Just a quick post to update.
J saw a pediatric gastroenterologist today. They think he has a reflux issue. He'll start getting treated with some meds. Hopefully, if food stops making his tummy hurt and he stops gagging and throwing up, he'll be more inclined to eat. I think his eating is slowly getting better, and I think his time is starting to improve also ... it no longer seems to take the boy several hours to eat a quarter of a sandwich. So that's good.
What's great, though? He's in the 25th percentile for height and weight! We've gotten so used to a struggle - used to hearing bad news ... he's below the 5th percentile ... try this nutritional supplement ... he's too small ... if he won't gain, we'll have to do a G-tube ... failure to thrive ...
So yeah. Today was such a welcome change. Today, we got good news. He's smaller than averaqe in both height and weight. But at last, he's on the charts. He's not a malnourished starving kid who needs to be tube fed. He's not stunting his growth by refusing to eat. He's in the normal range, at last!
Now the trick is keeping him there. But I am feeling optimistic now. Sweet little J may be okay yet. We keep plodding along, and do our best.
It's all we can do.
Showing posts with label growth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label growth. Show all posts
Monday, July 27, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
The incredibly mediocre pretender
J is growing up. I love it and hate it all at once. The boy who, a few short months ago, would always say "I were" is now not only saying "I was" but is actually correcting the poor grammar of random cartoon characters.
J: How come he says "I did saw a puddy tat" instead of "I did see ..."?
(My BAAAAAAABY!!!!! *sob*)
And N is getting bigger and bigger, too. Today, we packed up his old clothes. My last baby. This kind of thing makes me happy and sad all at once. I'm glad he's growing, but I miss my tiny baby. Is it good? Is it bad? It's a toss-up, really.
**********
We took the kids to the ice festival. It was only slightly affected by the uncharacteristically warm weather. A chunk of one melty ice sculpture fell to the ground with a large clunk as we walked by. But J still got to go down the ice slides. And see the ice maze. And the dragon and dinosaur sculptures, and of course the big castle which they guarded, which was quite spectacular. So he had lots of fun. Hard to push a stroller through slush and crowds, but all told a good experience.
When we left, J decided that he was going to pretend to be the ice dragon. And H was to be the dinosaur.
H: And what's mommy? Is she the castle? Or the slide?
J: No. Mommy is the Ice Princess.
H: Oh!
J: And the dragon and the dinosaur will fight each other.
H: Really?
J: Yes. But the dragon will protect the Ice Princess.
H: Okay.
J: The dragon says "ROAR"! And the dinosaur says "ROAR"!
H: Okay. ROAR!
J: ROAR! And the dragon and the dinosaur fight.
H: And what does the Ice Princess do?
J: Nothing. She doesn't do anything. She just sits there in the chair.
H: She just sits there and does nothing while we try to kill each other?
J: Yes.
T: I was totally cut out for this job.
**********
Clearly, J is really into imaginative play now. But he's not so good with improvisation. As a result, J's particular brand of imaginative play is a bit tough to take for any extended period. It goes something like this.
J: I'm going to be the Mommy Ghost. And you be the Baby Ghost.
T: Ok. I'm Baby Ghost.
J: Hi. I'm Mommy Ghost.
T: Hi Mommy.
J: No! Mommy Ghost!
T: Oh, sorry. Hi Mommy Ghost.
J: Hi Baby Ghost. (pause) Baby Ghost?
T: Yes, Mommy Ghost?
J: Can you say "Where's my Mommy Ghost"?
T: Where's my Mommy Ghost?
J: Now laugh at this!
T: Ha ha ha ha ha!!
J: Good Baby Ghost. Now you can go to preschool!
And it only gets worse from there.
J: Daddy. Can you pretend to be the wishing well with the big purple light?
H: Ok. I'm the wishing well with the big purple light.
J: No! Talk like the wishing well!
H: (in the standard very deep voice he uses for all things inanimate) I'm the wishing well with the big purple light.
J: Hi wishing well with the big purple light.
H: Hi J.
J: Wishing well with the big purple light?
H: Yes, J.
J: Why do you have a big purple light?
H: I don't know. I just do.
J: No! You say "Because I'm the wishing well"!
H: Oh. Ok. Because I'm the wishing well.
J: Oh! (pause) Wishing well with the big purple light?
H: J, can I please talk to Mommy for a minute?
J: No! Wishing well with the big purple light?
It is at this point that H and I generally consider searching for a wishing well with a big purple light so we can jump in and just really wish for it to kill us quickly. But clearer heads prevail and we continue to play. If under protest.
**********
J likes things of the same basic shape and colour to be together. Especially if they are different sizes. He groups these things together all the time. And if you try to put anything away, he will flip out about it. His logic is quite rational, really.
J: No! This is the mommy yellow ball, and this is the baby yellow ball! They have to stay together!!
**********
A kid who constantly looks for the loophole, you really have to be specific when giving J directions. It is not sufficient to just say, for example, "Don't wake up your brother" ... he will plead ignorance when he does so. He needs detail. Such as:
T: J, please don't wake your brother. Don't scream his name. Or anything else. Or raise your voice. Or smack him on the head. Or pat him on the head. In fact, smacking or patting him at all is generally not okay right now. Don't pinch his cheeks. Or his hand. Or any other part of him. Or pull on his clothes. Or his feet. Or his hands. Or his head. Or anything else somehow attached to him. And don't push his swing. Or stop his swing. Or hammer, or saw, or screw his swing. Or jump up and down in front of him and shake his swing. Or throw your toys at his swing. Or at him. Or in his general direction. Or down the stairs. Or into that tree. Or any other tree. Maybe just don't throw things in general, okay? Just. Please. Don't. Wake. Your. Brother.
But he still finds a way. Oh yes, he does.
**********
And so it goes. This is our life. It's a good life. Really.
And I guess the good thing about them growing up is that their quality of imaginative play and interpretation is bound to improve as they age. Right?
Right?
Please?
J: How come he says "I did saw a puddy tat" instead of "I did see ..."?
(My BAAAAAAABY!!!!! *sob*)
And N is getting bigger and bigger, too. Today, we packed up his old clothes. My last baby. This kind of thing makes me happy and sad all at once. I'm glad he's growing, but I miss my tiny baby. Is it good? Is it bad? It's a toss-up, really.
We took the kids to the ice festival. It was only slightly affected by the uncharacteristically warm weather. A chunk of one melty ice sculpture fell to the ground with a large clunk as we walked by. But J still got to go down the ice slides. And see the ice maze. And the dragon and dinosaur sculptures, and of course the big castle which they guarded, which was quite spectacular. So he had lots of fun. Hard to push a stroller through slush and crowds, but all told a good experience.
When we left, J decided that he was going to pretend to be the ice dragon. And H was to be the dinosaur.
H: And what's mommy? Is she the castle? Or the slide?
J: No. Mommy is the Ice Princess.
H: Oh!
J: And the dragon and the dinosaur will fight each other.
H: Really?
J: Yes. But the dragon will protect the Ice Princess.
H: Okay.
J: The dragon says "ROAR"! And the dinosaur says "ROAR"!
H: Okay. ROAR!
J: ROAR! And the dragon and the dinosaur fight.
H: And what does the Ice Princess do?
J: Nothing. She doesn't do anything. She just sits there in the chair.
H: She just sits there and does nothing while we try to kill each other?
J: Yes.
T: I was totally cut out for this job.
Clearly, J is really into imaginative play now. But he's not so good with improvisation. As a result, J's particular brand of imaginative play is a bit tough to take for any extended period. It goes something like this.
J: I'm going to be the Mommy Ghost. And you be the Baby Ghost.
T: Ok. I'm Baby Ghost.
J: Hi. I'm Mommy Ghost.
T: Hi Mommy.
J: No! Mommy Ghost!
T: Oh, sorry. Hi Mommy Ghost.
J: Hi Baby Ghost. (pause) Baby Ghost?
T: Yes, Mommy Ghost?
J: Can you say "Where's my Mommy Ghost"?
T: Where's my Mommy Ghost?
J: Now laugh at this!
T: Ha ha ha ha ha!!
J: Good Baby Ghost. Now you can go to preschool!
And it only gets worse from there.
J: Daddy. Can you pretend to be the wishing well with the big purple light?
H: Ok. I'm the wishing well with the big purple light.
J: No! Talk like the wishing well!
H: (in the standard very deep voice he uses for all things inanimate) I'm the wishing well with the big purple light.
J: Hi wishing well with the big purple light.
H: Hi J.
J: Wishing well with the big purple light?
H: Yes, J.
J: Why do you have a big purple light?
H: I don't know. I just do.
J: No! You say "Because I'm the wishing well"!
H: Oh. Ok. Because I'm the wishing well.
J: Oh! (pause) Wishing well with the big purple light?
H: J, can I please talk to Mommy for a minute?
J: No! Wishing well with the big purple light?
It is at this point that H and I generally consider searching for a wishing well with a big purple light so we can jump in and just really wish for it to kill us quickly. But clearer heads prevail and we continue to play. If under protest.
J likes things of the same basic shape and colour to be together. Especially if they are different sizes. He groups these things together all the time. And if you try to put anything away, he will flip out about it. His logic is quite rational, really.
J: No! This is the mommy yellow ball, and this is the baby yellow ball! They have to stay together!!
A kid who constantly looks for the loophole, you really have to be specific when giving J directions. It is not sufficient to just say, for example, "Don't wake up your brother" ... he will plead ignorance when he does so. He needs detail. Such as:
T: J, please don't wake your brother. Don't scream his name. Or anything else. Or raise your voice. Or smack him on the head. Or pat him on the head. In fact, smacking or patting him at all is generally not okay right now. Don't pinch his cheeks. Or his hand. Or any other part of him. Or pull on his clothes. Or his feet. Or his hands. Or his head. Or anything else somehow attached to him. And don't push his swing. Or stop his swing. Or hammer, or saw, or screw his swing. Or jump up and down in front of him and shake his swing. Or throw your toys at his swing. Or at him. Or in his general direction. Or down the stairs. Or into that tree. Or any other tree. Maybe just don't throw things in general, okay? Just. Please. Don't. Wake. Your. Brother.
But he still finds a way. Oh yes, he does.
And so it goes. This is our life. It's a good life. Really.
