LooK at Me !!

LooK at Me !!
"l,M Walking !!!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

16 December 2009

Hi All
we are all good here in the Reid household. Christmas is just about upon us and its hard to believe how fast the last year has gone.This time last year we were preparing for Gracyn to be moved from Wellington Hospital to the Hutt.Gracyn is doing well and now weighs 18lbs 6oz. HUGE AYE!!!.(8.196KG IN THE NEW MONEY) She is just about crawling and nearly pulling herself up onto her feet.At he the moment commando style is th best way to get arround. Gracyn loves music and reacts with a wee dance when you sing to her.She has come so far over the past year and been in very good health, sleeping through the nite with ease and getting extremely vocal when she wants some thing. She is so much fun and we are looking forward to having our first Christmas at home with our family complete.
Tegan got a great report card from school making us both proud, only 2 more days of school to go then he is at home with Ang till next year. So roll on 2010 a better year for us all. Thanks again for everyones help during the year.We wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy NewYear, be safe, have fun, enjoy.

Steve Ange Tegan Gracyn

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

18 November 2009

Hi ALL

Over the past few months we have been taking Gracyn for Hearing tests.On the innitial test the Doctor in charge said she was showing signs of deafness.This has been on the back of our minds for a while now but have not believed the outcome of previous tests. As Gracyn is alert and will react to our calls, noises from the tv, and the odd scare from her big brother we just could,nt believe she had a hearing problem.
Today Angela has just got back from another test at the hospital and good news Gracyn passed with flying colours.Reacting in the correct manor to all the tests thrown at her.Obviously we are over the moon and can only put the past test results down to her being sick at the time.
Gracyn ias extremely rolly poly and can get arround the lounge in a flash,even showing signs of getting up on her knees.She has done a few faceplants into the carpet only to turn arround with a big smile on her face as we are laughing at her.
We are really enjoying this period with Gracyn being so well. She is so easy and well behaved.Long may it last.
Her hair is slowly getting there and showing some signs of being slightly ginger but i,ll call it strawberry blonde. So all is good in the Reid household, we are gearing up for xmas for our first one with Gracyn at home, something we are all looking forward too.
More soon
Steve, Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Thursday, November 5, 2009

5 November 2009

Hi ALl
Gracyn has been in good health over the past few weeks and been rather boreing.We welcome the warmer weather which has contibuted to Gracyns wellbeing.With 8 weeks to go until xmas life is getting rather busy.This time last year we were wearing a track in the motorway going to the hospital,time sure does fly.
Gracyn is very vocal these days and lets you know when she is upset with something.Like right noew she is telling at me from her bedroom so i better go.
steve ange tegan Gracyn

Monday, October 19, 2009

19th october 09

We made it, It,s been a year since Gracyn entered this world.And look how far she has come.
We had a good Wedding Aniversary, we went out for dinner to a place called Rushe,s.It,s a nice restaraunt and it is also where i proposed to Angela 10years ago.So the place holds a bit of centimental value in our lives.

I had Gracyn,s birthday off and we took her into Wellington Neo Natal unit.It was an awsome vist catching up with all the nurses and doctors that took care of Gracyn during the first few months of her life.They were so happy to see how far our wee girl had come and even more impressed with how much she had grown.

Gracyn had her 1year check up last week with Dr Phill now weighing in at 7.4kg and is right on the money for her head size and body legnth which the doctor was happy with.

The weather was horrible on Gracyn,s Birthday hampering our efforts to have a barbque.We opted to get fish and chips for the people who braved the weather.We had a good evening with Gracyn being well behaved and laping up all the attention.i have posted some photos.
Angela had a good birthday with a lunch at her mothers and lots of prezzies so she enjoyed herself.Another year over and done with.One thing is for sure is that its gonna be a lot easier than the last one.

Thankyou everyone for your help over the past year, you are all awsome people who i can,t thank enough.

More soon
Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Saturday, October 10, 2009

10 october 2009

Hi
well we managed to get through the last few weeks of this horrible weather with no hospital visits.Gracyn has been in good health, eating &sleeping and very happy.She still has a bit of a wheez but that is slowly going away.
It,s hard to believe that this time last year Angela was happily pregnant and had no idea what was to happen a week later. Yep GRacyn is a year old next week.What a journey.I am gearing myself up for a busy week as our 9th wedding aniversary s on the 14th, Gracyns Birthday is on the 16th and Angela,s Birthday is on the 18th.I am also coming up to my 3year aniversary of my weight loss opperation which was on the
17 October 2006. Man !! does time fly.
i have got Gracyns birthday off work so we are planning a visit to the special care unit (scubu) at the Hutt Hospital, Thats where the hetic year all began.Then we are off into Wellington Neo natal Unit to catch up with the awsome staff that helped us through the hard times when Gracyn was born.
We are planning a small family birthday get to gether next friday to celebrate Gracyn,s Birthay so i will post some new photos then.

Take care for now

Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Saturday, September 26, 2009

26 september 2009

Hi ALL

Tegan has been off school for the past 3 days with a cough and a runny nose so it is probably ineviable that Gracyn will come down with the same.So far she has not been too bad,Hopefully this will not lead to another hospital visit.She is really happy and loves playing with her big brother.Gracyn,s appitite has improved and she really enjoys wheetbix and banana for her breakfast,Watties Beef and pumpkin for tea and can demolish a super wine biscuit in no time.Gracyn is a real roller now and fast, she can get from one end of the lounge to the other in no time she is also just starting to sit up by her self. OHH!! and two teeth coming through.
Hopefully we will have some good weather coming our way and maybe that will help improve Gracyn,s health. So roll on the good warm weather.

more soon

Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Sunday, September 13, 2009

13 september 2009

We have been home a week now but it sure has had it,s share of up,s n Down,s.We ended up back up the childrens ward on Thursday Afternoon and Friday morning as Gracyn seemed to be going down hill.Gracyn managed to make her parents look like a couple of over protective gooobers.As soon as the nurses and Doctors came to sse her she was a bundle of joy with smiles and giggles for everyone.May be she just missed the place. After the doctors examinaion and a legnthy discussion we came to the decision that we could give her the same care at home if not better. We were to keep a close eye on Gracyn (as if we did,nt anyway)and if any change get back to the ward immediatly. She still has a bad cough which the doctor say may take some time to clear.

