festival of lights 2011

we had our first family date night as a family of 4 last night.  we started the night off with dinner at the rainforest cafe - so fun!  the food was yummy and colin loved it.  he was definitely entertained, ha!

daddy and davis

daddy and colin...colin was a little nervous when the animals were moving around.

we sat by the elephants!

then it was time to head to moody gardens for the festival of lights!  as soon as we got there davis was crying and ready to eat so luke and colin saw the 4D polar express show while i fed little brother.  they both gave the 4D show great reviews - i am sure it was good!  then we bundled up and headed outside to see the lights.  we had a great time and nothing catastrophic happened, ha.  there was a bit of a meltdown on the car ride home but we all agreed it was a good night!



santa!!!

brothers - even though you can't see davis, he really was there!



2 weeks already!

i cannot believe davis is 2 weeks old already...where is the time going?  holy cow.  it has been a busy 2 weeks but he is just perfect.  we went to the pediatrician yesterday for a check up and got the latest stats on my sweet boy.

momma and davis, 12/20/11 (13 days old)

weight: 6 lbs 9 oz (6th percentile)
length: 20 in (27th percentile)

his birth weight was 6 lbs 10 oz so we are almost there.  last week he weighed 6lbs 3 oz so i am really happy that he gained 6 oz so quickly.  the pediatrician was not as impressed as i was so we are going to start supplementing more than we already are.  we are already giving him 2 oz formula each day on top of the breastmilk every 2 - 3 hours.  now we are supposed to 'top him off' after each feeding with 1 oz formula in addition to what we are already doing.  sounds like i am talking about putting gas in a car or something - weird.  :) 

we also got sent back to bayshore yesterday for another bilirubin/jaundice blood test - this was our 3rd trip in 2 weeks.  his level was within the 'normal' range but we have to go back to the doctor again in one week just to make sure.  i feel so bad for this little boy - he has been pricked and poked so many times in his short little life so far.  the good thing is he doesn't even fuss about it anymore but it still hurts my heart so bad everytime they do something.  hopefully we are done with all of that stuff now!

we also got the results of the kidney ultrasound.  last friday we went to TCH - been there a million times for work and i am fine but actually being there as a parent with my child - it was awful.  even though he is 100% ok i did not like seeing him on that hospital bed getting an ultrasound.  luke and i were both so uneasy the entire time and ready to get out of there.  luckily they know what they are doing (of course) so we were in and out really fast and the staff were great.  our pediatrician said that there is still fluid on his right kidney (there is a fancy name for this but can't remember what it is).  it must not be too much/look too bad because as of now we don't have to do anything but go back for a follow up scan in 4 - 6 months.  whew!  huge relief when i heard that last night!!!

so now hopefully we can stop going to the doctor multiple times a week and get on a 'normal' schedule.  the doctor says he needs to 'grow a butt' by our appointment next week - ha!  i am doing my absolute best to make that happen between feeding, pumping, and supplementing and i am positive we can fatten him up some more in the 7 days.  to me he is just absolutely perfect and i love every little thing about him.  happy 2 weeks little brother!

weekend recap

friday night we met grammie and pappy at our favorite pizza/wing place for dinner.  colin asked me to take this picture - not quite sure what he was doing with his arm?  :)

on saturday morning colin wanted to hold davis and told me to take another picture.  he doesn't look too happy but he really was.

sweet davis snuggled up by the fire.

on saturday night we went over to honey and daddy jay's house for chili and candy making.  davis kept his usual spot by the fireplace and big brother was watching over him too.  sweet boys.

the men making candy....yum!

sunday was my nephew's baptism.  it was so sweet and he had a lot of friends and family there to celebrate with him.  he was a perfect angel.  congratulations elijah cole!  we love you.

and tonight we are back in front of the fireplace - snuggling and relaxing.  :)

home sweet home.

even though we were in the hospital for less than 48 hours we were so ready to get home.  we got home around 5pm on thursday, 12/8 and i can't believe the time is flying by so fast.  you would think i would remember from when colin was born but to be honest i don't remember too much about the first couple of weeks with colin.  we were in such a new baby haze!  it has definitely been much easier this time but a little more frustrating at times too.

