LESS TALK, MORE ROCK

Shelley, Lewis, and the Shaky Chair

One month old, and already going lo-fi

Gram and Pops, w/ young'un

Well, to give you an update on Lewis' eating habits, after eating for about 4 days straight, he is a formula-free baby!! He is getting more efficient and quicker at meal times but we usually average an hour which is better than 2 or 4 hours which has been the case on occasion.

He seems to be a night owl and has no problem staying up until 2 or 3 a.m. which is pretty hard on mama! Our goal for this week is go to sleep by midnight so that we can have a semi-normal existence. He is 4 weeks old today which is hard to imagine! Thanks for your encouragement and support through the challenging days of newborn-ness.

--Shelley :)

TO HOLD AND BE HELD

Little Lewis is getting accustomed to affection... he likes to be held, especially in the mornings, by his lovely mother. It calms his nerves and helps him get back to sleep! His eating is getting more regular, and he's taking an interest in the world around him... looks all over the place, but who knows what he sees? And, as promised, new pics! The first is of me and my boy, bonding over a little nap; the second is of Lewis' first date! His belle is the cute Cora Powell, who's slightly older (just like his dad, Lewis likes the slightly older women!). My plan is to arrange their marriage, though I may wait a few years to do so...

On Monday night, Foxhole will be performing at the awesome Southgate House in Newport (Ky. border of Cinci), so if you're anywhere nearby, you should come check it out! Other acts include Wolverine Brass, a straightforward rock band from Louisville, and From Monuments To Masses, a currently hip instrumental band that's sort of like us, but not really.

--Justin

AN URGENT NEED

Please pray for me over the next couple days... I have found an unbelievable job opportunity that would solve a whole lot of problems for us. It is a work-from-home position that actually PAYS WELL and would allow me to a.) make some money while at the same time b.)being near Lewis and c.) being near the shop and d.) putting some away for the ol' college fund (as if he's not gonna get a full scholarship to Yale... my boy!).

PLEASE add this to your prayers... put it as near the top as you can, in fact! I'll let you know how it turns out, and may God be glorified in all these things.

More pics tomorrow, I promise.

Meanwhile, here's the funniest rotating GIF I've ever seen:

--Justin

Two-week checkup

Today we went to Lewis's two-week checkup. He is now 8 lbs. and 21 1/4" long. He is growing! Our doctor is happy about his progress. The kicker is that he has advised us to try and kick the bottle habit. While in Nashville, Lewis became quite happy taking a Haberman feeder (a bottle with speed control that is supposed to mimic "mama"). Since then, we have had trouble transitioning back to nursing. His feedings have been taking anywhere from 1 to 2 1/2 hours, which is quite tiring for both of us (sometimes daddy too!). According to the doctor, if we stop giving Lewis his bottle immediately (typically if he gets too frustrated, we give him a bottle of mama's milk) he will do the tough work of actually nursing. If we can get it down, he should progress to eating much faster and we can all rest easier. Unfortunately, until then, if you happen to come by during one of these transitional meal times, you may have to wait a long time to see either of us, and you may have to endure a lot of grunting and screaming. Thanks for calling in advance!!

We do appreciate all of the meals and prayers, and could still use prayer in the above-mentioned area!

--Shelley

AN EXPLANATION OF "INFECTION"

So apparently we've given the false impression that little Lewis was really sick... to clear that up, and to let you know how he is, let me explain.

Soon after he was born, the nurses diagnosed Lewis with some sort of infection; the way they decided he had one was because he was breathing so rapidly, which is a sign in babies. Blood tests in the days after revealed that he indeed had a virus, Strep Constellarus, which is one the doctors don't see much.

Nothing was really wrong with him, at least as far as anything that would affect him. Apparently, some were under the impression that he was on death's doorstep... sorry for that! He's doing great, doesn't seem to have any health problems and will probably be outrunning us soon enough!

A final thanks for all prayers, thoughts, encouraging emails and phone messages. At some point, you've just got to move on! But seriously, thanks!

--Justin

SLEEPING THE DAY AWAY

Our new friend Lewis LOVES to sleep. Four hours yesterday in his swing... and FIVE hours through the night! He only cries when he wants to eat (or when we change his diaper), and after a few minutes of looking around, back to sleep! Other parents out there are telling us to count our blessings... He's asleep as I type this, sitting in his car-seat/carrier as Shelley and I enjoy a romantic evening at the shop. Okay, it's not really that romantic. But it's nice and quiet!

Included here for your enjoyment is a picture of Lewis doing what he does best, snoozin' it up after an exhausting World Cup finale! Note the Pooh-themed jammies AND matching hat.

--Justin

HOME.

We arrived back in Bowling Green yesterday afternoon, about 1:30 p.m. Since then, we've learned:

1.) Lewis likes to vibrate, and he LOVES to swing. To whomever gave us those particular gifts (the vibra-bouncy chair and the automatic swing), thanks from the bottom of our hearts.

