Monday, February 27, 2006
FSU Photo Shoot
Apparently, Jeff and Emma had a serious talk the other day and decided on her college. Jeff promises it was all her idea...
Thursday, February 23, 2006
You Know You're a Mom When…
This question was asked of me a few weeks ago during an interview for a MOPS newsletter. (For those of you who don't know, MOPS is a social program for mothers of children preschool age and under. Emma and I attend every other Friday at my church so we can play with kids our own age.)
Anyway, at the time of the interview, I couldn't think of a good answer, which has bugged the crap out of me ever since. So the anal retentive (or is it obsessive compulsive?) side of me has been creating this list in my head, and I thought I might as well share. So enjoy and let me know what would be on your list!
You Know You're a Mom When…
1. You would give up chocolate for the well being of your child… twice.
2. You have mastered the art of sleeping while sitting straight up.
3. Sleep is no longer necessary for everyday functioning.
4. The sound of a burp brings an overwhelming sense of accomplishment.
5. A poopy diaper warrants an excited call to Daddy at work.
6. You shower every other day…if you're lucky.
7. You finally have a good excuse as to why the hair on you legs is almost as long as the hair on your head.
8. You now understand why God gave you hips.
9. Peeing alone has become a luxury.
10. You become numb to the fact that you are ALWAYS doing laundry.
11. You now talk in the third person.
12. Your CD player is full of instrumental music.
13. The last good book you read involved pop-up chickens.
14. Your pant leg has become a Kleenex.
15. You literally thank God for pacifiers.
16. You are proud of the original hand movements you created for "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."
17. Hoodies and elastic pants are wardrobe staples.
18. Your lips have turned into a thermometer.
19. No day is complete without tummy time.
20. A mysterious red bump prompts a frantic search of every medical Web site you can find.
21. The most adventurous thing you've done all day is drive to the bank. (This line item may change when a toddler is involved.)
22. A long nap triggers a mad dash up the stairs to confirm breathing.
23. The layout of Babies R Us actually makes sense to you.
24. Bright-colored plastic decorates every room of your home.
25. One smile from your baby makes you want to do it all over again.
Anyway, at the time of the interview, I couldn't think of a good answer, which has bugged the crap out of me ever since. So the anal retentive (or is it obsessive compulsive?) side of me has been creating this list in my head, and I thought I might as well share. So enjoy and let me know what would be on your list!
You Know You're a Mom When…
1. You would give up chocolate for the well being of your child… twice.
2. You have mastered the art of sleeping while sitting straight up.
3. Sleep is no longer necessary for everyday functioning.
4. The sound of a burp brings an overwhelming sense of accomplishment.
5. A poopy diaper warrants an excited call to Daddy at work.
6. You shower every other day…if you're lucky.
7. You finally have a good excuse as to why the hair on you legs is almost as long as the hair on your head.
8. You now understand why God gave you hips.
9. Peeing alone has become a luxury.
10. You become numb to the fact that you are ALWAYS doing laundry.
11. You now talk in the third person.
12. Your CD player is full of instrumental music.
13. The last good book you read involved pop-up chickens.
14. Your pant leg has become a Kleenex.
15. You literally thank God for pacifiers.
16. You are proud of the original hand movements you created for "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."
17. Hoodies and elastic pants are wardrobe staples.
18. Your lips have turned into a thermometer.
19. No day is complete without tummy time.
20. A mysterious red bump prompts a frantic search of every medical Web site you can find.
21. The most adventurous thing you've done all day is drive to the bank. (This line item may change when a toddler is involved.)
22. A long nap triggers a mad dash up the stairs to confirm breathing.
23. The layout of Babies R Us actually makes sense to you.
24. Bright-colored plastic decorates every room of your home.
25. One smile from your baby makes you want to do it all over again.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Monday, February 20, 2006
Happy and Healthy
On Friday, Emma went for her 6-month well-baby appointment, and everything is great. This was the first appointment with our new pediatrician, and as always, it was meant to be. This doctor has a 17-month old who had silent reflux -- exactly what Emma has -- so we clicked instantly. (My friend who recommended her didn't even know this!) So, the doc knew exactly what we were going through and suggested one more medication that worked for her daughter. I was hesitant at first to put Emma on yet another med , but she promised us that she would never offer it if she didn't think it would make Emma more comfortable. She's not a big meds person and likes the body to heal itself from things like colds and coughs. She also only feeds her baby organic food, so I feel like she would only suggest it if it really worked. I pick up the Rx today, so we're anxious to see if it helps. I guess this stuff somehow moves Emma's tummy so that it isn't always in the same place. This should keep the acid from constantly bouncing back up into her esoph. We'll see. She suggested we try it for a month and then stop if we want to limit the meds. Then, if we see a huge difference, we continue it. If not, we'll stop.
All the other usual stuff is great. Emma is 16 pounds, which means she gained 3 lb in only 2 months. Usually babies at this age average about 1 lb per month, so she's a little over. We did find out we might be feeding her a little too much of the formula, so we're scaling back. I had an instinct that we were since she was spitting up more than usual, but at the same time, she didn't seem satisfied after a bottle. The doc said she's probably ready for solids, which I agree. So, tonight will be the sweet potato trial. I'm going to wait until Jeff gets home so he can feed it to her. We're both excited to see her reaction. It's pretty funny what you look forward to when you're a parent! :o)
She also received her next two shots and did great. The first one didn't phase her, but the second stung and she let us know it! She got over it quick though and zonked out on the way home. Don't think that meant we'd get a long nap out of her. No way! 39 minutes later she was up and ready to play!
Overall, her sleeping has gotten better. Her naps are regular, but the duration still varies. I can usually get her back down if she takes a short nap, but I'm hoping those instances when she sleeps on her own become more frequent. One can dream!
We are going to try putting her to sleep without her papasan this week. It's worked great as far as putting her in an upright position, but she's getting too big for it and can't seem to get comfortable. So, we're going to prop up her mattress a little more and see if her reflux can stand it. I'm a little hesitant since this will mean some LLLOONNGG nights, but we don't know what else to do. I just hate the thought of her being uncomfortable, but we're out of options. We can't let the girl sleep in her high chair! Just pray that she will be able to get some ZZZs!
That's all for now. More photos to come as Miss Emma attempts to get mobile. So far, we just have some frustrated tummy "crawling," but if her Daddy has anything to say about, she'll be on all fours soon. I, however, am more than willing to wait...
:o)
All the other usual stuff is great. Emma is 16 pounds, which means she gained 3 lb in only 2 months. Usually babies at this age average about 1 lb per month, so she's a little over. We did find out we might be feeding her a little too much of the formula, so we're scaling back. I had an instinct that we were since she was spitting up more than usual, but at the same time, she didn't seem satisfied after a bottle. The doc said she's probably ready for solids, which I agree. So, tonight will be the sweet potato trial. I'm going to wait until Jeff gets home so he can feed it to her. We're both excited to see her reaction. It's pretty funny what you look forward to when you're a parent! :o)
She also received her next two shots and did great. The first one didn't phase her, but the second stung and she let us know it! She got over it quick though and zonked out on the way home. Don't think that meant we'd get a long nap out of her. No way! 39 minutes later she was up and ready to play!
Overall, her sleeping has gotten better. Her naps are regular, but the duration still varies. I can usually get her back down if she takes a short nap, but I'm hoping those instances when she sleeps on her own become more frequent. One can dream!
We are going to try putting her to sleep without her papasan this week. It's worked great as far as putting her in an upright position, but she's getting too big for it and can't seem to get comfortable. So, we're going to prop up her mattress a little more and see if her reflux can stand it. I'm a little hesitant since this will mean some LLLOONNGG nights, but we don't know what else to do. I just hate the thought of her being uncomfortable, but we're out of options. We can't let the girl sleep in her high chair! Just pray that she will be able to get some ZZZs!
That's all for now. More photos to come as Miss Emma attempts to get mobile. So far, we just have some frustrated tummy "crawling," but if her Daddy has anything to say about, she'll be on all fours soon. I, however, am more than willing to wait...
:o)
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
To My Little Valentine
Well, peanut, here's the letter I've been meaning to write you every month for the last 6 months, but as it turns out, you keep me a lot busier than I expected! Still, I figured 6 months was the perfect milestone for you to get a letter from your Mama. Not to mention that it's Valentine's Day. Did we plan perfectly or what?
