Let's Play Catch-up

Ok, so I know it has been a very long time since I have last written on Reyna's blog.  We have been very busy, I don't know when we last had a weekend of just lounging around the house.  Well its finally here sort of, we at least get to lounge Saturday, so I am going to take this opportunity to let everyone know what we have been up to in the Garza household and especially with Reyna.

The month of September was extremely busy with birthdays I think we helped celebrate like 10, but of all those birthdays Omar's was the most important.  I can't believe he was turning 2 and Reyna was going to be 2 months old.  The time has flown by and I can't seem to make it slow down.  On Sept 26th (Omar's bday) I looked at him and then at Reyna and thought wow, Omar was that tiny once.  Not anymore, now he is a loving, gentle and hands on big brother.  Recently he has even tried to breastfeed Reyna on more than one occasion.  He tries to share in the fun of dancing when he does and he just loves holding and kissing her.  She also loves him because whenever she hears his voice she tries to find him.  Reyna is doing great she had an appointment with Dr. Satterfield that month just to make sure that Reyna's vision was good and that she didn't have any eye problem that we hadn't noticed.  Well everything checked out just fine and she just needs to have another checkup at 6 months old. 

October started with a well baby appointment with Dr Breneisen, Reyna's pediatrician and these were her stats.  Head circumference 38cm, height 22-1/4in, weight 9lb 8oz, she had been eating like a champ. We also had an appointment with Dr. Wright her cardiologist for her 2 month checkup and ECHO.  Well at least what I thought was going to be an ECHO to check and see if those 2 ASDs closed on their own.  After Dr. Wright reviewed her chart and did his exam, he told me that he didn't see the need to have an ECHO, that Reyna is growing and eating just fine and that we could wait until 10 months old to do an ECHO, unless I wanted one.  I trusted his judgement and we passed on the Echo for now.  This month was when Reyna decided at 2-1/2 months old it was time to roll over.  Up to this point she had been twisting her body when lying on her back so that both her knees touched the ground.  All that was keeping her from turning over was not being able to support her head very well.  I remember that day perfectly, we were at a Mata bday celebration when my cousin came from the other room and said with much enthusiasm that Reyna had just rolled over.  I thought she was joking until we got home and boom, she did it again.  Then once that happened it became easier and she started supporting her head better.  Now, she rolls until she is against something and can't go any further and she's fast.

October 23rd was probably the most important day of October.  It was the DSIA's Step Up For Down Syndrome walk at William Land Park. Up until that day we had been trying to fundraise money to help this wonderful organization provide services and resources to those families that have children/adults with DS in our community.  So naturally we organized Team Reyna which ended up raising $3,140.00 and having 30+ walkers that day.  We were sporting our bright yellow Team Reyna shirts that my friend Antonio designed for us, they turned out awesome.  After the walk we had a BBQ at the house and just relaxed.  I was touched at all the outpouring of support from our family and friends, of which some hadn't even met her yet.  I am hoping that every year we can have the same outcome.

We also had a very informative meeting with our coordinator at Alta Regional, the SCOE (Sacramento County Office of Education) Infant program via their teacher and speech therapist to see what services we were interested in and what services Reyna would need.  We gave them detailed information about Reyna's eating pattern and habits and what she was done developmentally so far and any concerns we had about her development.  They wrote up a road map like plan with what we would like to see Reyna capable to doing and what was important to us.  They also provided us with other resources and support in the community.  They will be coming to the house every 2 weeks to see how Reyna is developing and will be able to give us some pointers as to things we can do to help her reach those developmental milestones.  I am glad that there are programs like this and hope that with the economy the way it is doesn't feel that they can cut programs like this to balance the budget. Its funny how things that you really didn't pay attention to suddenly you are watching closely with politics and budgets and how they will impact the disabled community.  It hits closer to home now for sure.So after that appointment we started gearing up for Halloween.  This year was going to be the first real year where Omar understood better that on October 31st, he could dress up in a costume and get candy.  So I furiously finished sewing his turtle costume that I think turned out wonderful, while I purchased Reyna's ladybug costume since there just aren't many patterns for newborns.  We went to the pumpkin patch and rode the train ride, Omar got to feed the goats in the petting zoo, while Reyna and I watched.  We then took a hayride out to the pumpkins.  We picked some to decorate our house for Halloween and the fall.  We got to go trick or treating in both Davis' downtown and at home.  The kids looked so cute and Omar had fun when he wasn't tired.  At home we went around the block really quick and then it was time for Omar to hand out candy to the kids who came to the door.  He did a great job.