Lucky for us Gracyn has improved, she has her appitite back and is tolleratng her solids, sleeping well and saying "DA DA DA" very clearly, something i,m happy about.
Gracyn had a hearing test last wednesday,the previous test said that she may have some heaing difficulties. Something we found hard to believe as she was responding to our voices and various other sounds.Wednesdays test,s were all good, she may need grommetts but we need to go back in 2 months for more tests as this flu/virus/cold she has got a the moment may be contributing to the results.
So the plan is to keep her at home keep her warm and toatsie pie and hope she can shake this virus before she turns 1, which is not far away.

More soon
Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Sunday, September 6, 2009

6 September 2009

We are home yippee!!!!

We finally got the approval to bring her home.Gracyn still has a cough and is a little bit wheezy. Nothing that we can,t deal with here at home. So it was a great fathers day for me to have her home and get back to some sort of normality, if there is such a thing.
This last episode was a 12 day stay at hotel Hutt Hospital, I did 3 overnite stays and Angela done the rest. Angela has been a rock during the time in Hospital spending countless hours at Gracyns bedside a testament in its self to the love she has for our wee Gracyn. Of course we have had our team of never ending helpers which has been great Thank you all.

I would like to think this is the last time we do a hospital stay but some how think it won,t be.Fingers crossed it is.

Hopefully the warmer weather will help with Gracyns condition so roll on summer.

Steve ,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Friday, September 4, 2009

4th September 2009

She,s on the mend wee hope!!

Hi all
i have just spent a couple of night,s with Gracyn in the Hospital.She was an Perfect angel for me on the first nite sleeping from 8.30 to 6.30am. She was still on oxygen and the monitors kept binging and bonging so at about 2am we turned them off so i could get some sleep. Last nite again she had a good sleep only awake at 2am because she was hungry.She went straight back to sleep and did,nt awake until 6.30am.i also had a good sleep as yet again we turned off the monitor.

The monitors i,m talking about measure her heartbeat and oxygen saturation, a probe is taped to her foot/or hand.If it does not get a good contact it sets its self off into a frenzy of beep,s n bongs that after a few days and nights drives you mad.Movement also sets it off ang gives a false reading so at night time we have resorted to turning it off.

Gracyn is on no oxygen at all today so far. We are trying this to see if she is ready to go home.After 12-24 hours without assistance the doctors will make a decision.She still has a cough and is less wheezy and is on the ocassional puff of ventolin to help here.
We will know tomorrow if we are comin home.

more soon
Steve Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

1st September 2009

It seems like Groundhog day in our house as it feels like we are right back where we started back in October with constant trips back and forward to the hospital.
Gracyn looks a lot better to me but here STATS say differently.She is still on the oxygen and seems to require more at the moment. Doctors say it a waiting game so i suppose there is not a lot we can do but wait.
i have a couple of days off this week to relieve Angela at the Hospital so she does,nt end up in the loony bin as the days are long when you are up in the ward all day and nite.

More soon
Steve, Ang,Tegan,Gracyn

Sunday, August 30, 2009

30th August 2009

What a weekend , Gracyn has some good days and some bad days.She is back on oxygen and was tube fed up until last nite. We were just about off the oxygen all together then she went and had a coughing fit which put here back on.
i spent Saturday nite in the hospital with Gracyn, what a long nite. She is on 2 hourly feeds 55 ml at a time.They are doing this because a larger volume may put presure on her digaphram givng here breathing difficulties so you just get to sleep then its time to get up again. Gracyn was well behaved for her dad takeing her bottle and going straight back to sleep. The doctors have given her Redipred a steroid that may help, Hopefully we will see some change soon.
Today i managed to get a smile and a giggle from Gracyn something that i have,nt seen since last thursday, it made my day.Maybe this is a sign of improvement i hope.This doctors won,t let her out until she is off the oxygen for at least 12 hours so it looks like we may be in for a longer stay than we anticpated.Angela is there tonite and probably tomorrow nite, i may take some leave and do a shift during the week to give Angela a break.Wee will just have too see what happens.

Steve,Angela,Tegan,Gracyn

Friday, August 28, 2009

29 th August 2009

Back in Hospital


Gracyn has been admitted back into the Hutt Hospital,s childrens ward. She just kept getting worse so Angela spent a nite up with her last nite and it looks like we may be thare all weekend.
She is back on oxygen and due to her not feeding properly she is dehydrated.They have put a feeding tube back in so she can get fed that way.It seems we have gone a few steps backward which is rather depressing as Gracyn was doing so well.
Hopefully we should see some improvement today. I,ll take Tegan to schoool today and take Angela up a very strong coffee before i go to work.

Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

26th August 2009

Here we go again!!

Gracyn has a cough again which has put us all on edge yet again. It seems to be every 4-6 weeks this cough keeps coming back. I have told her that smoking is bad for her!! and she should give it up.! . We had a rough nite last nite with Angela up several times to Gracyn all going well both of them will get some sleep today.
i suppose we will just have to wait it out and see how she goes.Again!!!

More later
Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Monday, August 24, 2009

24 August 2009

Hi ALL

As Promised Gracyn weighs in at 7.63 kg that is 15lb5, not bad for my wee girl.She is a real rolly-ploy girl now all over the place and yelling out dad,dad,dad when she gets stuck.
Tegan and Gracyn had a sleep over at Nanna,s house in the weekend with both of them being well behaved. Angela and i managed to go out together to a 40th birthday party which meant that Sunday was a bit slow for us both, but we had a great time together.

