(8 months 2 weeks 1 day)

Scott had a wonderful weekend of Father's Day! We even had a date night Saturday to see Batman Begins!!! GREAT MOVIE! First one that we have seen by ourselves since October 2nd, 2004. Don't believe me... go back through my pregnancy journal! hehe  Matt did a really good job and seemed to have a good time watching Reese... even though "she screamed for 15 minutes before she callapsed from exhaustion in the crib." We had told him that would happen, but he "felt so bad"  Yes, you read that right, my BIL, Matt, watch Reese Saturday night for us  Scott set it up on Friday.... we had such a nice time, though I did miss her during a few moments.

Here are some photos of the weekend!

1st Father's Day present given to him Friday night because he could use the gift for Saturday morning at golf.... you'll see why



"Ewww, the card still is wet with saliva!"


"This card was perfect"


"heh heh heh"


"Fantastic"


Admiring his lil' girl


Happy day before Father's Day! photo taken at 6:30AM before Scott headed out to golf... of course he took his golf towel to show all the fellas. Of course Reese would wake up the morning that I thought she was going to sleep in, thus why Scott opened his gift the night before. hehe

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! Scott's #1 gal and of course... wearing "the best number.... 18" (his athletic number since time began) She was swimming in the shirt, but Scott was so proud... he was worried I would care she didn't look "girly" today, but I said "Hun, aren't you happy with what you dressed her in?" He said "Yup!" I said "Then it's fine with me! Because today is YOUR day!"


What was that? (Gerber Blue Berry Custard, or something like that)


FEED ME MORE OF THAT.


Self portrait of Scott and Reese. Silly fam... how I love them.

(8 months 1 week 5 days)

I’ve been working on Reese playing Peek-A-Boo herself without me having to put things over her face or mine to get a reaction. Yesterday during a floor diaper change to keep her still I gave her a travel diaper wipe holder. She placed it over her face and then flipped it down and gave me a HUGE grin which I responded, “Peek-A-Boo, I SEE YOU!” and she let out these gut busting laughs and high pitched giggles. We continued this little routine for a good 15 minutes. She would have gone longer, but my cheeks were hurting from smiling so much!

I’ve added more photos to her 8 month – 36 week section and in the process of placing some 37 week photos.

Highlights include:

I typed up an update from earlier this week, but haven’t posted it yet in light of recent events… but I wanted to post them now.

(8 months 1 week)

Great weekend!

Reese did so well at her last swim class Saturday!! Scott came with us to take photos! He got some good ones!

1, 2 (Rese preparing for "3") 3.... *mom blows in her face*... SEE NEXT PHOTO!


DUNK!


WEE!!!!!! No suckin' in of water! WOO HOO! YAY REESE! She didn't caught at all today during dunks

The rest of the day was Mommy/Daughter time of snuggling, playing and overall loving it up.

Sunday I headed back down to Columbus to spend time with Eric and Maleah.

CHEESE! Me and Maleah!!!! Green machines!

 
Maleah and Eric

Trip down to Columbus:

I got to CCH around 1:30PM and waited a bit in the waiting room for the "ok" to come up to the NICU Ward which I chuckled when the receptionist said "I think I've sent a few phone calls up there from you." I said, "I am sure you have!"

Eric and his mom, Judy, were by Ethan's heating station and so we got in some good hugs and greetings. I also was able to place a photo of Reese and I to make sure that his "friends" were there smiling down on him.

Eric and I joked a bit and informed me that last Sunday that they "got in trouble" for so many people at Ethan's heating station. At one point there were about 10 people there! The "mean Russian lady" complained to one of the nurses that they were too loud and to ask them to keep it down. Then she took it upon herself to tell Maleah and Eric "all that noise is not good for your baby." Pretty much, everyone, including the nurses sorta rolled their eyes and was apologetic and the doctor said, "Don't even worry about the complaint! There are so many babies here that get no visitors, not even from the parents" Eric said, "Well, we'll take the complaint as a good thing!" But now its' the running joke of "is the mean Russian lady back?" I said "Look, we're dubbed the roudey bunch of the NICU!" Eric said "yeah, you have the babies that have no parents that visit, then you have the babies that just have the parents that visit then you have us.... Back here having keggers!" I said "Yeah, I'm sure they double check Ethan's oxygen tanks and any medicine that's being given to him so they know we aren't huffing anything we shouldn't be!" That got everyone laughing... and I had to throw in "If this was a college setup, we'd be the frat house!"

Before Maleah joined all of us I told everyone that I was going to corner Maleah and make her go out to dinner with us because I know she won't be able to completely say "No" and stick to her guns with me because as Eric joked "Yeah, you aren't the husband, mother or in-laws!" (Oh, trust me, she tried to say no, but I wouldn't take it as an answer!) Needless to say EVERYONE was on board with me bullying Maleah, and it worked out great!

