One Month Well-Baby

Got my one-month well-baby checkup today, and I'm doing just great. I've gained even more weight, got even longer, and am a peanut head just like my big sister. Here are my actual numbers:

• Weight: 10lb 1oz (75%; up from 8.5 lbs)
• Height: 21 inches (50%; up from 20.5 inches)
• Head: 14.5 inches (40%; no change, hence peanut head)

4 week old me, my bear, and -- oh, yes -- my sister

Yeah, buddy

It's probably because my head's not that big that I'm already able to lift my head up during tummy time and check things out. I'm also happy being held upright so that I can check out the world around me.

My day alone with Mommy; what are we going to do all day? Sleep? OK!

After Mommy and Daddy took away my formula supplements, I decided to throw out my regular eating schedule and like to change it up to keep everyone on their toes. Sometimes it's three hours, sometimes it's 2, and every so often I'll go four hours just to keep it spicy. But since Mommy didn't even bother forcing the whole bassinet thing this time around -- something about sleep being more important than "expert recommendations" and that she would do what the experts say if the experts lived with us and did it themselves -- it's easy to just pick me up out of my co-sleeper and head over to the chaise for a sleepy middle-of-the-night feeding.

Nai-Nai helps Claire "bao-bao baby"

Ye-Ye and Nai-Nai take a picture with the grandkids before they go home

Life has been good. I got my first real bath, found the ever popular zebra in the bassinet, have gone on walks, and even attended playgroup. I got to meet lots of aunties and new friends and have been showered with lots of love. The general consensus so far is that I'm such a good baby, very chill, though I definitely have my moments. If I'm fussing, I'm probably ready to go to sleep and just waiting for you to figure out the right hold, bounce, sway, or wrap.

Ah, this is GOOD

So you're the zebra I've heard so much about

I look like I have no arms but at least I'm warm

My first walk to the park

At my first playgroup

I spend lots of time just following my big sister around, but that's okay because Mommy's got me in the Ergo carrier, so I'm nice and cozy. She was supposed to go back to school full-time after Nai-Nai and Ye-Ye left, but we're having so much fun, she hasn't really gone back as much as she could.

Ergo-ing

Can you see the little gift my Jie-Jie left me while no one was looking?

I'm sure there's enough room for two in here

Lucky for Mommy we both passed out

Mommy and Daddy have discovered that I'm not a huge fan of the pacifier. Sure, I'll take one of those things every so often, but it's just not for me. I like to be all dramatic and gag on them. Quite a shock after my sister, but they'll just have to find other ways to soothe me. Hey, we don't want to make it TOO easy on them, right?

Giving the Wubbanub a try

I know it looks like I mostly just sleep ... and sleep ... and sleep, but what's a guy to do? But there's lots more pictures of me (awake!) in our January album if you'd like to check it out!

2-Week Well-Baby

The last few days have been busy! Since my last posting at 5 days old, I've been introduced to the bottle, had tummy time, and been laid out to bake a little longer in the sun's rays (well, what actually gets through these new double-paned windows).

Nekkid and stuck on my stomach but with a hat?!
How humbling.

Being comforted

I can SEE it ...
I swear I can almost reach it
if I could move my arms on command

Froggy feet as long as Mommy's finger

We took the time to get a family picture together before Mommy's family left. Here are some shots:

I may be the littlest baby now, but just you wait!

They even tried to put me in a stocking for one picture.
Nuh-uh. No way.

Thank you, Gong-Gong and Po-Po,
for doing such an incredible job
welcoming me to the world

Right now we're enjoying the company of Nai-Nai and Ye-Ye (Daddy's parents) who arrived when I was one week old. They're going to stay with us for three whole weeks to help take care of me, my Jie-Jie, and my Mommy (and, by association, Daddy of course).

Mommy and Ye-Ye took me to my 2-Week Well-Baby appointment today, and it was good news all around. I have no signs of jaundice anymore, and my weight has increased at an above-average rate (27 ounces in 10 days?!). Dr. Frank gave Mommy the OK to stop supplementing, though he did mention that we could keep supplementing if we want Daddy to do a feeding at night. :) Mommy's not sure whether to disrupt the great schedule I've already set for myself where I eat every three hours and sleep pretty much the whole time in between. Why mess with a good thing?

Sharing one of my many naps with Daddy

Sometimes (okay, often) I fall asleep when I'm getting burped.

I had to go back to the hospital again for another prick on the heel of my foot for the newborn screen, but after one wail, I had forgotten the whole incident already.

• Height: 20.5 inches (50%)
  
• Weight: 8.5 lbs(50%)
  
• Head: 14.5 inches (50%)

LOTS of extra pictures in the January album if you want to check them out!