More soon

Steve Ange, Tegan, Gracyn

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

18TH August 2009

Hi All
Gracyn is due for another weigh in tomorrow as the last one she did,nt put on a lot and was not worth mentioning. We put it down to the previous 6 weeks of her being unwell.
At the moment she is fine, fit and healthy nad as you can see by the pictures she enjoys the ocassional girl guide biscuit. YumYum!! and Messy!!

Gracyn is a lot of fun at the moment and has become extremly vocal specially at about 6.30am. We put her down in front of the Tv and she,s off wriggling about and babbling away to herself. It so cute!
i promise i,ll post again when i have an official weight.

Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

4 August 2009

Gracyn is a lot better now than she was a week ago. She is back to her normal happy self and has lost her smokers cough!!. Long may it last i hope.
She has an appointment at plunket this week so we will know exactly ho big she is this week.
Angela went away last weekend for a girlie time leaving me in charge.So while she was away Tegan and i hung out in our underpants, smoked and drunk while Gracyn done all the house work, naaa not realy. Gracyn was an Angel and Tegan and i managed to get to the pool for a couple of hours while Nana kindly looked after Gracyn. We had a ball at the pool, Tegan is getting so confident in the water and just loves it.

Hopefully Gracyn will stay well for a while making it easier on us all, i will post again after the big weigh in at plunket.

Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracym

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

29th July 2009

Results are back and its not the swine flu!! Thank goodnes for that.!!

Angela took Gracyn back to the hospital yesterday as her cough seemed to be getting worse. After a 4 hour stay in the childrens assessment unit the doctors came back with the test results confirming that it is not the swine flu and it seems to be an on going condition of Gracyn,s and that we will have to wait it out snd treat her with pamol, keep her warm and at home.This seems to be a viral infection which cannot be treated with antibiotics so its a time thing.
I picked up Tegan from school yesterday and brought him back to work for the rest of the day. He had great fun, i put him in a container and got him straight to work, unloading mufflers and putting them on the shelf he loved it. He sure is a bright wee man as he hit me up for his pay this morning for the work done. His mother suggested a twenty but i got away with a fiver! not bad for a 6 year old.

More soon

Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Monday, July 27, 2009

27th July 2009 No Results

No results from the hospital!!!

After an anxious wait all day to see if we had any news we were told it would be another 48 hours as Wgtn hospital only recieved the sample,s from Gracyn this afternoon. Obviously no rush for the health department in our case.I would have been quicker taking the sample in my self in rush hour traffic, via tim-buck-too!!! Tegan has been at home all day driving his mother mad, we asked the doctor if he could go back to school as he is showing no signs of being sick and they said that would be fine. So Teggy will go back tomorrow and we will just wait and see.

More soon

Steve,ange,Tegan,Gracyn

27th July 2009

Hi All

What a weekend, Tegan had his Birthday party on Saturday and had an awsome time, he has been hooning around on his new bike and just loves it.
Our wee Gracyn has had a cough for a couple of days and persisted to get worse on Saturday nite so it was off to the afterhours for some treatment. They sent her onto A&E for some test. Swabs were taken and the results will be back this afternoon, they are testing for possible swine flu. As if Gracyn has,nt been through enough!!! She is on pamol and Tami-flu as a precaution. We may all have to be tested yet depending on the outcome. Angela,Tegan and i all feel fine so we are hopeing for a good result.Meanwhile Tegan has the day off until we get the results a somewhat impossible task for me as my offsider is out of town.
She is still a happy wee girl and always seems to raise a smile for us all the time and is sleeping well.

i,ll post the results as soon as i get them.

Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

21 july2009

Hi all

Sorry i have been very slack at updating this blogg but Gracyn as just been the perfect Angel. Since her stint in hospital for 24hours of iv antbiotics she has bounced back to normal. Gracyn just loves her solids sometimes having 2 servings per day dependng on her mood. She is sleeping through the night most nites (well i think so i,m asleep)and greets me every moring with one of her gooey smiles. She is now over 9 months old (5 months corrected ).Gracyn is rolling from side to side sometimes ending up on her tummy.She is ver vocal when this happens as this is not her favourite position. You put her down on the floor and she manages to move arround by her self some times metres away from where we put her.

Tegan is 6 on Friday and is looking forward to his party at Play Days in Petone for him and 9 of his mates.He is getting a new bike as he as grown out of his old one. Tegan is sure looking forward to this weekend.

I have posted some new photos, more soon

Steve,Ange,Tegan.Gracyn

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

24 june 2009

Yes i have been very slack at updateing Gracyns Blog !!! But she has just been soo good.That,s up until now. Last week Gracyn started to feel a bit off colour and sounding a bit chesty so it was off to the doctors twice for oral antibiotics and then a chest xray which proved she was yet again sufering from pnemonia.They admitted her for a 48 hr cource of i v antibiotics again Angela had a lovely nites stay at Hutt Hospital,s childrens ward. After 24hrs Gracyn had improved enough to come home which is great. Looking at the state of the hospital with all the swine flu drama i feel she is better off at home anyway. Gracyn has really taken to her solid, s and sure lets you know when its dinner time.
We have had a heatpump installed at hoe which sure does make a difference, keeping the house at a set temperature is just great and i,m sure it benefits us all. Roll on summer though as i can,t handle these cold mornings.
Gracyn is over 8 months old now (4months corrected) and 15lbs (6.03kg) and gaining weight well, she is right on target acording to all the plunket growth charts.Its hard to believe that 8 months ago this wee bundle changed our lives forver but we would,nt change a thing.
New Photos Added
more soon

Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Sunday, May 31, 2009

31 st May 2009

Hi All
I have posted some new photos but you will have to scroll down to the bottom of the page to view.There is one of me and Gracyn having her first shower, something that we done with Tegan whe he was Gracyn,s age.Also a photo of Gracyn&Jaden, Jaden was Gracyn,s room mate in Wellington Hospital and at the Hutt Secial Care unit.Its good to get the children together sometimes to compare there developement.
Gracyn is now 13lb7oz (6214grms)and rapidly growing out of her premy clothes.We have had a small set back as a few tests have proven that Gracyn has mild hearing loss, more so in the left ear than in the right.We had a meeting with the Hearing development officer last week and she seems to think that with the correct training and stimulation this will not effect her speach.Gracyn has another test in the middle of August to determine wheather she will need hearing aids.Its a good thing that we have cought onto this at this early stage of her life.The out look is good and the statistics say the 95% of these cases the children end up living a normal life.Just another hurdle to get over for the Reid family. We sure can think ourselve,s lucky if this is all that is wrong with our wee Gracyn.
Today Gracyn is trying some baby rice for the first time, another one of those "FIRSTS" to add to the list, she seems to be enjoying it too.

More soon

Steve,Ange,Gracyn,Tegan

Sunday, May 17, 2009

17 May 2009

HI

Gracyn was seven months old yesterday, her corrected age is 3 months, She is now 13lbs (5940grms) and growing at a rapid rate, 2 cm in 2 weeks. We had a visit from Child Developement Service and the outcome was that she is age appropriate with her developement and there is no need for on going therapy intervention. So not a bad report card for my wee Gracyn. She is full of smiles and can manage to wriggle herself off her playmat with ease.
I spent 4 nites away in the Hawkes Bay for work (something i am not that keen on)only to come back to realise that Gracyn has found her voice. She is very vocal chatting to herself and having big conversations with me, I,m sure there s an AAARR GOOO In there sometimes. I have to make another trip to the Taranaki this week so i better take the keys for the Dodge with me because she will probably be driving by the time i get home.Gracyn sure like,s doing things in a hurry she is even trying to stand, pushing her body weight with ease and is quite happy to give it a go. i keep telling her to slowdown a bit and not to try and do everything before she is one, which is not that far away, hard to believe aye!!.

more soon
Steve ,Ange, Tegan, Gracyn

Sunday, May 3, 2009

3 May 2009

Thank goodness for digital camera,s. in the old days i would have gone through a couple of rolls of film getting these shots. Ain,t she cute>!!!
Atleast someone thinks i,m funny.!

Here is a photo of Tegan approx the same age, man they are soo alike.

Steve,Ang,Tegan,Gracyn

Friday, May 1, 2009

1st May 2009

Hi all

All is well at home with Gracyn now 11lb9oz, 5397grm.She is just a bundle of joy at the moment and being well behaved. I am still trying to catch the gooey smiles on camera for all to see as she is sooo cute. I never leave for work without getting one and always get a big smile when i get home.We now only get fortnightly visits from the plunket nurse,she had to make a second visit this week as she felt mean having to wake Gracyn.
Angela is coping well and Tegan just loves his little sister to bits and enjoys taking on important jobs like feeding her and helping with bath time. i,ll post some new photos this weekend of my big chubba chub!!

Have a good weekend

Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Monday, April 20, 2009

20th April 2009

Gracyn got home on Friday afternoon which was great, meaning that i did,nt have to stay the nite in the Hospital.The doctors were a bit reluctant at first but after seeing that she had put on weight and had improved some and Ang pointing out that she can quite happily look at the ceiling at home with her parents monitering her progress they let us take her home. She is more than happy in her own enviroment putting on an extra 60grms from friday until sunday when we recieved a visit from the home visit nurse.
She seems to be improving daily which is good, Angela has taken her for a follow up visit back to the hospital today at 1.30 so i,m awaiting a phone call with the results.

More Soon
Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Thursday, April 16, 2009

16th April 2009

Gracyn is spending her 6 month old birthday in the Hutt Hospital,s childrens ward as the pnemonia that she has contracted seems to be a viral type of pnemonia that can,t be treated with iv antibiotics. It will be a waiting game to see what happens next. i suppose she is in the right place, poor Ange spending the nite,s on a lazy boy next to Gracyn and unfortunatly i am unable to get any time from work due to my offsider in hospital also.I,ll spend Friday nite with Gracyn as it looks like she will be i there for the weekend and at least that will give Ange a break.Tegan is up the Kapiti coast with my parents just having a ball so that is a big help.Another good thing is that Gracyn is all smiles when she see,s us it makes our day when this happens.
Apart form all of this life is a box choclolate,s you never know whats next!!!
Normality maybe!!
Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

14 April 2009

Gracyn had her visit by the plunket lady today as we have been signed off by the special care nurse. She now weighs 5260grm (11lg6oz) which is great news.We have had a bit of a set back with Gracyn being a bit chesty and haveing a cough like a packet a day smoker, so it was off to the Gp who then sent Ange and Gracyn off to the Hospital for xrays for suspected Pnemonia.After the mandatory 5hr wait the suspisions were correct Gracyn has a slight case of Pnemonia which they are treating with intravenious antibiotics and an overnite possibly 2 nite stay in the Hutt HospitalsChildrens ward.
It sucks how it takes 5hrs to get some action but thats our hospital system for you under funded and under staffed.Maybey the could chanel all the funds donated to Fiji into the health system for a boost.
Hopefully Gracyn will be let home tomorrow as it seems rather quiet here without my wee girl arround, funny how you get use to her being here.
More Tomorrow
Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Monday, April 6, 2009

6th April 2009

Yes i have been very slack indeed at updating this blog, but Our we Gracyn has just been fantastic and well behaved and really been a bit boring. Weigh in is now only every 2 weeks and she is now a huge 5040grms (11 lb 2oz).She had her first sleep over at Nanna&Grandads place in the weekend and ofcource was a perfect Angel.
More Later
Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Monday, March 23, 2009