Maleah joined us short time later after speaking with her mom, Jill, over the phone. It was good to see Maleah but I could tell she wasn't feeling well for many different reasons which I harped on her about. 1. Not eating correctly, no Girl Scout cookies and jello do not constitute a meal 2. not sleeping well 3. did I mention not eating well? Maleah looked a little gray in the face, but started to look a little more like herself later in the day. She sat on one side of the heating station while I snapped photos and Eric joined her on the other side. Maleah mentioned that there has to be a blanket on Ethan's feet at all times because he's so long that his whole body doesn't fit under the heating duct!! We all were chuckling at little idiosyncrasies in Ethan (Eric's double jointed fingers), Maleah (not so nice to the nurses in Zanesville) and Eric (smartbutt to all ). It was really cute! At one point Maleah was laughing so hard/long that she was complaining that her "inside stitches" were hurting! The best was the story that Eric told about the med student that was coming in to change the steristrips and Maleah asked him "what are steristrips?" and the student said "Ya know, they are just steristrips." (Ok, so maybe you should have been there to get those laughs). I was still snapping photos away... and Eric joked "we have our own documentarian"

Eric's cousins, Mike and Mary, joined us around 3 or so. They have twin 7-year-old boys, they didn't come, but it was nice to meet more of the extended family. Though immediate family is small, there are TONS of distant relatives from Eric's mom and dad's side of the family.

Mary held Ethan for a bit then they had to go, so I took over holding duties. It's so neat to see how relaxed Ethan gets when he's held. You can physically SEE his heart rate/blood pressure change for the better when there is physical touch. Maleah said that it was really evident the other day when his blood pressure was a bit low all night then as soon as Eric and Maleah came to his bedside and his blood pressure instantly rose.

We all sat around and chatting around Ethan's bedside and again started to complain about the hospital's policies on organ donation, but hopefully their case worker can get them in to be heard before the Ethics Board. Oh I hope that they are willing to just HEAR the case!

When the cousins left, Eric got us all wrangled up and took me over to the Ronald McDonald House. MY GOD is that place NICE!!!! I mean 4 star hotel nice! Sleep by number beds, industrial kitchens, spacious and clean! I was blown away! And they aren't even done yet! The sad thing is that the first floor isn't completed due to lack of funding, and the house is filled to capacity.... Maleah and Eric had to wait 3 nights before they got a room.

Eric hooked up his laptop to show me photos, drag down photos off his camera and including the ones I took earlier that day. Maleah went to pump, but Eric and I were CRACKING up at the photos... especially the nose sucker. Do you know that Zanesville tried to HAND him the sucker they used during delivery that STILL had blood and amniotic fluid on it!!! The nurse said "Here, make sure to take this home with you, it'll save you a couple of bucks." Needless to say, Eric didn't touch it! But in the photos you can see that it was STILL in Ethan's bassinette and I don't think it was even washed off after his bath! Eric and I were HOWLING with laughter! Maleah came into the TV room we were in and said "I could here you two laughing 2 doors down!"

We continued to look through all the photos and had more good laughs, and we re-explained the sucky to Maleah and she DIED laughing because she said "I remember you discussing this with the nurse, but I was really out of it!"

Good points of the week/weekend are:

1. Ethan was Christened on Thursday(?) during all the excitement I couldn't remember if it was Thursday or Friday, but it did happen, photos to follow!

2. Ethan is wearing clothes that the NICU nurses are able to find that are big enough! He's in 3 - 6 month clothing!!!!! And forget newborn hats... this kiddo has a HUGE head!

3. They are feeding him breastmilk! They were starting Ethan on formula to see if his system would tolerate it and Maleah mentioned that she had a few ounces of milk. So that was a HUGE highlight for Maleah.

4. We went out to dinner to Bob Evans (Thanks Eric, he wouldn't let me pay!) and that was a huge ball of laughter again because Eric and I wanted the slow roasted turkey dinner, but substitute the turkey with the Pork Tender Loin.... Both of us wanted all the sides that came with the turkey because it was like you got jipped with the regular pork dinner! I swear we laughed until we cried because the girl kept trying to mesh Lion and Loin together!! She said on several occasions "Loy-eion" ... mean I know, but it was humorous because we all caught it the first time, but it wasn't until we had already ordered that Eric said "did anyone else catch how she's pronouncing Loin?" Maleah ate a TON which was good! She even took some back with her for today. That was the MOST she's eaten in 9 days. I hope the trend continues, because I keep harping on her! The end of dinner was great walking out to the parking lot because we had another gut busting laughter at the rigging of the muffler on the car beside ours.... About 5 feet of electrical wire was holding the muffler to the underbelly of the Honda Civic for dear life!

