Sunday, December 7, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
Lots to say
I feel like it's been forever since I updated. I have really enjoyed this week even though it's ending with me feeling AWFUL. I have RSV in the worst way...at least I can take cold medicine! heh. The sudafed is supposed to suppress lactation but I'm skeptical. I am down to pumping twice a day (painful at times when I get too full) and I'm still getting 15-20 ounces for him. He's still getting all breast milk with formula powder added in for calories and fat. G gained TEN ounces in one week. Up to 16lbs 6oz! WOW! That's a HUGE gain for a baby his age. I will keep fortifying his breast milk until we're out and then when we go to formula I'll mix it normally. Obviously he wasn't getting enough calories. Take a look at this chub! He loves to chew on his toothbrush- it's the only way we can keep him in one place to get him dressed or a diaper change. 
He has also started sleeping through the night! I can't believe it. He was always a super fast nurser and would eat just enough to satisfy himself...I assume that he was only getting foremilk which is really watery with not many calories. The fatty milk comes second and I don't think he was ever waiting for it before he got bored eating and wanted to move on. I was also pretty nervous that his night waking was from habit and not hunger....turns out I got lucky on this one! Last night he slept from 8-8 for trhe first time ever! WOW! The two nights before that he would wake around 11 or so and eat and then sleep until 8. HUGE improvement with more calories.
Still not eating ANYTHING. He won't put food in his mouth himself and it's awful trying to spoon feed him. Lots of screaming...I'm not sure what to do about this but my main focus was to get him to gain weight. We'll tackle the rest at a later date. Still SO happy- obviously. 9 months old yesterday.
He loves to play with the ball. He can "throw" it back to you and he thinks it's so fun! He climbs the stairs whenever he has a chance- at M's party we found him all the way upstairs when no one was looking. Dang...I hate that gate!
All M wants to do is color. It's annoying but good for her, I know. She likes for us to draw pictures for her. She's already trying to color in the lines. She gets easily frustrated when she gets out of them and then starts scribbling, but I think it's pretty impressive that she even tries.
We finally got our tree up. It's annoying trying to keep her from ripping the ornaments down, but she enjoys turning the lights off and on.
We are having quite a few sleep issues with her lately. She was waking up screaming quite a bit. And wouldn't go to sleep unless we laid by her and held her hand. Annoying since for 22 months of her life we would just lay her down and she'd go to sleep on her own. I gave her benadryl three nights in a row (yes, I asked the doctor about it) because she had a cold AND to help her sleep. For those three nights I slept on the floor beside her. I think we may have broken the cycle. Last night she woke up once at 3:30 am and I had to lay with her for a little while and then put her back in bed and she slept until morning. Last night I read her a book, sang a song, and left the room after telling her to stay in bed or I would shut the door (she's obsessed with having the door open). She stayed in there perfectly and never screamed! YAY! Maybe we're going to live through it after all....
He has also started sleeping through the night! I can't believe it. He was always a super fast nurser and would eat just enough to satisfy himself...I assume that he was only getting foremilk which is really watery with not many calories. The fatty milk comes second and I don't think he was ever waiting for it before he got bored eating and wanted to move on. I was also pretty nervous that his night waking was from habit and not hunger....turns out I got lucky on this one! Last night he slept from 8-8 for trhe first time ever! WOW! The two nights before that he would wake around 11 or so and eat and then sleep until 8. HUGE improvement with more calories. Still not eating ANYTHING. He won't put food in his mouth himself and it's awful trying to spoon feed him. Lots of screaming...I'm not sure what to do about this but my main focus was to get him to gain weight. We'll tackle the rest at a later date. Still SO happy- obviously. 9 months old yesterday.
He loves to play with the ball. He can "throw" it back to you and he thinks it's so fun! He climbs the stairs whenever he has a chance- at M's party we found him all the way upstairs when no one was looking. Dang...I hate that gate!
All M wants to do is color. It's annoying but good for her, I know. She likes for us to draw pictures for her. She's already trying to color in the lines. She gets easily frustrated when she gets out of them and then starts scribbling, but I think it's pretty impressive that she even tries.
We finally got our tree up. It's annoying trying to keep her from ripping the ornaments down, but she enjoys turning the lights off and on.
