I have written this six month update twice and it's gone missing. Crazy!
Anyway, the biggest news this month is Colt's first tooth! I can't believe how early it came in. Nearly two months earlier than Lucy's first- yet another reminder that one baby does not prepare you for another!
Life has been very busy, but Colt has kept up with it all. And he's acquired every nasty cold possible from it. He's been to the doctor 4 weeks in a row now. He's having a hard time with wheezing, which is especially problematic with the laryngomalachia. I think we might finally have it under control though.
This month was busy and fun and really a blast developmentally for Colt. He is sitting up very well, rolling all over, reaching, grabbing, laughing, babbling, smiling, melting hearts and generally keeping us happy happy happy!
At 6 months, our big boy is about 19.5lb and 26.5in- he's quite a bit of perfect baby boy! He is enjoying cereal, sweet potatoes, peas, green beans and now apples!
Monday, October 22, 2012
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
At five months
At five months, this little guy is just plain fun- there's no better way to describe him. Colt is sitting up on his own now, and for long periods of time. Because he can sit up, he has become much more involved in the daily activities of our family. He is now more than a bystander and he's not afraid to make his opinion known.
This month, we had a major shift in routine. I went back to school- and I have a night class. On Mondays, I pack up the kids and daddy and drop them off with my mom. Grandma feeds the crew and helps with baths before sending Jason home with the kiddos around 8. Jason gets both kids (and often both dogs) into the house and settled in bed all by himself. I'm so proud of him- bedtime is a tall order in our house, even with Lucy, who is a fantastic sleeper. And, Colt still isn't keen on a bottle, so Jason manages to get our little Cowboy to bed without any milk! What?! Luckily, I can nurse C before class and as soon as I get home around 9:30.
Thursday's are different now too. We go to Grandma's house again and hang out all afternoon while I'm in meetings and class. I get back around 6:15, we eat dinner and head home. I'm so thankful for the help with the kids, and Colt is really getting comfortable spending some time away from me. I know that's a function of practice and his growth and development. I'm just so proud to see him comfortable relying on other people who love him and are more than capable of giving him what he needs in my absence! (And I should add Aunt Tiffy gets in on the action, helping with the babies as often as possible!)
So, C is sitting and rolling (belly to back), but hasn't conquered back to belly yet. I think I'm less concerned with developmental milestones with C than I am with Lucy. And I think this has to do with him being my second child. With Lucy, I've always been so excited to see what she does or learns next, but Colt might be my youngest child... so I might never have a baby again. The idea of that makes me want to freeze time. Babies grow up way too fast!
I mentioned that C isn't rolling back to belly just yet. That is completely related to his laryngomalachia, which makes it harder to breathe in certain positions. Colt seems to struggle most on his belly. We are counting down the days to 6 months, as we have been told that is the peak time for complications from laryngomalachia. Only time will tell when we can fully let down our guard, but we haven't had any scares and I don't think we will. Colt and Lucy both caught a cold this month. Lucy had much worse symptoms, slept worse and ate miserably. However, I was so scared that Colt would get as bad as Lucy's symptoms. We visited the pedi, who taught us how to count breaths per minute and explained what to do when Colt's breathing landed in the "danger zone". Luckily, Colt never caught much and Lucy cleared up quickly. Thank goodness they can be at home with us!
We are starting some baby foods with Colt. He loves rice cereal, and tolerates barley cereal and sweet peas. He is really interested in food and drinks, often leaning into whatever someone else is eating. And while his weight indicates no need for food other than breastmilk, I'm excited to watch him explore foods soon. I think Jason and I did a great job exposing Lucy to foods, which shows in her healthy and variable palate now. This go round, I'm confident we can do the same with Colt!
I'm blessed with the two most perfect children ever. They are so much fun, bring so much joy to others, and love each other a lot! I'm lucky to be their momma:)
This month, we had a major shift in routine. I went back to school- and I have a night class. On Mondays, I pack up the kids and daddy and drop them off with my mom. Grandma feeds the crew and helps with baths before sending Jason home with the kiddos around 8. Jason gets both kids (and often both dogs) into the house and settled in bed all by himself. I'm so proud of him- bedtime is a tall order in our house, even with Lucy, who is a fantastic sleeper. And, Colt still isn't keen on a bottle, so Jason manages to get our little Cowboy to bed without any milk! What?! Luckily, I can nurse C before class and as soon as I get home around 9:30.