Thank you again for all the well wishes, I have passed them along!!!!! Maleah and Eric are just so overwhelmed with the love and prayers from everyone it's unfathomable!

I'm sure that the greeting cards created online and being printed as I type this and to be delivered every morning around 9 will be a WELCOME each day! Thanks again AlleyRae, the one you created earlier was so sweet, and it meant so much to Maleah and Eric! Only wish I had known about this sooner, but hey! Better late than never!

If you would like to leave a personal greeting card message that will be sent directly to Ethan's room in the NICU feel free to do so here:

https://www.columbuschildrens.com/g...rdpro/index.cfm
Ethan Gustafson
NICU: Room 33

And there is a field for cards that are made after the family leaves that are mailed directly to them. Their address is:

Gustafson Family
P.O. Box 246
New Concord, Ohio 43762-0246

I finally left around 8:30PM to head back home. We had SUCH a good visit (Even though we did get a nasty look from the biggest man I've ever seen in real life.... "line backer big" because he was on our side of the road! Swear, it wasn't Eric's fault... but we quickly turned our heads when his shoulder/arm was barely fitting in the Honda Pilot! YIKES BIG MAN!), I wish I could have stayed longer... the day was full of laughter and VERY little tears..... need to throw in a "shout out to KEYMO" who was "bumpin' down the road in his beat-up century" but as Maleah pointed out "he did practice safe driving.... He looked back and used his blinker before changing lanes." WHERE WAS MY CAMERA WHEN WE SAW THIS?!

I have photos that I want to post for those that would like to see, but if they make you uncomfortable, please stop reading now.

Dad's hands

Family

Big ole feet!

Me holding E-man

And if you ever think of Ethan, hold dear this photo

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name' sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: For thou art with me;
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;
Thou annointest my head with oil; My cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever.

Ethan Thomas Peaslee Gustafson passed away this afternoon at 4:53PM.

June 2nd, 2005 - June 14th, 2005

Twelve of the most well lived days of any human being that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, holding or touching. Though he was small and his stay on here on Earth was short, the impact that he left on thousands will last an eternity.  Peace at last. Peace at last. We all love you.

He went peacefully surrounded by family and nestled in the arms of both his parents, Eric and Maleah.

They gave him a long bath last night, took clay prints of his hands and dressed him is his going home outfit.

As he passed he opened his eyes for the first time in two weeks and his mouth in as best of a smile that he could give.

Ethan will have a ceremony scheduled for Saturday, June 25th, 2005 at 11:00AM at Marion, Ohio. His body will be cremated and his ashes scattered at special locations that were special to Eric and Maleah so that he will be able to visit all the places that they wanted to take him.

Two head stones will also be placed, one in Massachusetts and one here in Ohio so that more people can stop by and visit him.

From the sincerest depths of everyone's heart the entire family thanks you. For all your love, support and prayers.

Email later this evening from Maleah:

Hi all. I had this long message typed out and then lost it. So, i will try again, but feel free to ask if you want to know something i left out.

 

Just wanted to let you all know how much we have appreciated your thoughts and prayers and let you know that Ethan Thomas Peaslee Gustafson, born at 1:18 a.m. on June 2, passed on to a better place at approximately 4:53 p.m. today. He was surrounded by the love of family and in our arms. We are sad that he is no longer with us here, but glad to know that he is finally at peace after the past 11 days. We are so thankful to have had that time with him but know he is now watching over us forever.

 

His condition started to slowly decline last night (though we didn't know it at the time) and got worse this morning. Essentially, his organs were beginning to shut down very slowly. He was having a low blood pressure and a lot of swelling, including in & around some of his organs this morning, as well as digestion problems. We ako foiund out that the ethics committee wasn't planning to meet until Thursday - which was too long for us - and we believe this was Ethan's way of telling us it was just time and we were making the right decisions for him. Rather than wait for an emergency to happen overnight, we made the decision to disconnect his ventilator this afternoon and he passed on very peacefully about 10 minutes later. Just before he passed on, he opened his eyes which were full of light for the first time since his first day of life. It was a very special gift, and let us know that he is watching over us.

 

We are heading back to Zanesville tomorrow to begin the long process of settling into life without him. We are planning a celebration of his life, tentatively 11 a.m., on June 25 (which is also Eric's birthday - he doesn't mind sharing it with such a special honor for Ethan) at my family's home church in Marion. We will let you know when we know more.

 

Please know how much we appreciate all of your prayers and thoughts during this time. We are very lucky to have so many wonderful friends and family and Ethan was very lucky to have so many people who love him. We will keep you all updated.