23 March 2008

Weigh in day today and todays result is 10lb 3oz (4680grms). Gracyn is now going to be refered to plunket and will be reduced to fortnightly visits from the special care nurse.She is sleeping through the nite almost every nite.
A good friend of mine said to me when Gracyn was born that i am going to go through a lot of "FIRST,S" first feed, first cry,first poo etc,But at 6.45 am last thursday morning i got the best First of all,Gracyn,s first simle a big one at that and she has,nt look back.She is so like her brother Tegan when he was that age, i hav,nt been able to capture this monumental event on camera yet but i,m sure we will.
All is going well and we are just enjoying our wee girl at home,She went a birthday party on Sunday and was on her best behaviour with cuddles from most who attended, such a socialite.
More Next week
Photos ADDED, Scroll down to see latest photos

Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Monday, March 16, 2009

16th March 2009

Hi All
Gracyn is 5 months old today, can someone tell me where that time has gone!!. Its that time of the week today and she weigh,s 4620grms (10lb2).Its hard to believe that some women actually give birth to babbies the size that Gracyn is now ooouuch!!.Gracyn had her 5 month injections today and is a bit grizzly and grumpy i,m sure she will be fine . Ange Tegs and Gracyn made a visit to the Scbu today to catch up with Gracyn,s team of surrogate mothers and they were well impressed with her progress.Not much else to report Gracyn is doing all the right stuff Eatin, spleepin and being a good wee girl.Angela is a lot better her legs are nearly normal and she is back driving which makes things a lot easier.
i,ll post some ne photos soon of our big girl.As soon as i can get this computer to do what it should,it also does,nt help when my work computer blew up as well.
More later

Steve,Ange,Tegan,gracyn

Monday, March 9, 2009

9 march 2009

Another week has flown by and it seems to get faster and faster.It was weigh in day today and Gracyn is now 4430grms thats 9lb12oz what a monster.She has been in good health and is really settled now.We took her for her first visit up to my mum&dads place in the Kapiti Coast.She was a perfect angel.We are deffinatly settleing into a good routine now.I have only been placing weekly posts on the blog as there is not all that much to report and no major problems at this time.
Angela seems to be improving from her MS symptoms and is now driving and feeling a bit more confident on her feet, She is that confident she spent a few hours at the Martinborough fair in the weekend so things are looking up there.Yep i was left holding the baby for the day while Ange was over the hill,Gracyn was well behaved as normal.We all went for a walk down to the local shops to grab the paper and get some shopping.Teg,s riding his bike with the girl next door and me and Gracie following up behind, another good outing.
More next week i bet she will be over 10lb maybe i,ll get the TAB involved so we can all place some bets on the next weigh in.

more next week.

Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Monday, March 2, 2009

2nd march 2008

Just a small weight icrease this week so Gracyn now weighs 9lb2oz,The home care nurse is happy with that and so are wee.
Sorry Jodi ad Catlyn your dad (paul)dropped in in for a visit and he had to have a cuddle.Maybe soon you girls can have one as well. There is not much else to report other than Gracyn is sleeping through the nite on a regular basis now which makes life a lot easier.
More Later
Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Sunday, March 1, 2009

1st March 2009

We Took a visit into the new Neonate unit at Wgtn Hospital yesterday and of cource we took Gracyn in to show her off.They just could ,nt believe how big she had got in such a Short time. We also went to see Gracyn,s old room mate Trinnity who is still in the unit and lappng up all the mod cons of the new equipment. It,s flash very flash indeed but very quiet. I think i prefered a bit nore noise so that the children will sleep through anything when they get home. Anyway it is an awsome facility and will give a great head start to the children who need it. Well done Wgtn Neonates you now have a unit you can be proud of.
More tomorrow as it weigh in day.

Steve,Ange,Tegan.Gracyn

Monday, February 23, 2009

23 Feb 2009

Weigh in day today and 4120grms 9lb11/2oz and everyone is happy with Gracyns weight gain. She is gaining weight in leaps and bounds.She is in sort of a routine and only sometimes wanting to party from 1am to 4am, i rekon thats her mother coming out in her as she use to be the same in her younger years.
Its hard to believe we have had her home for nearly 4 weeks if time keeps on flying by like this i,ll be coughing up for her 21st in no time.Hopefully that scottish restaraunt located in every town is still in business when the time comes.
Angela is slowly getting better and seems a bit more confident on her feet, she is still not driving but hopefully soon. We have had some great help from some cool people with school drop offs and pickups ansd i thankyou all.
Not much else to report outher than Gracyn is feeding/ sleeping, pooing/ and on the odd ocassion giving up her burps, thats me coming out in her as im the scottsman when giving up things, hehehe!!

Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

17 th Feb 2009

Well i,ve been back at work for 2 days and i feel like i have never left the place,it,s funny how you just slip back into the old routine like nothing has ever happened.
Gracyn is now 3674grms (8lb10oz)a right little buddha!! Her feeding is going great and she is giving us some good long sleeps during the nite. Sometimes going down to bed at 11pm and not awakeing until 5.30-6.00am.Which is good for us as we don,t feel like you have been up all nite.She is changing every day and i can, wait till i get home at nite to get my quota of cuddles.Sometimes i have to pry her away from her mother and Tegan just to get one.
She has graduated to once a week visit from the home care nurse which is another step forward.Gracyn is growing out of her super prem clothes before our eyes and we have a big pile to distribute throughout our freinds at the Neo Nates and Scbu upon our next visits.
Angela is still Numb and awaiting the dose of steroids to work, after a week we thought we mite see some differance but no,The Doctors seem to think we should just be patient and see what happens as this treatment will take time.Easy for them to say as all Ange wants to to is get on with it,be a Mother and enjoy Gracyn at home.
more soon.

Steve all round good guy,Numb Bum Ange, Toothless Tegan,Gracyn da budda!!