2.) The Lord provides for his children's needs. We've got friends bringing us food, offering to go to the grocery for us, and just otherwise encouraging us with all the newness.

3.) We DON'T have more baby clothes than we need--though I thought we did--when Lewis' random urination during diaper changes is taken into account.

Seriously, things are going great so far... we're spending a lot of our time just staring at the little guy, when we're not feeding or changing him, that is. I couldn't imagine loving someone so much... at least, not someone I just met! It's a great feeling... and in time, I'm sure, a great development of character and all that jazz.

In other news, my alt-country friends God's Lonely Man will be playing at Spencer's on Monday night, along with my folk-punk friend Wil's band, Homemade Knives, and a little opening music by my usually-techno-but-sometimes-gonzo friend Brandon Harrod. That shebang starts about 7:30 p.m. and costs $4. You should come by... you really should.

--Justin

OVER JORDAN

So it's for real... we're coming home tomorrow, barring any strange circumstance that pops up in the next 24 hours or so. Lewis got his circumcision today--OUCH--and also got his IV moved to HIS HEAD! OUCH! Apparently he kept pulling it out of his arm. It looks really freaky but the nurses assure us it doesn't hurt.

Um, that's all we've got for now, I guess... in non-baby news, Foxhole will be playing in Newport (Ky. border of Cincinatti) on July 24 with a pretty big band called From Monuments To Masses. When we're gonna find the time to practice for that, I have no clue. Apparently Adam is moving to Nashville and Derek back to Louisville (prior to his big trip to Austria). So if you've been dreaming of being my bestest friend who hangs out with me all the time, now's your chance. Please email your applications to justin@foxhole.info... We regret that we cannot respond individually to each application. Good luck!

--Justin

NEARING THE END, AGAIN

The doctor now SWEARS that Lewis can come home with us on Friday afternoon. That's the news, pretty much... To everyone who's been asking what they can do... here's an thought: I'm not a good cook, and Shelley's going to be busy serving a constant course of milk to the lil' one, so if anyone wants to cook us some food and bring by, please do! We'll be home on Friday night, at which point we probably don't need anything, but Saturday may be another story. Call me (270.535.5859) if you're coming by.

Thanks for all the prayers and encouraging calls and emails. We'll be home soon.

--Justin

SHOT THROUGH THE HEART

Tonight was supposed to be the night that we "roomed in" at the hospital, with Lewis, in preparation for his last dose of medicine. Tonight was supposed to be our last night in Nashville, with tomorrow the day to take him home.

Well, tonight hasn't turned out the way we planned.

The neonatalogist (sp?), Dr. Palmer, came by today while we were at the hospital and explained that he always treats strep infections with 10 days of antibiotics--not seven, as the nurses and others had led us to believe. He doesn't think it's a good bet to send Lewis home now, as the infection might reappear in a couple weeks, which would mean a return trip to the hospital and more and more drugs.

So today's been a tough one on Shelley and me. We've cried and despaired and worried and moaned... but we've also prayed and tried to trust God with everything that's happening, and we know the doctor has Lewis' best in mind. The little guy looks great, has been eating very well (and a lot!) and has figured out, at less than a week, how to suck his thumb!

I'll try to post some visuals tomorrow.

--Justin

THE END IS NEAR...

Well, according to our son's wonderful doctor, we'll be able to take Lewis Christian Shepherd to his rightful home on Wednesday morning--if all goes well over the next 24 hours or so. This is a crucial step in establishing our little family, so please keep those prayers rollin'. God keeps count, you know. :-)

Shelley's sisters came to visit yesterday, and her dad and stepmom came today... it was a good time, and since there's not much else to say about it, here are some pictures!

--Justin

PS: If you're one of the many people who've called, left a message, and heard nothing back, don't despair! We'll do our best to call in the next few months or so. Parents are busy, you know.

ONWARD & UPWARD

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers... Lewis continues to improve. Yesterday the doctor decided to move Lewis to a "big boy bed" (a regular crib with no warmer), and told us that his test results are all looking great and that, if nothing changes, we may be able to take him home on Wednesday morning. Shelley continued to feed him... the only problem is that he has a hard time staying awake during the whole feeding! Takes after both of us, I guess, in his love for naps.

They weren't the only ones who got to bond! Here's a picture of Papa and Sonny Boy: I worked on my impersonation of Lewis' general sleepy look, while Lewis himself seemed to watch critically, noting the many flaws in my performance.

And this: The hospital just called to say that they've moved Lewis to the "step-down" unit, which means he needs less attention and less treatment. We may just get out of this thing in one piece! But keep those prayers going, as Shelley and I are both truly exhausted and we're ready to get back to Bowling Green. With the baby, of course.

--Justin