And I guess the good thing about them growing up is that their quality of imaginative play and interpretation is bound to improve as they age. Right?
Right?
Please?
Friday, December 12, 2008
Parents just don't understand
J talks a lot. And his speech is fairly advanced for a 3-year old.
J: Oh, thank you. Thank you so much. I really appreciate that.
His advanced speech was noted by impartial third parties at his most recent nutritionist appointment. This week, we switched over from the nutritionists we'd previously seen and started going to a clinic with occupational therapists who have trained with Dr. Kay Toomey on the steps to eating hierarchy. The new clinic has a different feel, and I believe it will be more helpful. They have already given us a number of tips to help J through his eating problems, and to help us with the stresses that come along the way.
J: The TV is disturbing me from drinking my milk and eating my banana.
We always knew to keep distractions to a minimum. No toys at the table. No eating in front of the television. But we didn't know that playing with food could be a really good thing ... using food in different ways ... familiarizing him with textures. Gradually, we move toward eating. Slowly, the food moves closer to his mouth. In time, he will get there.
For us, the key is to stay neutral. No begging. No stressing. No anger. No comments on the food that could be seen as positive or negative. So instead of "This is yummy", we say other things; "This is crunchy", for example, or "This is yellow". Or ...
T: Who’s on this cup?
J: Mickey Mouse!
T: Right! That’s Mickey Mouse! And where does he live?
J: I … um … I don’t know.
T: Disneyland.
J: Oh! Disneyland!
T: Right!
J: But why does he have a wand?
T: Because he’s Wizard Mickey.
J: Oh! He’s Wizard Mickey?
T: Yes. That’s one of his characters.
J: Oh, okay. But why is he a Lizard?
T: He’s not a Lizard. He’s a Wizard.
J: Oh!
Already a master manipulater, J really knows how to get us riled up in a big hurry. It takes some effort to maintain composure when he acts out. But we're getting better at it, with practice. For now, we work on our understanding. J is very advanced in a lot of ways and, in others, he struggles. He has a different learning style from the norm. He is extremely active. He can be very sarcastic, or very literal, depending on the moment. He tests his boundaries in unique fashion, seeming to enjoy it when we get riled up. He pushes hard, trying to see if he can get us to change our minds and give in to his wishes. Life is a power struggle.
J: I need to pee pee.
T: Okay.
J: Upstairs.
T: Okay.
J: I want you to come with me!
T: No.
J: Please? I want you to come upstairs with me!
T: No. I'm not going upstairs.
J: Please?
T: No. You can use this potty.
J: I like upstairs bathroom!
T: Why?
J: Because. I think it's more yummier than the one down here.
T: You can go upstairs by yourself.
J: No, I want you to come with me, because I love you!
T: There's nothing wrong with this bathroom.
J: No, come upstairs so I can pee!
T: Pee down here if you want me to come with you.
J: WWWWAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!
J is a pretty unique kid, who doesn't follow the patterns we've come to expect in most other children that we know. He requires a different parenting style, and we are learning what must be done and adapting to his needs. Proper communication is key.
J: Is it toast?
T: Yup. Eat it, please.
J: What?
T: Your cinnamon toast.
J: No, I’m not!
Yeah. Proper communication. Key. Yeah ...
J: Oh, thank you. Thank you so much. I really appreciate that.
His advanced speech was noted by impartial third parties at his most recent nutritionist appointment. This week, we switched over from the nutritionists we'd previously seen and started going to a clinic with occupational therapists who have trained with Dr. Kay Toomey on the steps to eating hierarchy. The new clinic has a different feel, and I believe it will be more helpful. They have already given us a number of tips to help J through his eating problems, and to help us with the stresses that come along the way.
J: The TV is disturbing me from drinking my milk and eating my banana.
We always knew to keep distractions to a minimum. No toys at the table. No eating in front of the television. But we didn't know that playing with food could be a really good thing ... using food in different ways ... familiarizing him with textures. Gradually, we move toward eating. Slowly, the food moves closer to his mouth. In time, he will get there.
For us, the key is to stay neutral. No begging. No stressing. No anger. No comments on the food that could be seen as positive or negative. So instead of "This is yummy", we say other things; "This is crunchy", for example, or "This is yellow". Or ...
T: Who’s on this cup?
J: Mickey Mouse!
T: Right! That’s Mickey Mouse! And where does he live?
J: I … um … I don’t know.
T: Disneyland.
J: Oh! Disneyland!
T: Right!
J: But why does he have a wand?
T: Because he’s Wizard Mickey.
J: Oh! He’s Wizard Mickey?
T: Yes. That’s one of his characters.
J: Oh, okay. But why is he a Lizard?
T: He’s not a Lizard. He’s a Wizard.
J: Oh!
Already a master manipulater, J really knows how to get us riled up in a big hurry. It takes some effort to maintain composure when he acts out. But we're getting better at it, with practice. For now, we work on our understanding. J is very advanced in a lot of ways and, in others, he struggles. He has a different learning style from the norm. He is extremely active. He can be very sarcastic, or very literal, depending on the moment. He tests his boundaries in unique fashion, seeming to enjoy it when we get riled up. He pushes hard, trying to see if he can get us to change our minds and give in to his wishes. Life is a power struggle.
J: I need to pee pee.
T: Okay.
J: Upstairs.
T: Okay.
J: I want you to come with me!
T: No.
J: Please? I want you to come upstairs with me!
T: No. I'm not going upstairs.
J: Please?
T: No. You can use this potty.
J: I like upstairs bathroom!
T: Why?
J: Because. I think it's more yummier than the one down here.
T: You can go upstairs by yourself.
J: No, I want you to come with me, because I love you!
T: There's nothing wrong with this bathroom.
J: No, come upstairs so I can pee!
T: Pee down here if you want me to come with you.
J: WWWWAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!
J is a pretty unique kid, who doesn't follow the patterns we've come to expect in most other children that we know. He requires a different parenting style, and we are learning what must be done and adapting to his needs. Proper communication is key.
J: Is it toast?
T: Yup. Eat it, please.
J: What?
T: Your cinnamon toast.
J: No, I’m not!
Yeah. Proper communication. Key. Yeah ...
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Who got no regrets?
I feel badly for J. I was a really uptight mother with him. He has taught me well, and I'm much more laid back with N.
When I tried to feed J cereal, I followed all the expert advice. I read books. I spoke with doctors, dieticians, and community health nurses. I was neurotic to a flaw. I'd forgotten how upset I got when he refused to cooperate. Thankfully, I have this blog. If you want to see the insane neurotic ramblings, they may be found here. I'm quite surprised no one said "Take a pill or something, T! It's just rice cereal!!" But everyone handled things with good natured advice and understanding. Score for good friends who let me be me, crazed though I be.
N started cereal tonight. I paid no heed to books this go-round, and trusted my instincts. Not because I'd forgotten all the good advice, (though I had). And not because I didn't care as much, (because I sure do). I just went with what was easiest and what seemed natural. Whatever.
I strapped N in his highchair. He was good and hungry, as I hadn't breastfed him beforehand. He was unimpressed with being hungry in the highchair. I mixed his cereal up, in a randomly selected bowl. It had a picture of Pooh bear with his head stuck in a honey pot. I mixed up the cereal with formula, using a randomly selected plastic-covered baby spoon (it was purple). I measured nothing. Poured rice cereal into the bowl until it looked like about a tablespoon, then added room temperature formula until it was runny. It was too runny, so I added a bit more cereal. Stirred it up, grabbed a plate of pizza for myself, and headed to the table to the screaming N.
I spooned a couple of mouthfuls of cereal into N's screaming open mouth. Then when the cereal started to fall out onto his sleeper, I sent H in search of a bib and baby washcloth, both of which I'd forgotten. As N didn't calm down, I pulled him out of the highchair and cuddled him close. I fed him the rest of his cereal and simultaneously ate my dinner as he cuddled in my lap. I never did get around to putting the bib on him, as it was easier not to worry about it. N ate the whole bowl of rice cereal without issue. He still seemed good and hungry. So I washed his face and hands, and offered him some formula. He polished off the entire bottle of formula. And then he breastfed for a bit until he nodded off.
He sleeps happily in his swing now.
I wish I'd been more easygoing with J. I would have had an easier time of things. So would he. But I was so overwrought and out of my element. Suffering from PPD, scared to death of life with a newborn, and stressing about every lttle thing. If I could go back in time, I'd do it differently. I wish I could. Maybe J would be a better eater now had I been a better mother then. But I wasn't. And so J suffers from eating difficulties and doesn't grow, and I blame myself.
I can't undo it, and I wish I could.
**********
N is 5 months old today. There will be a photo retrospective coming, so stay tuned!
When I tried to feed J cereal, I followed all the expert advice. I read books. I spoke with doctors, dieticians, and community health nurses. I was neurotic to a flaw. I'd forgotten how upset I got when he refused to cooperate. Thankfully, I have this blog. If you want to see the insane neurotic ramblings, they may be found here. I'm quite surprised no one said "Take a pill or something, T! It's just rice cereal!!" But everyone handled things with good natured advice and understanding. Score for good friends who let me be me, crazed though I be.
N started cereal tonight. I paid no heed to books this go-round, and trusted my instincts. Not because I'd forgotten all the good advice, (though I had). And not because I didn't care as much, (because I sure do). I just went with what was easiest and what seemed natural. Whatever.
I strapped N in his highchair. He was good and hungry, as I hadn't breastfed him beforehand. He was unimpressed with being hungry in the highchair. I mixed his cereal up, in a randomly selected bowl. It had a picture of Pooh bear with his head stuck in a honey pot. I mixed up the cereal with formula, using a randomly selected plastic-covered baby spoon (it was purple). I measured nothing. Poured rice cereal into the bowl until it looked like about a tablespoon, then added room temperature formula until it was runny. It was too runny, so I added a bit more cereal. Stirred it up, grabbed a plate of pizza for myself, and headed to the table to the screaming N.
I spooned a couple of mouthfuls of cereal into N's screaming open mouth. Then when the cereal started to fall out onto his sleeper, I sent H in search of a bib and baby washcloth, both of which I'd forgotten. As N didn't calm down, I pulled him out of the highchair and cuddled him close. I fed him the rest of his cereal and simultaneously ate my dinner as he cuddled in my lap. I never did get around to putting the bib on him, as it was easier not to worry about it. N ate the whole bowl of rice cereal without issue. He still seemed good and hungry. So I washed his face and hands, and offered him some formula. He polished off the entire bottle of formula. And then he breastfed for a bit until he nodded off.
