygenated. The medicine he's on, should make the blook flow more easily, giving him extra strength and rest before his surger.

I can't believe we are here. Gavin is in the same wing of the hospital that his cousin, Mia was in until just a few weeks ago--with a heart condition of his own. It has been a comfort to have Mimi and John's support and advice. They know the ropes around here better than anybody ever should. (For those that don't know, my niece Mia received a heart transplant here at Children's in November. Their story is at www.mcdonaldfam.blogspot.com.)

We are waiting for the doctor to visit Gavin. They will tell us when his surgery will be. I'm expecting it will be within the next 7 days. I am hoping it will be ASAP, especially if he is not going to be able to eat. Thank you for all your prayers and support for us here, and for the kids at home. Thank you for wonderful family, friends and visiting teachers. We will keep the blog posted with any updates--as it is the fastest way to reach all of you.
Love,
Gavin's Mom and Dad

2009-01-05T16:50:00.000-08:00

Meeting baby Gavin! This is one of the best moments of my life--with each baby I've had--introducing the new baby to their biggest fans-his/her brothers and sisters. And this time was no exception. Spencer, Rachel, Levi and Elizabeth are all so enamored with their precious baby brother.

Elizabeth loves her baby bro, but notice her grip on my fingers. This is all kind of scary for her, too. She knows somehow that things are changing, and that she doesn't have the same access to mommy right now. She is trying really hard to be careful for mommy's bandaids on her tummy--I showed them to her--but it is upsetting for her. She sat beside me on the couch all evening, with a glowing smile, but with tears in her eyes. It about broke my heart! She'll be OK, though!

First Family Photo!

Taking their first peek at his little hands.

WELCOME HOME GAVIN!

Tim and I brought our little guy home from the hospital last night, in the middle of a beautiful, thick snowstorm. The snow was gone by morning, but it made the drive home that much more memorable. Isn't the sign Tim made cute?! I was very impressed.

I was very grateful to have the blanket wrap that Rachel made for Gavin. He was toasty warm all the way home.

All ready to load up and say farewell to the nice nurses at Valley Hospital in Renton.

SOME HOSPITAL HIGHLIGHTS:

Gavin had lots of visitors from friends and family. I do not have pictures of everyone available--Grandma and Grandpa McDonald saw Gavin when he was just a few hours old. My sweet friends Kristin and Jana came, and even Uncle John was able to stop by on his way back from visiting his own wife and daughter in the hospital at Children's where they had to stay a few nights for testing. Hopefully Mimi and Mia are back home again by now!

Aunt Bethy came just in time to help us gather up our things, and get our precious cargo ready to leave the hospital and head for home.

I love this photo of Daddy Tim with his little man. It turns out Gavin is the third of three of our sons to inherit their Dad's olive skin and dark hair. "Tall, dark and handsome" is how we make 'em!

My precious baby.

Love this photo! My sister Anne and I hold our little bundles! Eve and Gavin are just 5 weeks apart! It is fun having a baby the same time as my little sister. I remember when I was newly married, Anne worried that all her older sibs would be done having kids before she got started. I'd say with 5 of us having babies within about a year's time has those worries washed away! :) On Tim's side, all 7 of the children in his family will have had a baby within 15 months of each other. Can you say, hurray for cousins!

I put this photo in for a little perspective--can anybody guess how this guy fit into my belly just a few hours before the photo was taken?

GAVIN THOMAS KOVACS - Our belated Christmas gift!!

We love the name we have given our son. GAVIN was a name that I intially thought of in reference to Christmas--as it ties to the spirit of 'giving'. While he decided to be born in January, we still loved his name, and besides, the Christmas spirit should last all year long! His name also means "White Hawk" and has noble connections to the Knights of the Round Table.

THOMAS is meaningful for us in several ways. It is the name of one of our ancestors on my Grandma Hallmeyer's side, who owned a castle in Ireland centuries ago. Thomas is also the name of our religious leader, our prophet, President Thomas S. Monson--a man whom Tim and I admire and hope our son will be inspired by and feel a special connection to, as he matures into his own personality!

The kids came bringing gifts for their baby brother! Rachel shows him the blanket wrap she sewed for him.

He's Here!!

