Avery's 1st Month

I cannot believe that Avery is already 1 month old!! It's amazing how fast the time goes but it also feels like she has been here forever and we can't imagine our world without her.

1 Month Stats:
* Weight: 9 lbs 8 oz (55th %-ile)
*Length: 21.5 inches (60th %-ile)
*Head: 36.90 (50th %-ile)


Some highlights from the 1st month:
* Favorite Toy - Her Playmat from Linde. She loves the lights and the fun things to look at
* Favorite Songs - Sing to the Colors, Hail to the Victors, Zippitydoodah, and A Alligators All Around
* Favorite Object to Look At - The ceiling fan in the family room
*Favorite Place to Sleep - On people, Infant Napper in the Pack'n'Play (We are working on transitioning to her crib)
*Best Way to Calm Her - Walk around the house and sing, Put her in the Baby Bjorn
* She is starting to smile and makes tons of funny faces (i.e. "Cheerio")
* She LOVES taking her Polyvisol (we were told most babies hated it - but it appears she'll take anything out of a nipple!)
* She is eating great - We left the hospital at 6 lbs 5 oz and she is now over 9 lbs.
* Sleeping is still a struggle and everyday and night seem to go differently. We'll keep working on it in month 2!
* She is starting to really enjoy bath time
* She likes taking walks and driving in the car

 Play mat time!

 Getting ready for winter in my new snowsuit!

 In my new fall coat from Grams

 Baby Bjorn Time!!

Grandma Trinh Visits

Grandma Trinh came to visit us for a week - It was a great help having her here! We were able to get some extra sleep and enjoyed all the wonderful home cooked meals.

Avery's 2 Week Update

We've had a good second/third week. Avery has an amazing appetite and LOVES to eat - The pediatrician has us giving her Vitamin D drops daily and told us that most babies hate the taste. But not Avery - she loves them and seems to want more when the dropper runs out. We weighed her on Friday and she has gone from 6 lbs 5 oz when she left the hospital to over 8 lbs. Avery has graduated from Newborn clothes to 0-3 months. She is getting better at sleeping at night and is more and more alert and active during the day (but there are still lots and lots of naps!).

Avery finally got to meet her Aunt Maddie and see Grandma T again. We already miss them and were SO happy they made the trip to come and see us.

Grandma Trinh is visiting for the next couple weeks and had a great first night with Avery! 

 Meeting Aunt Maddie

 Making her famous Cheerio Face

 In my first 0-3 month outfit (Given to us from Grandma and Grandpa Hopkins)

 

One Week Check In

We had our one week appointment with the Pediatrician to see how Avery is doing - She gained 13 oz. since we left the hospital. The pediatrician was very pleased and said she is gaining and doing better than expected. Her one week stats are:

Height: 20.5 inches (75th percentile)
Weight: 7 pounds 1 ounce (30th percentile)
Head Size: 34.3

We weighed her at two weeks and she is up to 7 pounds and 9 ounces. She is a great eater!! I can barely get through 2 hours before she is asking for more. We are getting more and more comfortable at home. So far she really loves her playmate and walking around the house being sung/talked to. We are working on getting her to like the swing and bouncy seat. She is more and more alert by the day. Sleeping at night is still a bit of a struggle but it's getting better and we are getting more used to sleeping in small chunks rather than a full night of sleep.

Grandpa Greg and Grandma T visited last weekend and gave us the gift of sleep which helped get Hung and I back on track. We also got to watch one of the greatest Michigan comebacks of all time as we beat Notre Dame 35 to 31. Our wolverines are 2-0 since Avery has been born so we are hoping she is our good luck charm!

Grams (Nancy) and GG (Grammy) are staying with us this week and it's so great to have the help!!

Below are Avery's first professional pictures that we had taken at the hospital...It's only been 2 weeks but we think she already looks older. 

Labor Day 2011

Avery had a great first Labor Day!! Since we are nestled at home for the first few weeks it was so wonderful to have family and friends visit. Avery got to meet Jill and Josh on Friday who drove from Chicago. And also got to meet her Uncle Du who stayed for the whole weekend. Hung even got a chance to get out and golf with his brother while Avery hung out with Mom and Grams at home. 

Avery also got to experience her first Michigan and Iowa football games. Despite the weird weather delays, I think she was very excited to see her two teams win :)

Her Great Grammy (GG) also came to town and is staying for a couple weeks. It was just wonderful to see the two of them together. And Grams has been a mainstay at the house (tonight is our first night with just the 3 of us). All of her love, support, errands, housecleaning, laundry and shopping trips have been invaluable and we are so happy that she lives so close and can keep taking care of all of us.