We are having quite a few sleep issues with her lately. She was waking up screaming quite a bit. And wouldn't go to sleep unless we laid by her and held her hand. Annoying since for 22 months of her life we would just lay her down and she'd go to sleep on her own. I gave her benadryl three nights in a row (yes, I asked the doctor about it) because she had a cold AND to help her sleep. For those three nights I slept on the floor beside her. I think we may have broken the cycle. Last night she woke up once at 3:30 am and I had to lay with her for a little while and then put her back in bed and she slept until morning. Last night I read her a book, sang a song, and left the room after telling her to stay in bed or I would shut the door (she's obsessed with having the door open). She stayed in there perfectly and never screamed! YAY! Maybe we're going to live through it after all....
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Little Miss Birthday
Well, M never ceases to amaze me. We had a great birthday. Today we got up and hung out together. Grandma Lana came and got her about 12 so she could nap over there while B and I cleaned the downstairs and got everything ready for the party. The party started at 3- a much smaller party than last year, but just as fun. She got some AWESOME toys and I think she'll love each and every one of them.
I was pretty excited about how great the cake turned out. The Baby E worm.
In all her glory. A pony and all.
With Grandma Betty.
Opening a present.
Coloring at her new desk. Grandma Lana got her this and let me tell you- it will be WELL loved.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to Mira, Happy birthday to you."
Blowing out her candles! She's a pro!!
M is two now- here's a little bit about her.
*She is SO SMART. Not kidding.
*She pretty much has all of her colors down.
*She can count to at least 10.
*She says 8-10 word sentences.
*She's quite opinionated- she knows exactly what she wants and when she wants it.
*She has quit sleeping through the night and wakes up screaming several times and always ends up in our bed...(advice for us??)
*She's pretty easily redirected when she's acting poorly- I can usually get her to eventually do what I need her to do.
*She knows TONS of songs.
*She loves to sing and dance.
*She loves to swing and play outside.
*She loves to read books and reads to herself often.
*She LOVES her brother. She lights up when she sees him.
*Her favorite shows are still Baby E (hence the cake), Barney, and newly, Yo Gabba Gabba.
*She'd color all day if I'd let her.
*Still the good eater. She loves all meat except hamburtger, loves cheese and fruit, and the only veggie she'll eat are carrots."
*She wears a 24 month or 2T outfit and a size 7 shoe.
*Still not remotely ready for potty training.
*She has a new kind of attachment to us- cries when we drop her off places- strange.
Some of her favorite sentences:
"No, I don't want to."
"I need a different one, mama."
"I go to grandma's house."
"No No G-G."
"Mama by you." ( she says this one at night or nap when she doesn't want to lay by herself)
"I color."
Hanging out on her personal couch after the party and her bath.
And lastly- a picture of my guy. He's doing great. We are fortifying his breast milk with lots of calories and he's tolerating it great. We go in for another weight check on the 2nd. If he shows good gain I think I'll cut back his calories a tad. I wanted to continue pumping for him, but on Thanksgiving I ended up with Mastitis (of course). It's just going to be too much. I'm ready to dry up and move on. I have done the best I can possibly do and it's been a LONG road. It's time for him to start sleeping through the night and for us to move on to the next stage.
I was looking at him today and thinking about putting the baby toys away and it crossed my mind that in a couple of years we get to have another baby. I was so excited and I felt so lucky to think we get to do it again some day. I'm definitely not ready right now, but I'm excited about our future. I am enjoying the two of them so much. I love them both more each day. G's personality is awesome. We are so very lucky.
I was pretty excited about how great the cake turned out. The Baby E worm.
In all her glory. A pony and all.
With Grandma Betty.
Opening a present.
Coloring at her new desk. Grandma Lana got her this and let me tell you- it will be WELL loved.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to Mira, Happy birthday to you."
Blowing out her candles! She's a pro!!
M is two now- here's a little bit about her.*She is SO SMART. Not kidding.
*She pretty much has all of her colors down.
*She can count to at least 10.
*She says 8-10 word sentences.
*She's quite opinionated- she knows exactly what she wants and when she wants it.
*She has quit sleeping through the night and wakes up screaming several times and always ends up in our bed...(advice for us??)
*She's pretty easily redirected when she's acting poorly- I can usually get her to eventually do what I need her to do.
*She knows TONS of songs.
*She loves to sing and dance.
*She loves to swing and play outside.
*She loves to read books and reads to herself often.
*She LOVES her brother. She lights up when she sees him.
*Her favorite shows are still Baby E (hence the cake), Barney, and newly, Yo Gabba Gabba.
*She'd color all day if I'd let her.
