Two By Two

River's 2 week check up

Well we went for River's 2 week well baby check up... first his stats

He weighs 8 lbs 3 oz which is a 12 oz gain from birth.. he is in 25% for his weight

He is 21 1/4 inches which is 1 1/4 inches bigger than birth... he is in the 75% for height

His head is 14.5 which is the same size his head was at birth.. 50%

His exam went well.. he has to go back next week for an ultrasound because there is a click in his hip.. she said basically it means that his hip comes out of the socket when it's rotated.. the ultrasound will show us if it's sometimes or all the time and how severe.. if it's more severe then a 20 degree he'll either have to wear a brace at night for a while or we'll have to double diaper him. That is going to be scheduled for sometime the beginning of next week and then we'll go to the pediatrican the day after to have her explain the results.

His rash is almost gone but thanks for all the advice.. the doctor said it's just an explained rash.. it actually had a name but I don't rememeber what it is.. she said alot of babies get it the first few months of life and it can last anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks but it doesn't bother them at all. Everything else went great as far as his exam.. my baby is 2 weeks old tomorrow!!!

This kid is going to give me gray hair before he's one I swear it....

River broke out in some kind of rash today.. I noticed it this afternoon.. it was all over his arms and his upper back and neck... called the pedi and they said bring him in. Off to the ped we go.

Doctor doesn't know what's causing the rash... said to go home and wash everything really thoroughly and see if that helps. Keep the appointment for 2 days from now (his 2 week check up) and we'll go from there.

He did a mini exam.. which of course woke River up who was HUNGRY and screamed the entire time.. so the doctor made us hold his hands down and his head down which pissed him off even more.. he said that River's screaming (a new development) might be the beginning of Colic since it happens at the same time every night and nothing helps.. said that his belly is nice and soft which is a good thing when you have a crying baby. Checked his nose, ears, and eyes... all of which are clear and good.

They weighed him but didn't take any other measurements but that will be done on Friday with his well baby check up. But....

At discharge on Thursday 2/16 he was 7 lbs 8 oz
As of today 2/22 he was 8 lbs even. WOO HOOO Half a lb gain in 6 days.. YAY!!!

He is still having latching problems but after a few minutes we get it figured out and he nurses well which is all I care about.

Will update again on Friday with all the stats :)

Quick update..

Everything is going good here. We have officially weaned River completely off the bottle. WOO HOO! He is doing great so far. He has a crying spell every night from 8pm (Sarah that must be that fussy period you were telling me about) until about 8:30. And then he'll sleep for 4 hours.. wake to feed... sleep for 4 hours wake to feed and sleep again until we get up about 7. Not too bad.. the only problem. He will NOT sleep in his own damn bed... just with us. Why? because the stupid people shove down your throat that it's "back to sleep" and the munchkin HATES sleeping on his back.. put him on his stomach and he sleeps for 2-3 hours on his own. I am thinking about just screwing what they say and putting him to sleep on his stomach.. but then I'll worry about SIDS. AHHHHHH

He goes in on Friday for his 2 week check up and we're taking him tomorrow for his first professional pictures.. *grin* I'll send e-mail out when we get the pictures or proofs or something. We also got birth announcements that my great aunt had made for us.. she sent us like 25 of them.. I don't think we have 25 people to send them to LOL Oh well.

I feel almost human again. I don't hurt anymore. The stitches are still there.. don't have any idea when they will go away but hey at least I can pee with out pain now. Yep it's the small things.. LOL I have noticed that occasionally my back and neck will spasm for a moment 2 or 3 times a day.. I think it's from the epidural but I'm not sure.. I'm going to mention it to the doctor when I go in for my Depo shot on Tuesday.

We went ahead and got on WIC to help make sure we get the foods that help supplement breastfeeding mothers. They have to weigh you as part of their records and what not.. I have lost 13 lbs since River was born.. 7 more to go. My grandmother gave me a giftcard to Motherhood Maternity to get some nursing tops and bras.. I had NO bras that fit anymore.. apparently Motherhood Maternity barely had bras to fit me.. I am in the largest size they sell in store.. if I go any larger I'll have to order on-line. *sigh*

So other slightly psychotic and slightly sleep deprived.. I'm not doing too bad.. How is everyone else?

Hormones and bi-polar unmedicated SUCK.

