It's So Rough Being Tagg Davis!

We think he's going through a growth spurt because he's been sleeping so much. He's such a sweet little boy and makes everything so easy for us! He's finding his voice a little more so we get to hear a lot more grunting and cooing. Every so often he'll have little giggle fits in his sleep. We keep trying to catch one on video but the timing never seems to work out!

Tagg got his first new car this week...complete with some pimped out rims! Scott was determined that even though we traded the Jeep in for a "family" SUV, it should not look like a soccer-mom car! The 4-wheel drive will be great in the winter and it has a DVD player in the back. Morgan even likes riding in it which is pretty shocking!

Tagg got to spend a lot of time this week with Tami and Porter. It's been nice to have another new mommy around! Plus, Porter is like our new fashion icon so we had to make sure Tagg got some hip new clothes...check out his cute little camo cargos! We just don't tell anyone that we still have to buy preemie sizes so they fit! He is starting to get a little double chin and we're so impressed that his hands seem like they're growing almost daily. They are already bigger than Porter's and he's a month older than Tagg...look out!

We went out to dinner and made the boys go to the mall a few times. Lisa kept teasing Tagg that if he was smart he'd start being fussy so he'd get out of shopping in the future, but he decided to be cute and just sleep a lot - as usual.


We also got to spend time with the grandparents this week, who absolutely dote on him. The phrase "he's pretty tough to take care of" seems to be said quite often without any seriousness whatsoever! He's such a chill little guy that he's happy to hang out anywhere, with anyone. He has struggled with gas a little more this week than in the past but we're figuring out how to keep him comfortable and calm and he's always just a great baby.

Lisa's continuing to train for the triathlon this coming Saturday but it's a little more difficult when there's a baby in the house. It's not always easy to train hard core when you're not getting a full 8 hours. Tagg suggested that a nap together might be just the ticket!

We've all been engrossed by the Olympics - go Michael Phelps! The whole gang are like Olympics Couch Potatoes - and we have the photos to prove it! Tagg will probably think the theme song is a lullaby, he's heard it so much this week.

What Could Happen in a Week?

You'd be amazed how much a little guy can accomplish in just one short week! First of all, Tagg is growing like a weed! We had our 2-week check up today and he weighed in at 7 lbs 11.5 oz and 20 inches - which means he's gained a pound and an inch since he came home. Holy cow! Scott and I had bets on his weight gain and we seriously underestimated (actually, Scott guessed pretty close and I told him he was nuts so he down-sized...hee-hee!). He must be gaining it in his cheeks because they are getting chubby! His hair is still growing and blond. He's eating twice as much and has achieved all of his one-month milestones like lifting his head and focusing on faces already. Such an advanced boy!

Tagg had his first lunch date this week. We went to Happy Sumo for sushi with our friend Tami from Michigan and her 6-week-old son, Porter. The little guys also went shopping with us but declined to pose for joint photos! We went up to Park City on Friday to meet my old co-workers for lunch and a little "shower" which was really nice. Tagg was a doll, as usual.

He also got to meet more of the family: uncle Kurt was here from Hawaii and uncle Jeff, aunt Lynne, and cousins Brooke and Canyon from Seattle were in town before the family Powell trip so they all came to the house for pizza and baby-holding. It was great to see everyone! They loved Tagg and really tried to convince us that one week was plenty old enough for a first trip to Powell. It would have set a new family record but we decided to play it safe! Morgan was pretty happy that the cousins were in town...she was their favorite for sure, and belly rubs were aplenty!

On Friday night, we went to a surprise birthday party for our friend, Brooke - Tagg's first party! He was the youngest kid there, but not the only one! As a matter of fact, his "cousin" Nikelle, 3, held him for awhile and read him a book, and "cousin" Greyson, 2, determined that he was "cute" but not as much fun as a football or the LuvSac.

Porter was there too with Tami and Jake, and the baby boys held court all night. The dads were happy to pose for pictures with the boys, making sure it was the little guys' bald heads in the shot not theirs!

Tagg's been helping us train for the triathlon, too. Well, "helping" might be a stretch. But he's gone to morning swims with Lisa and Tiffany a couple of times and has been doing his best to let mommy sleep so she has enough energy to train! He's hoping to be on-hand for the big day so he can cheer us across the finish line! It's less than two weeks away...yikes!



Of course, all this activity does tucker a little guy out which means he spends a lot of time catching up on his beauty sleep! Mom and Dad's chest, lap or arms are his favorite places to catch a snooze.

Tagg's First Week

Tagg's first week home was pretty eventful, except for the sleeping, eating and pooping! Although, for some reason, that kind of stuff now seems like a newsworthy event to us! We have discovered that changing his diapers is usually a 2-person job. Hopefully, we'll get better!

We had to get Tagg circumcised on Wednesday which was pretty traumatic...maybe more so for us! There's a reason they usually sneak them away in the hospital and bring them back magically altered. He held on to Lisa's fingers - she said "squeeze when it hurts, little man" and he squeezed until his knuckles were white. Poor little guy. He seems to have recovered nicely though.

