Thursday, July 11, 2013

Easter 2013

Easter this year was extra special because we had a bundle of joy sent from God to celebrate it with. The past Easters don't even seem real anymore. We can't remember life without Jackson. He has truly touched our lives and our friends and family forever!

Our Sweet family on Easter 2013

Jackson's master piece

Two sweet friends (Beth with Madison and Julie with Carsyn) and there babies at church

Add the husbands behind each wife (Curtis with Luke and Derek with Caroline)

Lil man's Easter outfit

Month by Month



Height: 21 inches Weight: 7 lbs 11 oz
Sleeping Patterns: You sleep almost all day (18-20 hours). You fight sleep for 30 minutes then you are out until the next feeding.
Eating Habits: You are eating 4 oz every 4-7 hours with oatmeal.You have reflux and take medicine at night.
New Foods You Liked: You now eat oatmeal in every bottle to help with your reflux.
New Discoveries You Made: You feel in love with lights and sounds. You will watch the ceiling fan for hours. Your daddy starting calling you Jax.
Your Accomplishments: You now take Mam pacifiers.
Places You Have Went: church, both Grandparent's houses, Uncle Michael and Aunt Brittany's house, and Hollywild Zoo with the church.
Special Friends You Have Made: Avalea, Andrew, Collin, Luke, Madison, Caroline, and Carsyn.
You Learned Some Baby Babbles This Month: You make these sweet sounds when you are fixing to eat. You make happy sounds when you are awake. You giggle and smile in your sleep.





Height: 22 3/4 inches Weight: 12 lbs 8 oz
Sleeping Patterns: You sleep half of the day away (8-12 hours). You fight sleep for 15 minutes and then you are out until the next feeding.
Eating Habits: You are eating 5 oz with oatmeal every 3-5 hours. You still have reflux and take medicine for it.
New Foods You Liked: You had a little bit of ice cream at McAlister's Deli and icing from mom's birthday cake.
New Discoveries You Made: You found the moon one night and cried that mom took it away. Now we sleep with turtle. Turtle shines the night sky on the ceiling. You started to suck your hands.
Your Accomplishments: You have rolled over three times but aren't sure about what has just happened after it's over. You pull up. Mom and Dad think you will walk early.
Places You Have Went: Daddy's softball games, doctor for shots, dinner with Chad and Jess
Special Friends You Have Made: Abigail (Bo and Misty)
You Learned Some Baby Babbles This Month: You have started talking more while you are awake. You talk to the T.V. and love to watch the Atlanta Braves with your Daddy. You spit out your paci when you are in deep sleep. 




 

Height: 25 inches Weight: 14 lbs 4 oz
Sleeping Patterns: You take cat naps through out the day, but sleep really good at night.
Eating Habits: You are eating 6 oz with oatmeal every 3-5 hours. You still have reflux and take medicine for it. At 14 weeks you ate your first jar of baby food. You ate sweet potatoes and were covered in them.
New Foods You Liked: bananas, pears, sweet potatoes, hot dog juice ( sucked it with Papa G)
New Discoveries You Made: Your hands. You try to stick them as far in your mouth as possible.
Your Accomplishments: You have rolled over all on your own at 13 weeks. We have it on video. You went from stomach to back. Your arm still gets stuck when going from back to stomach.
Places You Have Went: Lake Bowen, Lake Greenwood, School with Mom on the last day for the kids. You love the lake. You lay in your float and just chill.
Special Friends You Have Made: Your Daddy gave you the nickname Peewee
You Learned Some Baby Babbles This Month: You make choo choo sounds like the trains on Chuggington.You love that show. We have watched the same episodes like 20 times. You will get really red faced while you poop. You normally go every other day (while on Nutramigen). You respond to your name and love colorful objects. You started sleeping with your lovey






South Carolina on my mind....

The night morning before we were to travel back to South Carolina we anxiously tried to sleep. But 5:00 a.m. came quickly. We packed up the car and headed to the palmetto state. Jackson did great on the 12 hour drive. We only had to stop 3 times for feedings and changes. I felt like a kid seating in the back seat that asks every 20 minutes are we there yet as they head to Disney. Only 2 hours into the ride and I started to get restless. I just knew that we would never make it. But we DID! When we crossed the South Carolina border we called all of the grandparents to let them know. We stopped and let my parents meet Jackson for the first time. They were already in love with him from pictures. Then we headed straight to Wednesday night church to surprise Nana and everyone else. Everyone was so excited and we got a standing applause from the church when we walked in. Jackson is truly loved by us and everyone around us!


Jackson dreaming of South Carolina.


Enjoying the ride to South Carolina to meet everyone!


My sweet parents surprised us with balloons. We had a 
Wind storm the day we came home. That's why the yard looks a mess 
and the poor balloons took a beating.


Jackson says Shhh don't tell everyone you have seen him naked. His first bath at home.




Thursday, April 18, 2013

Week by Week

I wanted to upload pictures of Jackson at each stage so you can see how much he has changed. It's so hard to believe that next week I will be uploading a picture of him at 2 months. As of today he is 7 weeks and 2 days. Stay close for new pictures

1 week old
 
2 weeks old
 
3 weeks old
 
1 month old
 
 
 

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Late Update

Ok. So I know I have said numerous times that I am so sorry for not posting but I truely mean it. I knew that having a baby would change somethings but let me tell you its totally different than the relaxing single life that I once so long ago remember.