Actually, you are teaching me that life can't be planned perfectly, especially when it comes to a baby. And that started with your early arrival. Six months ago today, you were nice enough to give me a nice, short labor. Little did I know this was your way of telling me that this was the way you liked everything -- quick and to the point. From eating and playing to your short naps (I like to call them "snaps"), everything is done with an intensity that even I have a hard time keeping up with!
Let's start with the fun stuff -- you love to play, play, play! I should have known by the kicks inside my tummy that you would be a busy little bee. Your legs move nonstop and have since you were a few weeks old. The doctor was amazed at how active you were at your 1-month well-baby appointment and warned us that we had a very energetic child on our hands! :o)
Your first favorite toy was Mr. Star, who mesmerized you for the first 4 months. That is, until the exersaucer came into your life. This was much more comfortable for you since you were off your back and able to play with several different toys at once. Although you are careful to play with each toy, the book is your favorite. You try to turn the thick plastic pages for minutes on end and never get frustrated. At least we know you have some patience in you!
And your legs aren't the only body parts constantly moving. Those hands keep up just fine. When they are not in your mouth, they are grabbing for anything in sight that may or may not fit in your mouth, including other people's fingers. You also took to praying early on. ;o) For a short time, you liked to sleep on your side and your hands naturally fell into the praying position. Although you changed your sleeping position before I could get a picture, it is imprinted in my mind forever.
Believe it or not, one of your favorite things to do is get your diaper changed. From day one, you have loved your changing table, which has turned into a fun play area for us. We have our little ritual where I tickle your legs before we change your diaper. You know from the moment those pant legs are off what's coming, and you straighten your legs and wait for those goose bumps. No smiles or giggles, just some serious relaxation going on. In fact, this is possibly the only time I can get those legs to stop moving! But once that diaper is off, it's playtime again, where you do everything in your power to prevent the diaper and pants from going back on. Kick, giggle, kick, giggle, kick…and since Christmas time, you now squeeze in a few toe sucking sessions in there as well. Thankfully, God has granted me with an enormous amount of patience when it comes to this part of our day. I actually think it's hilarious and probably encourage it more than anything. When else do I get to see joy in its purest form?
Your smiles came early, right around 6 weeks and have been melting hearts ever since. Fishy lips were a sure way to get a smile early on, but lately we've had to work a little bit harder. You also carefully choose who hears your giggles, and only a select few have had the pleasure so far. You actually have two kinds of laughs. You have your silly playful laugh when we say funny things or sing silly songs, and then there's the belly laugh. This comes when we are tickling your tummy or your sides. These are my favorite!
You are certainly one vocal little girl and have been since you first discovered your voice. You amazed me and your Daddy with your early forms of communication -- how you managed to make noises that sounded exactly like an elephant is beyond us, but you did so for several weeks until you started cooing, which was the most precious thing ever. These soft, angelic noises were much different than your early grunts and garnered the undivided attention of your aunts, uncles, and grandparents. It wasn't long, however, before those coos turned into very loud goos and gagas. And boy do you like to be heard! You're not exactly soft-spoken, and you know exactly what you want and will communicate accordingly. You literally yelled at your Daddy the other day for leaving you in the car seat for too long. Now we just eagerly await your first word, which will hopefully be Mama or Dada (although baba is looking more realistic). We work on all three words, but for now, you seem to just enjoy watching me make these strange noises, with little interest in mimicking me. But that's okay. We have many years of talking ahead of us!
Rolling over started early for you. You first flipped from your tummy to back, right around 9 weeks. You stuck with that trick for quite a while, until you finally figured out you could roll back over onto your tummy. That happened right around 5 1/2 months. You just started to sit up on your own last week, but you have always liked the upright position. I can recall you fussing at a few weeks old, and you would only stop when I put you in the sitting position on my knees. I know part of that was because of your reflux, but it is also because you like to see what is going on. There is so much to see! You're not a big snuggler and would rather face outward so you can take in every bit of your surroundings. In fact, I better feed you in a quiet, dark room otherwise forget about it. Your head whips around at the slightest noise. Why waste time with eating when everything else is so much more interesting?
Eating has certainly been a journey for both of us. You caught on to breastfeeding quickly and knew exactly what to do from the first feeding. No problems there. You ate more than enough and gained weight so quickly that the doctor actually thought I needed to spread out your feedings. Little did he know that you absolutely had to eat every 2 hours and no one -– and I mean no one -– was going to change that. So I fed you and fed you until you finally got big enough to eat every 2.5 to 3 hours. This made it a little difficult to do much else but feed you, but I learned quickly that catering to your needs was my one and only priority -– a responsibility that I have grown to treasure with every passing day.
Unfortunately, the fact that you needed to nurse frequently didn't mean you exactly enjoyed it. You wiggled and cried often, leaving your Mama pretty confused and frustrated. However, as time went by, we discovered why you were so unhappy. Not only did you have a pretty bad case of thrush, you also had acid reflux and a milk/soy allergy. That's a lot for one little person to handle. But you did so with relatively little crying; you're such a trooper! The good news is that after some medication, strategic sleeping positions, and a strict diet, we got it under control the best we could. (By the way, I am demanding that you buy me a box of chocolate for every birthday and special event until I die. Your Daddy can explain why when you get older.)
You tried cereal at 4 months and loved it. Unfortunately, we stopped it after a few weeks because it seemed to plugging you up. This may have been a mistake because you have now made it very clear that you don't want any part of this stuff we call cereal. You'd much rather have the potato chips Daddy is eating. I have a feeling real solids are in your very near future.
We also recently decided it was time to put you on formula. You didn't like the taste of it at first (and I don't blame you for that -– it smells pretty bad!), but you have adjusted extremely well. Although I am sad that I am no longer your sole provider of food, I know your Daddy and other family members are having fun feeding you. Even with all of our struggles, I will always treasure our feeding times. Sometimes we would "fight it out," but other times we had lots of fun as you played hide and seek and spoke to me in the sweetest little voice I have ever heard. And then there were the peaceful night feedings where I fell in love with you over and over and over again. You'd fall asleep on my shoulder and nuzzle in close enough so I could kiss those chubby cherub cheeks and your sweet little lips. Thankfully, you do the same with your bottle night feeds, so I get to enjoy that for a little while longer.
Sleeping has been another fun adventure. After about 2 weeks of age, you decided sleep was something necessary, but not something that was going to interfere with everything you had to do during the day. You slept much like you ate -– quick and often. No long stretches for you. That would take up too much time. Your strategy was to get in just enough rest to get you to the next play time. No quiet time necessary.
In the first few months, you only lasted about 45 minutes before you were ready to sleep, and your naps were only about an hour long at most. Eventually, you were able to last an hour and a half before a nap, but that's didn't mean you'd sleep longer. Quite the contrary. A 30- to 45- minute nap would do. It is only recently that you are able to sleep longer than that, but those times are few and far between and are usually at a time when I least expect it. You love to keep me on my toes! And for as much as I want to believe our recent (dare I say it out loud) schedule is here to stay, I have a feeling it will be changing right around the time I get used to it.
Sleeping through the night is not an idea we really even entertain yet, but you have gotten much better. On good nights when your reflux isn't bothering you, you will get up for one late-night feeding and one early morning feeding. For the most part, you sleep from 7pm to 7am. You have a few "pacifier moments" here and there, but you don't put up a fight. Your Daddy and I haven't gotten brave enough to let you cry yet, so for now you have our full attention around the clock. We are hopeful you will learn to sleep on your own. Until then, I have a feeling you are going to milk our attention for all it's worth. Truth be told, provided that you go right back down, I don't really mind these little pacifier moments since they are usually at the time I am thinking about you and missing you. Sometimes I wonder if you are psychic.
You are already famous. Since you've been born, you have been featured on TV and a Web site. Your blog might even end up in a book! You also have met some pretty special people. Your first week home, we made a special trip to meet your Great, Great Grandma Emma. Watching you two meet was a very special moment. Five generations doesn't happen every day you know! She is so proud of her namesake, and I know she looks forward to watching you grow up these next few years.
Your 4-month birthday also brought the birth of your baby cousin Evan, who I know will be your buddy (and bodyguard) in the years to come. He is already trying his hardest to catch up with you, so I know he'll be a great playmate. He's very relaxed though, so I have a feeling this may be a ying and yang relationship. It will be fun watching you two grow up together. I see embarrassing bathtub photos in both of your futures!
So there you have it. A quick little summary of our life together these past 6 months. It goes without saying that you have rocked our world Miss Emma in more ways than one. We have more love in our hearts than we ever imagined possible.
