He eats!

For some this might seem like a silly thing to be all excited about but for a reflux mommy this is nothig short of a miracle. Most parents love to go on and on about what kind of exotic foods thier kids eat, us reflux parents are just excited when they willingly eat anything! When we started solids I had high hopes after all R and I both love food and did as a child too. But soon I realized that while most of the time Riley's reflux no longer rears its ugly head, it had left some lasting impreasons on my child.

We had started with oatmeal almost a month ago now and while the first day or two I was thrilled with just a spoonful or two I soon realized he was clamping down his mouth much more than I remember other kids doing at his age. We did oatmeal for two weeks before we moved on to sweet potaoes. We hadn't had much luck with oatmeal but I was sure it was just the taste. When he refused sweet potatoes a little alarm went off in my gut.

Could all those nasty meds have left my son not wanting anything in his mouth? Or could it be that for Riley food= pain still? Which ever it was, it was not a good thing. I spoke with a few other reflux moms and we all had the same story, a child who took the breast fine, and ocasionally took the bottle BUT would NOT touch food.

I brought up my concerns to his pedi at our well visit and he said "then stop feeding him, if meal time isn't fun then stop for a while" I was shocked as was R but we backed off and then yesterday as I ate my lunch Riley lunged for my plate. I smilled and said "would you like some" and then I got him out some of his food.

He procceded to eat two tablespoons of oatmeal and a table spoon of sweet potatoes! I nearly jumped for joy. My son is eating!

Like I said, no big deal to most moms, but it means the world to us Reflux moms.

No, wait I am not ready!

We are on the verge of a new developmental milestone, and while everyone else seems to be excited about it, I am not so sure. On one hand this new milestone is a good thing, it means he is developing well, and that his motor development is normal something that has been laging behind since about 3 months. It also will make me feel better about the c-section, which I still look back on regretfully. However and this is a big however. It also means my little Riley is growing up. It means he is no longer a little infant and soon, gulp, will be a mobile toddler.

My mom was over today and she was commenting about how he was just about to do this new developmental task. At first I was giddy with laughter and then the laughing turned to tears, because I am NOT ready. Nope I am not ready at all and neither is my house. So I picked him up and proclamed: No more tummy time for you! At which Riley giggled, grnned and then gave me a kiss. If I could read his mind it would have said "haha mom, to late now!"

Can you guess what milestone Riley is about to do?

Who is this baby?

I drempt a lot about what my child would look like when we were trying and even before DH and I met. I always pictured this chubby brown curly haired kid with big dark brown eyes, after all that is what I looked like as a baby. And when I married R that dream changed to a chubby baby with a double chin with lots of dark hair and maybe blue eyes but most likely brown. NEVER in a million years did I picture a blond/red haired almost bald baby with bright blue eyes, never not once in all those years together and all those months trying. And yet that is exactly what I got, and everyday he just gets cuter and more beautiful, and I fall deeper and deeper in love with him!

We must have paied for cloning services rather than fertility services.

Magnifacint Sleep

If you have been reading at all lately you know we have sleep issues, as in we aren't getting much and what we do get is broken into small chunks.

I have wondered for a while now if letting him side/belly sleep like he does on the boppy sometimes would work. So at his 6 month well visit I asked he he could tummy sleep. I fully exspected a resounding NO and a lecture about the risks of SIDS. I was amazed to hear that my Dr actually thought it would help him and said that it was okay now that he is 6 months old.

So tonight he is sleeping with one arm out of the swaddle me AND on his side/belly. I am trying not to be to hopeful and yet I pray this works. R needs more sleep and so do I, it is effecting not only us as a couple but also our parenting. I am just not being quite the parent I want to be. Example: Riley needs more outdoor time and more walks in his carrier but I don't have that kind of energy, most days.

Day Three of sleep training:
I am happy to anounce that for the last three nights Riley has gotten up at most three times and last night only twice! YES, it is working. When he does wake up I pat his butt for two minutes to see if he will go back to sleep without the boob. If he keeps crying then he gets picked up and rocked for a minute more, if that doesn't work then out comes boobie!

It has been exciting to watch him get longer and longer stretches. Last night his first stretch was from 7:45 till 1:30 and it was very exciting. I don't really mind the 1:30 feed now but I am hoping he will soon drop the 3:30/4am one. It really isn't much fun given our day starts at 6 am. However this is much better than what was going on, so for now I am happy.

The next thing we need to work on is longer naps. He is averaging about an hour BUT he wakes up and is still fussy. I wouldn't mind the short naps if he woke up happy BUT he doesn't. So we will be working on that.

I will be sure to update again soon.

So BIG!

