Gavin and Louisa's little surprise!

Day 1	Tues, 6th January	08:00 - In to hospital for initial CTG scan and preparations 10:30 - On Lygon St having a drink and wondering what happens from here 12:00 - Back in the hospital and on the CTG again 13:30 - Drip on and ARM 14:30 - Contractions under way 18:30 - Ob Gyn calls for a C-Section. Baby is tiring from contractions 18:45 - Gavin is sitting outside Op theatre wondering what happens from here. Louisa is sitting in Op theatre wondering how she got here. 19:04 - Keira Jade is born! 20:30 - Louisa and Gavin and Keira are sitting in the hospital room. We all wonder what happens from here...
Day 2	Wed, 7th January	Keira's first bath. Gavin's first nappy change (and I coped very well, thank you!)
Day 3	Thurs, 8th January	Stats Day. Keira is 45cm long.
Day 4	Friday, 9th January	Babies on average lose up to 10% of their birth weight in the first few days. Keira is doing great and has lost less than 10%. That still brings her down pretty close to just 2kg though :)
Day 5	Sat, 10th January	Another weigh-in. Keira's been looking a little jaundiced for the past two days, but only a little. However, today they took a blood test and decided she was at a treatable level of jaundice. So into the photo-therapy she goes at 9pm. Sunnies on, gear off, and into the warm crib and under the blue light.	It was a bit of a wrench to have to part with her again, as she spent overnight in the nursery under the lights - but it was what she needed.
Day 6	Sun, 11th January	Keira comes out from under the lights! Her blood test today showed that the jaundice level has gone down and she no longer needs the photo-treatment. We spend another night in the hospital though, just to be sure her level is stable,
Day 7	Mon, 12th January	Checkout 9.30-ish from the hospital. Keira goes home! She's so tiny in her car seat! By 11:30 we're all home! Yay! Keira gets introduced to her nursery, and more importantly - to her cot. Time for some more sleep! We start figuring out how things are going to work here at home.	Thanks to Frances Perry Hospital! Dr Angilee Lee Dr David Carolane Our midwives: Elin Jill The nursing staff: Moira Pamela Kerry Leone Sue Christina Diana Beverley Margaret Elizabeth Jane
Day 8	Tues, 13th January	Keira's first trip to the Maternal Health Care nurse.
Day 9	Wed, 14th January	A nice quiet day at home.

Thanks to everyone who visited us at the hospital! When you're stuck in a hospital room it means a lot to have some contact with the outside world.	...and so the routine starts at home... Louisa and Keira have settled into a great routine and Louisa is coping really well with the feeding cycle.	The feeding cycle is agreeing with Keira, she's put on 600 grams by the end of the second week home. Woo-hoo! Now we're heading in the right direction!	..and thanks to everyone who has visited us at home.

Nan and Grandpa came down for a visit. It was a fantastic week for all of us. Liz was in town at the same time for a conference, which was great timing.	Time passes so quickly...	Keira's now almost 4 months old!	.

... now more than 5 months old! and still going...	check the gallery for her first 12 months...

13/06/04 - Started catching up with the backlog of photos, got up to the Baby Debut in this first go.

02/05/04 - Catching up. Go back through the other photos to see how Keira is changing over the months!

11/02/04 - More photos, etc. (sorry about the delay, been busy - you know how it is...)

29/01/05 - Next big update. Moved this page off the homepage and set it up here.


Brand new Keira!	Happy Mum!	Happy Dad!	First Bath Time

Gavin and Rachael with Keira. The Canberra representative looks on.	Simon and Rachael gave Keira a nice outfit and hat - which she'll grow into. Is is just me, or does she look a bit like a certain pontiff?	Louisa and Keira really have a thing going.	Thank you for the beautiful flowers and balloons!

Keira sends a big "HI" to you all - she can't wait to meet you	Another bath for Keira - we'll get her clean yet!	Louisa mucks in with the bathing	Simon and Rachael stop by again, and in keeping with tradition we find time for a quick game of Canasta.