*Still the good eater. She loves all meat except hamburtger, loves cheese and fruit, and the only veggie she'll eat are carrots."
*She wears a 24 month or 2T outfit and a size 7 shoe.
*Still not remotely ready for potty training.
*She has a new kind of attachment to us- cries when we drop her off places- strange.
Some of her favorite sentences:"No, I don't want to."
"I need a different one, mama."
"I go to grandma's house."
"No No G-G."
"Mama by you." ( she says this one at night or nap when she doesn't want to lay by herself)
"I color."
Hanging out on her personal couch after the party and her bath.
And lastly- a picture of my guy. He's doing great. We are fortifying his breast milk with lots of calories and he's tolerating it great. We go in for another weight check on the 2nd. If he shows good gain I think I'll cut back his calories a tad. I wanted to continue pumping for him, but on Thanksgiving I ended up with Mastitis (of course). It's just going to be too much. I'm ready to dry up and move on. I have done the best I can possibly do and it's been a LONG road. It's time for him to start sleeping through the night and for us to move on to the next stage.
I was looking at him today and thinking about putting the baby toys away and it crossed my mind that in a couple of years we get to have another baby. I was so excited and I felt so lucky to think we get to do it again some day. I'm definitely not ready right now, but I'm excited about our future. I am enjoying the two of them so much. I love them both more each day. G's personality is awesome. We are so very lucky.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Things and Thoughts
So- G had bottles all day yesterday and nursed twice in the middle of the night like usual. Getting him to eat is AWFUL! He isn't hungry! It pisses him off royally to keep making him eat and we're basically obsessing over it and always shoving a bottle at him. He screams, turns his head, and tries to wriggle out of your arms or away from you. So irritating. If anyone has any ideas please let me know. I am thinking that tomorrow I might just make him get really hungry before I give him one and then he'd take more- maybe wait 4 hours in between?? I don't really know what to do. He took 4 oz this morning and has since had two 3 oz bottles. I'm glad he doesn't just eat to eat and that he stops when he's full (unlike myself), but it's going to make this hard getting him to gain...
On another note, I, myself have lost 7 lbs!! Woohoo!!! I am learning that I CAN survive when hungry! heh. I've been using our treadmill nearly every day and trying to keep my calories at around 2000. I'll have to cut my calories when my breastmilk dries up, but for now this is working really well and I'm starting to feel better about myself. I want to loose about 10 more but I'd be happy with five! We'll see. Tomorrow isn't going to make it any easier!
Everyone have a happy thanksgiving!
On another note, I, myself have lost 7 lbs!! Woohoo!!! I am learning that I CAN survive when hungry! heh. I've been using our treadmill nearly every day and trying to keep my calories at around 2000. I'll have to cut my calories when my breastmilk dries up, but for now this is working really well and I'm starting to feel better about myself. I want to loose about 10 more but I'd be happy with five! We'll see. Tomorrow isn't going to make it any easier!
Everyone have a happy thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
FTT
In other words, G has been diagnosed with Failure to Thrive. Great. All this means is that he doesn't grow. It's pretty hard for me NOT to take it personally. I have been his sole source of nutrition since the day he was born. I have tried so hard to do what was healthiest for him, and god knows, breastfeeding hasn't been easy for me. I feel like I have kept something from him perhaps- maybe I should have done something sooner. Why doesn't he grow? Obviously not enough calories. I really hadn't worried about it much because he's so happy, but there has to be a reason for the stunted growth.
Basically we're supposed to pack on the pounds. Give him bottles and add calories to them. We have a ton of breast milk and I will continue to pump for awhile- we'll add formula powder to the breast milk to make it fattier. I feel good about making it to 9 months (well nearly, but he'll have all breast milk until at LEAST 9 mos). It's so much longer than I ever expected to come. I plan to give him bottles throughout the day with extra calories and then nurse him to sleep and nurse him if and when he wakes during the night. That way I won't have to come downstairs in the middle of the night to make a bottle, or get up to pump. I'm not sure how long I will keep up the pumping- really I'm just doing it to make weaning easier on myself and prevent a breast infection.
I'm not nearly as sad as I figured I would be- I think part of me was ready to do it, but I didn't really have a concrete reason to do it other than selfishness. Well....I guess now I do.
