Pictures Pictures Pictures

Family Inspiration

Well, this all got started when my aunt Brenda posted her sweet poem on our Gann Family website. Yes, we have a website and yes it is awesome. Anyway, she posted a sweet poem to all the newish mommas in the family and it started non other than an original poetry extravaganza. This is not at all unusual for the Gann clan considering our vacations together consist of a family talent show and a brainstorming session about the newest family business idea. :-) Love it!! It has been great having this family website because there are a lot of us and we don't get to see eachother as often as we would like and this way we can keep up and even have hilarious discussions on the message boards. All that to say Aunt Brenda's entry led me to join in on the extravaganza and write a little poem of my own. So, I thought I might as well post it on the blog since I have not posted anything in 2 weeks.

More posts to come and pics of Eli. He is 4 months now! Whoa how time flies and they say it only goes quicker. Crazy! Happy Wednesday. Post ya later....ryan

MY POEM
(nice title huh?)

Before the sun decides to rise
Before the sand's out of my eyes

Once or twice or maybe three
This little voice calls out to me

So out of bed I slowly stand
To check up on my little man

Is he hungry? Maybe so!
Sometimes it is just hard to know

Feed him, pat him, let him cry
Which one this time should I try

Conversations in the night
About which methods might be right

A bounce, a rock, a midnight sing
Purchasing a sound machine

For there is no price I would not pay
To have my sleep back one fine day

Cause it has been since early June
That I have slept the whole night through

But besides the sleep there's other things
Like spit up in gallons and more laundry-ing

Like one arm meals and long long days
Without the hope of a nice pay raise

Like Milk allergies, a nursing Chore
Which really means you can't eat anymore!

Like crying and crying that does not stop
Unless I walk and rock and bounce and bop

And then someone asks, so is it hard?
This question I would not dare discard

Is it hard? Oh yes you bet!
But is it worth it...Every Cent!

Because when the sun decides to rise
And I've wiped the sand out of my eyes

Once and twice and ten times three
This little face looks up at me

And all my lack of sleeping miles
Disappear inside those smiles

For now I know inside this calm
How it feels to be a mom :-)

-Ryan :-)

Toby

Don't be fooled, he always looks like this, however his world has changed drastically over the last 3 months and it makes me wonder sometimes if he just might be a little sad on the inside. He has done a great job adjusting to the change. He has been sweet and gentle and laid back. He is not quite sure what to think of the little man yet, but I am sure one day they will be great playmates. (hopefully) Although Toby and I are a little distant these days as much of my attention is aimed elsewhere, we still share some great moments.

Toby and I pass in the middle of every night as I walk through the living room to feed a crying baby. It is at that moment where I have never felt more connected to the emotions and ideas of my 4 year old dog. It is at that moment, in the dark of night, with sleepy eyes, when Toby and I share a short but meaningful conversation. Toby lifts his head off his dog bed, turns and stares at me. I look at him prying my eyes open just enough to not run into the wall and to not miss out on this shared sentiment. With crying in the background, a dim lit room, and the clock glowing 2:00 am, we exchange these unspoken words....

Toby: SERIOUSLY?
Me: seriously!
Toby: Wow!
Me: tell me about it


Luv ya Tobes, thanks for being so understanding...hehe

Lets Face It...

some days you just feel like this!!!

Words just don't do it justice. So, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand.

some days I just feel a little like this picture. On days when I don't feel like this picture, looking at this picture makes me laugh. So, today, I am laughing. Who knows if I will be laughing tomorrow, but today I am and for that I am thankful...hehe. :-)

And so the adventure begins...

Well, August was a very eventful month at the Hester house. On Wednesday August 6th our sweet little man got really sick and had to spend the night at the hospital. He was poked and pricked and hooked up to IVs, but in the end all was well and we were all sent home the next day in perfect health. However 6 days later, Eli got sick again and Jordan and I rushed him to the Emergency room at Vanderbilt Children's hospital. He had to go through all the same tests that he endured the Wednesday prior including his second spinal tap in 6 days. It was quite scary and very sad to watch him go through all of this. We found out that his white count was almost twice as high as it was last time he was there, which was really high. But in the end Eli perked up and continued to perplex the doctors as all of his tests came back negative. All the doctors were wonderful and tried their best to answer all of our questions. We spent 3 nights at the hospital and Eli continued to act well despite having an IV in both his foot and hand. He also impressed the nurses with how well he handled having his temperature taken (not under his arm if you know what I mean) every 4 hours. He would hardly even flinch, as if saying, "oh that thing again, no big deal, I mean after 10 or so of those you kinda get used to it mom."

Eventually, because Eli continued to look so good and act like himself, they gave us the "OK" that we could go home. We were so glad that he was well but still a little unsatisfied that we did not really know what caused these 2 episodes, other than a virus or maybe a food allergy of some sort. The next few days at home were filled with a cranky, what in the world is going on, child and two confused and extremely tired parents. It was hard to not sit and try and disect everything that he was doing to give us some clue as to what had happened. That of course drove us crazy. I was able to call my cousin who is a doctor and she shed a lot of light on what could have been going on. So, we are in the midst of exploring his food allergy and trying to get his tummy back on track, which means that I am on a hypoallergenic diet of meat, rice, and green vegetables. Fun Times!! No more Three Musketeers for me. hehe.

It has been quite the introduction to parenthood. I am hoping we have met our hospital visit quota for a while. Thank you to all those who got word and prayed for Eli and our family as we waited for test results. We really appreciate it and are so very blessed by all the love and support. Well, onward in the new adventures that await us as we still begin to wrap our heads around this new world called "being a parent". Much Love to all.

Ryan

...and of course one more look at our little fella.

Road Trip

My grandfather is unable to travel due to some recent health problems. In fact, I had not even seen him for a long time because he was in the hospital when I was pregnant and I was not allowed to visit him. Also, July 17th was my grandmother's 80th birthday so we wanted to be there to celebrate and introduce Eli. They, along with my aunts and cousins on my dad's side of the family, live in Atlanta or nearby. So, on July 18th we packed up the car with ALL of Eli's things, our luggage, my sisters, and my mom, and we headed south. Jordan drove and I sat up front with him, while the aunts and DeDe (my mom) sat in the back and entertained the little one.

They did a great job keeping a fussy car seat rider happy the whole way there.

Feeding him helped...and we didn't have to stop at all.

Jordan and I enjoyed our time in the front talking and listening to music.

When we arrived we were met with some anxious great grandparents, great aunts, and cousins.

Eli and Pa

My Aunt Debbie in the background...so sweet.

Eli and Grammy

It was a wonderful weekend. More pictures to come of aunts and cousins. I just don't have them uploaded yet...whoops. We had a great time and look forward to seeing them all again soon. Now, Eli needs to see my Ohio family and he will have met most of our extended family members. Ohio, Eli is anxious for a meeting....a plan is in the works. Love you all.

A California Visit

2 of our dearest friends, Adam and Mary, who live all the way in California were in town working but were able to come by and meet our little man. It was short but sweet and so wonderful to see them.

Eli loved them I could just tell, mother's intuition, that he would really like it if they would be our neighbors someday. No pressure you guys, I mean no big deal disappointing a one month old. :-) Love you guys... we look forward to another visit.