~Gavin Russell~

2011-12-30T23:14:00.004-06:00

Gavin and I at the farmhouse Christmas 2012 =) We are on a tracker ride =) Yeehaw =)

2011-12-30T23:08:00.002-06:00

Sweet Gavin Christmas 2012 - He is 3 yrs old and so sweet! He is truly my angel and I am so blessed to have him in my life <3 - Thank you Jesus!

2011-12-30T22:56:00.002-06:00

I am late posting this but here is Gavin's 3 year old birthday picture from 10/16/11 =) He is doing great and is so incredibly sweet! His health is good and he is a happy little boy. He still scoots around instead of walking but does cruise along the furniture =) He can say Go, momma, and daddy. He loves his big bird (chicken) hehe =) and loves watching Dora. He can hold his juice box drink (applejuice) on his own and hold his spoon to feed himself as well as finger foods =) He loves walks in his wagon, dance time, and playing with his sisters. He loves getting my pots and pans out of my cupboard and playing with them. He loves holding his toothbrush and brushing his teeth. If you ask him for a kiss, he gives sweet kisses and wonderful hugs. I am very blessed and thank Jesus for my sweet son. <3

2011-04-07T10:58:00.003-05:00

~4/7/11~

Gavin is now two and a half and just so sweet :) He has alot of teeth now and is such a sweet mellow little guy. We are looking forward to Easter coming up and all the fun to be had :) We took Gavin and his sisters to the beach last Sunday and he loved it! He had so much fun - it was a great day :) God Speed :)

Fun in February =)

2011-02-16T06:59:00.005-06:00

Gavin is now 2 yrs old =) He saw his pediatrician Monday the 14th and had a great check up- instead of the 5% - he is now in the 35% so a great improvement =) He is still small for his age but extremely cute. Everything else checked out great on the physical. He had his last set of shots. His thyroid, iron, and celiac blood levels were checked. Thryoid levels will tell us if his prescription dose needs to be changed. Gavin has hypothyroidism. I also have it as well as my grandma and mother did so besides down syndrome it seems to run in the family. On the 28th of Feb. we will be going to Mobile, AL again to check the lesion in his upper left leg. Last visit 6 months ago it was healing and I pray will all that I am that this upcoming visit shows it to be gone.

He is a happy little boy, very easy going. He is cruising along the furniture and making great progress =) I am letting his hair grow and just cutting his bangs and he looks so cute. He absolutely hates his hair cut and cries so - so momma will just let it grow =) He eats most everything but I discovered the other day he no longer likes corn -lol. He is a true blessing in my life and I am so thankful to God for such a gift. He still is and always will be my angel =)

2010-08-08T17:55:00.003-05:00

August 2010 - :) 22 months old :)

Here are some current pictures of Gavin. He is just the sweetest little guy :) He now has 6 teeth up top and 4 teeth below :) He likes to pull up to standing and still do his military crawl to get around - lol :) He can feed himself with his hand but still prefers a bottle to drink from. He sleeps through the night still and is a pure delight. I am blessed to have him in my life :) We will be going to the Orthopedic surgeon Aug the 16th in Mobile, AL to evaluate the lucent lesion in his left upper leg and I pray with all that I am that it has shrunk and preferrably is gone. I really really dont want him to have surgery to correct it so I pray it heals itself. God Speed! Prayers are appreciated :) hugs and more hugs!

2010-03-03T13:03:00.002-06:00

Gavin Smith at 16 months :)

It has been awhile since I have posted- I guess I went through a time of depression but here is a long awaited update :) Gavin is such a true joy and so sweet! He is 16 months now and has one cute little tooth on his front bottom. His health is good with no hole in his heart; we discovered that closed up when we went to his 6 month cardiology appt. :) He does have hypothyroidism like me but that is easily managed with medication. He now sits up great and can do a military crawl- he is so cute! He eats well and still loves his bottle here and there :) He laughs and plays and is such a happy little man :) He truly brings joy to our lives :) I am blessed and thank God for my angel :)

Gavin at 6 months

2009-04-21T07:09:00.002-05:00

Here is Gavin just before 6 months old :) He is a sweet baby... the best baby ever! he is so sweet and so mellow... An angel :) He saw the doctor yesterday and all went well.. No murmur was heard .. woot! Not sure if the ASD is gone but July 6th we will find out when he sees the cardiologist again but not hearing the murmur is a good sign. He weighed just over 18 pounds and he had his first set of shots. I waited for shots until he was alittle older for health reasons. He can roll from stomach to back and back to stomach and we are working on sitting up. He is getting better head control. The pediatrician said he was right on track :) I pray the cardiologist tells us his ASD (hole in heart) is gone and I can relax.... I love my baby boy that is for sure :)

Gavin is 4 months :)

2009-02-17T11:18:00.001-06:00

Gavin was 4 months old yesterday and is doing so great :) He has not seen a doctor yet for his 4 month check-up so I do not know what he weighs but he is a big boy :) He still is so sweet :) he eats good and naps well.... he still sleeps thru the nite. He laughs and plays and is just a true sweetheart. He is trying to raise his head more and will reach for toys to play with them. He is a great student when EI comes :) I love him to peices and know I am blessed.