Thursday we gave him his first bath at home. What a mess! We were terrible! He did not enjoy the bath any more at home than he did at the hospital, plus we were trying to wash around his little circumcision and his umbilical cord (both of which ended up totally soaked anyway). And, just so he was batting a thousand, he managed to pee on both of us. We were absolutely cracking up. Once we got him all bundled up in his little frog towel, he was back to his normal happy self. He's been very tolerant and patient with his newbie parents, that's for sure!

We have had a constant stream of visitors and everyone agrees that he's just perfect and darling (duh...could have told you that!). He's gotten so many cute gifts and everyone has been so sweet and thoughtful. He's gotten lots of books and clothes that don't fit and some really soft blankets. Nana and Papa bought him his first Ute onesie. Hopefully, he'll fit into it by football season! The best new outfit...his Harley jacket. Real leather and everything. Next year, it'll be perfect. For now, it's a little big...but still pretty freaking cool!

He's got more blond hair coming in, you can actually see his eyelashes and the little dimple in his left cheek is getting more pronounced as his cheeks get chubbier. We're both amazed at how strong he is. He lifts his head up on a regular basis and looks around. It's kind of freaky. Like if your dog just looked up at you and said "Hey. What's up." We don't see his eyes open nearly enough, but apparently being one week old requires lots of sleep!

Meet the...Everybody!

Tagg came home with us from the hospital on Monday afternoon. Scott and I got home and looked at each other and said, "There's a baby in our house! We have a baby!" The whole family got to come and meet him and hold him and he was welcomed with so much love. The Grandmas and Grandpas are thrilled, as are the new aunts and uncles. He must have felt like Brangelina facing the paparazzi, there were so many cameras going!

Morgan keeps looking at everyone who visits like "Uh, are you taking him home with you? I know he's not staying here forever...right?" She's actually been very good with him and now likes to curl up next to him when she can. She does not like it when he cries at night...we like to think she's worried about him, but it may be that her sensitive ears can't handle some of those glass-breaking squeals!

We've been trying to find some of his cute little outfits that actually fit him. For some reason, we all thought he was going to be a little bigger than he is. He's so cute and tiny, but his little outfits just drown him! He's a good eater and a good sleeper and just gets cuter every day. He makes the most darling little squeaks, grunts and moans and has a thousand little facial expressions. We pretty much just sit and stare at him all day long!

We are settling into our routine at home. We finally figured out the stupid swaddling thing...there's this neat little invention called a SwaddleMe that the hospital neglected to tell us about. Velcro is the best invention in the world! Even our little Houdini can't get out of it, and he actually calms down in a matter of seconds as soon as he's in his little baby straight jacket.

Both of us are amazed at how much we fell in love with him and how fun it is to be a parent. We've been peed on, spit up on, had some serious diaper blowouts and a few sleepless nights ... and it's the best thing in the world. We just couldn't love him any more! I feel like I'm on the verge of tears all the time because he is such a miracle to us.

Thanks to everyone for your support and well wishes. He's a very lucky baby to join this family and network of friends!

Tagg's Birthday

Tagg Davis was born on Saturday, July 26th at 10:48pm. He weighed 6 lbs 13 oz and was 19" long. He's perfect and healthy and wonderful in every way! His first footprints are good and long...he's got some feet to grow into! He's got blond hair and a little dimple in his chin and his left cheek. Just the most darling baby in the world!

J. was a trooper throughout the 14 hours of labor and delivery. It was so amazing for them to let us share in the experience. We actually heard his first cries through the door of the delivery room. It was such an amazing experience to hear this little life join the world! J. placed him in Lisa's arms just an hour after he was born. We love that everyone is smiling in the pictures!

They invited us to stay with them in the hospital so that we could feed him, change him and bond with him for the first two nights. Lisa even got to give Tagg his first bath---which he hated! His little face got all red and his body followed. The nurse, Danielle, was very sweet, helpful and patient as she walked Lisa through the process. Scott watched from outside the window and took pictures. Although he did miss the funniest moment of the bath...when Tagg peed on Lisa! It might have been the first one, but we're sure it won't be the last! It was a really incredible and unique experience. The recliners in those hospital rooms are not built for two, but it was well worth the back aches! And getting in trouble with the mean nurses every night!

We bonded so closely with Tagg's birth family - mom, dad, grandma, grandpa and cousin were all here. They felt like family from the first moment we met them and that feeling was just reinforced over the weekend as we shared such a powerful, emotional experience together. We feel so blessed to have them in our lives. We kept laughing about how many things we all have in common and how "right" everything felt.

Tagg's birth parents bought him a darling going-home outfit (like most of his clothes, it was a little big!) and made him a "We Love You" bear at Build-A-Bear which we keep in his room so they're always with him. He is, of course, wearing a little NBA uniform and the bear is actually bigger than Tagg...for now! We hope they know how much love and affection we will shower on this precious little boy. We are truly looking forward to having them in our lives, and in Tagg's life. It was so unexpected and special to meet and bond with such wonderful, loving, courageous and generous people. There will never be enough thanks for the gift they have given us — the gift of our family. We are very blessed and Tagg is truly a miracle!