 

--maleah (& eric too)

I just got off the phone with Eric.  Ethan is going into complete organ failure.  He has gotten an infection and his body is slowly shutting down.  They are removing his ventillator this afternoon.

My life is forever touched and changed by this family... and more importantly Ethan Thomas Peaslee Gustafson, though his stay was brief, the imprint he's left on so many will last a lifetime.

Please keep the Gustafson's in your thoughts and prayers throughout the day and the coming weeks.

(8 months 1 week)

Well, at 8 months 1 week nursing is over. Reese self weaned.

My milk is pretty much non-existant and Reese just uses me for 10 minutes in the morning to suck on... and then she really wants nothing to with my boobs but to pull on the nipples with her hands...

But I feel great that Reese was exclusively breastfed for 6 months (most of it coming from ebm that I had frozen to begin with) but still a feat within itself and she had been still nursing and getting "the real stuff" with formula since then.

I feel great that we went this long, sad that we didn't make it to the year mark..... but she's healthy and forumla won't kill her.

FIRST TIME TO A BASEBALL GAME! Go Aeros!! We had awesome seats too! RIGHT behind homeplate.... 2nd row. (Section 103, B, Seat 7&8)


Such a big girl.


The gentleman holding Reese offered to hold her for a few minutes while Scott and I ate our hot dogs. He said "I have experience, I have 27 grand kids! WOW! She did great for about 2 minutes... then this.... LOL Notice everyone's faces!!!!!!


Having a piece of hotdog bun for the first time.

Reese has become VERY precise on the placement of her fingers. Not only in picking up puffs…. But also sticking them up her nose. Silly kid. She’s also gotten really good at crawling and finally has wanted to use her walker to walk… and to think we thought all she wanted to do with it was tear it up. She usually uses her piano or stands behind her sit in rolling walker to hold on to while walking. It was funny to watch her push with purpose.

Her new favorite toy of the moment is……………. Don’t laugh……… ok, so it IS funny…. It’s the menu from Steak-N-Shake! (Ask Scott how he got it out of the resturaunt) The sound it makes when you shake it scares Oreo but make Reese HOWL with laughter! When we were at SNS a week or so ago Reese was hitting it and making herself laugh hysterically. An older couple got up to leave and came over and said “We had to tell you that your daughter has the most infectious laugh! Every time she’d start to laugh, we’d giggle too!” Scott and I said thank you and as they walked away Scott said “We can’t go anywhere anymore can we?” I proudly said “Nope!” Have I mentioned how much I love Reese?!

I'd like to order the berry cobler please! Hey mom, this remote won't talk back to me!

Another funny thing that she just recently stated to do is be VERY bashful when someone looks/smiles at her. It doesn’t even have to be a person! My MIL has a dancing gopher from Caddy Shack that sings and dances…she smiles and hides her head when he starts dancing and singing!

Today I also noticed another funny little habit she’s formed…… she shuts her eyes really tight/squints when she’s falling or about to fall! It’s so funny! I caught a bit of it on camera today. She makes me laugh so.

Squinting as she's about to fall.... TOO CUTE!

I refer to Reese as "the rat" now.... because wherever her head can fit, so can the rest of her body!


WHAT A STINKER! JAIL BREAK! Oreo wrangling the escapee.

Saturday is Reese’s last Shrimp’s class. She received her first certificate (besides birth) ever last weekend for completing the class thus far. She’s done SO well with “scoopers”, kicking, jumping from the side of the pool and climbing back out. All of this with the help of me of course… but hey, still really cute! She’s one of the favs of the class because she’s always smiling, laughing and having a good ole time!

I've started to upload some of the 36 week photos in the new 8 month gallery under Photos. Check em out when you get a chance!

If you would like to do "something" for Meleah and Eric's family but not sure what, the Columbus Children's Hospital is always in need of donations for situations just as this.

They are at Columbus Children's Hospital: http://www.childrenscolumbus.org

Children's Hospital
700 Children's Drive
Columbus, OH 43205
(614) 722-2000

You may make any monetary donation in Ethan Gustafson's name as you wish and I think they may send them a card saying that you have done so.

Scott and I made a donation to a close friend of the family's hospital in lieu of flowers as they requested and they sent notes from every person who did so.



I truly have never been a very spiritual person... I've gone to church because my mom made us, attended baptisms, and also been part of them because it was always instilled that it was "the right thing to do." It's unfortunate that situations like this had to happen for me to understand that there has got to be some greater being than myself at work.

All I know 100% is that when I held Ethan I was somehow touching God.

It seems so trite for me to type out a simple "Thank you" because it just doesn’t seem good enough..... but all I can do is say thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. Everyone and everything being said and done for this wonderful family is a true blessing.