Back on the Charts

Hello everyone -
I just visited the doctor again today to "weigh in". For those who didn't know - at my 4 week appt the doctor said I wasn't gaining enough weight so mommy and daddy had to start supplementing my feedings. Well - mommy decided pumping was the route to go to make sure I was getting enough to eat and when we needed to I would take formula. At my 4 week appt I weighed 6lbs 4oz. At 5 weeks I was 6lbs 12oz. Today I went in (now 6.5 weeks) and I weigh a HUGE 8lbs! Mommy couldn't believe it. She knew I had to be gaining a decent amount of weight because I have been eating every 2 hours lately. She also said I have my first roll on my legs. I think it is more of a crease - but she has never seen anything like it on my skinny body before - so she is calling it a roll :)
So - where does this put me on the charts? In the 5th percentile! I was in the 5th percentile in the beginning - but by week 4 had fallen off the chart. Now - I'm back on! YEA! Now I just have to keep it up. I can eat all I want over the holidays - what about you?
I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!
Lots of Love -
Grant

Baptism

Today Grant was baptized. He did great throughout the entire service - only a few grunts here and there. He slept through the church service and actually most of his baptism as well. The baptism gown Grant is wearing is pretty special. Grant's Great-Great-Grandpa Meidam wore this gown when he was baptized - which means it is over 100 years old! Grant's great-grandpa, grandpa, daddy, aunt, cousins (and many, many more distant family members) have also worn this gown. The blanket he is laying on was made by his Great-Grandma Vande Zande. After church our family came over for lunch to celebrate.

New Pics of ME

Hi everyone! Just thought I would share a few recent pictures of what I have been up to. You know - typical things...eating, sleeping, and ... well the other thing everyone says babies do :)

I've also been taking baths in my big boy bath tub now. I really do like bath time, but only if mommy and daddy make the bathroom about 75 degrees and have really warm water for me to sit in. Being cold is not my cup of tea.

I had a play date the other day with my new friends. Mommy went to college with their moms - they were all roommates. Don't you think it is pretty crazy they were all pregnant at the same time and all due within 8 weeks of each other? I am in the middle - born Nov 4, Tyler Bahr is the other little boy - he was born in Sept and the little girl is Kiera Westcot who was born just 6 days before me.

It's been busy around here. My mom takes me to the mall and "walks" - but half the time we end up Christmas shopping because she is not done shopping yet! Can you believe it? Usually she is done by now - I guess she thinks she is really busy this year for some reason. Daddy is SUPER busy with work. It's a good thing he's busy - but I think he is getting pretty tired (I like to get up with him at night).
Overall - I'm still a really good baby. Last week Monday I weighed 6lbs 12oz at the doctor. They said it was good I was gaining weight, but we still have to keep supplementing to make sure I get enough to eat. Mommy has moved mainly to pumping and giving me a bottle so they know how much I am eating and how much to supplement with formula. I think it's working - I feel bigger! I will be checking in with the doctor again on Thursday for the big weigh in. An unofficial weight over the weekend said I was over 7lbs. I'll let you know later this week!

Getting Bigger...

Good news...Grant is getting bigger. As of Thursday he was 6lbs 10oz - he had gained 6oz since his Monday appointment. We go back again tomorrow to make sure he is still on track. We started supplementing with bottles after he nursed at every feeding - I guess that worked. We are hoping we can discontinue that after tomorrow - because it does take a lot more time - but if that's what we need to do to keep him on the weight gain train - I guess we will.

After his appt on Thursday, we went to get his one month pictures taken. He did a wonderful job. We're looking foward to seeing the proofs - but one is below.
Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

Cousins

Here are pictures of me with my cousins. They all seem pretty fun - I can't wait to be big enough to play with them.

This is Brayden - he really likes to hold me.

This is the Shea Gang. Owen is holding me, I think Macey was maybe singing a song :) and Nolan is always full of smiles.

Grant is 1 month old

Grant is one month old as of yesterday. WOW - does time fly. It's been a busy month - dr appts, feeding, figuring out how to get diapers to stay on, learning how to do baths, and trying to catch up on lost sleep (we should really just give up on that - we know!) Grant is a great baby. He is really quite easy going. He cries when he's hungry - but that's really about it. At his one month dr appt everything looked good except the fact that he is not gaining enough weight. He should be gaining at least 1/2 oz a day and in two weeks he only gained 3 oz. Now, I'm nursing and after that we have to give him a bottle to make sure he is getting enough to eat. Grant is a very putzy eater so it is really hard to know whether or not he is getting enough when he nurses. We will go back on Thursday and Monday to see if this is helping.

