Nothing "New"

There is not much news right now, which is nice because things are good, but it also means that we are at a standstill. Our upcoming 4 month appointment on Feb. 6th is all I have to look forward to. And with that, I'm trying not to get my hopes up for anything related to surgery...last week our pediatrician called me and was excited about Calder's weight gain, BUT really hoped that we could get him into the 25th percentile before the surgery. Sadly, my little munchkins just aren't 25th percentile kids. Caydree never was, and I'm not going to assume that we can get there with Calder either...so hopefully we can just prove that the gain is dramatic enough, and CONSISTENT. That's what I thought they were looking for to begin with?!

Being the control freak that I am, this whole experience has been very difficult for me, I feel like we are doing all the right things, but still have no control. I know it will work out when it is supposed to, but putting it off just makes me crazy about all the other things in the future: his palate surgery, hearing and speech to name my biggest concerns. But, for now we just keep waiting...

So, my goal is to get more recent pictures of the chunky-monkey up here today...and maybe put the last of the Christmas decorations away...FOR REAL! Somehow, all of the things I still have control over aren't getting done either, so I don't know what my problem is!?

Weight Check

Today was our weight check...and we are up to 12.1 pounds! He gained 1.4 lbs in 2 weeks, which is awesome! Typical weight gain at this age is anywhere from 4-8 ounces per week, 8 oz being on the really HIGH side. That rice cereal is working it's magic, and Mama is happy about it! SO, our 4 mo. well baby check is on Feb 6th, and hopefully they will have a new surgery date for us then! In the meantime, we will keep chugging the cereal and giving this little man a double chin!

12 pounds!

I finally put Calder on the scale this evening, and he weighed just over 12 pounds! I'm sure it isn't super accurate...but enough to make me happy! A week and a half ago he was 10.13, so he is at least up one pound. That is hopefully enough to have them schedule a new surgery date, power of positive thinking!

the weight...

Well, since my scale battery died just before Christmas (how convenient for me...) I have not been able to weigh the little man. Getting another one should be more of a priority, but I think there was something about it that I've just been trying to ignore. Maybe I was scared that he wasn't going to be gaining...maybe I thought I would analyze every ounce...I don't know.

I do know he is gaining, just not how much. The most obvious signs are the double chin and the chubby toes! Maybe I'll be able to get a picture and/or a battery today to find out just how much. The pediatrician didn't give us a goal weight or rate of gain, I just know we need to fatten him up! Update to come!

hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work I go...

Yes, we have been watching Snow White, and yes, I go back to work tomorrow. I'm anxious to have our routine back...that is the only really difficult thing about long breaks. Everyday for the last week Caydree has asked me if she is going to Linda's--that is daycare, and it makes me feel like chopped liver, but I know she loves it, and that makes me happy!! She misses her friends and her routine too!

So, even though there are no kiddos tomorrow (we have meetings all day) we will see if I can make it on 4 hours of sleep. I had a lot to do tonight, and I'm still not done! Thank goodness I can type this while I pump! LOL. So, off to bed for now!

Rice cereal

So I have a few complaints about rice cereal. First of all, I will say that I still do not feel 100% comfortable feeding it to my 3 month old in a bottle...but that is not something I have control over at this point. It is weight they want, so rice cereal we get! Calder seems to like it just fine, after my experimentation and mastery of thickness/consistency and the opening in the nipple! I think it makes him sleepy, but he needs rest to grow too, right?? Our weight check is on the 20th, so I'm hoping that this has made enough of a difference!

I guess my biggest complaint about rice cereal is how messy it is! It sticks to everything...wet or dry! Those little flakes are all over my counter, all the time. Then when you try to wipe them up with something damp or wet, they just smear sticky rice starch all over! Break out the dust-buster to clean this stuff up...gross. It's not quite as easy as powdered formula either, at least that can be shaken. WELL, technically I'm not shaking anything. Fun fact about breast milk is that it is not supposed to be shaken, so we "swirl"--A LOT. :) Needless to say, rice cereal does not swirl well either. Guess I'll be carrying another utensil with me in the diaper bag--something I can use to stir! Mixing is key, otherwise it is gloppy and has chunks!

None of it matters though, I'd do ANYTHING for my little man!

We'll keep you posted on weight. I'd hop on the scale to do a check here at home, but my battery died! So the 20th it is...this kid better be above the 3rd percentile!!