You have also taught me more about myself than any college course or career ever could. I am learning to enjoy the simple things in life again, and for that I am truly grateful to you. You are my buddy, and I love spending my days with you. I can't wait to see what the next 6 months have in store for us.
We love you, bunny!
Actually, you are teaching me that life can't be planned perfectly, especially when it comes to a baby. And that started with your early arrival. Six months ago today, you were nice enough to give me a nice, short labor. Little did I know this was your way of telling me that this was the way you liked everything -- quick and to the point. From eating and playing to your short naps (I like to call them "snaps"), everything is done with an intensity that even I have a hard time keeping up with!
Let's start with the fun stuff -- you love to play, play, play! I should have known by the kicks inside my tummy that you would be a busy little bee. Your legs move nonstop and have since you were a few weeks old. The doctor was amazed at how active you were at your 1-month well-baby appointment and warned us that we had a very energetic child on our hands! :o)
Your first favorite toy was Mr. Star, who mesmerized you for the first 4 months. That is, until the exersaucer came into your life. This was much more comfortable for you since you were off your back and able to play with several different toys at once. Although you are careful to play with each toy, the book is your favorite. You try to turn the thick plastic pages for minutes on end and never get frustrated. At least we know you have some patience in you!
And your legs aren't the only body parts constantly moving. Those hands keep up just fine. When they are not in your mouth, they are grabbing for anything in sight that may or may not fit in your mouth, including other people's fingers. You also took to praying early on. ;o) For a short time, you liked to sleep on your side and your hands naturally fell into the praying position. Although you changed your sleeping position before I could get a picture, it is imprinted in my mind forever.
Believe it or not, one of your favorite things to do is get your diaper changed. From day one, you have loved your changing table, which has turned into a fun play area for us. We have our little ritual where I tickle your legs before we change your diaper. You know from the moment those pant legs are off what's coming, and you straighten your legs and wait for those goose bumps. No smiles or giggles, just some serious relaxation going on. In fact, this is possibly the only time I can get those legs to stop moving! But once that diaper is off, it's playtime again, where you do everything in your power to prevent the diaper and pants from going back on. Kick, giggle, kick, giggle, kick…and since Christmas time, you now squeeze in a few toe sucking sessions in there as well. Thankfully, God has granted me with an enormous amount of patience when it comes to this part of our day. I actually think it's hilarious and probably encourage it more than anything. When else do I get to see joy in its purest form?
Your smiles came early, right around 6 weeks and have been melting hearts ever since. Fishy lips were a sure way to get a smile early on, but lately we've had to work a little bit harder. You also carefully choose who hears your giggles, and only a select few have had the pleasure so far. You actually have two kinds of laughs. You have your silly playful laugh when we say funny things or sing silly songs, and then there's the belly laugh. This comes when we are tickling your tummy or your sides. These are my favorite!
You are certainly one vocal little girl and have been since you first discovered your voice. You amazed me and your Daddy with your early forms of communication -- how you managed to make noises that sounded exactly like an elephant is beyond us, but you did so for several weeks until you started cooing, which was the most precious thing ever. These soft, angelic noises were much different than your early grunts and garnered the undivided attention of your aunts, uncles, and grandparents. It wasn't long, however, before those coos turned into very loud goos and gagas. And boy do you like to be heard! You're not exactly soft-spoken, and you know exactly what you want and will communicate accordingly. You literally yelled at your Daddy the other day for leaving you in the car seat for too long. Now we just eagerly await your first word, which will hopefully be Mama or Dada (although baba is looking more realistic). We work on all three words, but for now, you seem to just enjoy watching me make these strange noises, with little interest in mimicking me. But that's okay. We have many years of talking ahead of us!
Rolling over started early for you. You first flipped from your tummy to back, right around 9 weeks. You stuck with that trick for quite a while, until you finally figured out you could roll back over onto your tummy. That happened right around 5 1/2 months. You just started to sit up on your own last week, but you have always liked the upright position. I can recall you fussing at a few weeks old, and you would only stop when I put you in the sitting position on my knees. I know part of that was because of your reflux, but it is also because you like to see what is going on. There is so much to see! You're not a big snuggler and would rather face outward so you can take in every bit of your surroundings. In fact, I better feed you in a quiet, dark room otherwise forget about it. Your head whips around at the slightest noise. Why waste time with eating when everything else is so much more interesting?
Eating has certainly been a journey for both of us. You caught on to breastfeeding quickly and knew exactly what to do from the first feeding. No problems there. You ate more than enough and gained weight so quickly that the doctor actually thought I needed to spread out your feedings. Little did he know that you absolutely had to eat every 2 hours and no one -– and I mean no one -– was going to change that. So I fed you and fed you until you finally got big enough to eat every 2.5 to 3 hours. This made it a little difficult to do much else but feed you, but I learned quickly that catering to your needs was my one and only priority -– a responsibility that I have grown to treasure with every passing day.
Unfortunately, the fact that you needed to nurse frequently didn't mean you exactly enjoyed it. You wiggled and cried often, leaving your Mama pretty confused and frustrated. However, as time went by, we discovered why you were so unhappy. Not only did you have a pretty bad case of thrush, you also had acid reflux and a milk/soy allergy. That's a lot for one little person to handle. But you did so with relatively little crying; you're such a trooper! The good news is that after some medication, strategic sleeping positions, and a strict diet, we got it under control the best we could. (By the way, I am demanding that you buy me a box of chocolate for every birthday and special event until I die. Your Daddy can explain why when you get older.)
You tried cereal at 4 months and loved it. Unfortunately, we stopped it after a few weeks because it seemed to plugging you up. This may have been a mistake because you have now made it very clear that you don't want any part of this stuff we call cereal. You'd much rather have the potato chips Daddy is eating. I have a feeling real solids are in your very near future.
We also recently decided it was time to put you on formula. You didn't like the taste of it at first (and I don't blame you for that -– it smells pretty bad!), but you have adjusted extremely well. Although I am sad that I am no longer your sole provider of food, I know your Daddy and other family members are having fun feeding you. Even with all of our struggles, I will always treasure our feeding times. Sometimes we would "fight it out," but other times we had lots of fun as you played hide and seek and spoke to me in the sweetest little voice I have ever heard. And then there were the peaceful night feedings where I fell in love with you over and over and over again. You'd fall asleep on my shoulder and nuzzle in close enough so I could kiss those chubby cherub cheeks and your sweet little lips. Thankfully, you do the same with your bottle night feeds, so I get to enjoy that for a little while longer.
Sleeping has been another fun adventure. After about 2 weeks of age, you decided sleep was something necessary, but not something that was going to interfere with everything you had to do during the day. You slept much like you ate -– quick and often. No long stretches for you. That would take up too much time. Your strategy was to get in just enough rest to get you to the next play time. No quiet time necessary.
In the first few months, you only lasted about 45 minutes before you were ready to sleep, and your naps were only about an hour long at most. Eventually, you were able to last an hour and a half before a nap, but that's didn't mean you'd sleep longer. Quite the contrary. A 30- to 45- minute nap would do. It is only recently that you are able to sleep longer than that, but those times are few and far between and are usually at a time when I least expect it. You love to keep me on my toes! And for as much as I want to believe our recent (dare I say it out loud) schedule is here to stay, I have a feeling it will be changing right around the time I get used to it.
Sleeping through the night is not an idea we really even entertain yet, but you have gotten much better. On good nights when your reflux isn't bothering you, you will get up for one late-night feeding and one early morning feeding. For the most part, you sleep from 7pm to 7am. You have a few "pacifier moments" here and there, but you don't put up a fight. Your Daddy and I haven't gotten brave enough to let you cry yet, so for now you have our full attention around the clock. We are hopeful you will learn to sleep on your own. Until then, I have a feeling you are going to milk our attention for all it's worth. Truth be told, provided that you go right back down, I don't really mind these little pacifier moments since they are usually at the time I am thinking about you and missing you. Sometimes I wonder if you are psychic.
You are already famous. Since you've been born, you have been featured on TV and a Web site. Your blog might even end up in a book! You also have met some pretty special people. Your first week home, we made a special trip to meet your Great, Great Grandma Emma. Watching you two meet was a very special moment. Five generations doesn't happen every day you know! She is so proud of her namesake, and I know she looks forward to watching you grow up these next few years.
Your 4-month birthday also brought the birth of your baby cousin Evan, who I know will be your buddy (and bodyguard) in the years to come. He is already trying his hardest to catch up with you, so I know he'll be a great playmate. He's very relaxed though, so I have a feeling this may be a ying and yang relationship. It will be fun watching you two grow up together. I see embarrassing bathtub photos in both of your futures!