He sleeps happily in his swing now.
I wish I'd been more easygoing with J. I would have had an easier time of things. So would he. But I was so overwrought and out of my element. Suffering from PPD, scared to death of life with a newborn, and stressing about every lttle thing. If I could go back in time, I'd do it differently. I wish I could. Maybe J would be a better eater now had I been a better mother then. But I wasn't. And so J suffers from eating difficulties and doesn't grow, and I blame myself.
I can't undo it, and I wish I could.
N is 5 months old today. There will be a photo retrospective coming, so stay tuned!
Friday, October 17, 2008
It's gonna be a bright sunshiny flipping day
It's gonna be a bright, bright sunshiny day.
- Johnny Nash
People say don't ever look behind.
Happiness is just a state of mind.
- Triumph
Piss off, both of you! What do you know?
- Momma Trish
**********
The good thing about having a child who doesn't eat is that when his growth becomes severely stunted, you get to spend a lot less on Halloween costumes.
Yes, the 3-1/2 year old J, weighing in at 26 lbs, still fits the same size 18-24 months costume that he wore last year. He is on an appetite stimulant and iron supplements to try and get him motivated to eat and put some weight on the kid. The doctor continues to feel that J's small stature and failure to gain any weight whatsoever are cause for concern, and he is apparently completely unmoved by my "high cost of Halloween costumes" argument. Which is unfortunate, 'cause it's all I've got.
Meanwhile, young N who is about to be 5 months old weighs a whopping 14 lbs 9 oz. N wears a sleeper sized "Newborn 17-22 lbs". Which begs the question, what kind of scary growth hormone ingested newborn would that be? 'Cause ... Ow! Anyway, the doctor has no concerns about N and suggests we start him on cereal and establish a set bedtime with corresponding routine. He doesn't want us to have one child with eating problems and a second with sleep problems. Good point, actually. And it's just exactly the kind of thing that would happen to us. We will follow the directions provided.
Dear Student Advisor,
At the beginning of the term I broke my knee and required surgery. The resultant painkillers make me very groggy, and I have been unable to focus on my readings and have fallen behind in the course as a result. In addition, my birth mother has been diagnosed with inoperable metastatic pancreatic cancer and is receiving chemotherapy treatments. Further, in September we were compelled to put down our cherished pet of 17 years. We have a teething baby and a 3-year old with an eating disorder that has raised serious concerns. Finally earlier this week, our family fled from the property when a large fire broke out on our street, claiming the homes of several of our neighbours; they will require some neighbourhood support as they try to rebuild their lives, and we would like to support them in any way that we can.
In light of the foregoing recent raining down of hellfire and brimstone on all of our lives, would you perchance see fit to grant me a one week extension on my third assignment?
Regards,
Momma T
When does this year end, again? Seriously! 2008 is cordially invited to bite me.
(I am mostly being facetious here. And I recognize that 2008 has had its great moments too. Like the healthy birth of N, which was nothing short of a miracle. But it is a little ridiculous, no?)
Thursday, July 17, 2008
On Birds and Piglets
J continues to hate all things food. He eats better, but he still doesn't eat enough. As my mom says, "He doesn't eat enough to keep a bird alive". I've never encountered a kid quite so fussy! Foods he enjoys are:
Meats and Substitutes:
Hot dogs (no condiments, no bun)
Hamburger patties (no condiments, no bun)
Hamburger soup
Chicken (plain roast chicken only ... any other preparation is unacceptable)
Ham (note: he hates bacon. He eats ham, but under protest)
Peanut butter and strawberry jam (he prefers to eat these off the bread and leave the bread behind)
Eggs (scrambled or hard boiled only, and with nothing mixed in)
Breads and Cereals:
Garlic bread (french bread, crust only)
Garlic bread topped with mozzarella cheese (french bread, crust only)
Maccaroni and cheese (melted cheez whiz topping - he detests Kraft Dinner)
Pancakes (but only at my mom's house)
French fries, without ketchup
French fries, with ketchup (only if the ketchup is in a squeeze bottle)
Tater tots
Hashbrowns (the "McDonald's" variety)
Potato chips (plain)
Doritos (Nacho Cheese flavoured)
Cheerios (if they're dry)
Shreddies (if they're moistened with chocolate milk and fed to him one at a time)
Granola bars (the Trail Mix kind with the nuts. He breaks them apart and separates grains, fruits, and nuts into separate piles. He prefers to eat only the nuts)
Fruits and Vegetables:
Carrots (raw or cooked)
Corn (in small portions only)
Cucumber slices
Most fruits (exceptions include pineapple and blueberries)
Dairy:
Milk (plain, unflavoured, and cold)
Hot chocolate
Yogurt (Danino brand; white only ... if there is coloured fruit mixed in, he won't eat it)
Cheese strings (Black Diamond brand)
Cheese slices (Cracker Barrel pre-sliced cheese - he hates processed cheese slices)
Pudding (chocolate, pre-made Jell-o brand, at room temperature)
Sweets:
Chocolate icing (he won't eat anything it's on - he just licks off the icing)
M&M's
Gummies (the "real fruit" variety)
Chocolate chips (unflavoured)
He still doesn't eat enough of even the foods that he enjoys. And he takes forever to eat anything!!
His height is increasing slowly. His weight is not improving. But at least he's not actively losing weight any longer. He's a slow grower, but is somewhere along the 5th percentile for both height and weight. If he'd eat better, this would improve. But he won't.
**********
By contrast, N is a piglet. He eats almost constantly. I've had to go on medication to increase milk supply, as I can't keep up with his appetite. Even with the medication, I'm hard pressed to keep up with him. At 8 weeks of age, N weighs 10.5 pounds and is 23 inches long. He is in the 25th percentile for weight and the 50th for height.
N will be bigger than his big brother if J doesn't start eating more food.
Meats and Substitutes:
Hot dogs (no condiments, no bun)
Hamburger patties (no condiments, no bun)
Hamburger soup
Chicken (plain roast chicken only ... any other preparation is unacceptable)
Ham (note: he hates bacon. He eats ham, but under protest)
Peanut butter and strawberry jam (he prefers to eat these off the bread and leave the bread behind)
Eggs (scrambled or hard boiled only, and with nothing mixed in)
Breads and Cereals:
Garlic bread (french bread, crust only)
Garlic bread topped with mozzarella cheese (french bread, crust only)
Maccaroni and cheese (melted cheez whiz topping - he detests Kraft Dinner)
Pancakes (but only at my mom's house)
French fries, without ketchup
French fries, with ketchup (only if the ketchup is in a squeeze bottle)
Tater tots
Hashbrowns (the "McDonald's" variety)
Potato chips (plain)
Doritos (Nacho Cheese flavoured)
Cheerios (if they're dry)
Shreddies (if they're moistened with chocolate milk and fed to him one at a time)
Granola bars (the Trail Mix kind with the nuts. He breaks them apart and separates grains, fruits, and nuts into separate piles. He prefers to eat only the nuts)
Fruits and Vegetables:
Carrots (raw or cooked)
Corn (in small portions only)
Cucumber slices
Most fruits (exceptions include pineapple and blueberries)
Dairy:
Milk (plain, unflavoured, and cold)
Hot chocolate
Yogurt (Danino brand; white only ... if there is coloured fruit mixed in, he won't eat it)
Cheese strings (Black Diamond brand)
Cheese slices (Cracker Barrel pre-sliced cheese - he hates processed cheese slices)
Pudding (chocolate, pre-made Jell-o brand, at room temperature)
Sweets:
Chocolate icing (he won't eat anything it's on - he just licks off the icing)
M&M's
Gummies (the "real fruit" variety)
Chocolate chips (unflavoured)
He still doesn't eat enough of even the foods that he enjoys. And he takes forever to eat anything!!
His height is increasing slowly. His weight is not improving. But at least he's not actively losing weight any longer. He's a slow grower, but is somewhere along the 5th percentile for both height and weight. If he'd eat better, this would improve. But he won't.
**********
By contrast, N is a piglet. He eats almost constantly. I've had to go on medication to increase milk supply, as I can't keep up with his appetite. Even with the medication, I'm hard pressed to keep up with him. At 8 weeks of age, N weighs 10.5 pounds and is 23 inches long. He is in the 25th percentile for weight and the 50th for height.
N will be bigger than his big brother if J doesn't start eating more food.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Weight and Update
J loves his baby brother!
He gives him frequent hugs and kisses. He introduces him to people, and makes sure to use his full name. He tries to share all his toys with his baby brother. Our biggest challenge thus far has been to prevent J from killing N with kindness.
J will sit beside me as I hold N, and he will say "Mommy, can you say 'This is your big brother, J'?" He loves it when we make a point of introducing him and N.
J hasn't quite figured out that he shouldn't disturb a sleeping baby. We were over at my parents' place today. N was sleeping peacefully in his carseat. J kept hugging him, cuddling him, kissing him ... until Grandma said that if he didn't stop, she was just going to put N away. J misunderstood and thought that she meant she would keep baby N. J said "But I would be very sad". Once she realized the miscommunication, Grandma reassured J that she would not keep his baby brother ... he belongs with us.
J loves being at home more. He still enjoys Grandma and Grandpa's, and his playgroup at daycare. But he's always quite excited when he gets to spend time with Mommy. This is the result of Mommy having been on bedrest for so long ... she is a novelty now. This will wear off, I am sure. For now, though, he gets very excited that Mommy is home with him and that we can play together. Fun!
**********
N had his first pediatrician's appointment today. No concerns. He is two weeks old today. N weighed 6 lbs 14 ozs and was 18.75 inches long at birth. He is now 7.5 lbs and 20.5 inches long. He appears to be nice and healthy. I am feeling good about things. But he does have a bit of an issue with feeding. Hopefully it will resolve in another week or so, else I will be referred to the breastfeeding clinic. Ow!
**********
I'm getting some of the initial signs of PPD, despite myself. I am doing my best to combat it. But I can feel it, nonetheless. Hopefully, it will be a manageable condition. I managed with J, but it wasn't a lot of fun.