2009-01-02T23:00:00.000-08:00

Gavin at about 24 hours old

At 7 days past due, prompting potential nicknames of Pokey, Well Done and Burnt, our "little" bundle of joy has arrived! Weighing in at 10lb 5oz and measuring 21 inches, Gavin Thomas had Spencer nervous of being dethroned as Mommy's biggest baby, but came up a few ounces short.

This is sort of an optical illusion. Yes, he is big, but the nurse was pretty short, too.

Now, for those of you who really care about us enough to read past the weight and length numbers :) (actually, it is a long post, so we'll understand, but the best picture is at the end), the delivery went something like this:

1/2/2009
1:00am
Tim and Heather get to bed after wrangling the kids into bed following a fun New Years Day party night of dinner and games at Grandpa and Grandma Conway's house.

1:30am
Heather: Tim, I think I might be having contractions.
Tim: *rolls over*

2:30am
Heather: Tim, I really think I'm having contractions.
Tim: Do they hurt?
Heather: Some of them.
Tim: How far apart?
Heather: About 4 minutes, or maybe 10. I want to call the hospital.
Tim: Ok, you call the hospital, I'm going back to bed.

3:30am
Heather: The hospital said we can come in and I called the neighbor to stay with the kids.

4:00am
We check in at the birth center triage. The contractions are pretty consistent at 4 to 6 minutes, but not very hard.

4:20 - 5:20am
We walk every hall of the hospital that isn't locked. Twice.

5:30am
The doc says, well the contractions are closer (3 to 4 minutes) and a little stronger, so let's get you in a room and have a baby! We like our doc.

6:30am to 3:15pm
Pitocin, breaking of Heather's water and even the extreme helpfulness of Tim cannot get labor to progress to the point where delivery can occur. Heather is stuck at about 7cm dilation, although about fully effaced, and Gavin isn't engaging into the birth canal properly. Toward the end, his heart rate is dropping during the contractions. Heather, after battling through contractions like a trooper, finally decides the risks to the baby are becoming too great and takes the doctor up on her urging to deliver the baby by C-section..

3:30pm
We are in the C-section operating room. Our buddy John Paul, the anesthesiologist, with his medical school applicant shadow watching on, gets Heather prepped. Tim checks out the other side of the curtain occasionally and remembers what he likes so much about civil engineering. He is ok with the sight of blood, but is much more ok with the sight of soil, wood, concrete and steel.

3:48pm
Gavin is pulled, kicking and screaming, into the cold, cruel world and the comments of, "Wow, that's a big baby" begin. His dad now has the Winnie the Pooh song stuck in his head when Pooh is pulled out of the hole to Rabbit's house.

He'll be pulled and he'll be tugged,
and eventually unplugged,
we'll have a tug of war,
to open Rabbit's door...

We are especially thankful for the help and support of Mom Conway all day as Heather experienced a C-section for the first time.

9:00pm
We are noticing a disturbing trend. Gavin seems to be getting cuter by the second. Granted, most babies do that, but we fear he may have the ability to focus so much cuteness into such a small space that a quantum cuteness singularity will form and suck us in. Oops, too late. Sorry, been watching too much Heroes, I guess. Here he is, post-bath.

Babies, Bellies & other Christmas photos

2008-12-10T01:42:00.001-08:00

Baby News! But not mine--yet!
Last Wed., Elizabeth and I went to meet my sister Anne's new baby girl, Eve, who was born on Thanksgiving. My brother Taylor's wife had their first son on Nov. 7th--the same day Tim's sister Allyson gave birth to her 4th son! A few days later, on Nov. 10th, our precious little Mia (John and Mimi's 5 month old) recieved her long-awaited heart transplant--it's like a new birth, for her! On that same day, my Gma Shirley Hallmeyer passed away. I do miss her profoundly but it was a gift of joy thinking of her in heaven with Grandpa and most likely standing in line for their turn to nurture the baby who had died that day and given Mia life.