So there you have it. A quick little summary of our life together these past 6 months. It goes without saying that you have rocked our world Miss Emma in more ways than one. We have more love in our hearts than we ever imagined possible.
You have also taught me more about myself than any college course or career ever could. I am learning to enjoy the simple things in life again, and for that I am truly grateful to you. You are my buddy, and I love spending my days with you. I can't wait to see what the next 6 months have in store for us.
We love you, bunny!
Monday, February 13, 2006
Comments Welcome
Okay, so I've held back from posting this request because I felt dumb, but I'm gonna go for it. I know many of you read this blog, but the truth is, I'd never know it. So if you have two seconds, feel free to post a little comment. You don't have to of course, but it's just nice to know who's reading and what ya'll think. I know you have to "register," but I haven't noticed any major email spam resulting from doing so. Still, it's up to you. Hopefully we'll be hearing more from you!
Luv you all!!
Luv you all!!
Friday, February 10, 2006
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
A Weekend from Heaven
Oh, where do I begin? Well, I guess Thursday is a good place. This was the night of MY doctor's appointment. Right before this appointment, I decided to breastfeed Emma. This just happened to be one of those wonderful feedings where she was sweet and calm and fell asleep on my shoulder -- in the middle of the day! I was so happy I nodded off with her even though I knew I had to get ready for the doctor. It was a wonderful moment that I now realize was a blessing. It was almost as if God was saying, "This is my gift to you. You've done a good job. Now go take care of yourself." So I did.
My doctor's appointment was probably the first time I actually looked at my own health these past few months, and Dr. S really made me feel good. He was very positive about what kind of mom I've been so far and really encouraged me to take better care of myself. We went over a few things I've neglected since Emma's been born. Nothing serious, just a few minor "to dos," and I should be as good as new. Maybe better!
So I left the doctor feeling rejuvenated and okay with what we were planning on doing over the weekend -- completely weaning Emma.
The last feeding happened on Friday night, and it wasn't as emotional as I thought it would be. Actually, I would count that Thursday afternoon feeding as our last since it was so special. The Friday night feeding wasn't as "peaceful," which made me feel like she was just as ready as I was to move on to the next step. I did have a little bit of an icky feeling in my stomach that night, but I figure that's normal. Emma was about to thrive without me...and with the help of others. For anyone who has breastfed, that is a very hard thing to come to terms with. But it was going to happen sometime, so I figured doing it while we were out of town was the best time. Besides the fact that I would be able to eat normal food, it would also be easier on Emma. Since her surroundings would be so unfamiliar, I thought she might not notice the difference as much. I wouldn't be feeding her a bottle in the same chair as she normally gets a boob. Same thing with the night feedings. I thought this would help "ease" her into the idea so that when we returned from Geneva, she might not notice. Maybe I am justifying it all, but it made sense to me -- and it worked.
I'm still not 100 percent sure she isn't reacting to the formula, but she seems fine. In fact, she is sleeping great -- naps and at night. She was actually amazing over the weekend. I was so proud of her!!! She was extremely happy and never missed one nap. That's quite an accomplishment when 11 of us (including four kids ages 6 and under) were sharing the same living space. She adapted so well. I couldn't believe it! Again, I believe it was God's way of saying she was going to be fine and that I could chill.
And boy did I! Not only did I have pizza, pop, and lots of chocolate, I also got to work out and pamper myself with a facial. It was so much fun. And I didn't have to worry about Emma, who was busy being loved by her cousins, aunts, and grandparents. At one point, I came back from the gym and wanted to hold her (I missed her like crazy!), and she wanted to stay by her Auntie Lexi. This was huge -- she NEVER turns me down! But, heck, the girl was having fun. Who was I to interfere? :o)
As you all know, the title of this blog is Heaven Sent, and I truly believe with all of my heart (and mind!) that Emma was a gift directly from God. She is the closest to heaven I will ever experience in this lifetime. BUT I also feel like this weekend was a gift sent directly from God as well. A worldly gift, yes, but it renewed my spirit like only He could. His timing is amazing. This could have been a very stressful weekend as far as Emma's sleeping schedule and her weaning, but instead it went extremely smooth and provided more relaxation than I have felt in a LONG time. I know this was not coincidence. He graciously gave me peace about what I was doing.
For those of you who may feel I read too much into things, I honestly don't care what you think. I know what I feel, and I know my Father in Heaven is taking care of me. That is the blessing of being one of his children. He unconditionally loves us and gives us blessings we don't deserve. Even when we (I) try to control everything and question His plan, he still gives us blessings simply because He loves us. Wouldn't we do the same for our own children?
Okay, enough of my deep thoughts. Back to the fun stuff. Miss Emma had a great time this weekend. Here are some photos of her first swimming experience. Thanks to Grandma Bonnema for her adorable swimsuit!
Jackson and Emma have fun splashing around
"It's a little cold, Mom"
"I love you, Daddy"
"And I'm spent..."
My doctor's appointment was probably the first time I actually looked at my own health these past few months, and Dr. S really made me feel good. He was very positive about what kind of mom I've been so far and really encouraged me to take better care of myself. We went over a few things I've neglected since Emma's been born. Nothing serious, just a few minor "to dos," and I should be as good as new. Maybe better!
So I left the doctor feeling rejuvenated and okay with what we were planning on doing over the weekend -- completely weaning Emma.
The last feeding happened on Friday night, and it wasn't as emotional as I thought it would be. Actually, I would count that Thursday afternoon feeding as our last since it was so special. The Friday night feeding wasn't as "peaceful," which made me feel like she was just as ready as I was to move on to the next step. I did have a little bit of an icky feeling in my stomach that night, but I figure that's normal. Emma was about to thrive without me...and with the help of others. For anyone who has breastfed, that is a very hard thing to come to terms with. But it was going to happen sometime, so I figured doing it while we were out of town was the best time. Besides the fact that I would be able to eat normal food, it would also be easier on Emma. Since her surroundings would be so unfamiliar, I thought she might not notice the difference as much. I wouldn't be feeding her a bottle in the same chair as she normally gets a boob. Same thing with the night feedings. I thought this would help "ease" her into the idea so that when we returned from Geneva, she might not notice. Maybe I am justifying it all, but it made sense to me -- and it worked.
I'm still not 100 percent sure she isn't reacting to the formula, but she seems fine. In fact, she is sleeping great -- naps and at night. She was actually amazing over the weekend. I was so proud of her!!! She was extremely happy and never missed one nap. That's quite an accomplishment when 11 of us (including four kids ages 6 and under) were sharing the same living space. She adapted so well. I couldn't believe it! Again, I believe it was God's way of saying she was going to be fine and that I could chill.
And boy did I! Not only did I have pizza, pop, and lots of chocolate, I also got to work out and pamper myself with a facial. It was so much fun. And I didn't have to worry about Emma, who was busy being loved by her cousins, aunts, and grandparents. At one point, I came back from the gym and wanted to hold her (I missed her like crazy!), and she wanted to stay by her Auntie Lexi. This was huge -- she NEVER turns me down! But, heck, the girl was having fun. Who was I to interfere? :o)
As you all know, the title of this blog is Heaven Sent, and I truly believe with all of my heart (and mind!) that Emma was a gift directly from God. She is the closest to heaven I will ever experience in this lifetime. BUT I also feel like this weekend was a gift sent directly from God as well. A worldly gift, yes, but it renewed my spirit like only He could. His timing is amazing. This could have been a very stressful weekend as far as Emma's sleeping schedule and her weaning, but instead it went extremely smooth and provided more relaxation than I have felt in a LONG time. I know this was not coincidence. He graciously gave me peace about what I was doing.
For those of you who may feel I read too much into things, I honestly don't care what you think. I know what I feel, and I know my Father in Heaven is taking care of me. That is the blessing of being one of his children. He unconditionally loves us and gives us blessings we don't deserve. Even when we (I) try to control everything and question His plan, he still gives us blessings simply because He loves us. Wouldn't we do the same for our own children?
Okay, enough of my deep thoughts. Back to the fun stuff. Miss Emma had a great time this weekend. Here are some photos of her first swimming experience. Thanks to Grandma Bonnema for her adorable swimsuit!
Jackson and Emma have fun splashing around
"It's a little cold, Mom"
"I love you, Daddy"
"And I'm spent..."
