Wednesday, June 28, 2006
And now introducing...baby food!
I was right! The ped did suggest starting baby food early! He said to start with veggies once a day, then every 3-5 days, start something new. So we went grocery shopping and picked up lots of choices. Andrew had some sweet potatoes today and LOVED it!! It was so great. I gave him some formula (non-thickened--stupid mommy!) to "top him off" in case he wasn't full, and he spit up a little, but only the formula - not the food. I hope this is a good thing. I'll continue to thicken the formula and just add more and more food, crossing my fingers and praying my guts out that the stuff stays in his belly.Andrew now weighs 12lb, 12 oz and is 23 inches long. Still small, but now he's in the 5th percentile for length (vs 2nd percentile at 2 months) and 10th percentile for weight (stayed the same there). My sweet little guy! The ped says he's fine as long as he keeps gaining weight and doesn't DROP in growth percentiles.
Anyway, here's a pic of his first experience with baby food, and a couple of other cute pics for your viewing pleasure:
| posted by Anna at 4:23 PM
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Baby Barf Makes Me Want to Barf
I am so tired of all this vomit. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE MY SON and I am so extremely grateful that he is in my life. I adore him more than I should and I treasure every smile, every giggle, every cuddle...but I do NOT love the vomit. I do laundry once, sometimes twice, a day and several of my tops are now forever stained with spitup. The Reglan didn't do SQUAT to help him. We tried soy formula for a week, but no difference, so we're just gonna go back to the lactose free stuff. I thicken and thicken and thicken his formula until its like syrup, but he still throws up constantly. The only reprieve the poor child gets is when he sleeps, which is great. Thank God he doesn't throw up in his sleep. He sleeps really well. And he's not in pain...The Axid is helping tons as far as that is concerned. I am so thankful that he is such a happy baby and so very social. He totally lights up my world. I can't remember life before him and I don't think I want to anyway. I just can't wait for this vomiting to stop!! Tomorrow we go for his 4-month appt (and shots!!) so we'll see if the ped has any more suggestions...Wish us luck.
| posted by Anna at 8:19 PM
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Happy Anniversary
Today is our 4th anniversary. I can't believe it. It seems like I've known Chris forever, yet it feels like only yesterday we were on our honeymoon. Weird. Now we have this amazing addition to our family...I am truly blessed. Despite all the spitup/vomit and teething issues (yes, already teething!), I know I am extremely lucky to have Andrew. He's happy and healthy, and many people would give their right arm to have a baby like him. Most of all, though, I am beyond blessed to have my sweet husband. Honey, we sure do make pretty babies! Thank you for hanging in there with me...I love you more than words can say.
| posted by Anna at 8:34 PM
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Random
Thanks for the compliments on the house! Yes, it does look a little like Rainbow Brite threw up in here with the red, blue, green and yellow...but I LOVE it. I'm personally not a fan of pastels. Bright colors make me happy. :)Update on the kid: Took Andrew to the doctor yesterday and he's now on an increased dosage of Axid as well as Reglan to help him keep something in his stomach. He's 13 lbs now...gaining weight, but still only in the 2nd percentile. Poor kid. He may end up being short like me (I'm only 4'10") but I'm hoping he catches up and ends up more like his daddy (5'10"). But hey...as long as he's healthy! The meds already appear to be working, thank God! I just couldn't take the screaming anymore. I can do laundry all day, but I HATE seeing him in pain. Also, he slept 12 HOURS STRAIGHT last night! Think its related? Hmmm...
Back to me now. I am hoping to hear something this week about the job I interviewed for last Monday. I really-really-really job the school ends up with a part-time position to give me. The principal wants to hire me, but I will only do part-time in prder to be with Andrew as much as I can. Anyway, hoping to get the good word this week.
Father's Day is Sunday. Its Chris' first so I gotta figure out something good!! Any ideas?
So tired. I need to go to bed when Andrew does, I think. I just enjoy my alone time with Chris too much to do so. Today I will definitely nap when Andrew naps. At least I say I will...I probably won't.
Gotta run...the prince beckons!
| posted by Anna at 10:04 AM
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Change of Subject
New topic now! Three entries of me whining about sleep is getting boring so I'm gonna show you pictures of my new home and the painting we've done! :) Hope you like it! I sure do...and I guess that's a good thing, since I live here and 
all... 
Still working on hanging pictures and emptying a few more boxes, but its getting there! Feels a little more like home every day!
| posted by Anna at 10:21 PM
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Hmmm...
The night wakings continue! Two nights ago, Andrew actually did sleep from 7:30 until 5:30, so that's good, but last night he was back to his old tricks again, waking up at 4:20 am just to be re-swaddled and rocked back to sleep (no feedings). We are now on DAY 13 of sleepus interruptus. What the heck is going on? I was ready to chalk it up to a Wonder Weeks leap, but the dang book says the baby should be back to normal within a week. Ummm...its been nearly two weeks now. I just don't get it. For four weeks we had a great sleeper on our hands - 11 hrs straight each night. Now we're in two weeks of hell. Some nights he only wakes up once (@ 4-4:30 am), but some nights he's up at 12, 2, 4 and then 6 am. Whatever...I give up. I don't know what's happened, but I'm hoping he gets it back together again SOON. On the other hand, he's laughing like crazy and sitting up with minimal support...He "chats" with me all the time...He's so freakin' happy! I LOVE IT. Seeing that beautiful smile makes it all worth it, even when he's waking me up at 4 am. :) Now if I could just get him to keep his food down. The reflux is STILL acting up. I might call the doc back tomorrow and see if there's anything more we can do. We're already adding TWO TSP of rice cereal per oz of formula (per ped's instructions, of course) and he's on the meds. I just HATE the constant vomiting. He's not in a lot of pain, but sometimes its as if he's choking and it freaks me out. He shouldn't still be vomiting two hours after he's eaten, should he??
