Jadon received a very special gift yesterday. It came all the way from China! Some of you may have met or remember, Jason, who came from China to work with Matt at the proving grounds to learn the ropes two years ago. Matt still talks to him frequently and I know that he keeps up to date with our family by reading this blog.
Jason sent a gift for Jadon with a co-worker that was coming from China here to work for a few weeks. It is a beautiful jade necklace. In China the jade industry is a very important industry. Jade also has a very long history in the Chinese culture. Archaeologists have found jade objects dating back as far as 5000 BC. To the Chinese is represents purity, intelligence, its color represents loyalty, its flaws represent sincerity and it has many other meanings to the Chinese people. Most consider it very lucky to wear something made of jade. Jason gave Shelby a jade bracelet when he came to visit from China two years ago. It is very beautiful and Shelby thinks it is very special. We are honored that Jason would give something like this to Jadon. It is a very thoughtful and meaningful gift that Jadon will come to treasure when he gets older. I have included a picture of this very special keepsake. Thank you Jason!!
Yesterday was a very sad day for our family. We lost a good pet. George our 7 year old boxer passed away yesterday after being very sick for about a month. He started coughing about a month ago. The vet thought that maybe he had bronchitis and put him on antibiotics. He started to get better and the cough went away. Then he started wheezing. Then last week he started standing around a lot instead of laying down. He also looked like he was losing weight but when we weighed him he was the same. Turns out he had cancer in his lungs causing him to have fluid on his lungs. I called the vet and he had him come in yesterday. When he laid George down on the x-ray table to do the x-ray he went in respiratory distress and then quit breathing. The vet did CPR but could not bring him back. He said that even if we new about the fluid and could have drained it off the cancer would have killed him within the month. George looked like he was loosing weight but it was not showing up on the scale because of all the fluid in his lungs. Poor guy.
We will miss George and his goofy ways. The kids will miss him the most. He slept with both of them off and on. He loved cuddling with the kids. We will miss him sitting like a person and finding him in our bed using our pillows and under the blankets just like a person. Dakota is going to be very lonely without his buddy. We love you George!
Jadon was three weeks old on Thursday. I can't believe that much time has passed already! I will be back to watching kids before I know it!
Jadon is already changing. He spends a lot more time alert and awake checking things out. This week we got out the Baby Einstein Activity Gym. It is very colorful and has all sorts of things that hang from it and a star at the top that flashes and plays music. He will hang out under that watching things for about 15 minutes. He likes it! Matt and I are pretty sure we have seen some smiles that are not gas too. I know it is supposed to be too early yet but today Matt was playing peek-a-boo with a blanket and two times in a row he smiled. It was soooo cute! He is also holding his head up pretty well. Sister and brother still love to cuddle with him. Have not gotten either of them to change a diaper yet. I think Jake will do it before Shelby. Jake almost volunteered the other day until he found out it might be poopy. Speaking of diapers....Dakota (aka "The Nanny") has decided he will help with diaper changes. Yesterday I laid Jadon on his changing pad on our bed and Dakota jumped up on the bed, picked up a diaper in his mouth and dropped it by me. It was really funny. He has figured out what happens when Jadon get put there!
We had our second physical therapy session this week. His therapist was very happy with the progress he has made. He not only curls his fingers around your finger but now has a pretty strong grip. He will also move those fingers and the wrist. His therapist also said she felt the muscles in his upper arm contracting when she was working with him. All good news! We have some new exercises to do with him including some tummy time on an exercise ball. When we tried that one today he was so relaxed he fell asleep!
We also had Pediatrician's appointment the next day. Jadon weighed 10 lbs 7 oz! Holy Cow! I don't need to worry that he is not getting enough to eat! LOL!
Coming out of week three we are all settling into our new routine. Jadon is beginning to sleep for longer stretches at a time and at night. That helps me a lot. I feel human during the day now and can actually function enough to cook supper and get things done around the house. Matt and the kids come home at night and chip in where they can. Things just seem normal this week.
Here are a few of the pictures we have taken lately. We also got back the proofs for the pictures we had taken when Jadon was ten days old. Follow this link to view them: http://picasaweb.google.com/anastasiamariephotography/Nafziger#.
Tomorrow Jadon will be a week old! We are beginning to settle in to life with a baby again. It has been ten years since the last one but it all comes back to you pretty fast. Especially that first all nighter that you get to pull after you come home from the hospital. Jadon has his days and nights a little mixed up. We are working on switching that and last night we had a good night. I actually got to sleep a two hour stretch! I was so excited when I woke up to Jadon fussing that I told him what a good boy he was. I think Matt thought I was nuts!
We have had a busy week this week. Monday he went for his first pediatrician's appointment. When he left the hospital he weighed 9 lbs 7 oz and at the office he was back up to 9 lbs 10oz. His doctor was pleased to hear the he is curling his fingers when we put our finger in his rt. palm and the he has moved it three times while we have been getting him dressed. His doctor said that is a good sign. A sign that the nerves did not get severed and are still intact. Now he is even beginning to grip our fingers harder when we put our finger in his hand so we are hopeful that we will continue to see improvement. We had our first physical therapy appointment on Tuesday morning. We discussed the best clothes to put him in so we don't have to lift that arm up high and not to pick him up with our hands in that armpit so we don't stress the nerves anymore. His physical therapist showed us some exercises to do with him a couple of times a day. We will be going to therapy every two weeks for an hour.
Jadon is a very good baby. Only really fusses when he is hungry, wet, dirty, or tired. Dakota our Cattle Dog has appointed himself Jadon's protector. Everytime Jadon lets out the smallest peep he is checking it out. He really wants to lick him all over but we have been letting him know in no uncertain terms that is unacceptable. This morning I put Jadon in his bouncy seat to sleep and put him in the bathroom with me so I could take a shower. I closed the doors so that the dogs would not bother us. Dakota sat outside the door whining the whole time. He can't stand when the baby is out of his sight.
I just keep looking at him in amazement. I feel so blessed that he is here in our lives. Shelby just keeps saying how much she loves him. We all fell in love with him at first sight. Both kids love to cuddle and hold him. They have been great helpers. They panic a little when he starts to fuss or when he poops his diaper but they are doing great. They can't wait to come home from school and hold him and talk to him. Shelby did say a few days ago that he was a little boring. "That's all he does" was the exact words she used. I think she expected him to come out doing all the things their 7 month old cousin Owen does. I told her not to wish his life away. Soon enough and faster than we think he will start doing many of those things. I am going to enjoy each and every phase as it comes.
I also want to thank all of our family who has been bringing in meals for us since we have been home. I feel very blessed to have such wonderful people surrounding us. It is wonderful to not have to worry about what to make for dinner. You all are so wonderful! Here are some pictures from Jadon's first days.