Thursday's are different now too. We go to Grandma's house again and hang out all afternoon while I'm in meetings and class. I get back around 6:15, we eat dinner and head home. I'm so thankful for the help with the kids, and Colt is really getting comfortable spending some time away from me. I know that's a function of practice and his growth and development. I'm just so proud to see him comfortable relying on other people who love him and are more than capable of giving him what he needs in my absence! (And I should add Aunt Tiffy gets in on the action, helping with the babies as often as possible!)
So, C is sitting and rolling (belly to back), but hasn't conquered back to belly yet. I think I'm less concerned with developmental milestones with C than I am with Lucy. And I think this has to do with him being my second child. With Lucy, I've always been so excited to see what she does or learns next, but Colt might be my youngest child... so I might never have a baby again. The idea of that makes me want to freeze time. Babies grow up way too fast!
I mentioned that C isn't rolling back to belly just yet. That is completely related to his laryngomalachia, which makes it harder to breathe in certain positions. Colt seems to struggle most on his belly. We are counting down the days to 6 months, as we have been told that is the peak time for complications from laryngomalachia. Only time will tell when we can fully let down our guard, but we haven't had any scares and I don't think we will. Colt and Lucy both caught a cold this month. Lucy had much worse symptoms, slept worse and ate miserably. However, I was so scared that Colt would get as bad as Lucy's symptoms. We visited the pedi, who taught us how to count breaths per minute and explained what to do when Colt's breathing landed in the "danger zone". Luckily, Colt never caught much and Lucy cleared up quickly. Thank goodness they can be at home with us!
We are starting some baby foods with Colt. He loves rice cereal, and tolerates barley cereal and sweet peas. He is really interested in food and drinks, often leaning into whatever someone else is eating. And while his weight indicates no need for food other than breastmilk, I'm excited to watch him explore foods soon. I think Jason and I did a great job exposing Lucy to foods, which shows in her healthy and variable palate now. This go round, I'm confident we can do the same with Colt!
I'm blessed with the two most perfect children ever. They are so much fun, bring so much joy to others, and love each other a lot! I'm lucky to be their momma:)
Friday, August 17, 2012
Four months later...
I've been waiting to write this month's update until Colt visited the pedi so we could report just how much our little guy has grown. We scheduled the kids to go together so it had to wait a little later than previous months. For that purpose, this will include a 5 month preview! Woo hoo!
During Bigun's fourth month, we decided to pack up and head out. We spent most of July out of our house. We celebrated the fourth of July at Grandma's house and then spent the night in Nicholasville after watching fireworks at RJ Corman's. Colt slept through the show, but it was pretty late for him.
After the Fourth, we spent a day at the zoo. Colt really seemed to enjoy the day with Grandma and Aunt Tiffy. He really likes the manatee exhibit. And loves to watch whatever his big sister is doing:)
On July 13, we embarked on our first family of four vaca. We went to Nana and PaDon's house for the night. The next morning, we hopped back into the car for the quick and pleasant drive to Montgomery, Alabama. (Sarcasm intended.). After 12 hours and a major meltdown (by Colt and his mommy), we arrived at the hotel.
After the night in his first hotel, we buckled Colt back up for the four(ish) hour drive to Panama City Beach! The condo, sand and waves are a very welcome sight!
During our two weeks at PCB, Colt played in the ocean a little, napped on the beach a lot, and fell in love with the pool! I'm not sure I can imagine anything more peaceful than snuggling my baby on the beach, cool breeze keeping us comfy under the umbrella, listening to the waves and Lucy's giggles as she and her daddy play in those waves. It did my soul good to spend that time away from home and all it's stresses.
We were also introduced to the effectiveness of flaxseed. Mommy might have eaten a bit too much, as evidenced by the major explosion that left quite a nasty puddle in the bumbo!
After a very fun vacation (the first one where I haven't been pregnant in 2 years!), we packed up and headed home. We decided to leave early in the morning to try to make it a one day trip. We expected to spend 16 hours traveling. We beat our time expecting by 12 minutes. On the trip home, everyone did well. The kids became a bit restless near Knoxville, so we stopped at a rest area and had a picnic. That was so much fun! I think we will always plan to do that in the future- there were dogs, trucks and sticks. Those are some of our favorite things! We played and Colt was able to take his time nursing. Lucy dug in the dirt. We all changed clothes and left feeling rejuvenated for the last 6 hours of travel.
