One Week Ago...

Leigh had little greyson!!! Say what!!! its already been a week. It's hard to believe that he's been part of the family for a week, but he sure seems to fit in pretty well :)
Today was the first day i had to go back to work. That was a little tough to get back in the swing-of-things and re-focus on something other than my little guy. And yes, one of the first things i did was set my background image to a great shot of greyson!!!

I was able to jet out for lunch and see him and when i got there I was surprised to hear that Leigh spoke with the doctors and they said it was likely he would be released this weekend!!! This is pretty exciting! I asked "even with his head ultrasound set for monday, and a possible shunt surgery tuesday, we can still bring him home?" They said Yes, if the Neurosurgeon and Plastic Surgeon OK him to come home then, Yes he's ready. So that news helped out today. And life for us remains to be lived Day-to-Day!

So Greyson will be my favorite photo subject until he says, "Geez Dad, another picture, thats so lame." but until then, I will continue to snap shots. Heres a few more. Hope you enjoy!

love the Gibbs crew.

Scrub-A-Dub-Dub

So today Greyson finally got all that lingering "gunk" out of his hair. Yup Leigh got to play hair stylist and do-up his hair. I kept pushing for the rat tail look, but Leigh was against it. For those of you that have seen him in person you know he's working on a pretty sweet baby mullet, that if twisted up correctly would make for a great 80's rat tail. hehe Anyway, his "bath" went well and he seemed to be even more kissable than before. Greyson also got to put on his first real oufit, I was asked my opinion but it really didn't matter, Leigh had it planned well in advance im sure.

Greyson did have his head ultra this morning and although the measurement around his head stayed the same, it appears that his ventricles are larger than normal. (we knew this while he was in utero) The DR said this could be his heads ventricle size, but was honest and said he thought he would need a shunt. They will do an ultrasound again next Monday and based on that we could have his surgery next tuesday. So as much as we were preparing for this it was still hard to swallow. Especially after loving on him so much today, and seeing how peaceful and content he is right now. Another surgery and not even 2 weeks old. I've been around almost 28 years and have had 2 surgeries total. One of which was for warts on my feet (yes I had surgery for warts on my feet, no need to laugh) Anyway, for what this little guy has had to endure already, he is far tougher than I'll ever be. So the tough part is just the idea of having to go through another surgery. Shunts are pretty common, in people of all ages, but with any surgery theres risks and we just don't like the idea risks being associate with our precious, perfect baby. So for all of you following and praying say a prayer for all 3 of us as he gear up for some more combat.

With love,

Andy, Leigh, and Grey

Leigh and Andy are back home...

But we are missing one key member of the family :( Yesterday LEigh was discharged from the hospital which was very bittersweet. Yes I could sleep in my own, soft bed, with soft sheets, and with a pillow that doesnt have a some weird "plasticy" stuff on it. But we had to leave our little guy on the third floor. It was tough, especially for Leigh. You kinda feel like horrible people and parents for leaving him while you go home and are comfy, but we realize this is where he's got to be.

So this morning we got up to make it here by his 9 o'clock feeding, and to our surprise he didnt have his feeding tube in anymore! Apparently he ripped it out over night, that a way Greyson, you tell them, you don't need no stinking feeding tube. And since then he's been sucking it down long neck style. He may have gotten that from his old man. :) A little off the topic, but somewhat related... I cracked open the beer I had brewed in honor of Greyson and WOW!!! Some of the tastiest brew i've made to date! I've got plenty so those who want to sample it we'll set a time when the big guys home.

Greyson seems to be doing good, and his back is healing well. We've noticed theres been limited movement in his legs, which is very understandable given the opening in his back. This was something I would seem to get hung up on prior to his birth. I just wanted my boy to be able to walk/run. It's funny how that really doesn't matter anymore to either Leigh or I. Yes it would be amazing if someday he could walk independently, but honestly my attitude has completely changed since i've met him. So what if needs some help getting around, he's PERFECT anyway!!!

Greyson has a head ultra sound tuesday morning, (this is typical) to measure his ventricles and see if the fluid around his brain is building up. They've been measuring his head the last couple days and the size of his head has increased slightly. Nothing out of the ordinary, but nevertheless an increase. Leigh and I are pretty much counting on the fact he'll need a shunt, and actually it might be easier to deal with if he has it while hes still in the hospital rather than taking him him and then having to come back. We pray that he'll continue to be a tough, brave little guy and handle it has well as he did his other surgery. But, I shouldnt get ahead of myself, it hasn't happen yet and Lord-willing it may not.

Greyson has also had a ton of visitors that we've all enjoyed. Thanks to everyone who has come and said hi, it means a lot!

