4 months

Well, silly me posted pictures instead of talking about B yesterday! He turned 4 months! How quickly this time has passed!

He is usually a very happy baby (compared to K up until this point!) He loves "talking" - he jabbers all day long! He is super smiley and makes me melt with every gummy grin! He is trying so hard to roll over (I'm not encouraging it!) He loves his toes (who doesn't?!) He loves chewing and sucking on his hands. He still would rather be in the wrap snuggled up next to me than any other place (and I would rather that too!)

He's been sleeping thru the night since about 6 weeks (minus the snafu with HFM and a few days after...) He just doesn't like to nap (taking after Keaton)

He loves being in his jumperoo and jumping and making the silly thing make all sorts of noises.We've had to move it up to the 2nd level - we're not sure if it's because he's that long or if it's his weight weighing it down (I'm not kidding!)

He loves his big brother and watches everything he does (and laughs when K gets into trouble! hhahah!)

We go on Monday for his 4 month check up and 2 vaccinations (1 shot and 1 oral) ((I promise soon, I'll write about what we're doing and why!)) I'm SO excited to see how much he weighs, I really do feel our scale was pretty accurate in saying 18lbs....we shall see!

So that's my baby at 4 months! I could eat him :)
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On the mommy front, I'm just about done with Christmas. I've been busy doing a lot by hand this year and it's been so much fun.

To go along with my peppermint marshmallows I "made" peppermint all purpose cleaner! I bought some 7th Generation All-Purpose cleaner and some peppermint essential oil. In a separate spray bottle I poured 4 oz. of cleaner and a bunch of drops of oil. I shook it & started cleaning...ahhhh, Christmas on my counters! yummmmmy!

I can't wait to show off some of my hand made goods, but not til after Christmas!!

I was also accepted to write for another blog, 24 hour menu. It's a recipe blog that I really enjoy reading. I'm super excited about this! I've really been enjoying coming up with ideas and writing for {busy mommy} as well.

Time to throw dinner in the oven! Til next time

Update (#3) & THE tooth

I totally did update like I'd planned yesterday. It was a HUGE improvement (for B) since the weekend. He nursed great all day which was such a relief. And B showed improvements in the "diaper area" (ie: went to the bathroom A LOT!! YAY!!!)

K's tooth came in...#15, he's close to being even again - once we get the bottom, right "eye" tooth in...

And K has a new favorite saying (Ok, NO is still #1, haha!) "Choo choo" !!! The boy LOVES his trains! He'll push his wooden Melissa & Doug train around "Choo choo"ing the whole time! So precious!

I'm needed!

Update (#2)

Well, the rest of the day went great! He took bottles and even nursed for a long time this evening! I've never been so happy to see a baby eat!!!

He's a little fussy, but nothing that we can't handle.

He's starting to get "the spots" all over his feet and hands...which a friend informed me that it usually the sign of it making its way out of the system (did I get that right, Lindsay?? I was REALLY tired when we talked!) :)

I pray tonight goes as well as last night did, if not better (ie: Keaton sleeps past 6am!)

Update (#1), more teeth

I want to thank everyone for their prayers, advice/tips & encouragement!

Benjamin slept from about 9pm - 845am!!!!

Before that, he drank 6oz. at 3pm and 8oz before falling asleep last night (HUGE steps!!!)

He woke up, nursed for about 15 mins and then took a break and drank 6.5oz from a bottle!!!

I'm so thrilled!!!!

He is currently so tired, he can't keep his eyes open, but still fighting a nap...

I stayed home with the boys from church this morning. Zach has to play...but will hopefully be home soon because this mama needs a break!

Keaton has a tooth coming in (I think after this it's only 5 more to go!) and is fussy beyond belief and, of course, can't understand why Benjamin really needs mommy right now and I can't hold them both in my arms (I've tried...the only thing I haven't tried is K in the mei tei on my back and B in the wrap on my front! Much more screaming, and I may have to resort to that! ;-)

I'm hoping B will get a good nap in (K TOO!!!) I think that'll help him feel tons better! If I could just get him to understand that! :)

I'll try to update tonight on how the rest of the day goes... stay tuned ;-)

What could be next?

Ok, I confess. I'm at the end of my rope with illness in this house.

As I mentioned in my post yesterday, B got his PCvax yesterday morning. Around 1230pm, he started crying. Fussy day? Maybe? Reaction to the vaccine? Shoot, I cry when I get a shot and I know what's going on, I can be OK with a 3 month old being upset over it!

As the night wears on, B is showing no signs of being calmed. He wouldn't nurse, but he would take a bottle - so we did that as often as he'd let us.

Most of the night is a blur. But I know he got a bottle around 330am.

I tried to nurse him around 7. He wouldn't have it. Same thing at 8.

At 830, I finally called the pedis' urgent care number and left a message for a nurse.

At this point, I'm thinking ear infection since he wouldn't nurse.

The story that ensues after this, as Angela would say, "You can't make up this stuff..."
*Note: sarcasm & my thoughts will be italicized. :)

830am - I call and leave a msg. on the nurses' line (their msg. states they have 1 hour to call you back)

950am - I finally call back (they're only open until 1230pm, so I want to make sure if he needs to be seen, we can get him in) The receptionist informs me that my msg. was not received, she jots down my info and promises a nurse will return my call ASAP.