Basically we're supposed to pack on the pounds. Give him bottles and add calories to them. We have a ton of breast milk and I will continue to pump for awhile- we'll add formula powder to the breast milk to make it fattier. I feel good about making it to 9 months (well nearly, but he'll have all breast milk until at LEAST 9 mos). It's so much longer than I ever expected to come. I plan to give him bottles throughout the day with extra calories and then nurse him to sleep and nurse him if and when he wakes during the night. That way I won't have to come downstairs in the middle of the night to make a bottle, or get up to pump. I'm not sure how long I will keep up the pumping- really I'm just doing it to make weaning easier on myself and prevent a breast infection.
I'm not nearly as sad as I figured I would be- I think part of me was ready to do it, but I didn't really have a concrete reason to do it other than selfishness. Well....I guess now I do.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
A Sad Good-bye
So this has been a hard week for us- B's Grandma Della passed away early Tuesday morning in her sleep. The funeral was today with the visitation last night. It was pretty unexpected. About a month ago I took the kids back with Lana to visit for about four days. She seemed to be doing so well and we had a really great time. What a blessing that we went and spent that time with her. I feel so lucky to have gotten to know her as well as I did, and so disappointed that I didn't have more time to get to know her better. It has been especially hard on B's mom who was so very close to her mother- much like I am to my own. B has a HUGE extended family (She had 10 kids!) and it was really hard on everyone. She was probably the best person I have ever met. No one ever heard her utter a bad word about anyone. Her walk with the Lord was one to be envious of. I drove home tonight after the funeral with G so I can work tomorrow. We had a good few days with family- though the circumstances weren't ideal, of course. I'm so lucky to have married into such a wonderful family. Terribly- I don't have any pictures of her with G...
Our family with Grandma Della when M was 3-ish months old...
Grandma Della and M on a visit last year.
Our family with Grandma Della when M was 3-ish months old...
Grandma Della and M on a visit last year.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Randoms
Just some random pictures from the past week. Sweet G.
Look who actually ATE a teething biscuit!!! Put it in his mouth ALL BY HIMSELF!!
My attempts at a christmas card picture....rather amusing.
Settled on this one.
After that they just played together. They love to play in the tent together. It's pretty cute.
Then with the little people.
This football is by far G's fav toy. It's so funny how he's such a boy. He gravitates to balls, cars, and trucks. He has such fun pushing trucks around.
Look at this hilarious shot of M after her bath tonight playing with the Go Duster. heh...
G wanted to dust too.
So G is only 15 lbs 11 oz....not even on the growth chart.
I don't feel like he looks that small!
I really am at a loss as to what I should do. Part of me wants to stop breastfeeding, and part of me doesn't. I know it's best for him health wise, but what if somehow he's not getting as much as he needs? He seems happy and healthy and he's definitely passing his motor milestones. This week he started babbling da-da-da-da too. It's so cute to hear his little voice. I certainly don't want to hold anything back from him. I just want to do what's right, but it seems rather unclear to me right now. I took him to breastfeeding group today and weighed him and talked with the lactation consultant. She just told me to eat more protein and give him more hindmilk when he does get bottles. I tried giving him a bottle of milk yesterday when he was acting fussy after I fed him- he took about 1/2 an ounce....I guess we'll be going to visit Dr. M next week. I'd do anything for that sweet face...
Look who actually ATE a teething biscuit!!! Put it in his mouth ALL BY HIMSELF!!
My attempts at a christmas card picture....rather amusing.
Settled on this one.
After that they just played together. They love to play in the tent together. It's pretty cute.
Then with the little people.
This football is by far G's fav toy. It's so funny how he's such a boy. He gravitates to balls, cars, and trucks. He has such fun pushing trucks around.
Look at this hilarious shot of M after her bath tonight playing with the Go Duster. heh...
G wanted to dust too.
So G is only 15 lbs 11 oz....not even on the growth chart.
I don't feel like he looks that small!
I really am at a loss as to what I should do. Part of me wants to stop breastfeeding, and part of me doesn't. I know it's best for him health wise, but what if somehow he's not getting as much as he needs? He seems happy and healthy and he's definitely passing his motor milestones. This week he started babbling da-da-da-da too. It's so cute to hear his little voice. I certainly don't want to hold anything back from him. I just want to do what's right, but it seems rather unclear to me right now. I took him to breastfeeding group today and weighed him and talked with the lactation consultant. She just told me to eat more protein and give him more hindmilk when he does get bottles. I tried giving him a bottle of milk yesterday when he was acting fussy after I fed him- he took about 1/2 an ounce....I guess we'll be going to visit Dr. M next week. I'd do anything for that sweet face...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)