Colin is TWO MONTHS

Dear Colin,

On December 31, 2013 you turned 2 months old and we celebrated your little birthday in the hospital.  The day before you had started to seem a little unlike yourself and then in the late afternoon Daddy and Mommy both noticed that your breathing sounded a little funny.  Mommy called her friend whose son has had croup but it didn't seem like that is what you had.  However, because you were so little Mommy packed you up and took you to Urgent Care just in case.  Good thing - turns out you had the FLU!  Because you were so little they decided it was best to send you up to MMC for observations incase the virus settled in your lungs or your temperature went higher (we had been watching your temp. all weekend because Conor and Mommy had been sick and you were fine but between your last check and getting to the clinic it had jumped to 101).  I had packed in haste and didn't have a cell phone charger so the lovely nurses at Urgent Care let me borrow theirs while we waited for the ambulance (yup, they required you to go by ambulance).

You did really great in the ambulance despite being nervous.  It was clear you wanted to be held but it was safer for you in the car seat and Mommy doesn't take any chances.  So, they turned the lights down low and Mommy held your hand and talked to you until you fell asleep.

When we got to the hospital they checked you out an confirmed you had the flu.  It was not pleasant to deal with the resident because she kept wanting to pretend she was HOUSE and do a spinal tap to rule out "anything else that could be causing his fever".  Ummm....no, you are not sticking a needle in my baby's spine.  Don't worry Colin - Mommy is great at speaking her mind and standing her group.  I made it clear from the start that it wasn't going to happen and, in the end, they did not (though I also had to use reverse psychology and encourage them to call DHHS on me). 

Since we were confined to the room because you had something that is considered highly contagious and there were other, much sicker babies on the floor, we spent the day talking, reading, and watching TV.  Daddy and Conor also came to visit and brought Mommy and you some clothes and the much needed cell phone charger!  You were very unhappy in the hospital.  They required you to be in the crib whenever I needed to use the bathroom or when they came to check your status.  You hated that crib and you hated all the wires they had on your body.  So many of them were unnecessary but since they were not intrusive I permitted them to stay.  When they finally came off you were so happy!

Not happy about having your vitals taken.

Yeah!!!  No more wires!

I will not sleep in this metal thing!!!

Daddy is a great Daddy and he brought your Rock n' Play so you slept in there the night of your two month birthday until your third wake-up and then you slept in the chair with Mommy.  We weren't allowed to co-sleep in the parent bed in your room but the nurses said the chair wasn't a bed so they could look the other way.  Therefore they brought me a GREAT reclining chair from another space and we slept there (it was basically a twin bed).

I took your monthly photos a few days later once you were feeling better (and so was everyone else in the house)!  At two months old you were sleeping in 3 hour stretches, sleeping in the co-sleeper for the middle part of the evening, you recognize the faces and voices of your family members, you engage with Conor, and you are starting to uncurl your fingers and toes.  You loved the bath, Mommy's face, and Conor.  You were still terrible at breastfeeding but Mommy was used to it now and we just go went it.  You hadn't taken a bottle yet but had spent some time with Daddy without Mommy around. 

You are wearing size 3 months clothes and have started sporadically wearing cloth diapers.  You love the bath and make BIG splashes....your tub must be in the tub or there is big cleanup!  You adore the ringsling and dislike the structured carrier.  You aren't crazy about the swing or your playmat at this point either.  You are still on medication for reflux and you spit up variably thought out the day.  Tummy time is slow to come since it causes you to spit up.

Your two-month exam went well.  You are incredibly alert and your reflexes and muscles are developing beautifully.  Here are your stats:

You were a big heavier than Conor and a half inch taller than he was at this age.  But the two of you love the doctor's office and it makes for super cute photos!

However, you did not like getting your immunizations.  Right now there are many parents that are choosing not to inoculate their children against anything and everything.  Some people are on delayed schedules or they are choosing to give some immunizations and not others.  Right now, after a lot of research, your Daddy and I have decided that we will continue to immunize Conor and we will immunize you for everything except Hep A and Chicken Pox.  Until there is more concrete evidence out there that immunizations are causing terrible side effects in children I would rather you not suffer the diseases that your family members in the past may have had to endure.  I held you close as your shots were given and the first one stunned you for a moment and you unlatched from the breast and screamed like you had never screamed before.  At that point the next two were just about over and I was able to calm you down and settle you into nursing for a few minutes in order to comfort you and take the pain away.

Waiting on shots.