I need to remember that if I act better, I start to feel better. Focus on the actions first, and the feelings should fall into place. That's the theory, anyway. I know this works in general purpose terms. I wonder if it works with PPD too. I'll give it a shot.
He gives him frequent hugs and kisses. He introduces him to people, and makes sure to use his full name. He tries to share all his toys with his baby brother. Our biggest challenge thus far has been to prevent J from killing N with kindness.
J will sit beside me as I hold N, and he will say "Mommy, can you say 'This is your big brother, J'?" He loves it when we make a point of introducing him and N.
J hasn't quite figured out that he shouldn't disturb a sleeping baby. We were over at my parents' place today. N was sleeping peacefully in his carseat. J kept hugging him, cuddling him, kissing him ... until Grandma said that if he didn't stop, she was just going to put N away. J misunderstood and thought that she meant she would keep baby N. J said "But I would be very sad". Once she realized the miscommunication, Grandma reassured J that she would not keep his baby brother ... he belongs with us.
J loves being at home more. He still enjoys Grandma and Grandpa's, and his playgroup at daycare. But he's always quite excited when he gets to spend time with Mommy. This is the result of Mommy having been on bedrest for so long ... she is a novelty now. This will wear off, I am sure. For now, though, he gets very excited that Mommy is home with him and that we can play together. Fun!
**********
N had his first pediatrician's appointment today. No concerns. He is two weeks old today. N weighed 6 lbs 14 ozs and was 18.75 inches long at birth. He is now 7.5 lbs and 20.5 inches long. He appears to be nice and healthy. I am feeling good about things. But he does have a bit of an issue with feeding. Hopefully it will resolve in another week or so, else I will be referred to the breastfeeding clinic. Ow!
**********
I'm getting some of the initial signs of PPD, despite myself. I am doing my best to combat it. But I can feel it, nonetheless. Hopefully, it will be a manageable condition. I managed with J, but it wasn't a lot of fun.
I need to remember that if I act better, I start to feel better. Focus on the actions first, and the feelings should fall into place. That's the theory, anyway. I know this works in general purpose terms. I wonder if it works with PPD too. I'll give it a shot.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Morning thoughts
J's antibiotic seems to be making him quite nauseous. He has thrown up something almost every day since he started taking it. At least he finishes it tomorrow, so that will be better. Then we can continue trying to put some weight on the child. J is very testy just now. I hope he starts feeling better soon. Poor little baby!
J still thinks meat is icky. He makes a face and whimpers when the meat goes in his mouth. But at least he isn't crying through it any longer, so we can cope. He's been eating beef to help with the anemia. We see the doctor this afternoon; I hope they can help our little boy. I'll update later with results from the doctor's visit.
My marks are to be released tomorrow. It appears they will not be released early this go-round. I hope I did well.
The current course is going well. It's pretty dry, really. I've done 3 quizzes so far. They are all out of 6; I've gotten two 6's and a 5.5. I feel good about that.
J is going to be 10 months old soon. I feel sad that my maternity leave is going to end soon and I will have to leave my little boy. I don't want to!!
I need to get into a couple of offices for visits this week. I need to complete J's daycare forms and get them back in this week. I also need to decide whether or not to continue with the thank-you cards project. I feel badly that some people have still not received a thank-you card. It embarrasses me. Is it worse to give people a thank-you card really late, or to never get around to it at all? I'm not sure what is less offensive; whatever will offend the least, that is what I want to do.
I was blog surfing this morning for a bit. I found a blog with a quote on it from another blog. It made me think.
When other people see you as "bad", they don't want you to change, because they want to continue being "right" about you. This allows them to justify how they are treating you.
When other people see you as "good", they don't want you to change, because they want to continue being able to "depend" on you. This allows them to justify how they expect you to treat them.
I'm sure this outlook is correct, to a point. But I hope that it isn't really true of everyone. I hope that this world contains people who can evaluate a change in others and then view it as positive or negative without considering themselves first.
We drove past a house fire last night. The house is still standing, but damage appears to be extensive. I hope no one was hurt. And I hope that repairs are possible and will be completed quickly. And I hope that no irreplaceable possessions were damaged, but if they were, at least they were just possessions; as long as no one was hurt, it's a good day. Still. Poor family!
Linking to categories is too much work. I'm just going to list the categories from now on, and group them in the "Filed Under" menu in the sidebar. That will be much easier.
J still thinks meat is icky. He makes a face and whimpers when the meat goes in his mouth. But at least he isn't crying through it any longer, so we can cope. He's been eating beef to help with the anemia. We see the doctor this afternoon; I hope they can help our little boy. I'll update later with results from the doctor's visit.
My marks are to be released tomorrow. It appears they will not be released early this go-round. I hope I did well.
The current course is going well. It's pretty dry, really. I've done 3 quizzes so far. They are all out of 6; I've gotten two 6's and a 5.5. I feel good about that.
J is going to be 10 months old soon. I feel sad that my maternity leave is going to end soon and I will have to leave my little boy. I don't want to!!
I need to get into a couple of offices for visits this week. I need to complete J's daycare forms and get them back in this week. I also need to decide whether or not to continue with the thank-you cards project. I feel badly that some people have still not received a thank-you card. It embarrasses me. Is it worse to give people a thank-you card really late, or to never get around to it at all? I'm not sure what is less offensive; whatever will offend the least, that is what I want to do.
I was blog surfing this morning for a bit. I found a blog with a quote on it from another blog. It made me think.
When other people see you as "bad", they don't want you to change, because they want to continue being "right" about you. This allows them to justify how they are treating you.
When other people see you as "good", they don't want you to change, because they want to continue being able to "depend" on you. This allows them to justify how they expect you to treat them.
I'm sure this outlook is correct, to a point. But I hope that it isn't really true of everyone. I hope that this world contains people who can evaluate a change in others and then view it as positive or negative without considering themselves first.
We drove past a house fire last night. The house is still standing, but damage appears to be extensive. I hope no one was hurt. And I hope that repairs are possible and will be completed quickly. And I hope that no irreplaceable possessions were damaged, but if they were, at least they were just possessions; as long as no one was hurt, it's a good day. Still. Poor family!
Linking to categories is too much work. I'm just going to list the categories from now on, and group them in the "Filed Under" menu in the sidebar. That will be much easier.
Friday, January 20, 2006
J's food situation
Well, it's proving to be an eventful morning.
J awoke, had his diaper changed, took his medicine, ate some breastmilk, then played happily in his crib for about an hour while I studied. Then I got him up to feed him some solids.
Determined to win the formula debate, I made his cereal with formula instead of water. He squawked briefly, but he ate it. Cereal and applesauce. Yum, yum.
Halfway through bowl #2 of cereal, J decided he'd had enough. Really and truly, he'd had enough. He threw up. Twice. Then filled his diaper.
Too messy to carry any particular distance, I undressed him down to his diaper and sort of hosed him off in the kitchen. Then I brought him upstairs, changed him and plunked him in the tub. Bathtime was fun today! J really loves his tub toys. He clambers after them as they float on by.
So I don't really know how much food he ate and kept down. I hope it was sufficient. I'm really trying to get his weight to improve quickly. If he doesn't gain sufficient weight in 3 weeks, the doctor is going to hospitalize him with a feeding tube. That concept scares me. I hope we can avoid it.
Today, we are going to visit my parents. They have been missing J, as they haven't seen him this week since he's been sick. They sure do love their grandchildren!
J awoke, had his diaper changed, took his medicine, ate some breastmilk, then played happily in his crib for about an hour while I studied. Then I got him up to feed him some solids.
Determined to win the formula debate, I made his cereal with formula instead of water. He squawked briefly, but he ate it. Cereal and applesauce. Yum, yum.
Halfway through bowl #2 of cereal, J decided he'd had enough. Really and truly, he'd had enough. He threw up. Twice. Then filled his diaper.
Too messy to carry any particular distance, I undressed him down to his diaper and sort of hosed him off in the kitchen. Then I brought him upstairs, changed him and plunked him in the tub. Bathtime was fun today! J really loves his tub toys. He clambers after them as they float on by.
So I don't really know how much food he ate and kept down. I hope it was sufficient. I'm really trying to get his weight to improve quickly. If he doesn't gain sufficient weight in 3 weeks, the doctor is going to hospitalize him with a feeding tube. That concept scares me. I hope we can avoid it.
Today, we are going to visit my parents. They have been missing J, as they haven't seen him this week since he's been sick. They sure do love their grandchildren!
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Feeling frustrated
Edit: the link in this post used to contain a rant. I was having a moment, and I needed a good tear. I have since decided that I need to focus on all that is positive in my life, and there is plenty of it. I no longer wish to preserve this particular rant, because I no longer need it.
That is freeing, somehow!
Tonight, I am feeling frustrated. Things are affecting me more than they probably should.
J has been sick with a bad ear infection, and he has been in emergency twice this week with high fevers and inconsolable crying. He had a doctor's appointment today for a follow-up. His ears are looking better, but his weight is down. He is no longer in a weight category for his age, and that is alarming. We have to find a way to get him to gain weight over the next 3 weeks, or else he will have to go into the hospital and be put on a feeding tube. We have been instructed to supplement him with formula. But that's a problem, because he won't take formula. Not by any means. (H is now resorting to dipping J's soother in the formula and putting the soother in J's mouth!)
The doctor decided to run blood and urine tests on J to see if there is any reason for his low weight other than just requiring extra calories. We went to get those tests run tonight. J screamed and cried, and it was gut-wrenching for us. He also twisted, and it took 3 people to hold him down. We have been told he will probably have bruises on his arms for a bit. It hurts me to see my baby in pain. But whatever gets him through this will be okay by me. I just want him to be okay and gain an acceptable amount of weight.
J has also decided that he wants to stay awake all night long. He was up past 2:00 a.m. today, wanting us to play with him. Demanding that we play with him, actually. I am functioning on very little sleep, and it is making me a bit testy.
And, with J being sick, I have found very little time to study. I am behind in my course, and I must find some time to get caught up. I hope to manage it this weekend, but we have some other obligations, most notably a funeral we need to attend. We have friends who are willing to watch J for us, so we can both go.