10am - A nurse calls back (one of our favorites from the office - she remembers me and treats me like a human, a concerned, sleep deprived mom - something I really needed) She asks me to bring him on in since he was running a low grade fever over night. She gives me (awful) directions and off we go (to who knows where!)

1040am - I arrive at the urgent care center and sign in. I sit down in a VERY, hot waiting room (I ran out the door so I just threw a sweatshirt on over my nursing tank...it's 29 degrees outside...I can't just whip off the sweatshirt ...ok I could have, but, I chose not to...)

...some time passes and I realize that people are coming in and being called back - no one has asked us for our information yet or anything...I finally go up and ask if they need my info. One receptionist who knows us from our office, looks at her "desk mate" and says, "SHE didn't get your info???" I smiled, said, "No..." She rolls her eyes and says she'll be with me in a minute...

By this point, B is screaming his head off, and there is a family speaking in Spanish about the "baby who wouldn't stop crying"...nice...I did take 5 years of Spanish...and do remember a bit....

a few minutes later, we're called back. Before leaving the waiting room, I noticed a thermostat - it says the room temperature was 81! 81 degrees!!!

We get in an exam room and I notice it's probably 20 degrees cooler, however, I still remove my sweatshirt. The nurse informs me "The Pedi" will be with me in just a few minutes. I'm glad there wasn't a clock on the wall...I'm sure 20 minutes passed...

"The Pedi" (N) walks in and looks at me (T) like I have 4 heads. I inform her how it was so hot out in the lobby, she smiles...I just know this is going to be a fun appointment...

N asks me what is going on. I explain the shot/our delayed schedule, the no sleep, the screaming, the non-eating...She stops me in mid sentence as if she wasn't listening and says, "Let me listen to his chest..." whatever...

N: "He sounds great!"
T: "Yeh, he isn't congest..."
N: cutting me off again, "Let's look at the ears..."
"Oh, Beautiful ears! Not infected!"
T: "Oh good! That was what I was wondering it was! I'm so glad. Do you think..."
N: cutting me off, again, "While he's on your lap facing me, let me look at his throat" (B is as irritated w/ "N" at this point as I am and is screaming bloody murder - she got a nice good look and exclaimed "He has Coxsackievirus!"
T: Ok....
N: "You probably know it as Hand Foot Mouth..." (she goes on to explain what I already know about HFM...it's awful, that's about it...)
T: "Oh great!"
N: "Yes!"

I swear, she genuinely sounded EXCITED that this is what it was.

T: "So how long..."
N: (do I need to say it...she cut me off again!) "...Does it last? Well that depends on the child, but you are probably looking at 5-7 days..."
Why ME?!
T: "Ok, so what can I do?"
N: (She for real rolled her eyes at me) "There isn't a "cure" for it...I can't give him medicine..."
T: "OK...so what can I DO?"
N: (deep sigh) "Well, keep him comfy..."
T: (deep breath...) "OK...my child has not eaten since 3am...WHAT can I do to get him to eat?"
N: "Keep him hydrated..."
T: "And how should I do that if he will NOT nurse??"
N: (another deep sigh) "Well... the best thing to do would be to mix 1/2tsp of Children's benedryl and 1/2tsp. of Maalox and squirt it on the back of his throat...The Maalox will coat his throat and help him swallow...The Benedryl will act as an ((insert big medical word I don't know)) and basically dull the pain..."
T: "Ok, Benedryl and Maalox. Interesting. Do you have a pen so I can jot that down?"
N: "You don't need to write it down. It's easy to remember...1/2 tsp. of each...You should also get some Pedialyte and pretty much sit on the couch and give him dropperfuls..."
T: "OK, so Benedryl & Maalox and Pedialyte..."
N: "NO, you don't mix all three.... Just the Maalox and Benedryl.."

Seriously. If you cut me off one more time, lady...

T: "Oh, one other thing..."
N: (she had her hand on the door and didn't remove it until she actually left the room at the end of this next section...) (deep sigh) "...Yes..."
T: "He gets really fussy when we lay him down flat. That's not characteristic of him...Would it be helpful to lay him on an incline..."
N: "You don't have to do that. He's just wanting you and comfort..." (she opens the door to leave)
T: "No, I really don't think that's what it is...could it possibly be hurting him...."
N: (once AGAIN) "Of course it's hurting him...it's burning when he tries to swallow..."
T: "OK...so there is not a thing I can do?"
N: (as she opens the door and walks out...) "Just TLC, have a good day..."

wow...

For starters. I'm sorry that you have to work on a Saturday, and probably a Sunday too. But you know what. You knew that when you made the choice to become a "Health Care Provider." I'm sorry you got the shaft and you have to work this weekend, Hey, at least you get to be on the cool side of the building! Maybe you wanted to be at the Christmas parade with your kids...guess what, I wanted to sleep last night and I bet my husband did too! Such is life...

I'd also like to add that (in case any medical professionals read this) when patients (especially tired moms!) come in for answers, don't treat them like they should have read your medical text books before coming in...please don't act like I'm wasting your time...and hear me out with all my questions...

And "N" if by some RANDOM chance you read this, I still had a handful of questions that I needed to ask you. If you would have allowed me 30 seconds to allow the fact that my child had HFM to set in, I could have thought of them...now I'm stuck with a handful of questions and left to Google them (B/c I'm SURELY not calling to speak with you tomorrow!)

(For those reading and think this sounds harsh, yes, it may be, but I'm exhausted and worried for my baby....oh, and this is NOT sarcasm!)