Saturday, February 14, 2009

14 Feb 2009

Gracyn had a check up at Hutt Hospital with Dr Leadbetter and passed every test thrown at her.Her PDA valve shows no sign of a murmer, which is great news and her blood test came back all clear and normal,So it was good news on Friday the 13th for us.
We took her for a visit to the SCBU to catch up with the staff, they could,nt believe how much she had grown in such a short time,and were impressed with her progress.
i have to go back to work next week and try and get some normality back in life.I have enjoyed the time off and the hands on approch with Gracyn,she has progressed so well and i can see the differance in her every day.She is our wee miracle and we love her to pieces.
Now we have Gracyn,s health sorted we have to get Angela rite,(as if she had,nt been through enough) as her Mutiple Sclirosis (MS) has raised its ugly head again leaving her with numb legs and a bit unstable on her feet.This makes her a bit unconfident to drive so getting Tegs to school and back may be a bit of a logistics mission.We will manage as we always do with great support and help from our friends and family.I supose this is just another mountain for us to climb, they seem to just keep comin and we keep on conquring them and i,m sure we will get over this one too.

They are treating Angela with some oral steroids but as we told the Doctors this is normally not effective and a intravenious drip method is normally better.So next week she will probably get this treatment and hopefully we will see some improvement so that Angela can enjoy her wee girl at home a bit more.

I have added some cooL photos of Gracyn,s first weeks a home "AIN,T SHE SOO CUTE"

More Later
Steve,Angla,Tegan,Gracyn

Monday, February 9, 2009

Feb 9 2009

We have just had the homecare nurse arround for Gracyn,s weekly check up. She is pileing on the weight ad is now 3810grmS, 8lb4oz.Her feeds are going well and are now upto 120ml every 4-6hrs.She s in a good routine now and we seem to get some solid sleeps so far. Christine,Brett,Emma,Hannah were up from Dunedin in the weekend so Gracyn was fussed over most of the time.Uncle Brett was a hit with Tegan teaching him how to drive a Hiace van during his stay.Good on ya Brett i better start saving for his first car.
We had our first family outing with a trip up to Auntie Heather, s place in Newlands for Jared,s birthday.Gracyn took it all in her stride sleeping for most of the afternoon and only awaking for her scheduled feed.She sure has found her voice these days as we were running a bit late getting home and boy did Gracyn let us know busting her phew! phew! valve(having a big cry) for the first time and possible not the last.
We sure are enjoying having Gracyn home,i,m also enjoying my time off and bonding with my wee girl.Back to work next week and start a new routine with school drops etc.
more soon
Steve Ange,Gracyn,Tegan

Friday, February 6, 2009

week 1 at home 6 feb2009

Gracyn has been at home for over a week now and things are going well. She has gained 60grms since being her and now weighs 7lb15oz.After a re-count in the family sweepstake it was found that Uncle Mark was the winner not Nana!! Sorry Nana!!.
Gracyn has had her first nite in he own room and thank goodness for that as she is a noisey wee mite when sleeping.She seems to like having a party arround 2am in the morning,wanting more feeding and being wide awake and if thats not enough she is stingy at giving up the burps.So it all makes for an interesting nite,you can actually learn alot off the discovery chanel at that time of the morning.I,ll be a weath of knowlage by the time she sleeps through.Last nite i learnt how to build a supertanker, it mite be my next project!!.
No oxygen and no big beeper monitors so far, only a small aponea monitor and a Angel care Aponea one for backup in her cot giving us piece of mind at nite.This detects movement and breathing.
So its full steam ahead here in Wood Grove and finally a complete Family.

more Later
Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Monday, February 2, 2009

2nd Feb 2009 "Gracyn,s due Date"

Hi ALL

Today is Gracyn,s due date but we all know she is 16 weeks old officially. Today we had the homecare nurse visit and here is her official birth weight (if she was born today) 3500grms 7lb7oz.
We have had since thursday putting up with the bings and bongs of the monitor that the hospital supplied and this was driving us mad.It is questionable on how accurate this machine is because she would only move and it would go off, the home care nurse has changed this to an apnea monitor which is a bit quieter and monitors the chest movement to ensure she is breathing, we will go back to the oldfashion way of checking on her complection and colour to make sure she is ok.We will use the old one three to four times a day just to check her stats. Gracyn is off the oxygen for now, we will keep an eye on this and see how she goes.
The official results of the family sweepstakes for guess the birth weight are not all in yet but it looks like Nana Dawn mite be the winnner.(sorry Matty)Congratulations Nana.
Gracyn is right on time with her feeds every 4hrs, the Scbu and Wgtn Neo Nates have sent us home with a well trained and ready to go baby thanks guys!.

Please excuse the typos and grammer sleep depravation set in a long time ago, I suppose its only going to get worse.

Steve,Ange,Tegan Gracyn

Saturday, January 31, 2009

31 Jan 2009 "1ST DAYS AT HOME"

She,s a hungry lion our wee Gracyn feeding every four hours on the dot!!. She has finally found her voice and certainly lets you now when its Yum yum time. Our first nite home was a bit nerve racking but we got through with some good 4hr sleeps in between feeds.
Gracyn, s monitor drives us mad not only does it bing and bong every time she wriggles it lights the bedroom up like a xmas tree. We have her in our room with us for now but i think that will be short lived as we need our sleep too. The pickup on her monitor is very sensitive and i feel thet sometime,s it is giving us a false reading, we will soon adjust i suppose.

She is on no oxygen at all while sleeping and still only a whiff when feeding, we are trying to weene her off the oxygen all together this will make things a lot easier when it comes to transportation.
We are trying to get in a good routine, with Ang doing the middle of the nite feed and i do the early morning one as i do,nt mind being up early.

We get a visit from the homecare nurse every Monday&Thursday, she will be back this Monday which s Gracyn,s actual due date.This will be interesting as she will be weighed and we will find out who has won the family sweepstake for guess the weight/legnth etc.Mathew seems confident that he has it in the bag but we will just have to wait and see.
The hungry one is protesting now so i better go and feed my wee chubbachuba!! All good fun i say!

Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Thursday, January 29, 2009

29 Jan 2009 "Gracyn,s Home coming"

We are home Yippeee!! The fun starts now i suppose. Angela got approval to have a sleep over at the hospital last nite so that was the first step to coming home.

Today has so far been full of First,s.Gracyn,s First car ride,first feed at home,first cuddle with Tegs and mum at home,and her first poo at home which i,m sure there will be many more.
Tegan and I were so excited to get the call from Ang to say "come and pick us up", We could,nt get to the hospital quick enough. We are sad to leave the Scbu as we have met an outstanding bunch of dedicated staff and a whole lot of cool parents in the same situation as us. The Reid Family thank you all including Wellington Neonatal unit for all your support, help and encouragement over the past 15 weeks. You are all special people doing a great job and again we thank you.

We got Gracyn into the car and heading home i had it all planned to play a Ozzy Ozboure song "mama i,m coming home" on the way home but with all the excitement i forgot. We are home with oxygen and a couple of moniters to keep an eye one Gracyn,s Stats. Tegans job is to push the buttons when the alarm sounds but not until he has told us the numbers,Tegy likes to push buttons you see so he is very good at this job.
We have three oxygen bottles here 2 big ones i for the bedroom and one for the lounge and a small travel bottle for when we have to go out. It,s quite a logistic,s mission just to move Gracyn.It took three of us just to move her from the bedroom to the lounge, one holding the baby,one with the monitor, and one with the gas bottle.I guess we will get it sorted in time.
Our first nite at home will be fun, a nite we have been anticapating for 15 weeks, Gracyn is home 4 days before her actual due date of Feb 2 and weighs 3370grms (7lb4)
I have posted some photos of todays events and will keep up with the updates on this bolg as i get time. I have the next week and a bit off to help get Gracyn settled and get Tegan back into the School routine.
More tomorrow and i,ll let you all know how our nite went.
Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

27th jan 2008

Tegans tooth extraction went really well and what a brave boy i have.No hastle to Tegan at all. i,m so proud of him. i have posted a photo of the toothles one.
Gracyn is 105days old today and where has the time gone ! Tegan and Angela made a big cake for the staff to celebrate the 3kg mark and also the 100day birthday. Angela a an expert cake maker and the staff really enjoyed it. She is also really good at lasagne but only Nana Dawn makes that for me these days.
Angela mite be rooming in this weekend all going well.We will have to wait and see.Gracyn is doing fine and still only needs the oxygen when feeding.Not much more to report as she has been very settled and content. she is just sleeping, feeding and growing just what we want.

Steve, Ange,Toothless Teg,s ,Gracyn

Monday, January 26, 2009

26 Jan 2008

Sorry about no entries for the past few days it,s just that we have been enjoying all this good weather and having lots of fun. Gracyn still comsumes most of our days with regular visits to the hospital.Angela does the 12pm and 4pm feeds and i get up there in the evenings to see my little 3270grm (7lb 2oz)chubba chub wee girl. Yep!! she is growing fast, it looks like she would have been a big 8 pounder if she had just stayed inside Angela,s Tummy.Lucky for Ange she did,nt i suppose.!
Gracyn spends most of her days without oxygen now and just gets a whif when feeding and that is up to 98ml every 4 hours. Still no sign on her home coming yet but that is still fine with us.We both just want her home for good and not have to return to the hospital at all.
Poor Tegan has to go to the Dentist tomorrow to get his two front teeth pulled.This is performed at Southern Cross Hospital in Wellington and Teg,s will go under a general for this opperation. So its up early and no breakfast tomorrow. No over nite stay thank goodness as having two children in hospital will be over the top.I,ll post some photos of the toothless one later.

Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

21 january 2009

3120grams and getting bigger fast (6lb8oz) now consuming 95 ml of formula. Gracyn as had a long stint off the oxygen but as of today she is back on low flow, which is just a whif and no more to give her a helping hand.She has obviously tired herself out and just needs to have a little help. So just a litle step backwards, she will make up her own mind when she is ready to go it alone,after all this is a womans perogative.
We have had the oxygen bottles delivered to home in anticipation of Gracyns home coming.It looks like that will be closer if not past her official birth date of the 2nd Feb. She has to get her breathing sorted and finish taking her bottles completly for at least 2 days before we bring her home. It has now been 14 weeks since this little bundle of joy turned our lives upside down but seeing her now in all her pink clothes i would,nt change a thing, well maybe one thing she could have cooked a bit longer.
Gracyn is the talk of the Hutt Scbu as her nurses (an awsome bunch of special people) can,t believe how well she has progressed for a 24weeker.
Ang will go and do the day visits and i,ll head up for my nightly fix tomorrow as usual.
more later.
Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Sunday, January 18, 2009

18th January 2008

Its quiet arround the house this weekend as Tegan has gone to Napier with his Nana&Grandad,i miss the wee guy but i have finaly got to be able to sleep past 6am wooo ho !! what a bonus.
Gracyn is going well, Auntie Kaye and i went for the 8 pm feed last Thursday with Kaye giving her the bottle, She took the whole 85ml from Kaye so it,s not just me that has the 100% strike rate when bottle feeding. The hospital has organized Oxygen bottle to be dropped off at home in anticipation that she may be home soon,so Angela may be rooming in and possibly as soon as next week. We will just see what happens.
We will head up today to do lunch time feeds and cares and possibly the 4pm ones aswell. ohh! 2890grms as of yesturday
Man its quiet arround here, i can,t think of much more to write about, maybe i,ll crank up playhouse disney on the telly for some background noise and inspiration.Angela and i are making the most of this quiet time with a couple of early nites and a dinner out together(gee i spoil her).
more later
Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

14 January 2009

Gracyn had a visit from her Big cousin Hannah, all the way from Dunedin what a special day.Gracyn had a low blood count when they done the tests so she is in the process of getting another transfusion.Her hemoglobin was down which may contribute to her being a little bit lazy with her feeds and being sleepy.Just another hurdle for my girl.Horsey and Bobby paid a visit and gave Gracyn a feed while they were there, another special moment for Gracyn.
13 weeks old tomrrow and another small step forward to getting home, no sign of when but no rush either.