So with all of this going on, I think my brain needs a bit of a break. And I don't think it is particularly surprising that I might choose to focus on something petty and stupid. So I am choosing to do so. And it annoys me, but I am unable to break my focus. Perhaps if I make this entry, I will be able to free my mind and carry on with the more pressing concerns. (Or perhaps I just need the distraction. We'll see.)
Edit: I freed my mind. The entry has been altered accordingly. :)
I have a friend. She is nice. I like her. A lot. She's a good person. She's sweet, smart, generous to a fault, and has been a great support to me. She's a loving wife and mother and has life experience that she willingly shares with others. She's fun. She's talented. She's pretty amazing. And yes, she's a highly emotional presence who overreacts on occasion and who is opinionated like you wouldn't believe, but I find these things to be part of her charm. They are traits that help to form the wonderful and amazing person that she is. She's an irreplaceable, one of a kind friend who I respect and admire. She has earned that respect and admiration through her behaviours. I am proud to call her my friend.
She is one of a select group of really amazing people who I am very happy to have in my life. There are others. When I stop to think about it, I am really very blessed to have so many of these great people in my life.
I am pleased by the fact that I have people like this in my life. I am happy that I have good and supportive friends, who care about me and listen to me.
I am thankful for you, my friends! You're the best!!
That is freeing, somehow!
Tonight, I am feeling frustrated. Things are affecting me more than they probably should.
J has been sick with a bad ear infection, and he has been in emergency twice this week with high fevers and inconsolable crying. He had a doctor's appointment today for a follow-up. His ears are looking better, but his weight is down. He is no longer in a weight category for his age, and that is alarming. We have to find a way to get him to gain weight over the next 3 weeks, or else he will have to go into the hospital and be put on a feeding tube. We have been instructed to supplement him with formula. But that's a problem, because he won't take formula. Not by any means. (H is now resorting to dipping J's soother in the formula and putting the soother in J's mouth!)
The doctor decided to run blood and urine tests on J to see if there is any reason for his low weight other than just requiring extra calories. We went to get those tests run tonight. J screamed and cried, and it was gut-wrenching for us. He also twisted, and it took 3 people to hold him down. We have been told he will probably have bruises on his arms for a bit. It hurts me to see my baby in pain. But whatever gets him through this will be okay by me. I just want him to be okay and gain an acceptable amount of weight.
J has also decided that he wants to stay awake all night long. He was up past 2:00 a.m. today, wanting us to play with him. Demanding that we play with him, actually. I am functioning on very little sleep, and it is making me a bit testy.
And, with J being sick, I have found very little time to study. I am behind in my course, and I must find some time to get caught up. I hope to manage it this weekend, but we have some other obligations, most notably a funeral we need to attend. We have friends who are willing to watch J for us, so we can both go.
So with all of this going on, I think my brain needs a bit of a break. And I don't think it is particularly surprising that I might choose to focus on something petty and stupid. So I am choosing to do so. And it annoys me, but I am unable to break my focus. Perhaps if I make this entry, I will be able to free my mind and carry on with the more pressing concerns. (Or perhaps I just need the distraction. We'll see.)
Edit: I freed my mind. The entry has been altered accordingly. :)
I have a friend. She is nice. I like her. A lot. She's a good person. She's sweet, smart, generous to a fault, and has been a great support to me. She's a loving wife and mother and has life experience that she willingly shares with others. She's fun. She's talented. She's pretty amazing. And yes, she's a highly emotional presence who overreacts on occasion and who is opinionated like you wouldn't believe, but I find these things to be part of her charm. They are traits that help to form the wonderful and amazing person that she is. She's an irreplaceable, one of a kind friend who I respect and admire. She has earned that respect and admiration through her behaviours. I am proud to call her my friend.
She is one of a select group of really amazing people who I am very happy to have in my life. There are others. When I stop to think about it, I am really very blessed to have so many of these great people in my life.
I am pleased by the fact that I have people like this in my life. I am happy that I have good and supportive friends, who care about me and listen to me.
I am thankful for you, my friends! You're the best!!
Friday, January 06, 2006
Dear J
Dear J,
Today, you had your flu booster. You were a big boy, and you barely cried at all. Mommy was very proud of you. You were the smallest baby in the clinic. Mommy hopes your weight gain will pick up soon and you will grow a bit better.
Today, you tried a fruit mixture of bananas, grapes and plums. You seemed to really like it. Mommy will make sure you get that fairly often from now on.
All in all, it has been a good day. You napped well this morning, but not at all this afternoon. You played in your exersaucer. We played with your blocks, played patty-cake together, and Mommy even put on a small puppet show for you with your various Pooh Bear beanie babies. You were cheerful and sweet, and Mommy had lots of fun playing with you today.
However, Mommy must make one tiny little request. Would you please refrain from trying to do headstands during your diaper changes? You spread the poop so far you nearly required a bath immediately after your change! And somehow, you even got the poop all over the back of your little green Tigger jacket. It was on the outside of the jacket, too! I have no idea how you managed it, but I suspect the headstands might have had something to do with it.
You may do headstands after diaper changes, but not during. Deal?
Love you,
Mommy
Today, you had your flu booster. You were a big boy, and you barely cried at all. Mommy was very proud of you. You were the smallest baby in the clinic. Mommy hopes your weight gain will pick up soon and you will grow a bit better.
Today, you tried a fruit mixture of bananas, grapes and plums. You seemed to really like it. Mommy will make sure you get that fairly often from now on.
All in all, it has been a good day. You napped well this morning, but not at all this afternoon. You played in your exersaucer. We played with your blocks, played patty-cake together, and Mommy even put on a small puppet show for you with your various Pooh Bear beanie babies. You were cheerful and sweet, and Mommy had lots of fun playing with you today.
However, Mommy must make one tiny little request. Would you please refrain from trying to do headstands during your diaper changes? You spread the poop so far you nearly required a bath immediately after your change! And somehow, you even got the poop all over the back of your little green Tigger jacket. It was on the outside of the jacket, too! I have no idea how you managed it, but I suspect the headstands might have had something to do with it.
You may do headstands after diaper changes, but not during. Deal?
Love you,
Mommy
That must really hurt!
Poor little J!
He is finally asleep. He's been really fussy today. He's just a big pile of tears and drool. I think his teeth are really bugging him. I really hope those top teeth poke through soon, so he's a bit more comfortable. I hate it when my little baby is in pain. (And, as an aside, his screaming is also painful for the rest of the household.)
He won't eat much when his teeth hurt, and that is just untimely since his weight has dropped off and we're trying to get it back up. I'm supposed to be feeding him 6 times a day just now (solids and breast milk), but I could barely get him to eat 3 decent meals today. He doesn't even want the breast milk! His little nose is all runny, and he just cries and cries.
I can't check to see how close the teeth are to the surface; if I put my finger in his mouth, he bites. Hard. He's drawn blood, in fact. So all I can do is guess. From his temperament and drooling (et al), I think they are close. Oh, do I ever hope so.
Also: H is sick. He never quite got over that Christmas cold that we all had, and it has come back in full force. A violent choking cough accompanies this current bout. I hope he feels better soon. He may have to call in sick tomorrow. Poor H!
He is finally asleep. He's been really fussy today. He's just a big pile of tears and drool. I think his teeth are really bugging him. I really hope those top teeth poke through soon, so he's a bit more comfortable. I hate it when my little baby is in pain. (And, as an aside, his screaming is also painful for the rest of the household.)
He won't eat much when his teeth hurt, and that is just untimely since his weight has dropped off and we're trying to get it back up. I'm supposed to be feeding him 6 times a day just now (solids and breast milk), but I could barely get him to eat 3 decent meals today. He doesn't even want the breast milk! His little nose is all runny, and he just cries and cries.
I can't check to see how close the teeth are to the surface; if I put my finger in his mouth, he bites. Hard. He's drawn blood, in fact. So all I can do is guess. From his temperament and drooling (et al), I think they are close. Oh, do I ever hope so.
Also: H is sick. He never quite got over that Christmas cold that we all had, and it has come back in full force. A violent choking cough accompanies this current bout. I hope he feels better soon. He may have to call in sick tomorrow. Poor H!
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Skinny
J has lost weight, but gained length. The nurse is not noticeably concerned about it. We just have to feed him more meals and get a bit more protein into him, and check back in about a month. I've been following the feeding guide, but J is apparently a baby who needs more food than that. He's 14 lbs 12-1/2 oz and 25-3/4" long. My long and lean little boy.
His length is such that he is almost out of his infant seat now, so we will be moving him into the big carseat soon.
We checked out the preferred daycare today. It's expensive, but we are confident that they will provide the best care available. I am happy with our decision, but my pocketbook is a bit dissatisfied. Whatever; J is worth it, and we knew he wouldn't be free. A big part of me wishes we wouldn't have to put him into daycare at all, but another part of me thinks it will be good for J to play and interact with other children apart from us. I think he'll gain a lot of independence in a most pleasant environment. So I suppose it will work out; sounds good to me.
H's sister and her family left today to return home. We will miss them a great deal. The kids change so much each time we see them! I wish we all lived closer together.
The house is finally all clean. Except for the office, of course, which is still a sty. I hope to tackle that project soon. I feel really relieved and happy with the condition of the rest of the house. It's so nice to have things clean and neat! Such a fresh and welcoming environment. And we don't have to live in absolute fear that J will injure himself in some bizarre manner. I think we can keep up with the housework now; I hope so, anyway.
His length is such that he is almost out of his infant seat now, so we will be moving him into the big carseat soon.
We checked out the preferred daycare today. It's expensive, but we are confident that they will provide the best care available. I am happy with our decision, but my pocketbook is a bit dissatisfied. Whatever; J is worth it, and we knew he wouldn't be free. A big part of me wishes we wouldn't have to put him into daycare at all, but another part of me thinks it will be good for J to play and interact with other children apart from us. I think he'll gain a lot of independence in a most pleasant environment. So I suppose it will work out; sounds good to me.
H's sister and her family left today to return home. We will miss them a great deal. The kids change so much each time we see them! I wish we all lived closer together.
The house is finally all clean. Except for the office, of course, which is still a sty. I hope to tackle that project soon. I feel really relieved and happy with the condition of the rest of the house. It's so nice to have things clean and neat! Such a fresh and welcoming environment. And we don't have to live in absolute fear that J will injure himself in some bizarre manner. I think we can keep up with the housework now; I hope so, anyway.