Elin was the midwife who was with us through Louisa's 4.5 hours of labouring and the C-section. She was a great support!	Jason and Amanda stopped by for a visit. Looks like Keira is sitting in two shovels!	I'm ready for my close-up now, Mr Director!	Keira does her 'Blues Brothers' impression - ready for the photo-therapy.

Keira under the blue lights to help with the jaundice, and in the crib to stay warm.	A close up of Keira under the blue lights.	While she was in the crib we could feed her through the portholes. And, no, I'm not entirely happy with the situation.	The next day - Keira is out of the crib, we're happy - and Weis make a personal best for milk production :)

Keira all satisfied after a nice feed.	Portrait of Louisa and Keira and the flowers Amber and Jason sent us.	Home day! Keira puts on a nice little green outfit under the supervision of a teddy.	She looks so tiny in her car seat! This is just outside the hospital.

We're home! Time to unpack everything...	...including Keira, of course.	Family photo - home at last from the hospital!	Escher was so happy to have us back! He still hasn't figured out what the little bundle is yet.

Louisa is so happy to be home.	"Oh mah gawd! Ah goanna has got mah bahbee!"	Our first visit to the Maternal Health Care nurse.	Playtime! A fantastic gift from QC Micro!

Louisa and Keira and the beautiful flowers that Alan, Phillip and Matt sent us.	This was just too cute not to share :)	Keira's too small for the papoose, so JubJub volunteered for a trial run.	An informal weigh-in.

Getting ready for a walk around the block. She's in there somewhere.	Keira's "kissy-face". I think this is my fault, I kept on making faces at her in the hospital, and now she copies me.	Sun-kissed golden tanned hands meet Keira's tiny mits.	Louisa's work mates came for a visit. Reading the manual not helpful; this model does not follow SOP.

Keira like making new friends, and this friend is a real "natural".	Keira would have to feel secure in these hands.	Nan and Grandpa finally get their hands on Keira!	Grandpa having some quality time.

Luckily, Aunty Liz was on a junket in town and she and Keira got to catch up.	A very family dinner. Everyone gathered around Keira.	Keira cornered Aunty Liz again for a while.	Four men and a baby.

Keira monopolised Great-Uncle Vernon for much of the night.	Nan and Keira have a nice chat.	"It's the circle of life..." Dad helps me with my pre-dinner drink.	Now look at the crowd she's attracting! Oh, no, wait... that's the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra concert we went to.

Bath time at home.	We had casts made of Keira's hands and feet at 2 1/2 weeks old. Looks great on the nursery wall.
month by month... February

Liana came to visit Keira, oh, and us.	Look at that tiny hand!	Louisa and Keira catch up with her workmates.	Keira strikes the 'burp me' pose.
month by month... March

Gav and Keira	Keira looking thoughtful in her car seat	Keira sleeps in the papoose	Louisa and Rita and Keira and Milton

Trish and Keira	(great!) Grandma and Keira	(great!) Pop and Keira	Aunty Girlie and Keira

Lyndal and Keira	Big hugs for Nan
Keira's Baby Debut (March 14th)

Keira meets Cozza (Coleen)	Keira meets Lou	All the gang were there	including Rita and Milton. Manny looking comfortable around babies.

more of the workmates gang	Four generations!	Proud Grandparents and great grandparents	I gave a little speech, thanking everyone for being part of Keira's arrival and growth...

...especially Simon and Rachael...	...who we believe will be very 'hands on' with love and guidance in Keira's future.	And there was a yummy cake. :)
month by month... April

Vernon and Keira and Randy	Into the stroller - guaranteed snooze time	The Waller Family's Melbourne visit	Theseira family stop-over in Melbourne.

Keira really got into yum-cha	Happy 40th Birthday, Ray!	Courtney and Jade and Keira	Keira's first Easter - Egg Hunt!

Easter Lunch at Simon and Rachael's. Rachael has the magic touch.	Favourite Bowman pastime	Keira over-tired	Rita and Milton at the zoo

Likely candidates for motherhood	The CSL crew at the zoo
month by month... May

Mother's Day card	Playing with Dad and the camera	Smile for the camera!	OK, Dad, enough with the camera!