Back to your monthly photos.  I did not have the same outfit that Conor wore because it was Valentine's Day when I took his monthly photos for month 2 but I did have a similar baseball type outfit so that is what I used.  Here you are in all your two month glory!

And because Mommy likes to compare her two little boys because everyone says that you two are so alike I did a comparison photo.  The two of you are a lot alike but there are differences and so Mommy always knows who she is looking at in the photos!

Conor above, Colin below

It has been so much fun watching you grow Colin - I can't wait to see what the next month brings!

xoxo
Mommy

2 month check-up

Dear Conor,

It is almost time for your 4 month check-up and I am only just now getting to write about your 2 month check-up.  It seems that time is moving so quickly.....I hate to think that my baby is growing up this fast!

Your two month check-up was on February 17, 2012.  Your Daddy and I both attended this doctor's appointment.  You are really lucky in that both your parents have the ability to arrange their work schedules and attend your appointments together.  Most kids only get one parent that can go.

We very much like your pediatrician.  She listens to our concerns and always seems happy and has good advice.  She loves your little face too. 

This time we went into a room with lots of animals on the walls. You were very interested in the animals as they were very bold against the light yellow walls (the first time we went into see the doctor we were in a room with clouds).

I dressed you very carefully for this appointment as I knew you were going to be getting shots in your thighs.  I had you wear a onesie and then a gown so we could just pull it up and pull it down without having anything rubbing your tender spots.  Because its winter you had to wear socks - so we put your cool hi-top sneaker socks on!

We also had you practice some tummy time while we waited for the nurse with the shots to arrive.

I didn't take any pictures while you were getting your shots because I was holding you.  You were so very good and only cried at the very end.  But, by the time we got into the lobby and checked out you were no longer crying and after just a minute in the car you were asleep.

When putting you in your carseat I placed a thin blanket over your thighs so that the car seat straps were not putting too much pressure on your thighs.  When we got you home I nursed you and you continued to take a little nap.  We watched you all day to see if you had any signs of a reaction and you did not - you were actually a wonderful child that day and I was so proud of you (so was Daddy!).

Within the hour you were kicking away on your playmat!

We did get your acid reflux medicine at this appointment and so when we return next week it will mark 2 months on the medicine.

I hope that your 4 month appointment goes just as well!

xoxo
Mom

Zantac

I have been so very bad at keeping up with this blog between taking care of Conor, Hunter, Josh and being back at work full time.  I had planned to do a big update last week while I had helpers but I was surprised with a mini-vacation and spa trip which was amazing (more on that in another post).  But, I wanted to give an update on Conor and Zantac.  We started the medication on Friday 2/17/12 so it has been 10 days and I now consider it a miracle medication.  It did take several days to begin to notice any changes but I am proud to say we now have a happier (and healthier) baby boy!  It has been almost a week since we have experienced chronic crying and screaming and we are so very thankful for that!

He is still receiving the minimal dose (1mg BID) and I do not intend to ask for an increase nor do I intend to take him off of it anytime soon.  I think we will use it for at least two months to see if with a little more growing he is able to handle the reflux on his own.  It is a goal of mine to try to catch up on the 365 project tonight (I have the pictures but I haven't put them into blog for yet) so hopefully there will be some new posts this week!

xoxo
Erin

A Growing Boy!

Dear Conor,

It seems as though you turned two months and your whole world changed!  You found both your hands and your tongue this week and the two have been doing a little dance together as you try to figure out how to keep both in your mouth!  You have also been blowing bubbles with your salavia - we can't figure out if this is due to your acid reflux or a new skill so we shall wait and see.

Your have been finding your voice more and more each day and you love to talk and yell at the mobile on your playmat.  You also move your arms and legs a lot more when you are in the bath or on your mat....you show your excitement at playing on/in both those spaces and it is so much fun to watch.

Since your doctor's appointment I have also had to take the infant headrest out of your carseat and move the straps up one notch!

But, perhaps the biggest realization that you certainly are growing (and maybe a little too fast) was last night when I went to put you to bed in your bassinet and you didn't fit!  You stretched out your little legs and they touched the bottom and your head was a mere 2 inches from the top.  So - it was back to the Rock n' Play and pretty soon your crib.  I can't believe my baby is almost ready to sleep in the crib - but first you have to sleep through the night a little better because Mom does not want to be getting up several times a night with you in another room.

I don't know if I am ready for you to be such a big boy!

xoxo
Mom