Since court so many things have happened so I am going to try and get everyone caught up an try to do a better job.The day of court was so nerve racking because it was the day before we left to come back to South Carolina. We were so sad to leave Taryan (Jackson's birthmother). Ray and I had bonded with her so much. That night Taryan and her good friend Shelly came over to our hotel to have dinner with us. We had a blast sharing stories from the past. It felt like we had been friends forever. While in Arkansas we did everything with Taryan. She went to all of Jackson's doctors appoinments, lunch and dinner, and to go shopping with. The next day when we left we (Jackson, Ray, and I) left a piece of our heart in Arkansas with Taryan and Shelly. Going to Arkansas and adopting Jackson was a life changing experience and we LOVED every moment of it!!

Jackson Ray Gown

Ray and Jackson as soon as we arrived in Arkansas.
 
Jackson and I as soon as we arrived in Arkansas.
 
Baby Jackson. Only 9 hours old.
 
Me feeding Jackson in our hospital room.
 
Ray cuddling with Jackson after just being fed.
 
 
Naked baby.
 
Taryan, Ray, and my hands over sweet Jackson.
 
Think he could be a model?
 
Taryan and Jackson napping. How sweet!!
 
Leaving the hosptial.
 
Lunch with the best birthmother ever!!
 
Ray and Taryan at Jackson's doctors appoinment.
 
Taryan and I at Jackson's doctors appoinment.
 
 
Loving on Jackson.
 
Taryan and Jackson after court.
 
We love Taryan! All of us after court.
 
 

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Jackson is Here!!

Hello All. I know it's been awhile since I last wrote but things have been crazy at the Gowan's household. On February 25th we got a phone call from Jackson's birthmother saying that she was having really bad contractions and was in pain and thought that she may have the baby today. So I start to panic. She had a doctors appointment that morning and was going to see what the doctor told her. The doctor told her that she was contracting but not dilating. But told her to go home and if she continued to have pain to go to the hospital and he would take the baby. Also, her blood pressure was higher than it had been so they wanted her to relax. She went home and relaxed, but couldn't stand the pain. Late that afternoon she headed to the hosptial and they admitted her. They gave her all kinds of medicine to try to stop they labor because she was not dilating but she was contracting. Her blood pressure was still high. They keep her for the night to monitor her, late that night they checked her and noticed that she had started to dilate. So the next day Ray and I were so anxious because we didn't know what was going to happen. I recieved a phone call around 7:50 saying that her contractions were very painful and she wanted to have him. I told her I needed to take my class to PE and when I got back I would call her. By the time I got back Ray had called to tell me that they were taking Jackson at 12:00 Arkansas time. So I grabbed my things from my classroom and I left. I was so excitied that I wasn't thinking straight. Ray came home and we headed straight to Arkansas.

It's a 12 hour drive from South Carolina to Arkansas and we were so nervous/anxious the whole way. Jackson's birthmother called us before she went back and we told her to take us lots of pictures since we weren't going to make it for the birth. Jackson was born at 11:16 a.m on February 26th. He weighed 7 lbs even and was 20 inches long. He was perfect. Jackson's birthmother felt the entire thing because her epidural didn't work. Ray and I hate that for her.

We got to the hosptial around 9:00 p.m. Arkansas time. It took us about 11 hours to get there. We go up to the room and walk in to meet Jackson's birthmother for the first time. We were really scared that she might not like us or something, but it was the complete opposite. We walked in and it was as if we had know each other for years. We just instantly clicked. We love her so much. Words can't describe how much we care for her, her other kids, and the loving act that she has done for Jackson.

As soon as we go to court we will upload pictures for everyone to see. I can tell you that he is beautiful. He is a very good baby. The doctor changed his formula to Nutramigen. Since changing it he has done a lot better.

We would like to thank everyone that has prayed for us, Jackson, and Jackson's birthmother. Please pray for a safe journey back home on March 13th.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Loads of Love

Ray and I felt the love on Sunday, February 10th. We had our first baby shower for baby Jackson and we recieved so many WONDERFUL gifts! We got most of the items that we really need to take with us to Arkansas. I was super excitied about getting our travel boppie, bookbag diaper bag, rock n play sleeper, and swing. We got some super cute outfits and so many other items that I don't think I could even list them all. My long-time friend Annie got me a cute tumbler and car decal that say "Got love. Adopt." and a piece of adopion artwork. Ray and I would like to thank Amanda Stevens, Misty Lim, and Jessica Wallington for giving us the shower. We would like to thank everyone that came out and shared this special time with us!

 
 
The adoption artwork.
 
 
 
Super cute outfits!
 
 
 
More super cute outfits!
 
 
 
Mema (Ray's mom) and Amanda Stevens
 
 
 
Love my diaper cake!
 
 
 
Love love my little man banner! Will be hanging this on the hospital door. :)
 
 
 
All of Jackson's gifts.
 
 
 
Eric Carle. I love that man!
 
 
 
Jackson is a lucky little man.