Gavin at 3 months :)

2009-01-13T08:50:00.002-06:00

Gavin is 12 weeks old now and will be exactly 3 months old this Friday :) Here are some pictures I took this morning :) He is Just so sweet :) Last nite he smiled really big at me and cooed and I just cried tears of joy... I was so happy and his smiles warmed my heart :) His little personality is starting to come out and I could not be happier.... He really is my angel :)

2009-01-06T09:32:00.002-06:00

Here is Gavin at 10 weeks... Christmas time :) He is doing great !!! He is such a sweetie. He loves sleeps thru the nite and loves his swing... He nurses now but I still takes a bottle because I do not make enough milk... but he actually nurses now :) He is a big boy and just so sweet! I am blessed. Early intervention comes every week and he will see the ENT the 19th to check his hearing. I think he hears just fine :) He will see the doctor again in February for his 4 mo. check-up and will see the Cardiologist in June to evaluation his ASD. I pray it is closed by then :) I am truly blessed !!! Thank You Jesus :)

Gavin is 2 months old :)

2008-12-16T14:56:00.003-06:00

Gavin is 2 months old today! Here are some pictures I took today :) He is doing really well and getting bigger everyday. He actually slept through the night a couple of nights :) He is still eating every 4 hours about 6 oz and is a very happy content baby. I feel so lucky to have him in my life :) He truly is a blessing! Early Intervention came today and said he is doing really well. They are very happy with his progress :) Daddy, his 2 big sisters and I just love him so very much ! :)

~1st Cardiologist appt~

2008-12-08T15:51:00.001-06:00

Gavin is 7 weeks old now and saw the cardiologist for the first time today. They did an echo and EKG. He had weighed 8 lbs and 15 oz at 3 weeks of age and today he weighed 12 pounds!!! He is getting so big :) The cardiologist informed me that Gavin had a PDA and ASD when born and that the PDA has closed but the ASD was still there and same size. He did not have a murmur today. The EKG was perfect. He said to come back in 6 months to evaluate and then again at 1 year. He said his ASD was not caused from DS or being premature. He also said it is not the ASD that requires open heart and that if it does not close on its own he will have catheterization to repair it around 1 years old. Gavin is doing great and we are happy he will not need open heart... we were hoping the ASD would be closed but I still have faith :) He is eating really well and is so physical strong. He is alert and attentive ... We are so blessed and love him so very much :) I asked him about Gavin's DS being so very mild and would that be the same mentally .. He referred us to a geneticists. I look forward to talking to them about it all.. I am so curious!

Gavin's dedication :)

2008-12-01T18:12:00.003-06:00

Yesterday November the 30th, 2008 Gavin was dedicated to God :) He is 6.5 weeks old and it was a great day :) I am holding him in the picture below and Russell is holding his sister Gabrielle. They both were dedicated to God. He is doing good still and we are getting excited about the holiday season :)

Gavin and I in church before dedication :)

Gavin is 6 weeks :)

2008-11-27T15:50:00.003-06:00

It is Thanksgiving day and Gavin is 6 weeks old :) We went to my husband's aunt's house for Thanksgiving and all of his family was there for the most part :) We ate and enjoyed each others company :) Gavin got to meet family members he had not before because they live far away and it was great to see everyone meet him :) He is such a good baby :) He slept most of the time....lol. He is eating good still and sleeping good. He is so sweet and such a blessing! I am so thankful for my family on this Thanksgiving day :)

Here are Gavin's 6 week old pictures :)

Gavin at 5 weeks

2008-11-21T20:30:00.004-06:00

Gavin is a month old now :) He is doing great and is so strong! he has great motor control and strength :) He is now drinking 6 oz of breast milk and formula via bottle and sometimes he will nurse for a second....lol. He feels heavy so I am sure he has gained more weight :) He sleeps alot still but when he is awake I see his little personality shinning though. He makes such funny faces! He saw the PT lady yesterday and early intervention is coming once a week now. PT will come once a month. He is still so young right now but they will be here when he is ready and needing it :) He is so sweet and I love him so much. I am starting to see him as just my son... not just the down syndrome. I am blessed!

Here are some pictures from yesterday when he was 5 weeks old :)

2008-11-13T18:08:00.003-06:00

Gavin is 4 weeks old today! :) He seems to be doing really well :) Just 4 weeks until we see the cardiologist and I hope his ASD has closed by then :) Here are some pictures I took today :)

2008-11-11T09:10:00.002-06:00

Gavin is doing good :) He will be 4 weeks old this Thurs the 13th and is eating great. I have contacted First steps and he is getting started in Early intervention. He had a visit yesterday and will have a visit today too to get everything started :) My oldest daughter has a cold and I am hoping the rest of us especially Gavin does not get it. I will be happy when the cold/flu season is over and he is a little older and not so vulerable. ~God Speed~

2008-11-06T13:39:00.003-06:00

Gavin is 3 weeks old today :) I took Gavin to the doctor today and he weighed 8 lbs and 15 oz :) So he surpassed his birth weight and is doing great! :) Just last Friday he only weighed 7 lbs and 14 oz. He eats 4 oz every 3 hours or so and is just such a sweetheart. I am waiting for the doctors office to call to tell me when his cardiologist appointment is. I pray with all that I am that his hole closes up on its own. Gavin's big sister Amber has an ear infection so I am a little stressed; I do not do well when my babies are sick. ~God Speed~

Later in the day~ The doctors called and Gavin has an appointment with a cardiologist in Jackson, MS on 12/8/2008 to evaluate his ASD. He will be 8.5 weeks old and I pray the hole is gone by then. I pray that even with his DS he will enjoy good health and a happy life. He is my heart..... my angel.

2008-11-05T09:22:00.009-06:00

Recent pictures of Gavin :)