Friday, February 03, 2006
We're Famous!
Check us out on this Web page: Click Here. (We're the February 2 image of the day!)
Thanks to Cara for the heads up!
:o) Lisa
Thanks to Cara for the heads up!
:o) Lisa
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Moooom, Don't Be So Dramatic!
I can almost hear these words coming out of our little Emma's mouth. Let's just say she's adjusting to this whole formula thing just fine. No emotional scars on this baby... just give her some food -- any food -- and she's fine. She doesn't even seem to mind the horrific smell of this stuff (although it makes me want to gag!).
It has been really nice letting other people feed her and not stressing about pumping and replacing bottles. Besides giving me a break, it's a good way for her to get more comfortable around others. As some of you already know, she is a little particular about who holds her.
She even took a bottle from me okay. She was a little confused about how to suck at first, but eventually figured it out and was done in 2 minutes flat. Of course, that was a bottle of breast milk. The real test is when I try to give her formula, but she's taken it fine from everyone else, so I'm thinking positively.
She doesn't seem to be reacting to the formula either. She does have some dry skin on her cheeks all of the sudden, but I also gave her cereal the other day for the first time in a long time and it was caked all over her face. So, it might be from that, but I'm keeping a close eye on it. But if all goes well, she'll most likely be weaned by this weekend or next week at the latest.
I am also doing better than I expected. I thought for sure I would cry through our first bottle-feeding together, but I found myself more worried about her swallowing air that I didn't even think twice about it. Before I knew it, it was over, and I was fine. A much easier transition than I expected.
I have to say that I will miss the late-night feedings the most. That was the only time Emma nursed like a "normal" baby -- all snuggly and not so EXTREMELY wiggly. There is something special about no one else being up in the house and the two of us spending some quiet, relaxing time together. As most of you know, the words quiet and relaxing don't exactly describe miss Emma -- AT. ALL. But during our late-night feedings, she nurses and ends up falling asleep on my shoulder. Her sweet face always ends up facing mine and I snuggle with her, cheek to cheek. That is of course, in between kissing those chubby cheeks and little lips a million times. It is in those moments that all of this is worth it. Every single second. By the way, for those who are wondering, I will be nursing our next child for as long as I can. Like I said, totally worth it.
So we're doing great. Emma slept a pretty long stretch last night after Jeff gave her a bottle, so maybe we have finally turned a corner. Still, I'm not holding my breath. I don't count on anything happening more than once with this little peanut. I just treasure the moments when it goes well. It's the only way I stay sane. Plus, we are going away to Geneva this weekend, so I'm sure her sleep schedule will be all off and we'll be starting from scratch next week. BUT, we'll get spend some quality time with the B clan, and I may actually be able to order food from a menu, so I'm looking forward to it. I wonder if they have an Aurelio's in Geneva… :o)
It has been really nice letting other people feed her and not stressing about pumping and replacing bottles. Besides giving me a break, it's a good way for her to get more comfortable around others. As some of you already know, she is a little particular about who holds her.
She even took a bottle from me okay. She was a little confused about how to suck at first, but eventually figured it out and was done in 2 minutes flat. Of course, that was a bottle of breast milk. The real test is when I try to give her formula, but she's taken it fine from everyone else, so I'm thinking positively.
She doesn't seem to be reacting to the formula either. She does have some dry skin on her cheeks all of the sudden, but I also gave her cereal the other day for the first time in a long time and it was caked all over her face. So, it might be from that, but I'm keeping a close eye on it. But if all goes well, she'll most likely be weaned by this weekend or next week at the latest.
I am also doing better than I expected. I thought for sure I would cry through our first bottle-feeding together, but I found myself more worried about her swallowing air that I didn't even think twice about it. Before I knew it, it was over, and I was fine. A much easier transition than I expected.
I have to say that I will miss the late-night feedings the most. That was the only time Emma nursed like a "normal" baby -- all snuggly and not so EXTREMELY wiggly. There is something special about no one else being up in the house and the two of us spending some quiet, relaxing time together. As most of you know, the words quiet and relaxing don't exactly describe miss Emma -- AT. ALL. But during our late-night feedings, she nurses and ends up falling asleep on my shoulder. Her sweet face always ends up facing mine and I snuggle with her, cheek to cheek. That is of course, in between kissing those chubby cheeks and little lips a million times. It is in those moments that all of this is worth it. Every single second. By the way, for those who are wondering, I will be nursing our next child for as long as I can. Like I said, totally worth it.
So we're doing great. Emma slept a pretty long stretch last night after Jeff gave her a bottle, so maybe we have finally turned a corner. Still, I'm not holding my breath. I don't count on anything happening more than once with this little peanut. I just treasure the moments when it goes well. It's the only way I stay sane. Plus, we are going away to Geneva this weekend, so I'm sure her sleep schedule will be all off and we'll be starting from scratch next week. BUT, we'll get spend some quality time with the B clan, and I may actually be able to order food from a menu, so I'm looking forward to it. I wonder if they have an Aurelio's in Geneva… :o)
Saturday, January 28, 2006
The Moment of Truth
So yesterday was Emma's follow-up with the GI. Her reflux has been bad (not worse, but not better); she's been constipated; she had lots of blood in her stool last week (after going almost 3 full days without a bowel movement); and she woke up crying 3 nights in a row after I ate some Vegan chocolate cookies (allergy-free AND delicious I might add...). So, I was expecting to be told formula was the next step. I was sad, but spent the last week praying about it and slowly came to terms with the fact that this was best for Emma. Plus, I've been having goofy things happening to me and have been registering record low numbers on the scale, so I was okay with it. I thought.
Then the GI tests her stool and not only is the consistency okay, but there was no blood. In other words, she's fine. The blood from the other day was because of her "constipation," which is actually normal, according to the GI. He said he has seen breastfed babies go 10 times a day and some go every 10 days. Our peanut is growing still -- currently 14 lb, 13 oz and 26 1/4 in -- so her body is absorbing what it needs and getting rid of it WHEN it needs to.
Oh, okay. But what about the reflux?
The Prevacid won't stop it from happening; it will only make it less painful. The rest she will have to grow out of over time.
Okay, so what does this mean?
Well, the diet has obviously worked, which means I can continue breastfeeding. I should be happy, right? But I'm not. Jeff really thinks it's time to move her to a hypoallergenic formula. But if I do that, it's for selfish reasons, not for Emma's benefit like I have been telling myself for the last week. That's hard for me. I feel like I'm letting her down.
Still, she IS uncomfortable when she nurses (I can tell it hurts her), and I am literally driving myself crazy about the eating thing. The second she cries, I rack my brain, "Oh crap. What did I eat?" I think the cookies put me -- and Jeff -- over the edge. It wasn't like I was cheating and had a slice a pizza. I ate something I thought was safe, but it still seemed to hurt her. And being responsible for physically hurting your child is a horrible feeling and terrible burden. I cried and cried out of guilt: I didn't need the cookies. How could I do that to her? That's when Jeff said, "Enough is enough."
After MUCH discussion, we've decided to wean her for the next week or two. It won't be the easiest thing I ever do, but I guess it is for the greater good. I hope. Part of me is relieved, while the other half is sad and full of guilt. The good news is I have an awesome support system. Jeff has been really supportive, and I know his concern is only out of love. He has a vested interest in Emma and me, so I know he has thought long and hard about this. And my mom and sister have also been great listeners, as have my close friends. Thank you everyone for your patient ears and kind words. I know I can get a little nuts sometimes and talk in circles, but you were all loving and non-judgmental. Thank you.
I guess it's all about letting go. A part of the parenting role that I just have to get used to. I guess part of me still felt I had some form of "control" if I was the one feeding her. But in the end, her true discomfort -- her reflux -- is nothing I can "fix."
As far as being sad about weaning, my mom reminded me that I will be sad no matter when I decide to stop breastfeeding Emma -- whether it's now or 6 months from now. So true. And maybe, just maybe she WILL sleep better at night (although I have to add that ALL current research says food has nothing to do with sleep patterns). Still, if we can eliminate one or two night feedings, maybe her reflux won't wake her up and she will be able to sleep comfortably -- hopefully.
So then came the moment of truth -- Emma's first formula feeding. She's never had anything but breast milk, but she took it okay. I wasn't there, but Jeff said she kind of looked at him like, "What's this?" and played with the bottle for a few minutes. Then she must have decided she was hungry enough, so she sucked it down. All of it. So now we wait and see if she reacts. The formula still has the proteins in it (which cause the allergic reactions), but they are supposedly broken down enough for her to easily digest. We will see. If she's okay, she'll be on formula from here on out (even it is $25 a can... yikes!). If not, I will continue to breastfeed. That's the plan.