It still blows me away that this little guy is ours. I honestly just start crying when i think about him, and I'm not even at risk for post-pardeum!!! haha But these are good tears my friends, great tears of JOY!!!

Love to all,

Leigh, Andy, Grey

Our Perfect Valentine

That's right, we have the most perfect valentine...and his name is Greyson. Today was a GREAT day for the three of us! It started off with Andy and I going down to see him bright and early. We happened to be there at the same time his plastic surgeons were there. They were checking out his incision (which they say looks good) and were pressing on his back. Greyson DID NOT like this, seeing him cry and not being able to comfort him was very hard on his mommy and his nurse Kristen decided that today would be a good day to hold him!! That's right, today I got to "hold" my baby! They put a pillow on my lap and then placed him on top. It was the absolute best! Not only was it a good thing for me, but it also helped him. He was awake and content for quite awhile, looking at Andy and checking out the rest of the place.
He also got fed with a bottle today, that is a BIG step! If he can continue to eat just from a bottle, he can soon have his feeding tube and the IV that is in his belly button removed. We are hoping that this will be in a few days.
Andy and I have gotten pretty good at Greyson's "care time." This takes place every three hours and consists of changing his diaper, taking his temperature, and feeding him. We look forward to these times and have started to scheduled our day around them. Tomorrow I will be discharged and am not looking forward to it. Physically, I'm feeling much better but the thought of having to pack up and leave without our baby is not easy. We know that Greyson still has several more days to heal, and that this is where he needs to be. Please continue to keep us in your prayers and we will continue to update on how he is doing.

Love you all,
Leigh, Andy, and Greyson :)

Day two at the NICU

So today was much more relaxed and laid back. Even with several visitors to come and see the little guy, the day was way less intense than yesterday, but still incredibly great! So lets see, what happend today... Greyson was still pretty chill/zonked out from the morphine he was on and for most of the day was pretty content just laying on his belly. This evening around 7:30 he was off the ventilator and breathing on his own just fine, as well as off the morphine. It's time to wake up a little and stop just lazin' around all day!!! So this evening was the first time we was fed,not thru the IV,which was encouraging. Tomorrow we'll try to feed him a bottle, could be tricky with him on his belly, but we'll make it work. All his vital signs look normal, We put him on the Atkins diet so he dropped a few oz. (hehehe) actually i guess they lose some weight after they are born. He's at 7lb 1oz as of tonight. The neurosurgeon took a look at him and said things looked good, but they have to keep a close eye on his back and head to watch for swelling. His head looked fine today. Leigh is doing well, shes never been this tired though, so we gotta get her to sleep and rested. But its hard to trade time spent with the G-man over sleep. I for one needed some sleep that didnt included a horribly designed "fold-out chair/futton" so i scooted home for a couple hours and crashed on the couch for a few to get my head back into things. Sure is a nice to live so close to the hospital.
So all-in-all another brilliant day with our son! Thank you for your Aprayers, we just pray tonight that Greyson will rest well and continue healing.

Praise God for this little guy!

love,

The 3 Gibbs'

PS the picture with my eyes closed was the only one of her in it that she approved of, so obviously i dont really have a say in that. :)

This is Leigh...I fell asleep before I could read it last night so I'm just adding my two cents.. :)
I got to change his diaper!! I know this may not sound so amazing, but for a mom who really only gets to "look" at her baby, changing a diaper is one HUGE thing! It was actually one of the scariest things that I have ever done. :) He has to be on his stomach and they really don't want him to move around at all so it takes some effort, but I loved every second of it! I also got to wipe his face a few times (we've got a drooler) and help the nurse pick him up to weigh him. Pretty mundane tasks but I loved every one of them! Andy has become a real pro at taking his temperature. Thank you all SO much for your prayers and well wishes, we just love our little man SO much and can't wait for you all to meet him!!

Day 1

We'll today is coming to a close and what a day it has been!!!

We are glad to report that Greyson was a brave and strong little boy during his surgery this afternoon. The procedures went well and the opening in his back is now closed and so the healing process begins. The doctors say he's got to be on his belly for 5-7 days in order for him to heal properly. There is a 10 cm incision on his back, that admitedly looks like he got roughed up in a knife fight or something, but its quite incredible what the neurosurgeon and plastic surgeon have done to repair the defect. And so tomorrow we will know everything there is to know about our little guy...oh wait, nope not that easy :) There will still be a lot of waiting and seeing and still a number of uncertainties. But this time we've got the cutest little g-man to wait with us. It truly is an amazing feeling to become a parent. It's really not "real" to us yet, due to the whirlwind of events today, but WOW! the love we have for this little guy is bustin' off the charts!

