Lots has changed with Caleb- of course. He is officially on baby food and loving it. He's eaten squash, sweet potatoes, prunes (for obvious constipation reasons) and Pamela has gotten him on apples as well...it's amazing, it seems like just yesterday I was struggling with him latching on and now he's eating SO well from a spoon and sitting up well in his high chair. I look at him sometimes and wonder WHO this child is. Where did my little baby boy go???
Last time I talked about the 4 month wakeful period and thought he was going through it. I was wrong last time...I really think he's going through it now...he will NOT take a nap. He only will in the late afternoon, then I have to get him up so he can go to sleep at night and O...M...G. He gives me hell about it. He doesn't like to be woken up when he's in a deep sleep. (Welcome to the club buddy) He hasn't been ravenously eating like he had been. He is much more interested in looking around, smiling at me, laughing, looking at lights, and anything else that's going on. This world is just way TOO interesting for him to focus on eating. I'd say by now, his growth will start to slow down and not be so rapid.
We took him to the doctor on the 4th of Februrary to get his 4 month shots. When he was getting his 2 month shots, they told me to not give him tylonol because it messes with his temperature and they can't give shots if he has a fever. A couple days before his 4 month appt, I called and asked if I can take his temp before, write down what it is and THEN give tylenol. They reluctantly agreed...acting like it was some big chore. Heck, if I can keep my baby from hurting and being upset, I'll do it in a heart beat!
Dave took a little time off to go to this appointment with us. Caleb weighed 16 pounds 2 oz and was 25 inches! Such a big boy...and so happy! He wasn't as smiley to the doctor this appointment as he was for his 2 month. He probably remembers getting poked last time. It helped SO much having Dave there with us. He just talked to him when the nurse was giving the shots and he just smiled at his daddy. Of course one of the injections stung a little...he had such a delayed reaction and his feeling were SO hurt. Poor guy...but I honestly think giving him the tylenol when I picked him up from Pamela's really helped. He fell asleep in the car when we got home- he didn't take a very good nap but he did sleep well that night and wasn't extremely fussy as he was the last time he got shots. He did MUCH better this time.
Actually, the Friday we got him his shots- he was trying to get over his first cold. I think we did pretty well dodging so many illnesses and him getting his first cold at 4 months old. Of course when I noticed him coughing and sneezing, I knew it was a matter of time for me to get it. Sure enough, a day or two later- I got it too. Luckily, I can overdose myself with vitamin C and get over it pretty quickly, but Caleb obviously can't take energy drinks yet. I did pretty good though, I didn't take him in for his cold- I just let him ride it out and he was fine after a week of the sniffles. We did use some saline drops- the doctor said that was the only thing we can give him for a snotty nose. And he HATED the bulb syringe (or what we like to call a booger picker). I accidently put air up his nose the first time and he WAILED. I know it scared him and felt terrible afterwards. He did really well while he was sick though...he still smiled and played. You could obviously tell he wasn't 100%...I was just nervous that Pamela was going to call me at work and ask me to come and get him...but obviously he probably got it from being over there. Cold 1 of 270 I'm sure...
I'm a little worried about my breast milk. It;s obvious that Caleb spits up every time I consume dairy. I used buttermilk in one of my dinner dishes the other night and oh my goodness, the next morning during his nursing session- his spit up was almost projectile... it's almost impossible and not to mention unhealthy for me to cut out dairy completely. I haven't had a bowl of cereal or drank milk in forever, buttermilk is obviously going to have to be banned until he's weaned...but cutting out cheese? Not an option, I'm sorry. Dave made us a potatoe casserole last night that had cheese in it, of course I ate it (it's so good) and this morning Caleb did pretty well. Just spit up a little...but nothing like yesterday morning. I was worried he didn't have anything in his belly after all the spit up he had before. I can live with a little spit up but not when he spits out a whole meal. I know it's getting on Pamela's nerves when he spits up over there (I give her a 6 oz of breast milk every day). I told her I've cut out quite a bit in my diet and she said "Maybe you should cut him". I HATE to do that. I want to breast feed him til he's at least 6 months old- preferrably until he's 9 months old. I LOVE breast feeding...i feel so connected with him and I know the antibodies are so good for him too. Not to mention it helps with the formula bill- even though we supplement but at least he's not eating formula with every meal. I may have to cry when I end up stopping his breastfeeding sessions. Is there a such thing as breast feeder annoymous? It's weird, obviously when he was itty bitty it seemed like weaning was way into the future, now it may be in the near horizon. Then again, I also don't want to be one of those moms that have a breast feeding 3 year old. That's obviously impossible with me being a working mom- but I'm sure a lot of people do it anyway!
Dave and I were at each other's throats last Sunday. With Caleb's wakeful phase, naps were out of the question. Usually he gets up around 6:30 or 7 and then goes back to sleep after breakfast...this was NOT the case on Saturday or Sunday...we were SO tired and Dave was all pissy because he had been up since 6:30 on a weekend. We did make a plan that we would take turns taking naps during the week. One of us would make dinner one night, while the other took a nice nap and then switch back and forth. That way, it's not such a long week of getting up at 5:30 AM and getting up at 6:30 on the weekends. I'm sure, one day we'll miss these days but it's not that day yet...
Caleb had a fabulous Valentine's day party. We bought gifts for the 2 girls he's in day care with and we for a joke we bought James and Pamela a lovers kit; it had handcuffs, a do not disturb sign, love dice...they absolutely loved it according to Dave when he picked up Caleb that day. I got some nice flowers from Dave sent to my job- Dave went out and brought in food from O'Charleys, we exchanged gifts...I got him a tiny picture of Caleb to put on his necklace and a winter coat...he got me a laser printer (!!!!!!) and a day at the spa which includes a hair cut, style, mani, pedi, a facial and massage...very nice and such a great Valentine's day. It was nice getting to take a nap, get up and have dinner brought to me...and best of all we got to spend it with our baby boy...which made it the best valentine's day ever. The last Valentine's day we had just found out we were pregnant- so this one was pretty surreal.
I better get off here and actually finish the work day out...I keep saying I'll get on here more often and update...but let's be honest- I'm a working mom, I'm lucky to get on here once a month like I've been doing. Til next time...
Praying for Baby Scarlett