One upside, of course, is I will be able to eat, eat, eat! It's weird to think about. I'm so used to water, veggies, organic oat bran, rice milk, fruit, and organic chicken and turkey, that anything else will feel "wrong." I guess that's the positive I received from all of this. I have always liked eating healthy, but now I even enjoy cooking healthy, as in from scratch. That's right... from scratch. I even made homemade French fries (in Canola oil) for Jeff the other day. Not rocket science and certainly not very healthy, I know, but the point is that before I would have never entertained the idea, especially when a McDonald's is just down the street. Why bother? Now I see how fun it is. I am making Jeff homemade spaghetti sauce tonight.
Overall, I plan to incorporate my new healthy habits into our everyday meals. I have to say that God is so good -- He always brings a positive out of every experience. Heck, if I didn't have the gestational diabetes, how would I have had the discipline to stay on this new diet? His plan is always perfect.
Now, don't get me wrong, I have planned my first splurges, and they are NOT healthy. Let me indulge you all: it will start off with a Starbucks white chocolate mocha (soy, no whip) for breakfast, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (I so miss PB!!) for lunch, and Aurelio's pizza (extra sauce) for dinner. And brownies for desert, of course. Not that I've put that much thought into it or anything.
So there you have it. Our first major parenting decision has been made. We just pray it was the right one.
Then the GI tests her stool and not only is the consistency okay, but there was no blood. In other words, she's fine. The blood from the other day was because of her "constipation," which is actually normal, according to the GI. He said he has seen breastfed babies go 10 times a day and some go every 10 days. Our peanut is growing still -- currently 14 lb, 13 oz and 26 1/4 in -- so her body is absorbing what it needs and getting rid of it WHEN it needs to.
Oh, okay. But what about the reflux?
The Prevacid won't stop it from happening; it will only make it less painful. The rest she will have to grow out of over time.
Okay, so what does this mean?
Well, the diet has obviously worked, which means I can continue breastfeeding. I should be happy, right? But I'm not. Jeff really thinks it's time to move her to a hypoallergenic formula. But if I do that, it's for selfish reasons, not for Emma's benefit like I have been telling myself for the last week. That's hard for me. I feel like I'm letting her down.
Still, she IS uncomfortable when she nurses (I can tell it hurts her), and I am literally driving myself crazy about the eating thing. The second she cries, I rack my brain, "Oh crap. What did I eat?" I think the cookies put me -- and Jeff -- over the edge. It wasn't like I was cheating and had a slice a pizza. I ate something I thought was safe, but it still seemed to hurt her. And being responsible for physically hurting your child is a horrible feeling and terrible burden. I cried and cried out of guilt: I didn't need the cookies. How could I do that to her? That's when Jeff said, "Enough is enough."
After MUCH discussion, we've decided to wean her for the next week or two. It won't be the easiest thing I ever do, but I guess it is for the greater good. I hope. Part of me is relieved, while the other half is sad and full of guilt. The good news is I have an awesome support system. Jeff has been really supportive, and I know his concern is only out of love. He has a vested interest in Emma and me, so I know he has thought long and hard about this. And my mom and sister have also been great listeners, as have my close friends. Thank you everyone for your patient ears and kind words. I know I can get a little nuts sometimes and talk in circles, but you were all loving and non-judgmental. Thank you.
I guess it's all about letting go. A part of the parenting role that I just have to get used to. I guess part of me still felt I had some form of "control" if I was the one feeding her. But in the end, her true discomfort -- her reflux -- is nothing I can "fix."
As far as being sad about weaning, my mom reminded me that I will be sad no matter when I decide to stop breastfeeding Emma -- whether it's now or 6 months from now. So true. And maybe, just maybe she WILL sleep better at night (although I have to add that ALL current research says food has nothing to do with sleep patterns). Still, if we can eliminate one or two night feedings, maybe her reflux won't wake her up and she will be able to sleep comfortably -- hopefully.
So then came the moment of truth -- Emma's first formula feeding. She's never had anything but breast milk, but she took it okay. I wasn't there, but Jeff said she kind of looked at him like, "What's this?" and played with the bottle for a few minutes. Then she must have decided she was hungry enough, so she sucked it down. All of it. So now we wait and see if she reacts. The formula still has the proteins in it (which cause the allergic reactions), but they are supposedly broken down enough for her to easily digest. We will see. If she's okay, she'll be on formula from here on out (even it is $25 a can... yikes!). If not, I will continue to breastfeed. That's the plan.
One upside, of course, is I will be able to eat, eat, eat! It's weird to think about. I'm so used to water, veggies, organic oat bran, rice milk, fruit, and organic chicken and turkey, that anything else will feel "wrong." I guess that's the positive I received from all of this. I have always liked eating healthy, but now I even enjoy cooking healthy, as in from scratch. That's right... from scratch. I even made homemade French fries (in Canola oil) for Jeff the other day. Not rocket science and certainly not very healthy, I know, but the point is that before I would have never entertained the idea, especially when a McDonald's is just down the street. Why bother? Now I see how fun it is. I am making Jeff homemade spaghetti sauce tonight.
Overall, I plan to incorporate my new healthy habits into our everyday meals. I have to say that God is so good -- He always brings a positive out of every experience. Heck, if I didn't have the gestational diabetes, how would I have had the discipline to stay on this new diet? His plan is always perfect.
Now, don't get me wrong, I have planned my first splurges, and they are NOT healthy. Let me indulge you all: it will start off with a Starbucks white chocolate mocha (soy, no whip) for breakfast, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (I so miss PB!!) for lunch, and Aurelio's pizza (extra sauce) for dinner. And brownies for desert, of course. Not that I've put that much thought into it or anything.
So there you have it. Our first major parenting decision has been made. We just pray it was the right one.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Monday, January 16, 2006
Monday, January 09, 2006
One of Our First Family Photos
This is from Emma's baptism, which was a few months ago, but I've been meaning to post it for a while now.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
They say to never pray for patience...
...otherwise, God might give you LOTs to be patient about. Well, I guess you could say that's where we are at right now! :o)
Overall, the GI appt. went well, although we didn't learn anything we didn't already know. He agrees that Emma has reflux and upped her prescription to Prevacid since the Zantac wasn't doing much of anything. This is quite the concoction. It took Walgreens two days to get it ready. I guess it's some sort of compound. We have to refrigerate it and shake it REALLY well before giving to her. She gets it twice a day about 20 minutes before a feeding. This is supposed to lower the acidic levels in her tummy and hopefully eliminate the pain she is feeling. We're praying that it works no only to eliminate the pain, but that it helps her (and us!) sleep again. The last few nights have been pretty bad. Maybe 1-2 hrs sleep tops. Of course, her cold hasn't helped, but thankfully that is going away! We don't need one more thing keeping Emma up at night. The Prevacid can take a week to 10 days to kick in, so pray, pray, pray!!! Jeff and I are truly at our wits' end.
The GI also agreed that she has a milk allergy and most likely a soy allergy too (quick fact: 50% of infants who are allergic to dairy are allergic to soy). Her stool tested positive for blood and is always mucousy -- sure signs of an allergy. And although you can't really get a clear answer as to what an infant is allergic to, with Jeff's milk allergy and my lactose intolerance, we're pretty sure that's the issue. I also have noticed that milk, red sauce, my prenatal vitamins, and products with major soy seem to affect her, so I'm staying away from all of those, as well as eggs and peanuts (just in case). Her reflux could or could not be connected to her allergy, but there's no way to know for sure.
The doc also encouraged me to continue breastfeeding up until my 6-mo goal, which made me happy. Although there are special formulas out there, he believes the benefits Emma gets from my milk override any negatives. We're also not introducing any dairy into Emma's diet until she is after a year old. My poor little bunny has to wait that long to enjoy cheese! Oh well, if I can survive that, so can she -- at least she doesn't know what she's missing! :o)
So there ya go. We have a follow-up appt. in 3 weeks to see if there is any improvement, and we'll go from there. Maybe I'll end up breastfeeding longer than 6 mo, but we'll have to see what's best for Emma. The GI doesn't want me to go on an elimination diet to target her allergies because he doesn't really feel they are conclusive and in the end, will drive me crazy (as if I'm not already?). Anyway, I sort of agree with him, although my friend Cara is having success with it. Still, I figure this guy does this for a living, so I'm going to trust him, and I'm just going to do my best without going completely insane.