And truthfully with our deepest sincerity we can't thank everyone enough for their constant love and prayers throughout the day. it's Truly incredible to see people from all walks of life come together to love on a tiny, chubby cheek little guy.
A guy we call, Greyson!!!

kinda cool to call him Greyson huh? although, G-man is pretty cool too.

please keep those prayers coming, tomorrow is another day filled with its new and exciting challenges!

love to all,

Leigh, Andy, Greyson

Greyson Neal Gibbs

Hello everyone!
The 3 of us just wanted to give everyone a quick update while we have a few minutes. Greyson is doing well, we just got back from visiting and can't even describe the love we have for this little guy!!! He's amazing!

So a few details:

he was born at 7:48 AM, 7lbs 7 oz, and 20 inches long.

his surgery to close the opening in his back is scheduled for 3 this afternoon. We wont know much until after, but we are busting with JOY!!!

We promise to get more details up here later this evening.

Continue to pray for Greyson as he has to undergo his big surgery soon.

thank you deeply for the prayers and love.

we all love you very much,

Andy, Leigh, Greyson :)

Let's do this thing!

Have you ever been so incredibly excited about something, yet scared out of your mind at the same time? Its an interesting clash of emotions and its what I've been feeling pretty much all day. In less than 11 hours ill be a Dad. Leigh and I will be responsible for a human, OUR little Gibblet!

It's really amazing where we were mentally, spiritually, and emotionally when we started this blog, and where we are now on this eve before we meet him. A complete turnaround would be an understatement! The growth I've experienced in every part of my life has been more than I could have ever imagined. Yes, I wish I could have experienced this growth without the circumstances my son will face, but that was not for me to decided.

So tonight Leigh and I lift up our son to God, knowing he has him in his hands always.

Thank you to everyone who is taking this journey with us. Our closest friends and family, to those we only know by a screen name. We thank you and love you!

Please send your love and prayers to our little Gibblet!

love, Leigh and Andy

THURSDAY IT IS!!!

I can't even believe it but Thursday is the day that we will FINALLY be able to meet our son!!!! The doctor just called with the news that his lungs are mature and that it's a go!! You'd think that I'd be more nervous right now, but mostly I am just so overwhelmed with excitement, I can hardly stand it! So this is how the day "should" play out...

5:30 we arrive at the hospital
7:30 c-section begins
8:00 we'll be parents!!! :)

ok, the rest of the day we really have no idea, the Gibblet will most likely have his surgery by 1:00. We will post updates here as often as possible, so keep your computers on!! Love to you all! OH, and most importantly...thank you SO much for all of your prayers!! They worked! :) Keep 'em coming! :)

Leigh

quick update...

I know that many of you are waiting to see how our amnio came out today but, we don't have any results just yet. The amnio itself went pretty well, although the little gibblet was moving all around and we had to do it twice...ouch! The doctor did call a few hours after the test was done and told me that his lungs were still "transitional" which basically means that it's not a definite negative or positive. We have to wait until tomorrow to get the exact number. So...long story short...look for another update tomorrow, oh and say some prayers tonight that he will be ready, we can't take much more of this!!! :)

Love, Leigh and Andy

Still Waiting...

Today, I had an appointment with my regular doctor and things are looking good. It looks as if we will have another amniocentesis on Monday to check on the G-man's lungs and if all goes well with that, we will have our little guy on Thursday, February 12. Please pray that his lungs are developing and are where they need to be for delivery. This "wait and see" is starting to get the best of us and we just want to meet our little guy!! In the meantime, Andy and I thought it would be fun to start a little competition to see who could come closest to his birth weight. At our last ultrasound (which was a week and a half ago) he weighed approximately 6lbs. 6ozs. My guess is that he will weigh 7lbs. 13ozs. Andy is going with 7lbs. 8ozs. If anyone has a good guess, let us know!

Love,
Leigh and Andy

Not this thursday... UGHHH!!!

So we went yesterday for our amnio to check on the G-man's lung development (the c-section was scheduled for Thurs.) and apparently the little guy isn't ready to make his debut. AAAAAAHHHHHH!!! We were just SO ready for Thursday! In my head I know that this is a good thing, but ugh. Now it looks as if our date will be February 12. So basically 2 years from now. At least that's what it seems like to us. I guess we do all of the "lasts" again. Last time going out to eat, last time going to a movie, last time sleeping in on a Saturday morning, last free weekend, you get the idea. Although this throws us for a HUGE loop, we know that it is what's best for him. So everyone flip your calendars over to February and circle the 12th (maybe in pencil). :)

Love,
Leigh and Andy

"non-stress" test

So Leigh went in on tuesday to have a "non-stress test" to check on the G-man's heart. Funny how they call them Non-stress tests... because there was a fair amount of stress for both Leigh and I, prior to the appointment. However it looks like the irregularity in his heartbeat fixed itself because everything seems fine this time. So that was a nice small victory. We are praying we've got a few more of those small victories tucked away. :) Anyway, Both of us are doing well and "livin-it up" as much as we can before the Gibblet makes his debut!

love Andy and Leigh (+1)

And in the corner...