Monday, November 21, 2005
Flu Shots, Weight Stuff, and Addition to Sidebar Menus
We all got our flu shots this evening. J barely even cried; such a big boy!
We had J weighed and measured tonight. He is 15 lbs. now (okay, 14 lbs. 15-1/4 oz; close enough). He hasn't gotten any longer, though, but I think he was just scrunching up when they were trying to measure him.
We have added a "Reader Participation" menu to the right sidebar. Every time we specifically ask our readership to add stuff, we will put that entry in the "Reader Participation" menu, for easy access. I hope people will have some fun with these things. I really enjoy reading responses!
I'm feeling a bit better now. Got through the lesson 7 self test (3 more to go, and then I hit the old exams with gusto). Took some Tylenol, and the migraine has dissipated. Yay!! I sure hope it stays gone. Off to bed now; sleep may help.
We had J weighed and measured tonight. He is 15 lbs. now (okay, 14 lbs. 15-1/4 oz; close enough). He hasn't gotten any longer, though, but I think he was just scrunching up when they were trying to measure him.
We have added a "Reader Participation" menu to the right sidebar. Every time we specifically ask our readership to add stuff, we will put that entry in the "Reader Participation" menu, for easy access. I hope people will have some fun with these things. I really enjoy reading responses!
I'm feeling a bit better now. Got through the lesson 7 self test (3 more to go, and then I hit the old exams with gusto). Took some Tylenol, and the migraine has dissipated. Yay!! I sure hope it stays gone. Off to bed now; sleep may help.
Friday, October 07, 2005
To J on his 6 month birthday
My darling baby boy,
I can't believe you are 6 months old already. It's been over 13 months since Mommy and Daddy first got the news that they were going to have a baby. Oh, how happy we were! Mommy wept with joy and phoned Grandma and Auntie Jan right away to tell them. She didn't even care that it was so very early in the morning and she would be waking them up. We were just so excited that we couldn't wait to share our wonderful news! Grandma and Auntie Jan didn't mind having their sleep disturbed. They were just so happy to learn that you were going to be born. There was so much joy and anticipation!
We were going to wait until after the first trimester to tell everybody else about you, but Grannie was going on a trip, so Mommy and Daddy decided that she needed to know about you right away. I remember how we took her out for pizza. When we were sitting down, we presented Grannie with a fridge magnet that read "God couldn't be everywhere, so he made grandmas". Grannie thought we were talking about your cousins down east. Even when Daddy said "You are going to be a grandma again", she didn't pick up on it. Oh, how we laughed when the waitress realized what we were saying and offered her congratulations before Grannie! But once she realized that you were coming into the world, Grannie was happy as could be. She just couldn't contain her joy.
Mommy and Daddy realized right then that their precious secret would not be kept for long. We had to let everyone know you were coming, or someone else would. There was so much joy as each new person heard the news. I remember the big smiles we got when Mommy and Daddy grandly produced two little newborn sleeper outfits they had bought for you the day they found out, and inquired of Uncle Chris and Auntie Lisa, "If you were a baby, which would you rather wear?" Auntie Lisa ran behind the concession counter where Mommy was working to give her a big hug. Similarly, many hugs and congratulations were received at work and from friends. Grannie couldn't keep the news a secret; she was just bursting with excitement. She told Great-Aunt Juliet, and before we knew it, all your Great-Aunts and Uncles knew too. We were all so happy!
I remember it all so clearly, it just doesn't seem possible that it was over a year ago!
Mommy signed up on one of those pregnancy calendar thingies, where they email you once a week to tell you all about your baby's development so far. They kept comparing you to fruit ("This week your baby is the size of a raspberry"). Daddy went out and bought raspberry ice cream to celebrate that one. And when they said that you had little paddles for hands and feet, Daddy started calling you a platypus baby. Oh, the fun Daddy had with it when you developed webbed fingers and toes! And even though Mommy was so horribly nauseous, even right away, she couldn't believe her good fortune. Morning sickness felt like winning the lottery, Mommy felt so very lucky.
You gave Mommy and Daddy a lot of scares along the way. Daddy used to joke about it; he said that once you were born he was going to periodically sneak up on you and shout "BOO!", just to get back at you for scaring us so often. (He did scare you playing "peek-a-boo" one morning, but he assures me it was unintentional.) Mommy had a lot of ultrasounds, and long periods of bed rest, and many trips to the hospital to make sure you were still okay. In one of the earlier ultrasounds, Mommy and Daddy could see you already sucking the little stub that would become your thumb!
And then, on December 1, 2004, your placenta started to pull away, and Mommy thought she was going to lose you. I have never been so scared in my life. Two of my coworkers immediately rushed me to Emergency. Daddy met me at Emergency, and we spent the whole day there just praying for all we were worth that God would spare you and bring you into the world safely. Grandma and Grandpa and all the good people from their church prayed for you also. And their friends started praying too. So many people were praying for your safe arrival. And I guess God heard all our prayers, because here you are today. But after that episode, even more ultrasounds were needed. Here you are, being all dramatic on the morning of December 15:
Mommy thought your bone structure resembled Auntie Holly's here, and she called her to tell her so. Auntie Holly was thrilled!
Mommy spent a lot of time on bedrest. Daddy was such a strength and support through it all. He worked all day and handled everything at the house as well. And he cared for you and Mommy so very well, making meals and helping Mommy when she would get sick. Once the morning sickness left, it was replaced with horrible reflux, and Daddy would have to go downstairs many times a night to get Mommy milk to help her feel better. Eventually, Mommy and Daddy learned, and a cooler was placed by the bed so Mommy could help herself during the night.
The family all pitched in and helped as much as they could too. Daddy, Uncle Chris, Grandpa and Grandma all went to town and decorated your bedroom, and Auntie Jan planned your quilt. Mommy spent a lot of time knitting your little orange blankie that you take everywhere. She received a lot of directions from Auntie Jan, because Mommy is not the best knitter. But she is proud of the fact that she completed it all by herself and Auntie Jan did not have to finish it for you. Daddy went out on his own and bought your little bassinet that you slept in for your first four or so months. And Nana brought up your change table all the way from Calgary. We were ready, and still just hoping and praying for your safe arrival.
Then suddenly, you were here. You were early, and you were small and jaundiced, but you were here. Healthy and safe. Mommy and Daddy fell in love with you as soon as they laid eyes on you. We'd spent so much time loving you and praying for you, wanting you here, hoping you'd wait, feeling your sweet little kicks from in Mommy's tummy, reading Dr. Seuss to you. We already knew you, and it was a dream come true to hold you in our arms and know that you were okay.
Mommy loves holding you in her arms now, but a big part of her still misses feeling your little kicks in her tummy. You could knock the wind right out of her. On more than one occasion, you kicked the book she was reading off of her and onto the floor! Daddy used to come and put his hand on Mommy's tummy to feel your kicks, and he was so happy when he would feel you fluttering away in there.
You were only 5 lbs 13 oz and 19 inches long at birth. You were tongue-tied and colicky, and you didn't gain weight very quickly. You cried all the time! We spent a great deal of our budget on gasoline, driving you around to calm you. But we loved you so very much and did all we could for you. We got your tongue-tie fixed, went to the breastfeeding clinic to learn better techniques for feeding you, and started you on a healthier weight gain. We had your hearing checked when we realized that you didn't react to loud noises; we were very relieved to learn that you can hear perfectly and that you were just ignoring us, a skill we are sure will serve you well into your teen years. We took you in regularly for your immunizations and doctor's appointments, read to you, sang to you, and introduced you to the cats. We snuggled you and played with you, washed your laundry and comforted you when you were sad. We have loved every moment of it!
And now today, here you are. 6 months old! You can roll over all by yourself, and you grab and hold things (especially Monkey and your sucky-thing). You have favorite toys: your Monkey, rings, bedtime Pooh, your exersaucer. You have wonderful neck control and are trying to sit up on your own. You are getting teeth, though they haven't emerged yet. You reach for toys that you want, and you enjoy being sung to and playing peek-a-boo. You smile in your sleep when Mommy sings you "Love You Forever", and you enjoy "The Seals on the Bus" at playtime.
You weigh 14 lbs 6-1/2 oz today, and you are over 2 feet tall! You are so big now! We have had to start putting your clothes away as you outgrow them. You make noises - "Hi", "Ga" and of course, your favorite "Thbbbbt!" Today, you had your 6 month immunization. You sat on Mommy's lap and blew big raspberries at the nurse, and when you got your shots, you cried only briefly. Then Mommy cuddled you and you calmed down, like the big boy you are. Mommy was so very proud of you.
I love you so very much. I love you more than I ever thought was possible, and I want all good things for you. I pray for you every day and every night, that God will keep you safe and protect you, and that Mommy and Daddy will be given strength and wisdom in your upbringing. I wish for you to have the very best life, to be good and kind, strong of spirit and sweet-natured. To grow up to be the person you were meant to be.
We thank God every day for the tremendous gift that he gave us in you. It is Thanksgiving this weekend, my sweet little man, and a perfect time to reflect on you, the greatest gift I have ever received. I am so thankful to have you in my life. I am so very proud of you. Every new thing you do brings Mommy and Daddy such tremendous delight. You are the absolute brightest light in our lives. Your beautiful smile brings us such joy, your tears make us weep, and your many noises make us laugh.
I know that this letter is long, and I still don't think it has done you justice. I love you more than mere words can say. I would do anything for you; you are my best little friend, and I delight in you. I am so proud of the boy you are growing up to be.
I love you even when you throw up on me. Like now. And so I must end this letter and go get cleaned up now.
I would like you to always remember how very special you are, how wanted you were, and how very, very loved you are, my sweet precious angel.
Love you forever,
Mommy
xoxoxoxoxoxo
I can't believe you are 6 months old already. It's been over 13 months since Mommy and Daddy first got the news that they were going to have a baby. Oh, how happy we were! Mommy wept with joy and phoned Grandma and Auntie Jan right away to tell them. She didn't even care that it was so very early in the morning and she would be waking them up. We were just so excited that we couldn't wait to share our wonderful news! Grandma and Auntie Jan didn't mind having their sleep disturbed. They were just so happy to learn that you were going to be born. There was so much joy and anticipation!