Colt has been trying so hard to sit up and roll over this month. He can almost roll both belly to back and back to belly. With the laryngomalachia, he struggles to breathe on his belly sometimes, so we are picky about tummy time. When it's well timed, Colt loves it, though!
Here's a 5 month spoiler! As of August 5, Colt can sit on his own. And on August 16, he rolled his hips all the way over (back to belly), but is still refusing to pivot his shoulders- it is the strangest position! He is very strong, though. He can scoot and wiggle into nearly any position he desires!
On August 17, Colt weighed 17lb, 12 oz! And my little butterball is 24.5 in. tall. He is definitely eating like he's about to just shoot up in height! And I'm so thankful he's such a butterball- its preventing a very invasive throat surgery. Speaking of the laryngomalachia, it is definitely still getting worse and we are still adjusting to the constant wheezing noise. I am just so glad Colt eats so well and has such a pleasant disposition. If he were to stop eating well, lose weight or even become uncomfortable, we would have to consider the corrective surgery. Typically, laryngomalachia peaks at 6 months and decreases in severity until age 2. So these next 6/7 weeks are critical for us all. Your prayers are appreciated and have certainly worked this far. It's a miracle that Colt has not needed surgery yet since his larynx is considered severely immature, and therefore severely impaired.
This squeaky boy is such a joy for us! He is smiling and just cracks up laughing at everything! He is ticklish and good natured about being tickled! His hair is growing and looks a touch redder than Lucy's. Colt still favors his daddy, but I can see some of his momma peeking through (especially when he's asleep).
I feel very balanced as a family right now. I won't pretend to assume I know what the future holds for us; however, I am confident this is whom we were meant to be right now: the four of us. I just hope my baby's baby-ness doesn't disappear too quickly!
During Bigun's fourth month, we decided to pack up and head out. We spent most of July out of our house. We celebrated the fourth of July at Grandma's house and then spent the night in Nicholasville after watching fireworks at RJ Corman's. Colt slept through the show, but it was pretty late for him.
After the Fourth, we spent a day at the zoo. Colt really seemed to enjoy the day with Grandma and Aunt Tiffy. He really likes the manatee exhibit. And loves to watch whatever his big sister is doing:)
On July 13, we embarked on our first family of four vaca. We went to Nana and PaDon's house for the night. The next morning, we hopped back into the car for the quick and pleasant drive to Montgomery, Alabama. (Sarcasm intended.). After 12 hours and a major meltdown (by Colt and his mommy), we arrived at the hotel.
After the night in his first hotel, we buckled Colt back up for the four(ish) hour drive to Panama City Beach! The condo, sand and waves are a very welcome sight!
During our two weeks at PCB, Colt played in the ocean a little, napped on the beach a lot, and fell in love with the pool! I'm not sure I can imagine anything more peaceful than snuggling my baby on the beach, cool breeze keeping us comfy under the umbrella, listening to the waves and Lucy's giggles as she and her daddy play in those waves. It did my soul good to spend that time away from home and all it's stresses.
We were also introduced to the effectiveness of flaxseed. Mommy might have eaten a bit too much, as evidenced by the major explosion that left quite a nasty puddle in the bumbo!
After a very fun vacation (the first one where I haven't been pregnant in 2 years!), we packed up and headed home. We decided to leave early in the morning to try to make it a one day trip. We expected to spend 16 hours traveling. We beat our time expecting by 12 minutes. On the trip home, everyone did well. The kids became a bit restless near Knoxville, so we stopped at a rest area and had a picnic. That was so much fun! I think we will always plan to do that in the future- there were dogs, trucks and sticks. Those are some of our favorite things! We played and Colt was able to take his time nursing. Lucy dug in the dirt. We all changed clothes and left feeling rejuvenated for the last 6 hours of travel.
Colt has been trying so hard to sit up and roll over this month. He can almost roll both belly to back and back to belly. With the laryngomalachia, he struggles to breathe on his belly sometimes, so we are picky about tummy time. When it's well timed, Colt loves it, though!