Riley's 6 month appt was yesterday. He is getting to be a big boy at 18 lbs 12 oz, and that is after having dropped a few oz while sick! He is firmly on the 75th % for weight and height at 27 inches long. I hope he continues to be high in the lenght. R and I are both short and I would love to have a tall son. The genes are there, we both have very tall cousions, so hopefully he got them and they come out. Dr. Wonderful said he is PERFECT! Which made me beam with pride and joy. We still aren't concerned about him not rolling, despite hating tummy time. He sits up very well which Dr W was happy to see. We go back on Firday for another shot, not looking forwad to that.

Riley is also MOBILE now! Nope he isn't crawling, instead he scoots on his but while sitting up. It is so funny to watch, he doesn't go anywhere fast but it is still cute. He scooted to another baby in breastfeeding support group and also to the cat the other day. Then today he scooted over to ME! He was rewarded with a big hug and KISS!

Riley has recived a ton of handme downs, which I LOVE. They are so cute! They were my newphew's clothing and are ALL Gymb.oree! He has a 18 gallon bin of 12-18 and another of 18-24. However they are all winter clothing, he litterally got 4 short sleeve shirts in both bin and two pairs of shorts. This ment I got to go shopping durring Gymbor.ee's great sale last week. I picked up a ton of clothing for just 50 dollars. The most I paid for an outfit was 10$! It was a pair of overalls that I loved! I got home and R didn't like some of it because it was sleeveless and he doens't like sleeveless shirts on little boys. I told him that when i redeam my Gymbu.cks he could come with and pick out the clothing that way he could pick out what he likes.

Durring a diaper change today I was greated by Riley's first baby boner! I was shocked although I shouldn't be. Would it be wierd to write "First Bonner" in his baby book?

6 Months Old

Dear Riley,

Happy 1/2 Birthday my sweet son. You really are what lights up my world each and every day. I live for those smiles, and laughs and it breaks my heart when you cry and I can't seem to figure out what is wrong. Thankfully the days seemed to be filled with more smiles than frowns more laughing and joy that sorrow and crying.

That doesn't mean the last month hasn't been hard. You have been sick and so have Daddy and I. We are fighting supply issues because of it too which are no fun in good times and pure awfulness when we are sick. You need more food to fight the infection but I don't have it. Thus you are up more at night which means I get less sleep when I really need more sleep so that I can get better and make more milk. It is a visous cycle.

Even with your cold though you are still a happy baby. You light up when Daddy enters the room or comes home from work. You still are happy with being with strangers or non-parent people but you prefer us. You light up the room with your smile and giggle uncontrolably when tickled. I love makeing you laugh and smile. I love the way your head smells and how your long hairs tickle my nose when I kiss your head.

This month you got your first kitty love. Gemma gave you a little kiss on the hand and Bella rubbed up against you. They both happened in the same day no less. We had hoped those girls would come around and they sure have, it helps you can't crawl after them at this point.

Your first overnights went so well. Aunties Shannon and Holly are so good with you and you love them too. It helps that they spoil you rotten! You sleep so well for them you make me jealous!

I am in disbelief of how fast the time has flown by, of how big you are. I can't believe the first year of your life is half way over. My sweet little boy is getting so big. I love you!

Your Mommy,
Ariel

My Second Family

In high school I babysat for a very nice couple down the road, they had twins and then a few years later they had another little girl. For a long time I have considered them a second family, the parents helped me through some really hard times when my parents got divorced. And by being there all the time for their kids they consider me family too.

Tonight we went over so they could all meet Riley. We had a ton of fun and everyone LOVED him. The girls played with him a ton, making for one very overstimulated baby. But it still was a ton of fun.

Getting Better?

Monday:
It is hard to tell if we are getting better or if I am just more used to the chaos at this point. His cough is worse and it woke him up three times on top of the two times he got up to nurse. His nose is running like crazy but at least now it is draining and he can breath. His eye is leaking green junk, out of not just one but now both eyes. And that is just Riley! R and I are still sick too but given we can take meds and blow our nose we are doing better. I can't tell you how much I wish babies could blow thier nose!?! It sure would make this cold bussnies a lot better to deal with.

In good news, last night we didn't have to drive Riley to sleep once! That is huge given we have had at least one wakeful period and drive a night for the last week plus. He did get up early then this am but not to dreadfully early.

Wendsday: My ears are killing me and now I know why, Riley and I have ear infections. Poor little guy is pulling at his ear so much he makes it bleed. Thankfully his Dr gave him not only an antibiotic but drops to help with the pain, which to be honest I use too. His poop is now orange from meds, it freaked me out the first time but now I am more used to it.

Friday: We both seem much better today. We are still coughing, and have a drippy nose but at least our ears don't hurt anymore. Riley felt so good his morning nap lasted 2 hours! I couldn't belive it when I woke up and he wasn't screaming for me that I freaked and thought he might have died. Thankfully he was fine, but for a moment I sure gave myself a scare.

So we are on the mend now. I really am hopeful this means better sleep for all of us. We are all tired and need our rest.