"5 Days Old"

"one day I'll be a year / then I'll be two, then three, then four. / but as for now I'm sittin here / and I'm five days old and no days more ..." -- Laurie Berkner

Well, I'm home, and things seem to be settling down. Pretty much I eat, sleep, and occassionally poop. We think Mommy's milk came in at some point (neither of us really know when), so we've been getting used to that together ... I prefer the left side which is funny because I hear that my Jie-Jie (big sister) preferred the right.

Wha?

Fitting perpindicular on the bathroom counter for my first sponge bath

I'm sleeping pretty well and eating pretty regularly, and I've definitely enjoyed all the loving I'm getting from everyone here. I've already discovered I love hanging out on the changing pad in my room and can easily spend quite some time just chillin' there. The papasan isn't bad either, even when I have to share it with my Jie-Jie's baby doll.

Learning to share already

I could lay here for hours!

Went to the doctor today to have my first check-up. I lost more weight than would be desired (I'm down from 7lb 10oz to 6lb 13oz which is coincidentally how heavy my Jie-Jie was when she was born), so the doctor has me on both boob and bottle (1 oz supplements at each meal) until my next checkup at 2 weeks. Also, I was looking a little bit yellow -- more than my normal Asian-yellow! -- so Mommy and Daddy had to take me to get bloodwork to check my level of bilirubin. The test came back that I had some minor jaundice, but the doctor said that the formula might also help flush that out. I've taken to the bottle and the boob (well, the left one, for sure) without any problems but don't really like the paci so much.

Hard to imagine that never again will I be this small

Got to watch everyone open Christmas gifts. Not too many gifts came my way, but then -- as someone pointed out -- no one knew I was coming. Plus, who can beat the gift of life? ;)

This year, my gift is my family,
and my gift to you is me!

Hello, World! - 12/25/09

Hello, World! Here I am! After much hemming, hawing, and false labor incidents, I finally joined the world on Friday, December 25, 2009. To say that Mommy was ready is an understatement. Of course, I did manage to wait until Christmas morning ... at 4am ... the night after an ice storm. :)

My stats at birth:

• DOB: 12/25/09 @ 9:30am
• Weight: 7lbs 10.2oz
• Length: 19.3 inches

I want to say that all the grief I gave Mommy at the end of my time in her tummy should be forgotten seeing as how I made the actual coming out so easy on her. Remember that, Mommy, when it's time for my birthday and I have to share it with Christmas! I wonder if I'm going to get two gifts or one bigger one?! :D

Being born is exhausting!

I was the first baby born on Christmas Day at Plano Presby which is pretty special. I got a little holiday hat and one of the night nurses even knitted a special hat for all the holiday babies. Plus, there was a special Christmas Day menu for Mommy and Daddy's room service PLUS free Christmas dinner for everyone who came to visit me!

Baby burrito

My full name is Gavin De-Xiang Pee. "Gavin" doesn't really have too much significance except that it's one of the few names that Mommy and Daddy would agree on. The actual name "Gavin" is a Welsh name that means "white hawk of battle". Well, those Hunan people were quite the warriors, so I guess that works. Plus, it's a variant of Gawain, one of King Arthur's knights of the Round Table, which definitely works for me. My big sister Claire's middle name (De-Ling) means "a wing to fly"; odd considering how Mommy's not a bird person AT ALL. My parents also didn't realize that Gavin's one of the top baby names for 2009, but it's okay because there's only one ME.

"De-Xiang" is sort of a tongue-in-cheek name that Daddy already liked phonetically (suitable for an NBA or NFL pro star, Mommy thinks). The "De" is the generation name, of course, and then Mommy found a "Xiang" that works well. No, it's not the "smell good" Xiang (although we all hope that I do ... especially with the last name "Pee". Ha!). It's the Xiang that's an abbreviation of the Hunan province of China where Ye-Ye is from originally which makes me part Hunan as well. It's also the same "Xiang" that's in my Auntie Pat's name, so that's extra-special nice.

So far, these first couple of days, I've met lots of people from Mommy's side of the family -- my Gong-Gong, Po-Po, 2 A-Yi's, Xiao Jiu, and Da-Jiu. Most importantly, I've met my big sister Claire who loves me so much already.

Center of attention

The first things that people have remarked about me are that I have a big nose, long fingers, and lots of hair. The big nose thing is in a good way because the big nose (meaning the nose bridge) is something Chinese people -- or Asian people in general -- typically do not have. The guess so far is that the nose, fingers, and hair are from Mommy's side of the family. It looks like my eyes are going to be from Daddy's side, and hopefully my boyish charm. ;)

Po-Po says, "look at his nose!"

After staying in the hospital overnight, the three of us are going home tonight a day earlier than planned. I'm looking forward to seeing my home for the first time and to start receiving al that loving I know is waiting for me. I hope to meet all of you soon!

All dressed up and ready to go

Like my big sis, I have lots more pictures in the December album. I'm sure she doesn't mind sharing, right? :)