More later

Steve,Ange Tegan,Gracyn

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

14 January 2009

Gracyn had a few special visitors today, Lisa B and her mum Bronnie.i can remember the day when i held Lisa B in my arms when she was a wee baby.Yep i cried then too and had to give her back to her mum.Look at her now all grow up with funny coloured hair!! Gracyn also got a quick visit Aunte Chris all the way from Dunedin.She was in town on business and just could,nt resist the temptation of a cuddle.
i have just got back from her 8pm feed and she did so well taking the whole bottle for me in record time.Gracyn also had an ECHO scan today,one of many scans they perform on premature babies.They have found that her PDA Valve has not closed completely.This is giveing her a very minimal murmer.The doctors have said that it is so small that it is nothing to worry about and that they will just see how it goes for now.Just another hurdle for my wee girl.

Till tomorrow

Steve, Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Sunday, January 11, 2009

11 January 2009

2770 grams Today, thats 6lb 1 oz in the old money, what a buda she has become.I have posted some photos of todays visits and one of me giving Gracyn a bath.
At our vsit today she spent most of the time with no assistance from the oxygen at all, especially when Tegan was giving the big brother cuddle.This is going to be a long process, cycling her off the oxygen, but all it will take is time. Gracyn really only needs oxygen when she is feeding or extremely tired.Bottle feeding her just exhausts her.It seems every second feed she will take the full bottle the other feeds she does half bottle and half tube fed, another small hurdle for Gracyn to get over, again this will just take time.She now gets 80ml of formula no EBM anymore,Just as well because Angela would just not be able to keep up the milk supply. i feel we have made the right decision to stop the breast feeding as if Angela had continued she would have worn herself out and made herself sick.
I go back to work tomorrow unfortunatly this will narrow down my visits to the evenings, Tegan will be most upset as he has been my right hand man over these holidays and can,t understand why i have to go back.But we got to do it i suppose.
more tomorrow

Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Friday, January 9, 2009

9th January 2009

I told ya me and Tegan would be doing some boy stuff, I dragged the old ute out of the garage to some bodywork on it.Tegan was only too happy to help so i kitted him out with some safety gear gave him an orbital sander and away he went.What a good job he done, this only lasted for a short time as it then became too boring for him, also the heat in the sun yesterday was that hot that i too only got a few hours on the job. After thatit was off to the Naenae pool for an hour or two with everyone else in Naenae.
All off us went to Gracyn,s 4pm feed, the lastest picture shows Ang,Tegs and Gracyn in gaga land after her feed.We have made a plan with the head of the SCBU to when Gracyn may be coming home.At this stage it looks like she will come home on oxygen, thats no problem, but not before the 38 week mark and that they are satisfied that she can be fed with out the feeding tube.Thats ok with us too.
Angela has made a decision to stop the breast feeding and expressing,this is just exhausting her making her energy levels low all the time.Angela also cannot produce enough Boobie juice (LAST TIME HEATHER) for Gracyn to consume.Another factor is while Gracyn is on the breast there is no way in telling how much of the good stuff she is getting.So a formula bottle fed baby Gracyn will be and thats ok with us too.Tegan is off to auntie Wendy,s to play with Anna while Angela and i go to give Gracyn a bath i,ll post some phots of this monumental event tomorrow.

oh!!! a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO "HORSEY" TODAY have a wonderful day.

Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

JAN 6 2009

2390GRMS today, Gracyn nolonger gets fed through a tube anymore she is now a bottle or boobie girl, for now anyway.This takes a bit longer to feed her as it just tire,s her out and she falls asleep while feeding. She may go back on the tube if this gets to much for her. They have tried her on room air on several ocassions but have resorted back to a small amount of oxygen to support her. This may happen for a while until she gets use to doing it by herself, the nurses call it cycleing a small ammount of time off the oxygen and some time on the oxygen just until she is strong enough to do it alone.
Gracyn is finally fitting some of the clothes that we have for her, still a bit to big but looks cute in them anyway. Gracyn looks more and more like Tegan every day, thats a good thing because he,s a handsome dude like his dad!!.
Angela is making the trip into the Hospital twice a day to feed Gracyn, this is a great effort as it is very exhausting for her, i am still off work until the 12th so me and Teggy will do some boy stuff together and give Ang some down time for herself.
Nana and Grandad paid a visit last nite and i have posted some cool photos of them both with G6 (GRANDCHILD NUMBER 6), Must be Bobby,s turn for a cuddle soon, maybe next visit.

Steve, Ange,Tegan,Gracyn

Saturday, January 3, 2009

3rd January 2009

Happy New Year to you all. Gracyn is now 2300grms still feeding well. I went to be with her last nite and gave the 8pm feed via a bottle, A first for me with Gracyn, she also proceded to chuck allover me another First but thats ok, i suppose there will be a few more upchucks to come.
We had a family day at the race,s in the Waiarapa yesturday and had a great time.Tegan run himself ragged and enjoyed seeing the horses run.He was so upset to leave but we had to get back so Angela could express some EBM for Gracyn,s dinner.A fun day was had by all and we are looking forward to next year.
It looks like Gracyn will be in the Hutt until she is near her official birth date of 1st Feb (40weeks)and until she is feeding with out the tube.She is on just a whisp of oxygen to help her out, but they are trying to slowly take her off this before her departure home, otherwise we my have to have her on a oxygen bottle at home until she can cope on her own.We will just have to take it this as it comes.

Happy Holidays
Steve,Ange,Tegan,Gracyn