I am such a clueless mom. I don't want to be the mom the doctor hates because I call ALL THE TIME, but dang it, I want my baby to be able to eat and enjoy it! What should I do?
I know your answer: RELAX. Yeah, I know, I know...I'll try my best.
| posted by Anna at 10:50 PM
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Deep Breaths...
Thanks, Cat and Lorem, for the info and advice! (I responded to your comments with a comment of my own, but who knows if y'all go back and check the comments...probably not.) Anyway, I decided I am way too stressed about all this and probably just making HIM stressed with all my craziness about sleep. I seriously don't want the kid to end up in therapy because of me one day. I finally took a few deep breaths and realized that, hey, he's THREE MONTHS OLD, and if he has one night waking spell, its fine. I'm a lot luckier than many moms I know. So, all day today I let him make his own schedule (he only took one 2-hr nap instead of his usual three, and the other two naps were only 30 minutes and 40 minutes respectively...but he was definitely happy. Not cranky at all, so I guess that's OK!) and tonight I just let him play and hang out with us until he got a little more tired...around 6:30-6:45 pm he finally started chilling out and after swaddling, being rocked in the rocking chair, and getting his paci, he was out in a matter of minutes. Been asleep since @7 pm and hasn't woken once! I've been so freaking obsessed with "the schedule" and all he needed was for me to chill out and realize he's growing and maybe needs to be awake a little longer. DUH!So, yeah, thanks for the helpful advice/suggestions...I'm feeling much better (and more sane) now, thank you. :)
| posted by Anna at 10:24 PM
Monday, June 05, 2006
Frustration
When am I going to learn not to open my big mouth? For weeks Andrew was sleeping 11 hrs a night. And. yes, Friday night he slept 12.5 hrs straight. Awesome. Ever since then, though, he's been fighting sleep, crying/screaming when I put him down (putting him to bed takes 1.5 hrs longer now), and up 2-3 times a night. Where is my precious baby? I have no idea if I should let him cry it out or keep going in there to get him when he cries. He's SO TIRED. His eyes are all red, he can barely kick...I know he's exhausted. He's just learned that mommy and daddy are more fun than an empty room so he fights to stay up with us. During the day, he's great. Awake for about an hour, then as soon as I swaddle him, he's out like a light. Take great naps with VERY minimal (if any) fussing.Please, mommies out there...Help. Any suggestions will be gratefully accepted and tried. Help me get Andrew to sleep like he used to! I know I should be grateful 'cause so many people have it so much worse, but when you're used to a great sleeper, changes like this can really throw you for a loop!
| posted by Anna at 8:01 PM
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Rolling over, Push-ups, and SLEEP!
Andrew is doing all kinds of new stuff this morning! Last night he went to sleep at 6 pm (!!) and slept straight through until 6:30 am!! CRAZY! I was reading "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" the other night and the book said that around 3-4 months, babies start needing the extra sleep and an earlier bedtime. I thought, "What the heck, I'll try putting him down a couple of hours earlier and see what happens." Believe it or not, it worked! He slept 12.5 hrs! THEN his usual 45 minute morning nap turned into a 2-hr nap! He's asleep again now. Is he catching up from all the craziness of our busy weekend (painting, repairs, etc.) or have I just been not putting him down early enough and therefore depriving him of the sleep he needs?? Either way, I'm so glad he's getting the rest he needs and I am counting my blessings!!Other new things he did for the first time today - did his first big push-up on his tummy (before today, tummy time consisted of him smooshing his face into the floor and SCREAMING), and...he rolled over all on his own! Well, not all the way over, but from his back to his side and back again! I was excited. Anyway, here's pictures from the proud mama:
And here's a cute picture of Andrew and his constant guardian, Toby (the only cat that will really pay him any attention right now):
P.S. Andrew rather enjoys being naked these days...I guess the heat is getting to him. Plus he can move and groove to his heart's content with no clothes to get in his way! :)
| posted by Anna at 11:22 AM
Thursday, June 01, 2006
My Angels
It just hit me that today, I should be holding a one-year-old. My first pregnancy ended too soon, and the baby that I lost should be one year old today. That baby is spending his or her day in heaven today, while I hold a living, three month old angel in my arms. Andrew is such a gift. Its weird to think about the fact that he would never have existed if my first baby had stuck around. I feel very conflicted about it. Its not that I'm glad that my angel didn't stay with us; its just that I'm so very glad to have Andrew! I know I would never have known the difference had I never miscarried...but to think about not having his big, beautiful smile waiting for me every morning...his arms flinging about, just begging me to pick h im up...his legs kicking and scooting his body away from me (reminding me that he'll be running around - away from mommy - far too soon for my tastes)...it makes me sad, and so very, very grateful for my baby boy.Happy not-to-be birthday, my angel.
Thank you God, for my Andrew.
| posted by Anna at 2:14 PM