Happy Birthday Briana

In Memory of Briana Mae - born to eternal life one year ago today.
We love you and miss you. We can't wait to see you again in Heaven someday.

“An Angel Instead”
We Were Having a Baby and Many Did Ask
A Boy or a Girl – Which Will You Have
We Did Not Know and Sure Did Not Expect
To Be Given an Angel from God Instead
She Now Watches Over Us Each and Every Day
We Love Her and Miss Her More than Words Can Say
At Times God Takes Children to His Home Above
And Our Precious Briana Mae is Blessed to be One

Happy Thanksgiving

As we approach Thanksgiving, Brian and I look back on this past year and recongnize all of the things we are truly thankful for:
1. The prayers, support and love from family and friends in the loss of our first child - Briana Mae just two days after Thanksgiving last year
2. Our Faith - we could not have made it through this past year without it
3. Eachother - after hearing others' stories of losing children and how their marriages took a turn for the worst - we believe ours has only gotten stronger
4. The blessing of a second pregnancy shortly after our loss
5. A safe and healthy second pregnancy
6. Grant Arthur Meidam - this little bundle has blessed our lives is so many ways and we truly realize what a miracle his life really is.

(Give me some more pumpkin pie)

There are many other things we are thankful for as well - they are just too numerous to list - but we want to be sure you all know we are thankful for all your thoughts, prayers and support over this past year. We couldn't have done it without you - at least we are glad we didn't have to.

Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving!

2 Week Dr Appt

Grant's 2 week dr appt was yesterday. He is a growing little boy - weighing in 6lbs 1oz - the biggest he has ever been :) Seeing he had gained enough weight to get him over his birth weight by 2 weeks - made all the times we had to struggle to wake him up to eat worth it. His jaundice looked good as well. The dr didn't think we needed to check his levels b/c his color is almost completely back to normal. YEA!

My First Visit to Grandpas and Grandmas

This past weekend Grant took his frist trip to both of his Grandpas and Grandmas'. Brian went up north hunting - so Friday night Grant and mommy hung out at home and Saturday we headed to Grandpa & Grandma Kok's house to spend the night. He had a great time and so did Grandma and Grandpa :) He watched the Badger game with grandpa and snuggled with grandma. He did really well on the ride to Waupun and even slept through church on Sunday. There were a lot of people at grandpa and grandma's church that were really happy & excited to meet Grant.

When Daddy got back from hunting in Clintonville we went to visit Grandpa and Grandma Meidam. We had dinner and listened to grandpa play his guitar. This grandma had a good time cuddling with Grant as well :)

He had a great time and loves all his grandpas and grandmas very much!

Since I've Been Home...

Thought we would update everyone on what Grant has been up to since he has been home. Before we left the hospital last Tuesday we were told Grant was a little jaundice. This is completely normal for babies 2 weeks early. His levels kept going up last week, but when we brought him in on Monday (of this week) the jaundice levels were starting to go down. He is now looking less yellow. He doesn't have a blanket or anything to bring the levels down - we were just told to feed him more often so it would work through his system.
We feel very blessed to have such a great little boy. He really is pretty easy going - except when it comes to eating :) Because of his jaundice - he is very tired. We actually have to wake him up to eat. This involves stripping the poor little guy down to his diaper everytime he needs to eat just to try to keep him awake (and usually that still doesn't work.) Knock on wood - today's feedings have been going a little bit better.
Here are a few pics since we've been home.

"I ate a little bit before this picture was taken - mommy was trying to get me to eat more - but I just was too sleepy."

Grant and his first little puppy from Great Grandpa & Grandma VZ

Going Home...

We're ready to go home!

Grant's present from his big sister

Our Little Man is ready to go home!

Grant Arthur Meidam Has Arrived

Sunday, November 4, 2007 Grant Arthur Meidam entered this world at 10:44am. He was a little guy - 5 lbs 14 oz and 19 inches long. We can't believe this day finally arrived! He is an amazing little boy and instantly stole our hearts. The whole experience has been bitter sweet as we now know what we really have missed out on since losing Briana. We continue to remember her and know she helped to get her brother here safely - she is our little angel.

Grant has his daddy's hair - blonde (with natural highlights), curly and a lot of it! - and his mommy's nose. He's been a real trooper so far - he eats well and sleeps good too (knock on wood!) WE LOVE HIM!!!