Halloween costumes

 

November came and went with a furry, we made a trip up to Apple Hill with the Smith family and tia Grace.  We went to Abel's Acres first, where Omar got to ride a pony while Reyna watched.  We then went to High Hill and walked around looking at the vendors and finally went inside to get warmed up.  Pedro and I shared an apple fritter that was bigger than Reyna.  This ended up being our annual trip to Apple Hill because money has been tight with me not working so we won't be cutting down a tree.  We will save that for next year when the kids are older.  We still had fun and it was great to hang out with family.

pony ride at Abel's Acres

 

 We have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.  We have 2 beautiful children that are healthy.  We have family and friends that love and support us.  We have a roof over our heads when many have lost their homes during this difficult financial time.  I know that as long as I have my family and friends everything is going to be ok.  We love you all.  Now I promise that I will get better at this blogging stuff :)

A Crazy First Month

We start September with a Dr appt for Reyna. The most profound improvement is Reyna's weight gain. She now weighs 8lb 2 oz, which is up 14 oz from 2 weeks ago. Which is much better than anticipated, the Dr thought she would probably have a weight gain of about half an ounce each day due to her Down Syndrome (DS). She is actually gaining an ounce a day and this is on breastmilk only. She has also been exclusively breast feeding, which is a major accomplishment, since we didn't start off to good. Breast feeding for her is very important because it gives her the necessary immune protection & nutrients and also exercises the muscles needed for speech as those are the same muscles needed to suck from the breast which is different from sucking a bottle.

Some of you also had heard that Reyna had an ultrasound on her hips. This was prompted because when her pediatrician was checking her hips she felt a clicking sound which is suggestive of hip dysplagia. Lucky for us her ultrasound showed that there is nothing wrong with her hips. Reyna has also started sleeping in 5-6hr blocks at night. How is it that my kids are great sleepers, huh could it be because their mommy and daddy are good sleepers also. I guess we were just lucky to get two kids that are good sleepers with a mellow attitude :)

"watching" daddy throw some shoes

This last month we also took Reyna to her first Hernandez family reunion at Camanche Lake. We only went for the day but it was perfect. She met new cousins, watched daddy and tio Roger play in the horseshoe tournament hoping to get that trophy a second time. She then watched as mommy and daddy were hoping to win something from the raffle.  Ok ok ok that all happened while she slept through the whole reunion. Next year will be very different as she will be able to participate more.

Eating at reunion potluck

This last monday as a family we went to the Sacramento zoo and while Omar enjoyed all the animals again Reyna slept through the entire trip. Not once did she open her eyes to catch a glimpse of anything. Oh well what do you expect.

Well thats it for now and we are hoping September will be an even more exciting month than August was. Love you all.

Getting some sun by the pool, while brother swims

Hi Everyone

Ok so we are new to blogging, but thought that this way was the easiest for giving everyone updates on Reyna.  This way those of you who aren't close enough to visit as often still feel like you are in the loop.

So where to start, why not from the beginning that way I only have to do it once, get everyone on the same page and then its updates from then on. 

So Reyna was born with a quickness on July 30th at 4:19am, 19.5in and 7lb 1oz.  Just like her big brother she was too born in the water and didn't make a peep, except when the nurses took her out of the warm water.  She was born with Down Syndrome which we knew about long before she was born and had shared it with everyone.  Since her birthday, she has kept us on our toes.  Not long after being discharged home from the hospital, we were right back because she was too jaundice and had to be under the phototherapy lights.  Then after being discharged a second time, we had some more medical issues that came up.  First the day before her one week appointment she had a low grade temperature which we attributed to it being a warm day and not having the AC on.  Then at the doctors office, she had a rectal temp of 95 degrees, which is much too low.  She also wasn't back up to her birth weight.  She went from 7lb 1oz at birth to 6lb 9oz on initial discharge.  Then at our readmit she was 6lb 4 oz and when we left she was 6lb 6oz.  At this one week appt she was only 6lb 10oz (at the dr office-not hosptial scale).So we were sent home with orders from the doctor to take rectal temps twice a day and home weights every 2-3 days until the 16th. 
So we had to rent a scale for home to prevent driving to Davis just to get a weight.  So far in 3 days she has gained 3 oz, the home scale is only an ounce off the dr's office scale so she now weights 6lb 13oz.  We have an appointment on Thursday and our goal is for her to be back at her birth weight. 
This last Friday the 12th, we had a follow-up Echo to see how her heart was.  When we did a fetal echo while pregnant the pediatric cardiologist didn't see anything that could be a potential problem.  Well at this appt, the dr said that she has 2 holes in her atrial septum, that is the part of the heart that separates the upper right and left chambers of the heart.  While in the uterus there is a hole between these two chambers to bypass the lungs since the baby isn't breathing on its own.  This hole usually closes with baby's first breath or soon after. Well Reyna's is still open and she has another hole along with it.  There aren't any symptoms that would have told us she had this except a heart murmur, but none of the dr's that have listened to her heard it.  So cardiologists orders is to have another Echo done in 2 months to see if these holes have closed on their own, if not we will see what he suggests.
So far that is all the up to date information we have as far as her health.

As far as being a newborn she is doing everything she is suppose to, eatting, sleeping and pooping.  She is such a joy to have and is the love of our lives, along with Omar of course.  Now Omar is head over heels in love with her.  Every morning when he wakes up first thing he says is "Baby, baby!"  Then when he sees her its "Reyna, Reyna, Reyna" and then he gives her a kiss or two.  He is so helpful with her, a little too much sometimes.  He wants to help feed her and then tries to cover her with a blanket if she is crying.

Well I hope to have more updates soon, hope this is ok for our first blog.
Love you all.