The massive lack of sleep does not seem to bothering Emma though. She is smiling and talking up a storm and has definitely found her toes. She is almost rolling over from back to tummy -- she's so close! And sitting up is just around the corner. She can do it by herself in her Boppy, and the other day, she lifted herself up from an incline position and sat up for several seconds. The GI even said during her exam that she was almost there. I'm excited but sad at the same time... where does the time go?
Her new fav toy is her exersaucer -- she really amuses herself in it and methodically plays which each toy (I detect some anal traits here...God help her if she's like me!). She also loves anything she can get her hands on and put in her mouth. She also is VERY vocal -- as in she knows what she wants and you better listen and respond ASAP. And so it begins... :o)
Jeff and her are also bonding a lot lately. Since my exhaustion has reached record levels, he's been really good about taking her on weekends and the nights that he is home. It's really cute to see them together, and Emma really knows her Daddy now. Heck, yesterday he got her to take two naps that were over an hour. THIS. NEVER. HAPPENS. We're not sure if it was the meds kicking in already or if she was just beyond exhausted, but it was encouraging. I also got her back to sleep today for another hour+, so we'll see. We can only be positive at this point for the sake of our sanity. Thankfully we have our faith to give us hope. We know God wants Emma better just as much as we do!
That should do it for now. One side note: Great Great Grandma Emma turned 92 today and is as healthy as ever. In fact, we plan to pay her a visit this week, so updated pix to come. Stay tuned!
Overall, the GI appt. went well, although we didn't learn anything we didn't already know. He agrees that Emma has reflux and upped her prescription to Prevacid since the Zantac wasn't doing much of anything. This is quite the concoction. It took Walgreens two days to get it ready. I guess it's some sort of compound. We have to refrigerate it and shake it REALLY well before giving to her. She gets it twice a day about 20 minutes before a feeding. This is supposed to lower the acidic levels in her tummy and hopefully eliminate the pain she is feeling. We're praying that it works no only to eliminate the pain, but that it helps her (and us!) sleep again. The last few nights have been pretty bad. Maybe 1-2 hrs sleep tops. Of course, her cold hasn't helped, but thankfully that is going away! We don't need one more thing keeping Emma up at night. The Prevacid can take a week to 10 days to kick in, so pray, pray, pray!!! Jeff and I are truly at our wits' end.
The GI also agreed that she has a milk allergy and most likely a soy allergy too (quick fact: 50% of infants who are allergic to dairy are allergic to soy). Her stool tested positive for blood and is always mucousy -- sure signs of an allergy. And although you can't really get a clear answer as to what an infant is allergic to, with Jeff's milk allergy and my lactose intolerance, we're pretty sure that's the issue. I also have noticed that milk, red sauce, my prenatal vitamins, and products with major soy seem to affect her, so I'm staying away from all of those, as well as eggs and peanuts (just in case). Her reflux could or could not be connected to her allergy, but there's no way to know for sure.
The doc also encouraged me to continue breastfeeding up until my 6-mo goal, which made me happy. Although there are special formulas out there, he believes the benefits Emma gets from my milk override any negatives. We're also not introducing any dairy into Emma's diet until she is after a year old. My poor little bunny has to wait that long to enjoy cheese! Oh well, if I can survive that, so can she -- at least she doesn't know what she's missing! :o)
So there ya go. We have a follow-up appt. in 3 weeks to see if there is any improvement, and we'll go from there. Maybe I'll end up breastfeeding longer than 6 mo, but we'll have to see what's best for Emma. The GI doesn't want me to go on an elimination diet to target her allergies because he doesn't really feel they are conclusive and in the end, will drive me crazy (as if I'm not already?). Anyway, I sort of agree with him, although my friend Cara is having success with it. Still, I figure this guy does this for a living, so I'm going to trust him, and I'm just going to do my best without going completely insane.
The massive lack of sleep does not seem to bothering Emma though. She is smiling and talking up a storm and has definitely found her toes. She is almost rolling over from back to tummy -- she's so close! And sitting up is just around the corner. She can do it by herself in her Boppy, and the other day, she lifted herself up from an incline position and sat up for several seconds. The GI even said during her exam that she was almost there. I'm excited but sad at the same time... where does the time go?
Her new fav toy is her exersaucer -- she really amuses herself in it and methodically plays which each toy (I detect some anal traits here...God help her if she's like me!). She also loves anything she can get her hands on and put in her mouth. She also is VERY vocal -- as in she knows what she wants and you better listen and respond ASAP. And so it begins... :o)
Jeff and her are also bonding a lot lately. Since my exhaustion has reached record levels, he's been really good about taking her on weekends and the nights that he is home. It's really cute to see them together, and Emma really knows her Daddy now. Heck, yesterday he got her to take two naps that were over an hour. THIS. NEVER. HAPPENS. We're not sure if it was the meds kicking in already or if she was just beyond exhausted, but it was encouraging. I also got her back to sleep today for another hour+, so we'll see. We can only be positive at this point for the sake of our sanity. Thankfully we have our faith to give us hope. We know God wants Emma better just as much as we do!
That should do it for now. One side note: Great Great Grandma Emma turned 92 today and is as healthy as ever. In fact, we plan to pay her a visit this week, so updated pix to come. Stay tuned!
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
4 1/2 months
Well, one of my New Year's resolutions should surely be to update this thing more often. I promise to try. Many times I hesitate to update because things aren't going as smoothly as I'd like. But in the end, every day has its ups and downs, so that's really no excuse.
First of all, Emma is growing like a weed and gets more and more fun (and beautiful!) every day. Her 4-mo doctor's appt. showed her at 13 lb, 12 oz (50th percentile) and 25 inches (75th percentile). Her hand and eye coordination is amazing. This girl can pull her binkie in and out of her mouth by herself! The other day she even figured out how a toothbrush works. She is totally mesmerized every time I brush my teeth, so I finally gave her my toothbrush to play with. Low and behold, within 10 minutes she was brushing her tongue! I ended up having to take it away from her so she wouldn't choke herself.
She can also roll over from her tummy to her back and is enjoying her tummy time much more. She can hold her head up with no problem and loves to try and sit up. She also talks and talks and talks...
We also tried cereal, and she loved it! In fact, we can't spoon it fast enough for her. The only drawback has been that it seems to make her a little constipated, so we're going to hold off for a little while. We've got other things we're trying to take care of right now.
That leads me to the "not going so smoothly" part. Emma's reflux has gotten worse over the last few months. What used to be a slight issue has turned into hourly discomfort. She's a trooper and still manages to smile and play, but that's the sad part to me. She's actually just used to dealing with it. People always comment to me how much she chomps on her hands, but I know it's because her tummy and/or throat are bothering her. Some people assume she's teething or that she's hungry, but I know the difference. We're pretty sure she has what is called silent reflux, which means she spits up what she eats but constantly swallows it back down. How uncomfortable! We also think that it might be linked to allergies, so we're seeing a pediatric GI on Jan 5. I've since stopped dairy and soy, which has seemed to have helped a little, but not a ton. There is soy in everything, and I'm just learning what to look for. So depending on what the GI says, I may have to go on a very strict diet. Hmmmm, just like when I was pregnant. :o( I guess we'll see...
The good news is that our little bunny slept her longest stretch last night, going 8 hours without feeding. A total milestone considering last week she was up every hour. We have since put her carrier in her crib, which has kept her upright and sleeping. What is frustrating is that she WAS doing really well until the reflux flared up. Now we're lucky if she sleeps for more than 3 hrs straight. Hopefully last night was the start of more sleep to come!
Christmas was a blast -- more so than we thought. Emma really humored us with her gifts. She seemed pretty interested in the bows and wrapping paper. Jeff and I only bought her four small stocking stuffers and one present from Santa (an outfit). We figured she really doesn't know the difference, plus she had plenty of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and great grandparents and great aunts and uncles to spoil her rotten. She now has a new wardrobe and plenty of toys to occupy her this coming year. We are MORE than blessed! Thank you all!
Emma also received the best gift for her 4-mo birthday -- a new cousin! Evan Zuiden was born on Dec. 14 at a whopping 9 lb, 11 oz. At that size, he'll be beating up Emma before we know it. No, he is actually very sweet and sleepy -- and he seems very tiny to me. So strange to think that Emma was that small once -- actually 3 lb smaller! How time flies...