With all these babies born--I guess it's my turn next! I have just over 2 weeks till my due date on the 26th, and had an ultrasound today which determined that our little guy will most likely not be needing Newborn-size diapers! They guess that he is currrently about 9 lbs. Spencer is hoping that the baby doesn't break his own record of being my biggest baby at 10 lbs 8 oz. Only time will tell!
We've had a very busy November, and a very blessed one. I'm still not great at blogging, and still feel it's even less personal than email in a way--but it is fun to be able to record a few memories of all the happy occasions in our lives. Thanks for taking interest in our news, and sharing your with us! (Someday I'll learn how to put links on my blog to all the blogs we follow!)

DECORATING THE TREE

We were sitting for our neighbors that night--so the little guy in cacky pants is not Liz's secret twin!

They make a great team!

Christmas with little ones is so much fun!

Baby brother's Santa hat was the first ornament on the tree. We decided to try it "on" him for a photo--just in case he misses his own "1st Christmas"!

Elizabeth will love this photo someday. :)

With dinner delivered to Anne, the tree decorated, the kids in bed, Gma and Gpa Kovacs arriving in two days for Rachel's baptism, it's time to finish the zipper on Rachel's dress!

ARIZONA VISITORS!

Oh how the kids LOVED having Grandma and Grandpa visit this weekend! The girls loved the tickle wars, and the boys (and Gpa) were seriously getting into the dart gun wars while Gma and I prepared food for Rachel's baptism the next day.

Singing with Grandma at the piano was a highlight for all of us, too. Spencer and Rachel each took a turn playing, too.

Thanks for coming to visit us Mom and Dad! The kids loved finding the gifts under the tree when you had left! Levi even slept with his wrapped package! They can't wait to open them.

VISTING SANTA AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER

Rachel's Baptism Day-Dec. 6th

2008-12-10T00:59:00.000-08:00

Rachel had a perfect baptism day.
Her smile was every bit a part of her day as her white dress.

Rachel was baptized and confirmed by her Dad.

Our beautiful girl. We are so proud of her and the righteous desires of her heart to follow the Savior. She wants to follow the Savior's plan for her, and to be a member of his Church. Rachel has been given a heart that is very sensitive to the Spirit and a strong desire to live righteously. She understands much , and as she learns to listen and seek after the promptings of the Holy Ghost and follow them, she will continue to be blessed in her life. What a precious daughter she is to us!

Spencer, Levi and Elizabeth have all been looking forward to this day for their sister. They've been participating the baptism-themed FHE nights and even participated in the baptism program, as they sang with Rachel the Primary song called "Baptism" while Gma Kovacs accompanied them on the piano. Gma Conway gave a perfect talk on Baptism and Gpa Kovacs offered a prayer.

Rachel's day was further blessed by the support of many family and friends--some of whom are pictured here.

All of Rachel's grandparents were there to support her decision to be baptized (except Gpa Conway who was sick from chemo)--even Gma and Gpa Kovacs from Arizona!

Doesn't Rachel resemble her Gma Conway? Two beautiful faces!

It meant SO much to have Gma and Gpa McDonald there, too!

Sisters In White

Elizabeth was thrilled to be dressed in white, just like her older sister. While I sewed Rachel's dress, Liz's is a hand-me down from our neighbor. She calls it her "wedding dress." Enjoy the photo shoot Grandma Conway had...

Little Mermaid

2008-12-10T00:54:00.001-08:00

Quiet house...where's the 2 year old....?
Need I say more? :)

Spencer's Happenenings

2008-12-10T00:39:00.001-08:00

Spencer performed in his school 4th grade concert tonight. He did a super job with all the songs on the recorder, and genuinely had a good time singing all the holiday songs.
His big news of the month, however, is his glasses! He just got them on Thursday! We had no idea until this month that he needed them--he loves being able to see clearly in school. He didn't realize what he was missing out on, either!

Spencer and his Dad built "The Black Pearl" together for the Cub Scout boat races in Nov.

He and his buddies, Matthew and Kaleb, all pretty much cleaned house with their catarmans--and boy are they proud of it!

Spencer proved to have excellent wind-blowing technique and came in 2nd overall for the Bears!

Dec. 2--Tim turned 35!