NO surgery...for now

So, yesterday was a bit disappointing. I received a phone call from the plastic surgeon recommending that we postpone Calder's lip surgery. He was scheduled to go in this coming Tuesday, Jan. 12...and it was a pretty big deal to get all ready and geared up for it...then to have the wind taken out of our sails...

ALL for good reason though. He has been struggling a little with his weight, he is just over 3 months and only weighs 10 lb. 13 oz. For a "normal" baby this might not be a huge deal, but for a munchkin that happens to have a cleft lip and palate, has to have surgery to fix it, and then has to recover...this is not so great. He is only in the 3rd percentile on the growth charts, and if he drops any lower he will be labeled "failure to thrive"...FOR REAL?! My baby is thriving, and is absolutely healthy, he just so happens to be cursed with his daddy's genes (which will be great later in life!) and super fast metabolism. Caydree was/is the same way, always on the petite side.

So, we are increasing his calories again...but this time we are dropping the formula completely and going straight for the rice cereal. This freaks me out a bit, it's not really something I'm comfortable with yet, but we are putting our trust in the doctors and hoping that it works! We were adding a teaspoon of formula powder to every 3 oz of breastmilk, but now we are using the cereal instead. It's a thick mixture, so I've had to cross-cut the nipples of the bottles we've been using, and Calder has had to get used to the consistency and the faster flow!

His pediatrician also prescribed medication for reflux...which we think he has a mild case of. Fairly typical from what I understand, but hopefully we will get a good weight result from the two!

We were relieved that they do not think there is any underlying issue...which there could have been, so we will keep close tabs on it, and fatten him up for the surgery next month. We don't have a new date yet, but I'll keep everyone posted!

So, some of the very best times in my life, have to be followed by some of the saddest days...Grandma and Grandpa come to visit, and spend a wonderful time with us...we are all incredibly spoiled while they are here, and then they have to leave.

I guess maybe I never envisioned my immediate family living so far apart. I leave to take them to the airport any minute, and will probably cry the whole way home... and then spend the next week readjusting to life as we normally know it around here. :(

I know they hate it as much if not more than I do. Words cannot ever begin to describe the gratitude and love we have for them!!

SO, Mom and Dad--thank you for a wonderful visit, it is never long enough and we wish they never had to end. We anxiously await the next one, and it can't come soon enough!!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!

Christmas

So, a relatively uneventful Christmas at home with family this year...well, not all of them but...

Caydree got a very fancy princess "Belle" dress-up from Santa, and has literally been dressed up ever since. She has maybe worn regular clothes for a total of 2 hours a day (daytime...we do manage to get her into jammies at night...) but seriously? She is about the girliest girl I could ever imagine we'd have!!

She also got a pair of Cinderella 'glass' slippers (they are really plastic) from Grandma. Only about 3 sizes too big, she will get to wear them for years to come! Don't you love the picture of her holding up the dress so you can see them?! Even funnier is her clopping around the house in them, while she is holding the dress up!

Thankfully, since Grandma and Grandpa have been here we have gotten some storage solutions for the dress up garb...a spinning tower, wall hooks, hangers and good habits! Thanks G & G...let's pray this lasts!!

Calder, on the other hand, did get some clothes, but no dress-ups. He has just become more and more of a little person in the past few weeks...not to say that he wasn't before...but more personality is coming out everyday! He actually acts shy when you smile at him, and will coyly turn his head away...he will watch TV, just like his daddy, and literally not take his eyes off of it...and he also does this raise one eyebrow thing...quite possibly a reflex, but always at seemingly appropriate times...TOO funny!

We have been taking lots of pictures...hundreds because Grandma is here...love it!
His lip surgery is in less than 2 weeks, so it will be so nice to have all of these great smiles and expressions on film now...I'm sure there will be lots of new ones soon, and I want to remember every beautiful expression and smile we have seen so far. I feel so blessed, even though I know that babies who are showered with an infinite amount of love and affection are typically pretty happy...this little man is just so amazing. He lights up the room, and you just can't help but love him a thousand times more every time you see him!

I'm not really scared about his surgery, just anxious if it will change his personality after...I love him so much now...
You don't ever want to see your child hurting or in pain...I know he needs to have the surgery, and I know there will be more to come...I know the results will be great, but I worry about the recovery...just want my sweet, happy, loving little boy to be himself. Please pray for us!

HOW COULD YOU NOT LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS LITTLE MAN?!?!