Well, better get back to mommyhood. I'll try to post an update after our dr.'s appt. on the 5th. Please pray that nothing serious is going on inside of our little angel. I just want her to be able to play and sleep comfortably again.
Love you all!
First of all, Emma is growing like a weed and gets more and more fun (and beautiful!) every day. Her 4-mo doctor's appt. showed her at 13 lb, 12 oz (50th percentile) and 25 inches (75th percentile). Her hand and eye coordination is amazing. This girl can pull her binkie in and out of her mouth by herself! The other day she even figured out how a toothbrush works. She is totally mesmerized every time I brush my teeth, so I finally gave her my toothbrush to play with. Low and behold, within 10 minutes she was brushing her tongue! I ended up having to take it away from her so she wouldn't choke herself.
She can also roll over from her tummy to her back and is enjoying her tummy time much more. She can hold her head up with no problem and loves to try and sit up. She also talks and talks and talks...
We also tried cereal, and she loved it! In fact, we can't spoon it fast enough for her. The only drawback has been that it seems to make her a little constipated, so we're going to hold off for a little while. We've got other things we're trying to take care of right now.
That leads me to the "not going so smoothly" part. Emma's reflux has gotten worse over the last few months. What used to be a slight issue has turned into hourly discomfort. She's a trooper and still manages to smile and play, but that's the sad part to me. She's actually just used to dealing with it. People always comment to me how much she chomps on her hands, but I know it's because her tummy and/or throat are bothering her. Some people assume she's teething or that she's hungry, but I know the difference. We're pretty sure she has what is called silent reflux, which means she spits up what she eats but constantly swallows it back down. How uncomfortable! We also think that it might be linked to allergies, so we're seeing a pediatric GI on Jan 5. I've since stopped dairy and soy, which has seemed to have helped a little, but not a ton. There is soy in everything, and I'm just learning what to look for. So depending on what the GI says, I may have to go on a very strict diet. Hmmmm, just like when I was pregnant. :o( I guess we'll see...
The good news is that our little bunny slept her longest stretch last night, going 8 hours without feeding. A total milestone considering last week she was up every hour. We have since put her carrier in her crib, which has kept her upright and sleeping. What is frustrating is that she WAS doing really well until the reflux flared up. Now we're lucky if she sleeps for more than 3 hrs straight. Hopefully last night was the start of more sleep to come!
Christmas was a blast -- more so than we thought. Emma really humored us with her gifts. She seemed pretty interested in the bows and wrapping paper. Jeff and I only bought her four small stocking stuffers and one present from Santa (an outfit). We figured she really doesn't know the difference, plus she had plenty of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and great grandparents and great aunts and uncles to spoil her rotten. She now has a new wardrobe and plenty of toys to occupy her this coming year. We are MORE than blessed! Thank you all!
Emma also received the best gift for her 4-mo birthday -- a new cousin! Evan Zuiden was born on Dec. 14 at a whopping 9 lb, 11 oz. At that size, he'll be beating up Emma before we know it. No, he is actually very sweet and sleepy -- and he seems very tiny to me. So strange to think that Emma was that small once -- actually 3 lb smaller! How time flies...
Well, better get back to mommyhood. I'll try to post an update after our dr.'s appt. on the 5th. Please pray that nothing serious is going on inside of our little angel. I just want her to be able to play and sleep comfortably again.
Love you all!
Sunday, December 11, 2005
The Best Christmas Gift Ever
It was just about this time last year that we found out about our little miracle. And now we get to celebrate with her this year! Two years of perfect gifts. Praise God -- we are truly blessed!
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
3 Months!!!
Hard to believe we've been blessed with Miss Emma for 3 months already. Time sure flies when you're having fun! And fun we are having. Every day is an adventure, and I am finally to the point where I like that! Yes, Miss Anal Rententive likes it! Of course, I don't quite have a choice in the matter, but Emma is teaching me how to not only "go with the flow" but how to enjoy it. We are working on a loose schedule, but I don't sweat the small stuff anymore. If she only eats for 5 mintues, so what. She'll make up for it at the next feeding if she needs it! She's well into the 12-lb mark -- and on her way to 13 -- so I'm not worried about this girl thriving. She is growing like a weed!
So what's new since last I wrote -- tons of course!! Emma is smiling and cooing like crazy. She even giggles and razzes and loves to show off her latest trick -- blowing bubbles. Her head is strong and tall, and she likes to swing at her toys and touch their soft fur, especially Ms. Spider. She still loves to kick around on the floor and will always give you a smile if you make fishy lips. In fact, we had her 3-month pix taken today and she smiled in every one!!! It was so hard to choose. She honestly looked precious in every one!
As of our last doctor's appt, Emma's thrush is gone, but we do think she has acid reflux. We've been giving her medicine for about a week and a half now, and it's getting better... slowly. She still struggles with burps and spitting up for a good hour after she eats, which means she can get a little cranky. But the good news is she is napping a little longer -- sometimes 45 min!! That's a huge improvement from the 15-min naps I was getting for a while. She can usually sleep thru the night for about 6 hours without a feeding, but we still have our share of bad nights. At this point, I know enough tricks now to get her down again -- usually. If we end up snuggling in bed, oh well. Sometimes you just need sleep!
The best part of these last few weeks has been reaching a new level of comfort. I honestly feel like I really know Emma now and that I can read her like no one else. She is truly the love of my life and my heart aches with how much I care about her. She's my buddy, and I absolutely love spending every second with her. It's officially all about her now and, honestly, that just feels natural. I admit I struggled in the beginning, but I am now in total mommy mode -- and it is great!
I do have some time to myself though. I'm back to work, with one day a week in the office (actually just 4 hours), and I work from home the rest of the week. It's been a struggle trying to balance everything, but I'm managing. I just hate ignoring Emma during the day, so I usually get work done at night after Jeff gets home. I know I can't play with her every second, but I want to. It's so fun watching her learn and develop. I can't believe how much she knows already! I do let her explore on her own, but until she can sit up, I feel like I should interact as much as possible. The dishes can wait as far as I'm concerned. I know, I'm obviously a first-time mom. :o)
Well, that's it for now. Forgive all my mommy gush, but it just feels good to honestly say, "Everything is good." It truly is, and I am beyond blessed with this little peanut. She is just such a sweetheart. And Jeff is just as smitten with her. The way he looks at her melts my heart. What more could I ask for?!
So what's new since last I wrote -- tons of course!! Emma is smiling and cooing like crazy. She even giggles and razzes and loves to show off her latest trick -- blowing bubbles. Her head is strong and tall, and she likes to swing at her toys and touch their soft fur, especially Ms. Spider. She still loves to kick around on the floor and will always give you a smile if you make fishy lips. In fact, we had her 3-month pix taken today and she smiled in every one!!! It was so hard to choose. She honestly looked precious in every one!
As of our last doctor's appt, Emma's thrush is gone, but we do think she has acid reflux. We've been giving her medicine for about a week and a half now, and it's getting better... slowly. She still struggles with burps and spitting up for a good hour after she eats, which means she can get a little cranky. But the good news is she is napping a little longer -- sometimes 45 min!! That's a huge improvement from the 15-min naps I was getting for a while. She can usually sleep thru the night for about 6 hours without a feeding, but we still have our share of bad nights. At this point, I know enough tricks now to get her down again -- usually. If we end up snuggling in bed, oh well. Sometimes you just need sleep!
The best part of these last few weeks has been reaching a new level of comfort. I honestly feel like I really know Emma now and that I can read her like no one else. She is truly the love of my life and my heart aches with how much I care about her. She's my buddy, and I absolutely love spending every second with her. It's officially all about her now and, honestly, that just feels natural. I admit I struggled in the beginning, but I am now in total mommy mode -- and it is great!
I do have some time to myself though. I'm back to work, with one day a week in the office (actually just 4 hours), and I work from home the rest of the week. It's been a struggle trying to balance everything, but I'm managing. I just hate ignoring Emma during the day, so I usually get work done at night after Jeff gets home. I know I can't play with her every second, but I want to. It's so fun watching her learn and develop. I can't believe how much she knows already! I do let her explore on her own, but until she can sit up, I feel like I should interact as much as possible. The dishes can wait as far as I'm concerned. I know, I'm obviously a first-time mom. :o)
Well, that's it for now. Forgive all my mommy gush, but it just feels good to honestly say, "Everything is good." It truly is, and I am beyond blessed with this little peanut. She is just such a sweetheart. And Jeff is just as smitten with her. The way he looks at her melts my heart. What more could I ask for?!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