2008-12-10T00:16:00.001-08:00

Tim started off celebrating his big 3-5 bday with a gruelingly fun Saturday of paintball with his buddies. That grin you see in the photo is left over from the day before! I loved hearing about how much fun he had.
Sunday, the 30th, we continued his bday party with a turkey dinner just for him (we went to my mom's for Thanksgiving, so we didn't get to have any leftovers.) Geting home from church at 4:30, we had time to eat, and to sing to him and "help" him blow out the flaming pie, before we rushed off to choir practice for the kids (they had a part in a church event last week), hometeaching for Tim and a song rehearsal for Enrichment night for me. Later that evening, we did finally get to eat a piece of the pie, and give him a few gifts.

PHOTO OF THE DAY- "BEST DAD AWARD"

"Cornered!" (and defenseless!)
I love this photo. The kids' current favorite activity is dart gun wars with Daddy--that and "wrestle" time. Tim has also taken up reading the Narnia series to the kids. It's cute that I have to remind him sometimes that it's time for the kids to go to bed--they get so wrapped up in the books!
I just want to add a peronal note to Tim to tell him what a great Dad he is. He is the BEST--he is good at being playful, great about teaching the kids, and so supportive of me. The kids all adore him--almost as much as I do. Truly, Tim, you are my single, greatest blessing and our relationship brings me so much joy-straight to the core of my being. I hope that you felt my love and the kids' love for you on your special day.

Rachel's 8th Birthday -- A "Recipe" for Success!

2008-12-09T23:37:00.000-08:00

Rachel and I had fun planning out the details for her "Cooking Party" together. She had a perfect party with her cousins, friends from Primary and siblings!

Rachel's cake is an "Apron cake" that matches the one she is wearing.

Chef Rachel!

Something must have been in the pizza sauce!

What's a party without a best friend to share it with?

Rachel and Kalani

What would life be like without cousins! Rachel is blessed with the best! She only wishes she could see all of them more often!

Peyton, Alisha, Rachel & Savannah

This game was called "Blindfold the Chef"--a timed exercise to see how many marshmellows each person could transfer from bowl to bowl within 30 seconds.

This is the apron I sewed for Rachel. She will definitely be able to "grow" into it! It is sentimental because I made it from a fabric remnant I received from my Grandma, Shirley Hallmeyer, who passed away on Nov. 10. She was a well-reknowned cook herself--and seamstress. I hope Rachel always feels a connection to her!

Making pizzas!

Photo of the Day

2008-11-02T23:32:00.000-08:00

Five? kids on momma's lap? Poor kid underneath!

(Reading Bible stories on a lazy Sunday morning.)

Quote of the Day

2008-11-02T23:22:00.000-08:00

Last night, Tim and I went out for a movie and a bite to eat. This morning I found him in the kitchen with a fork and a big smile as he said, "I ate some of your 'date' food! It was good!" Do you remember your parent's bringing home leftover"date" food, when you'd been left home with a sitter?

What's really funny about the picture are all the things in the background, from Spencer and his current favorite book, to the fly-swatter in Levi's left hand! How/when did he get that down?

Runner-up Quote from Rachel as her Dad had just asked her if she hit her brother: "What, he hit me? It's the Golden Rule! Do unto others..." :)

Happy Halloween

2008-11-02T23:01:00.001-08:00

We had a perfect night of trick-or-treating! Even the weather cooperated! Spencer was a zombie convict, and Levi and Elizabeth were a space boy and girl (costumes that were labors of mom's love throughout the month of October), and Rachel was a cowgirl and wore some of the clothes I used to show my pony in. Tim was an 80's hunk, and I was a ghost. Fun times!

Trick-or-Treat

2008-11-02T22:17:00.000-08:00

First, we trick-or-treated at the church's trunk-or-treat, and then in our neighborhood. All the kids had a blast, but it was especially fun to see Elizabeth learn all about

Trick-or-Treating for what was essentially her first time out!

Favorite Elizabeth moment #1: Her pre-trick-or-treating, no-nap-that-day-meltdown screeching to a halt the first time a candy "plinked" into her pumpkin bucket! (See smile in photo.) #2 At the trunk-or-treat at church, Elizabeth walked around in a daze and I heard her say to herself..."I gotta lotta candy from the CHURCH!" It was like she thought the sky was falling--what had gotten into the grownups around here?! #3 By the end of the night, one could here Elizabeth's shrill "Trick-or-Treat" at every door-louder than all her brothers and sisters put together. She really got into this Holiday!