we have been home for 6 days and have been to the pediatrician 3 times, to the hospital for labs 2 times and we hopefully only have one more doctor appointment scheduled this week.  before we left the hospital davis spent a couple hours underneath the phototherapy light for jaundice.  we hoped that would do the trick but it did not.  thus the reason for all of pediatrician appointments and trips to bayshore for blood work (poor baby).  on monday home health stopped by and dropped off the light therapy blanket our doctor prescribed.  we were so thankful for this as the only other alternative would have been to take davis back to the hospital...instead he has been getting his light treatment at home...how cool is that?  we went back to the doctor today and got the (almost) all clear!  home health is coming tomorrow to pick up the blanket and davis looks great.  now the only thing we have to work on is fattening him up - as of today he weighs 6 lbs 3 oz but he is supposed to be back to his birthweight of 6 lbs 10 oz in one week.  that will probably not happen but we will see how chubby we can get him!  our last appointment for the week is on friday at texas children's - we are going for an ultrasound of little brother's kidney.  at my 37-week appointment there was some fluid on the right kidney and we just have to get it checked out.  fingers crossed that all is well and this is just precautionary.  the pediatrician told us what the possible next steps were if the fluid is still there and i do not want my little boy having to do any of it!  we will find out tomorrow - wish us luck!

it has been kind of a frustrating week as we have been anxious and worried about our little boy.  i am so thankful for our pediatrician(s) and for modern medicine!  we did manage to have some fun when we got home too...and big brother colin is still so sweet with davis.  he just wants to kiss him and hug him and read him stories.  melts my heart every single time.  and davis is just the sweetest baby ever.  so far he doesn't even really cry - of course he is just one week old, but still!  :) he loves to be snuggled and of course is an eating and pooping machine just like he should be.

daddy and davis at the pediatrician last friday, 12/9/11

spiderman opening a big brother gift from grammie and pappy!

big brother tattoos!!!

little brother.

look at the blonde (ish) hair!

this is how he spends the majority of the day....snuggled up sleeping.

fun cousin time last weekend!  this is one of my favorite pictures ever.

lauren and davis. 

big brother and little brother, 12/11/11

my sweet boys.

davis james horton...still can't believe he is here and all mine!

waiting at bayshore hospital on mon, 12/12/11

wrapped in his special blanket-thing...real technical huh?

my little glo-worm.

a few more hospital pics

i accidentally published the last post a little too soon...i forgot to upload the rest of the pictures from the hospital.  davis had lots of admirers/visitors during our short stay and we didn't even remember to take pictures of everyone.  here are a few that we did take!

honey and his cousins.

playing cars in the hospital room.

sweet jillian and baby davis.

lauren and davis.

uncle scot!

taking a snooze with daddy.

our sweet nurse snapped a pic of us on the way out!

she got one more while luke was getting the car, ha!

all buckled in and ready to go home!

the first few days

The first few days of Davis' life have been eventful to say the least.  Since he was born at 2:21am we didn't get to sleep until the early morning hours of 12/7.  I forgot how long it takes to move from Labor and Delivery to the Postpartum unit, then a whole new set of exams begin - no matter how tired everyone is.  We finally went to sleep around 5:45am and then woke up at 6:30am; it's a good thing the momma instinct/adrenaline/who knows what kicks in at that point!

We spent Thursday laying around the hospital room and visiting with family/friends that came by to visit.  Finally it was time for Colin to visit and meet his baby brother for the first time....they are just so sweet together.  Colin held him in the boppy and just rubbed his head so sweet and so gentle.

how sweet is he???

Davis James Horton @ 1 day old

meeting uncle doug for the first time.

yummy cookies from my fabulous co-workers!

meeting uncle michael too.

just perfect.

colin seeing davis for the first time!

he was just dying to hold his baby brother.

brothers!

my boys...love them!

As nice as it is to be taken care of in the hospital we were ready to get home.  My bed has never felt so nice as it did the first night home from the hospital.  We have had an interesting and super busy week at home...more to come on that soon.