We were going to wait until after the first trimester to tell everybody else about you, but Grannie was going on a trip, so Mommy and Daddy decided that she needed to know about you right away. I remember how we took her out for pizza. When we were sitting down, we presented Grannie with a fridge magnet that read "God couldn't be everywhere, so he made grandmas". Grannie thought we were talking about your cousins down east. Even when Daddy said "You are going to be a grandma again", she didn't pick up on it. Oh, how we laughed when the waitress realized what we were saying and offered her congratulations before Grannie! But once she realized that you were coming into the world, Grannie was happy as could be. She just couldn't contain her joy.
Mommy and Daddy realized right then that their precious secret would not be kept for long. We had to let everyone know you were coming, or someone else would. There was so much joy as each new person heard the news. I remember the big smiles we got when Mommy and Daddy grandly produced two little newborn sleeper outfits they had bought for you the day they found out, and inquired of Uncle Chris and Auntie Lisa, "If you were a baby, which would you rather wear?" Auntie Lisa ran behind the concession counter where Mommy was working to give her a big hug. Similarly, many hugs and congratulations were received at work and from friends. Grannie couldn't keep the news a secret; she was just bursting with excitement. She told Great-Aunt Juliet, and before we knew it, all your Great-Aunts and Uncles knew too. We were all so happy!
I remember it all so clearly, it just doesn't seem possible that it was over a year ago!
Mommy signed up on one of those pregnancy calendar thingies, where they email you once a week to tell you all about your baby's development so far. They kept comparing you to fruit ("This week your baby is the size of a raspberry"). Daddy went out and bought raspberry ice cream to celebrate that one. And when they said that you had little paddles for hands and feet, Daddy started calling you a platypus baby. Oh, the fun Daddy had with it when you developed webbed fingers and toes! And even though Mommy was so horribly nauseous, even right away, she couldn't believe her good fortune. Morning sickness felt like winning the lottery, Mommy felt so very lucky.
You gave Mommy and Daddy a lot of scares along the way. Daddy used to joke about it; he said that once you were born he was going to periodically sneak up on you and shout "BOO!", just to get back at you for scaring us so often. (He did scare you playing "peek-a-boo" one morning, but he assures me it was unintentional.) Mommy had a lot of ultrasounds, and long periods of bed rest, and many trips to the hospital to make sure you were still okay. In one of the earlier ultrasounds, Mommy and Daddy could see you already sucking the little stub that would become your thumb!
And then, on December 1, 2004, your placenta started to pull away, and Mommy thought she was going to lose you. I have never been so scared in my life. Two of my coworkers immediately rushed me to Emergency. Daddy met me at Emergency, and we spent the whole day there just praying for all we were worth that God would spare you and bring you into the world safely. Grandma and Grandpa and all the good people from their church prayed for you also. And their friends started praying too. So many people were praying for your safe arrival. And I guess God heard all our prayers, because here you are today. But after that episode, even more ultrasounds were needed. Here you are, being all dramatic on the morning of December 15:
Mommy thought your bone structure resembled Auntie Holly's here, and she called her to tell her so. Auntie Holly was thrilled!
Mommy spent a lot of time on bedrest. Daddy was such a strength and support through it all. He worked all day and handled everything at the house as well. And he cared for you and Mommy so very well, making meals and helping Mommy when she would get sick. Once the morning sickness left, it was replaced with horrible reflux, and Daddy would have to go downstairs many times a night to get Mommy milk to help her feel better. Eventually, Mommy and Daddy learned, and a cooler was placed by the bed so Mommy could help herself during the night.
The family all pitched in and helped as much as they could too. Daddy, Uncle Chris, Grandpa and Grandma all went to town and decorated your bedroom, and Auntie Jan planned your quilt. Mommy spent a lot of time knitting your little orange blankie that you take everywhere. She received a lot of directions from Auntie Jan, because Mommy is not the best knitter. But she is proud of the fact that she completed it all by herself and Auntie Jan did not have to finish it for you. Daddy went out on his own and bought your little bassinet that you slept in for your first four or so months. And Nana brought up your change table all the way from Calgary. We were ready, and still just hoping and praying for your safe arrival.
Then suddenly, you were here. You were early, and you were small and jaundiced, but you were here. Healthy and safe. Mommy and Daddy fell in love with you as soon as they laid eyes on you. We'd spent so much time loving you and praying for you, wanting you here, hoping you'd wait, feeling your sweet little kicks from in Mommy's tummy, reading Dr. Seuss to you. We already knew you, and it was a dream come true to hold you in our arms and know that you were okay.
Mommy loves holding you in her arms now, but a big part of her still misses feeling your little kicks in her tummy. You could knock the wind right out of her. On more than one occasion, you kicked the book she was reading off of her and onto the floor! Daddy used to come and put his hand on Mommy's tummy to feel your kicks, and he was so happy when he would feel you fluttering away in there.
You were only 5 lbs 13 oz and 19 inches long at birth. You were tongue-tied and colicky, and you didn't gain weight very quickly. You cried all the time! We spent a great deal of our budget on gasoline, driving you around to calm you. But we loved you so very much and did all we could for you. We got your tongue-tie fixed, went to the breastfeeding clinic to learn better techniques for feeding you, and started you on a healthier weight gain. We had your hearing checked when we realized that you didn't react to loud noises; we were very relieved to learn that you can hear perfectly and that you were just ignoring us, a skill we are sure will serve you well into your teen years. We took you in regularly for your immunizations and doctor's appointments, read to you, sang to you, and introduced you to the cats. We snuggled you and played with you, washed your laundry and comforted you when you were sad. We have loved every moment of it!
And now today, here you are. 6 months old! You can roll over all by yourself, and you grab and hold things (especially Monkey and your sucky-thing). You have favorite toys: your Monkey, rings, bedtime Pooh, your exersaucer. You have wonderful neck control and are trying to sit up on your own. You are getting teeth, though they haven't emerged yet. You reach for toys that you want, and you enjoy being sung to and playing peek-a-boo. You smile in your sleep when Mommy sings you "Love You Forever", and you enjoy "The Seals on the Bus" at playtime.
You weigh 14 lbs 6-1/2 oz today, and you are over 2 feet tall! You are so big now! We have had to start putting your clothes away as you outgrow them. You make noises - "Hi", "Ga" and of course, your favorite "Thbbbbt!" Today, you had your 6 month immunization. You sat on Mommy's lap and blew big raspberries at the nurse, and when you got your shots, you cried only briefly. Then Mommy cuddled you and you calmed down, like the big boy you are. Mommy was so very proud of you.
I love you so very much. I love you more than I ever thought was possible, and I want all good things for you. I pray for you every day and every night, that God will keep you safe and protect you, and that Mommy and Daddy will be given strength and wisdom in your upbringing. I wish for you to have the very best life, to be good and kind, strong of spirit and sweet-natured. To grow up to be the person you were meant to be.
We thank God every day for the tremendous gift that he gave us in you. It is Thanksgiving this weekend, my sweet little man, and a perfect time to reflect on you, the greatest gift I have ever received. I am so thankful to have you in my life. I am so very proud of you. Every new thing you do brings Mommy and Daddy such tremendous delight. You are the absolute brightest light in our lives. Your beautiful smile brings us such joy, your tears make us weep, and your many noises make us laugh.
I know that this letter is long, and I still don't think it has done you justice. I love you more than mere words can say. I would do anything for you; you are my best little friend, and I delight in you. I am so proud of the boy you are growing up to be.
I love you even when you throw up on me. Like now. And so I must end this letter and go get cleaned up now.
I would like you to always remember how very special you are, how wanted you were, and how very, very loved you are, my sweet precious angel.
Love you forever,
Mommy
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
5 Months Old Today
J is 5 months old. It is official.
Today, we went to the new moms network and learned all about infant massage. J was quite taken with it, and it was fun to give baby-kins a massage. He seemed to enjoy it hugely, and it relaxed him for naptime. He is sleeping against me in his Snugli just now. I think he had some bad dreams earlier; he awoke with quite a start and just started screaming. Seems all better now.
I am reflecting on how much my little boy has changed since he was born. I thought a "Then and Now" moment might be in order. So here we go:
J at birth:
J at one month old:
J at two months old:
J at three months old:
J at four months old:
J at five months old:
As a point of reference, here is J in mid-May, wearing the same outfit he is wearing at five months old:
How do they get so big so soon? I just can't believe how much he has grown and changed already.
Today, we went to the new moms network and learned all about infant massage. J was quite taken with it, and it was fun to give baby-kins a massage. He seemed to enjoy it hugely, and it relaxed him for naptime. He is sleeping against me in his Snugli just now. I think he had some bad dreams earlier; he awoke with quite a start and just started screaming. Seems all better now.
I am reflecting on how much my little boy has changed since he was born. I thought a "Then and Now" moment might be in order. So here we go:
J at birth:
J at one month old:
J at two months old:
J at three months old:
J at four months old:
J at five months old:
As a point of reference, here is J in mid-May, wearing the same outfit he is wearing at five months old:
How do they get so big so soon? I just can't believe how much he has grown and changed already.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
J's Weight and Hearing Issues
I took J in for his 4 month shots today. He's a whopping 12 lbs now!
J was all cheerful today, until those shots happened. Then he cried, of course. I don't blame the little tyke. He's on Tylenol now, 'cause he's rather out of sorts, and I assume he's probably got some pain at the injection site. I hope he feels better really soon.
Poor little man!
The nurses expressed concern about his hearing. There was a note in the file from his 2 month shots that said they weren't able to wake him with sound. Today, he was awake, but he didn't react to noise. They shook bells over his head, and I snapped my fingers behind him. He didn't react at all to either thing.
I am scared. I'm glad he has his hearing test on Monday. Hopefully we will get some answers at that time.
As for me and my state of mind today, I can't even remember names, today's date ... nothing. I may be anemic again. So I have to get some bloodwork to see how I'm doing. I doubt I'm anemic; I'm not sleeping well, and when I get anemic, you can't wake me up at all. The insomnia is probably what's doing me in. That and the worry about J's hearing.
J was all cheerful today, until those shots happened. Then he cried, of course. I don't blame the little tyke. He's on Tylenol now, 'cause he's rather out of sorts, and I assume he's probably got some pain at the injection site. I hope he feels better really soon.
Poor little man!