Mother's Day in Rosebud - thank you Kylie and Felix and baby Olivia	Family visit!
month by month... June

Keira and Vernon at the get-together	Janine and Ben at the get-together	Louisa's Birthday. Always good when it begins with balloons!	Mmmmm, Birthday cake!

Keira is getting used to solids	If this is "solids", why is it so runny?	Gav getting the hang of shoveling solids into Keira	Keira working hard at play-gym

Six months	Keira in capable hands - while her parents are off on a movie-date.	"Singin' in the shower..." Oi! Little privacy here, hey?!
Long Weekend on the Mornington Peninsula

Yum, big fry-up for breakfast!	These two love-birds, again :)	I can see your brain...	Us

A little something I designed for Louisa recently.	Family snap at the T'Gallant vineyard	Sampling some local produce with dinner
month by month... July

Aunty Anna Marie meets Keira	We are ready to go... to the snow!	Perthites in unfamiliar surroundings	Keira's first glimpse of snow - well, if she could keep her eyes open...

Fun in the snow, sculptors at work	Snow puppy	Hot chocolates were a life saver!	On top of Mount Buller. That's the summit in the background, a ski lift on the left and the restaurant on the right... trust me...

Keira loved every waking minute of it	Family moment at the snow	Anna Marie	Aunty Anna Marie

Would you believe she's about to go to bed?	Escher got in on the act in this photo	It's my birthday!	Tummy time at Kidzone

"I think I'm sinking...am I sinking? I think I'm sinking here..."	"Jumping Castle? I can't even sit up yet!"	...but I'm still having sooo much fun!
month by month... August

A false alarm, we thought this was a tooth coming down. Just a blister from finger-sucking.	Keira's godparents continue to spoil her - she loves it.	Bath-time! Splish-splash.
month by month... September

Pretty in purple	Olivier came round for a visit	The two had a good play together	Keira loves her rusks, but they do get around a bit

We have a good ol' laugh - about something.	Our first swim.	Not too sure... but slowly getting used to the water.
month by month... October

We visited Nan and Granddad's new house.	Louisa and her baby, and David and his baby.	Aunty Liz!	Looking over Canberra from Mt Ainslie

Keira meets Chiv and ChakRiya	A sea of pretty flowers at Floriade	Escher seems to be coping very well with any jealousy issues	Keira and Olivier playing again

She's a little party gal as well! This is Mary's first birthday.	Keira meets my cousin Jo... which makes her Keira's...second cousin...so that makes little Casey her... ummm... 3rd... err... 4th... ummm ... detached in-law once removed ???
month by month... November

Melbourne Cup day BBQ with Simon and Rachael	Keira discovers her musical side - with expert assistance	Company picnic day.	Complete with face painting - left side...

... and right side.	Its that time of year again... decorating the tree.
month by month... December

On the beach! Keira wasn't too sure about the sand - especially the taste.	but she enjoyed the water and waves.	We turned her seat around, now she can see more than just trees and overpasses.	Canberra Christmas! Catching up with Grandma and Pop.

Pressies under the tree - don't we all love it?	Family Christmas moment.	Christmas morning breakfast, and right into the spirit of the day.	First pressies - stocking from Santa.

Looks like she's already making plans on how to play with these.	Christmas lunch at the Hotel Kurrajong. Keira enjoys some quality Nan and Granddad time.	"Who's this bloke?"	All together - "Merry Christmas!"

A very Bowman/Andrew Christmas - the energy is fantastic.	Her little haul. She was somewhat in awe, I think.	Aunty Liz gave Keira this great snake.	...and speaking of Aunty Liz, here's the compulsory 'snooze after lunch' photo :)

Another relaxing BBQ in the Canberra summer.	A nice quiet moment between Keira and Liz	Granddad started a game with the pillows - great fun!	Granddad's Birthday! Oh, and Happy New Year! See you in 2005!!!


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