It was a great weekend and we really appreciated all the company!! We are looking forward to Grandma Teri and Grandpa Greg coming to visit in a few days. I know Avery has really missed them.

 Weird napping position on Jill

 Ready for the Hawkeye game at noon

 Hanging with mom

 Ready for the Mich game at 3:30

 She was very bored during the rain delay

 The mich gear is a little big but I couldn't help it :)

 Very cozy with Uncle Du

 Some long nights

 All tuckered out

 We call this her Milk Drunk Face - Totally satisfied!

 Grams don't leave us!!

Meeting Great Grammy

Welcome Avery Jeanette Trieu

Avery Jeanette Trieu joined us at 4:48 pm on August 28th weighing 6 lbs 15 oz and 20 inches long. 

We weren't expecting her for a few more days or even a couple weeks. But I was standing in the kitchen on Sunday morning talking to Hung's parents and it felt like my water broke. We called the Dr. and went to the hospital. When we got there they hooked me up to the monitors and checked - waters were intact ant not broken. So it was false alarm and we all figured we were headed home.  But as I was hooked up to the monitor they noticed a slight, unexpected dip in heart rate and wanted to watch me a little longer. Over the course of another 2 hours her heart rate dipped a couple more times and the third time was pretty low (78 bpm). This scared the Dr. and we just weren't sure why it was happening so she recommended a C-Section in the next 2-3 hours. She didn't want to put Avery's heart through the stress of labor and gave us some pretty convincing statistics to back-up the C-Section. Hung had taken his mom home so we told them to come back immediately, had my Dad and Teri and Nate get in the car and head to Indy and Amy was on her way from Lansing, as well. With the troops on their way, they got me ready for surgery. The heart rate dipped a 4th time to really let us know we were making the right call. 

We got lucky and had an amazing nurse named Dana who was able to get both my mom and Hung in the delivery room. The whole C-Section process was very easy and went smoothly. I did great and Avery did even better. She came out screaming and got 2 apgar scores of 9. We are not sure why the heart rate dipped (maybe a skinny umbilical cord) but glad we were cautious and she made it hear safe and sound! Here are some of the least graphic first pics of our amazing Avery J. being welcomed to the world.

 The last belly shot

 Nice lungs Avery!

 We made it to recovery - And mom finally got hold Avery!

We had an amazing stay at St. Vincent Women's Hospital - The nurses, staff and doctors were so helpful and attentive. We also had lots of great visitors including Grandma and Grandpa Trieu, Grandma Teri, Grandpa Greg, Uncle Nate, Grams (Nancy), Gramps (Chuck), Uncle Cullen, Great Aunt Amy and lots of UHS Friends (Sue Anne, Kathy, Jeanette, Jennifer, Christine, The Walls family and Damien)! Our stay allowed us to get some rest and gain confidence in bringing her home.

 Our amazing delivery nurses - Erin and Bailey

 Grandpa Greg

 Uncle Nate

 Uncle Cullen

 Uncle Nate gave Avery some great singing lessons!

 Grams

 Snuggle time with mom

 The hospital hat was too big - The Michigan hat fit MUCH better and looked perfect. GO BLUE!

 Gramps

 Jeanette

 Avery's 1st manicure from Grandma Teri

We made it home on Wednesday August 31st (the original due date). While I was a little weepy we made it home OK and have had a first great couple days alone with her. We are all enjoying snuggle time with Avery - she seems to nap best ON one of us and we will have to eventually break that habit but not just yet :) Grams has been a huge help making sure all laundry is done, we are all fed and that I am taken care of as I heal from my C-Section. And Grandma Teri and Grandma Trieu left lots of goodies for us at home to keep us fed - we really appreciated it! We have also gotten lots of amazing flower arrangements and gifts - the generosity, love and support is overwhelming and so appreciated. Avery had her first bath and her first visit to the pediatrician. The Dr. said she is doing great, looks perfect and is gaining back the weight she lost at the hospital very quickly. We are SO proud and happy - she has made life so much better already and we are so excited for all the days and milestones to come.

WELCOME HOME AVERY JEANETTE!! We love you.

 Snuggle time with Dad - I could just eat her up!

 Welcome home sign from Grandma Teri - made me smile

 Playing on her Bunny chair from Uncle Du

 On our way to the Dr.

Waiting for the Dr. - Dad is totally in love with daughter :)