The nurses expressed concern about his hearing. There was a note in the file from his 2 month shots that said they weren't able to wake him with sound. Today, he was awake, but he didn't react to noise. They shook bells over his head, and I snapped my fingers behind him. He didn't react at all to either thing.
I am scared. I'm glad he has his hearing test on Monday. Hopefully we will get some answers at that time.
As for me and my state of mind today, I can't even remember names, today's date ... nothing. I may be anemic again. So I have to get some bloodwork to see how I'm doing. I doubt I'm anemic; I'm not sleeping well, and when I get anemic, you can't wake me up at all. The insomnia is probably what's doing me in. That and the worry about J's hearing.
Saturday, July 09, 2005
Weight Stuff
J weighed 9 lbs 10 oz yesterday. He is growing by leaps and bounds. (Good baby.) Dr. G, the lactation specialist, says he is actually in the 10th percentile for weight after being adjusted for his prematurity. We don't go back to see her any longer - we graduated yesterday.
She vetoed our pedi's advice that we start J on solids at 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 months, and suggested that we start him at 6-1/2 months (adjusting by a couple of weeks to account for some of his prematurity). She says that our pedi is wrong and that, if we start him early, he could have some gastrointestinal issues. She also suggested we just take J to my GP rather than to the pedi. It's so hard to get in to see my GP, as he's overbooked. But it's equally tough to get in to see anybody else, so I may just go that route. I was going to try to stick with his pedi, but I find myself second-guessing everything she says now. If I don't trust her, how can I continue to go to her?
As for myself, I lost 3.4 lbs this week. (Yay me!) All told, I have now lost roughly one-tenth of the total weight that I wish to lose. One-tenth can sound like a small amount or a large amount. But I prefer to think of it as a significant loss.
She vetoed our pedi's advice that we start J on solids at 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 months, and suggested that we start him at 6-1/2 months (adjusting by a couple of weeks to account for some of his prematurity). She says that our pedi is wrong and that, if we start him early, he could have some gastrointestinal issues. She also suggested we just take J to my GP rather than to the pedi. It's so hard to get in to see my GP, as he's overbooked. But it's equally tough to get in to see anybody else, so I may just go that route. I was going to try to stick with his pedi, but I find myself second-guessing everything she says now. If I don't trust her, how can I continue to go to her?
As for myself, I lost 3.4 lbs this week. (Yay me!) All told, I have now lost roughly one-tenth of the total weight that I wish to lose. One-tenth can sound like a small amount or a large amount. But I prefer to think of it as a significant loss.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
J's Weight and Stuff
J weighed 9 lbs 7 oz today! (He's still only in the 5th percentile for weight gain, but he's always been in that low end of things.) He saw his pedi. She has redeemed herself in my eyes, somewhat, so I think we'll continue to see her and see how things go. Mainly, it's just hard to find decent doctors who are accepting new patients.
I let his pedi know that his tongue tie was released, and she asked if it bled. It seems that was her hesitancy in releasing a tongue tie - she tries to avoid procedures that cause bleeding whenever possible. I still think it should have been released immediately, but that's just a disagreement on procedure, I suppose. (Though I'm still not impressed that she didn't tell us about it, but whatever.)
Then she reviewed his weight gain, length and head measurement. She told me he was still gaining as he always had - following the same line. I asked if there was anything I could do to improve things, and she said that J just happens to be small. He's in the 5th percentile for all three measurements, but she said that someone has to be at the low end and that's why the 5th percentile exists. Since neither H nor I are particularly large (well, I am, but that's just fat and not structure) it stands to reason that J would be on the small side also. So it seems he is perfectly normal, even though he is little. I suppose I can live with that. It's not as though he's in a higher percentile for length and head size and only the 5th percentile for weight; that would indicate a problem for sure. He's 5th percentile right across the board.
I feel better.
On another note, the pictures from Canadian Baby Photographers were really cute. They took a series of pictures with J in just his diaper, lying on the quilt my sister made for him on his tummy with his head kind of propped up on his arms - some with a ball cap on his head, some with a crocheted baby blanket over the top of his head, and some without props. Then they dressed him up with a little tiger striped sash and leaves in front of him and took some pictures of him with a little stuffed monkey so he looked like Tarzan. Then they took a few shots of him in the little red onesie and denim shorts I had picked out for him, including one with his little soft blue teddy bear that the office sent over when he was born. They were really good at positioning him and catching the picture at the right time. We get a free portrait out of this, and can then decide if we want any of the other shots. But I have a gut feeling they're really expensive, so we may just go with the free portrait only. We'll see what to do in a couple of weeks when they come to the house to review the shots with us. I am looking forward to seeing them.
Anyway, the photographer was using digital technology, so I got to see a few of the shots on his camera. They looked really, really cute! J was in a pretty good mood - until the end, when he started to cry and needed to be comforted.
We've been trying to get the little tyke to go to sleep a bit earlier so we can catch some zzzz's. He's in his bassinet now. I think I'll go to bed too, as I'm likely to be awoken in the wee small hours for a feed. Our logic is that, even if we're woken up for feeding/diaper changing in the early morning hours, we still get in more sleep if he goes to bed earlier on. If he's in bed by 10:00 and then wakes up at 2:00 and 6:00 or something like that, we can still fit in 7 hours of sleep (giving ourselves an hour for changing and feeding from 2:00 to 3:00), whereas if he stays up until midnight or 1:00 and doesn't wake until 6:00 for feeding and changing, we get in less sleep even though it's uninterrupted. I'd rather encourage J to sleep earlier and catch that extra hour or two ourselves.
I let his pedi know that his tongue tie was released, and she asked if it bled. It seems that was her hesitancy in releasing a tongue tie - she tries to avoid procedures that cause bleeding whenever possible. I still think it should have been released immediately, but that's just a disagreement on procedure, I suppose. (Though I'm still not impressed that she didn't tell us about it, but whatever.)
Then she reviewed his weight gain, length and head measurement. She told me he was still gaining as he always had - following the same line. I asked if there was anything I could do to improve things, and she said that J just happens to be small. He's in the 5th percentile for all three measurements, but she said that someone has to be at the low end and that's why the 5th percentile exists. Since neither H nor I are particularly large (well, I am, but that's just fat and not structure) it stands to reason that J would be on the small side also. So it seems he is perfectly normal, even though he is little. I suppose I can live with that. It's not as though he's in a higher percentile for length and head size and only the 5th percentile for weight; that would indicate a problem for sure. He's 5th percentile right across the board.
I feel better.
On another note, the pictures from Canadian Baby Photographers were really cute. They took a series of pictures with J in just his diaper, lying on the quilt my sister made for him on his tummy with his head kind of propped up on his arms - some with a ball cap on his head, some with a crocheted baby blanket over the top of his head, and some without props. Then they dressed him up with a little tiger striped sash and leaves in front of him and took some pictures of him with a little stuffed monkey so he looked like Tarzan. Then they took a few shots of him in the little red onesie and denim shorts I had picked out for him, including one with his little soft blue teddy bear that the office sent over when he was born. They were really good at positioning him and catching the picture at the right time. We get a free portrait out of this, and can then decide if we want any of the other shots. But I have a gut feeling they're really expensive, so we may just go with the free portrait only. We'll see what to do in a couple of weeks when they come to the house to review the shots with us. I am looking forward to seeing them.
Anyway, the photographer was using digital technology, so I got to see a few of the shots on his camera. They looked really, really cute! J was in a pretty good mood - until the end, when he started to cry and needed to be comforted.
We've been trying to get the little tyke to go to sleep a bit earlier so we can catch some zzzz's. He's in his bassinet now. I think I'll go to bed too, as I'm likely to be awoken in the wee small hours for a feed. Our logic is that, even if we're woken up for feeding/diaper changing in the early morning hours, we still get in more sleep if he goes to bed earlier on. If he's in bed by 10:00 and then wakes up at 2:00 and 6:00 or something like that, we can still fit in 7 hours of sleep (giving ourselves an hour for changing and feeding from 2:00 to 3:00), whereas if he stays up until midnight or 1:00 and doesn't wake until 6:00 for feeding and changing, we get in less sleep even though it's uninterrupted. I'd rather encourage J to sleep earlier and catch that extra hour or two ourselves.
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Tongue-Tied
Little J had his shots today. Unpleasant, but not as bad as I thought it would be. He screamed for a bit (who could blame the poor little guy?) and needed some baby Tylenol a couple of hours after it was over, but that was about all. He now weighs 7 lbs 11 oz and measures 20-1/4" long. While he has gained at an acceptable rate (roughly 1 pound per month), he is still small for his gestational age, measuring only in the fifth percentile. He's 2 months old today.
The nurse at the health centre had no real concerns, however, except that our baby appears to be quite literally "tongue-tied". It's those little flaps of skin we all have under our tongues that anchor them to the bottoms of our mouths. Well J's (which is visible only when he's screaming, by the way) is too short (the tip of his tongue is attached to the floor of his mouth) and, as a result, he can't open his mouth very wide or stick out his tongue. It interferes with his feeding (which is why he gets hungry so frequently, slips off the breast, gets gassy, etc.) and it can also affect his speech as he gets older. So it will likely need to be snipped, and I will have to phone his pediatrician tomorrow and ask about that. It sounds like a simple procedure. Thank heaven for that.
Anyway, J just finished eating and had a nice burp and spit-up. He got it right down the front of his over-sized nightshirt. (On the inside of the shirt - which now must be pulled over his head with baby puke on it. Yuck!) Bath time for baby.
The nurse at the health centre had no real concerns, however, except that our baby appears to be quite literally "tongue-tied". It's those little flaps of skin we all have under our tongues that anchor them to the bottoms of our mouths. Well J's (which is visible only when he's screaming, by the way) is too short (the tip of his tongue is attached to the floor of his mouth) and, as a result, he can't open his mouth very wide or stick out his tongue. It interferes with his feeding (which is why he gets hungry so frequently, slips off the breast, gets gassy, etc.) and it can also affect his speech as he gets older. So it will likely need to be snipped, and I will have to phone his pediatrician tomorrow and ask about that. It sounds like a simple procedure. Thank heaven for that.
Anyway, J just finished eating and had a nice burp and spit-up. He got it right down the front of his over-sized nightshirt. (On the inside of the shirt - which now must be pulled over his head with baby puke on it. Yuck!) Bath time for baby.
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