I had a mini breakdown earlier. Doug is supposed to start work Wednesday if everything goes right.. will be the first time since October that he's been gone for more than a few hours and this time I am in charge of a little person who is having some latching issues. Doug asked what was wrong and I told him several times I was okay.. got in the car and he asked again and I told him.. then started crying and couldn't stop. It just flooded out of me. The fear of having to be here alone in the house ALL day with the baby. The being tired. The experience of the last 10 months. Everything.. I'm drained.

I don't know what I would do without Doug. He is my rock. He keeps a level head (for the most part) when River freaks out. And if he doesn't I do.. it's like we know that we can't both lose our sanity at the same time. I love him so much. He has given me so much in the last 2 years that I never thought I would have. Marriage, a baby, a husband, a friend, a life.. a family.. he has given me so much and I owe him the world.. for now all I can do is say I love you every chance I get and hope he knows how deep that goes. A friend of mine said that she never thought it was possible that having a baby would strengthen her and her husbands relationship.. but when she had her daughter that's exactly what it did.. I didn't believe her.. but now I see it's true. I am connected him. I see him in a different way now. There is nothing like watching your husband and son sleep chest to chest in the morning.. what's even better is catching it on camera *grin*

We are weaning River off the bottle slowly. The NICU insisted that he be given a bottle so they could monitor how much he was eating... then when we brought him home I was afraid that he wouldnt be getting enough and we wouldn't know it.. but I am sure he'd get enough and breastfeeding is something I have wanted to do from the moment I found I was pregnant. So we are cutting bottles from most of his day and night (except for the few hours that Doug lets me sleep and an occasional supplemental feeding if he empties my breasts and still seems hungry.. although earlier he wouldn't take the bottle afterward).

I love my son so much. it's only been a little over a week and already he means everything to me. My family. My life. I am so happy.. Thank you Doug.

River had an upset tummy all day yesterday.. no idea why.. my best guess is all the stress from being out in the world and not in the NICU and them giving him Similac and me giving him exclusively breastmilk. Either that or he was eating to the point of making his tummy hurt.. so we cut back on his feeding amount. We are cutting him off at about 2 1/2 oz. Seems to me that after that he is just sucking to suck not because he's hungry. Paci works just as well for the sucking. and boy does he LOVE his paci! *giggles*

About 10:30 or so last night he his a fussy spell.. NO idea what it was about.. he just WOULD NOT be consoled.. hed stop for about 2 minutes and then start screaming again. I hope he is not headed toward colic and it was just an over do of his upset tummy.. however.. once I stripped him down to his diaper and swaddled him up and started rubbing his bottom gum.. he fell asleep almost instantly. He couldn't be teething this early could he? I didn't feel anything but the gum rubbing seemed to be magic. Once we got him to sleep the first time he slept with me for about 2 1/2 hours and then was hungry and needed to be changed.. then fell back asleep. I woke Doug up about 4 for a shift change and basically he and Doug have been sleeping ever since.. it's now almost 10.. poor little man..

We took my mother in law out of for her birthday last night. My sister in law and her husband were down here to see River and to drop my neice off with her dad so the 5 of us all went to a Japanese Resturant. Linda's birthday isn't until March 1st but I figure we have the money now and her best friend will probably want to take her out on her birthday so we claimed her first. I got to have a Pina Colada.. a real one.. with alcohol.. WOOT.. I couldn't drink it all.. apparently 10 months with no alcohol has turned me into a light weight. *giggles*

Once Doug wakes up we've got a few errands to run and i want to go by JCPenny's to make an appointment to get Rivers pictures done.. we got a bunch of coupons in mail for free sittings and free 8x10's with a traditonal package for like 8 dollars.. can't beat that.

Off to go check my overflowing e-mail box while there is quiet.. have a good day all!

So our first night home was a little rough, munchkin slept only about 3 hours total the entire night which meant NO sleep for mom and dad.

Last night was MUCH better.. We figured out that part of the reason that River didn't sleep was because it was too quiet.. being in the NICU for 5 days he got used to lots of noises all the time.. and it was silent at night here.. So last night baby and I slept on the couch from 11pm until 4am.. and the daddy took over and changed him and what not and Daddy and baby slept on the couch from 4 until 7:30. So we got 8 hours of sleep a piece.. OMG sooo needed.

We gave the muchkin his first sponge bath at home last night.. he was LESS than happy about the whole ordeal even though he was half clothed the entire time and held by daddy.. so when I had to do the bottom half.. he peed all over daddy. *grin* But he smells much better :)

He is home.. we are so happy.. he is perfect.. has cried twice both times was feeding time.. he latched on with NO problem what so ever which is GREAT since they have been giving him bottles for the last 5 days. I am so in love.