...weighing in at 5lbs 11oz is OUR LITTLE GIBBLET!! That's right, we had our last ultrasound appointment with the high-risk doctor yesterday and the g-man is 5lbs 11ozs! We're hoping that by the 29th he will be close to 7 lbs! theres not much room for him in there these days, thus resulting in some cramped, expressions on his pudgy face. He was active during the appointment and we were pleased to see him moving all around! At this point his ventricles had stayed the same size, this is good! They measured 14 and 15 mm, still considered mild. While checking his heartbeat, which measured 140, they noticed there was a slight irregularity in the pattern of the beat. GREAT one more thing ... but the dr said this is very common in all babies and not to lose sleep over it. His heart looks fine and this was the first time that anything of the sort occurred. Leigh has an appointment next week with her regular dr and they will check it again. Should be something that fixes itself. Heck, i drink too much coffee and my heart beats irregularly!!! So continue to pray for the G-man...ohh and throw in a few prayers for Leigh and I. Our world as we know it, is about to change...and we're pretty geeked!

love Leigh and Andy

A Visit to meet Carson!

Last night Leigh and I had the opportunity to visit our friends Nate and Emily and were delighted as they introduced us to their new little guy, Carson. Nate and Emily are the couple we met this fall who's baby also has spina bifida. So up we went to the NICU (the very place we will be staying in a few weeks) to meet the little guy. What a cutie!! We were very pleased that Nate and Emily could spend some time with us. As they fed Carson, we were able to discuss the whole process of how things unfolded the last couple of days for them. We were both very encouraged from the visit, it put a picture in our head of what it might be like and in reality didn't seem as scary as we have been thinking for months. But yes, Nate and Emily have assured us there will be moments of joy and moments of discouragement, but they kept stressing its SOOO much easier having the little guy with them. We seem to think thats how it'll be for us as well. So we continue to pray for little Carson as there are still a lot of unknowns but things look very encouraging at the moment. check out their blog if your curious. http://babyboybush.blogspot.com/.

In other Gibbs household news...our furnace is on the fritz! Perfect, right. As I type ,the thermostat reads a balmy 57. I'm bundled up in 3 sweatshirts and a winter hat. Leigh, however has welcomed the cool temps and has finally stopped sweating :) No worries though, we've got a guy coming out this afternoon to fix it.

In Gibblet news... We have our final ultrasound with the high risk doctor this tuesday. Please pray that The G-man is getting bigger and that no major changes have poped up. We look forward to seeing what he's up to in there. :)

love Leigh and Andy (+1)

the count down has begun...

Happy New Year everyone!!! We are coming off an incredible holiday season and want to keep everyone posted as to how things are going with us and The Gibblet. So let's start with the Gibblet... He seems to be behaving pretty well these days and judging by Leigh's increased wearing of her "comfy pants" he seems to be getting bigger! :) In fact Leigh's belly has been showcased often throughout the holidiays and at Christmas gatherings. Although hesitant at times, I'd say the Gibblet performed well when a hand was placed on her belly. As far as the two of us, we've had an incredible holiday, and on a number of occasions we've said that we can't recall a better Christmas than the one we've just had. The time spent with friends and family just seemed more rich and meaningful. A direct result of the changes Leigh and I have experienced since this past fall.

However, at the moment we both feel a bit unprepared, anxious, etc. Not sure why really...but it kinda hit us both this evening. I think it's a normal feeling as the time of the g-man's arrival is less than a month away and it's becoming more and more real to us. Anyway, it was just a little hiccup in our continued journey to build faith and courage, and as I type this now am feeling much better.

In other news...Our friend's Nate and Emily are scheduled to have their little guy this tuesday Jan 6!!! We've been thinking and praying for them a lot this weekend. Please keep all of them in your prayers this week as we look forward to meeting baby boy Bush! On a number of occasions Leigh and I speak of how incredibly helpful it has been to have met the two of them. They have been a great support group and a nice addition to our spina bifida club :) hehehe! We can't wait for our little guys to meet.

love Andy and Leigh :)