Here's a 5 month spoiler! As of August 5, Colt can sit on his own. And on August 16, he rolled his hips all the way over (back to belly), but is still refusing to pivot his shoulders- it is the strangest position! He is very strong, though. He can scoot and wiggle into nearly any position he desires!
On August 17, Colt weighed 17lb, 12 oz! And my little butterball is 24.5 in. tall. He is definitely eating like he's about to just shoot up in height! And I'm so thankful he's such a butterball- its preventing a very invasive throat surgery. Speaking of the laryngomalachia, it is definitely still getting worse and we are still adjusting to the constant wheezing noise. I am just so glad Colt eats so well and has such a pleasant disposition. If he were to stop eating well, lose weight or even become uncomfortable, we would have to consider the corrective surgery. Typically, laryngomalachia peaks at 6 months and decreases in severity until age 2. So these next 6/7 weeks are critical for us all. Your prayers are appreciated and have certainly worked this far. It's a miracle that Colt has not needed surgery yet since his larynx is considered severely immature, and therefore severely impaired.
This squeaky boy is such a joy for us! He is smiling and just cracks up laughing at everything! He is ticklish and good natured about being tickled! His hair is growing and looks a touch redder than Lucy's. Colt still favors his daddy, but I can see some of his momma peeking through (especially when he's asleep).
I feel very balanced as a family right now. I won't pretend to assume I know what the future holds for us; however, I am confident this is whom we were meant to be right now: the four of us. I just hope my baby's baby-ness doesn't disappear too quickly!
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Colt's Quarter Year BDay!
Three months went fast! I read once that children make days move slower than ever and years pass in the blink of an eye. I must agree.
Some days are still rough. That's the case with any baby. Add a toddler to the mix, and you have yourself an (I need a cocktail) party!
Colt is growing like a darn weed! He weighs about 15lbs and I'll guess and say he's about 24 in. tall? Maybe longer. It's hard to get hung up on stuff like that with two babies.
Not only growing in size, an awesome little personality is becoming in my little man. Smiling started months ago, but now Colt is giving full out belly laughs. He is quite ticklish and loves for Momma to tickle his belly and sides. He enjoys chatting, kicking anything and anyone, and mostly loves to be around his big sister. Seriously, Colt is just in love with Lucy. He adores watching her play, likes sitting with her, calms whenever he finds her through his tears. Not many people have someone who provides such comfort and constant like Lucy does for Colt- and as Colt will eventually provide for Lucy. I'm just so glad they have one another.
Life with laryngomalachia is unique. Luckily, we were able to visit the ENT this month, note that Colt continues to have no symptoms (except severe wheezing some days), and have been released from follow up visitation. We were told that we should call to bring him back in to see Dr. W immediately if anything changes- and of course, we have to watch him vigilantly for signs that he isn't getting enough oxygen. If his feet or hands start to look blue, we have to head to the ER immediately. (Much like any other person would do!)
And some days are harder than others. Jason and I both seem to know what conditions will make breathing harder for Colt. It's quite a learning experience though.
We visited Central baptist quite a few times this month. Unemployment has a couple of perks and we're relishing them all! On one trip to church, we had an awful time at an outdoor picnic. I had no idea the weather would be so warm, the air so thick, breathing difficult for someone with a regular larynx. Colt screamed in pain, sucked in air harder and harder, and just plain fought me any time we stepped foot outside. We decided then that he would not be out in 90+ degree heat again. This new rule has canceled a few plans for zoo trips or pool days, but it's worth it to keep Colt out of the hospital.
Another uniqueness of life with laryngomalachia is tummy time. I dont know many babies who enjoy tummy time; however, Colt loves being on his tummy... sometimes. He either stays in tummy time for quite a while, playing and scooting around the mat... or... screams his head off, irritating his larynx, making himself vomit and wheeze and turn all sorts of red. Just like any child, life with Colt is a matter of interpreting moods and feelings. Sometimes I get it right... other times...
Colt has also started to use the bumbo more this month. I made Lucy wait until 4 months to sit up in it, but Colt took to it around 2 months (they were roughly the same size at those times). Colt spends time everyday playing from his seat. And when he isn't using it, Lucy likes to make us laugh by plopping down in it. Colt received a new little piano from his grandma this week. He loves to swap at it, grab ahold, listen to the music and let it go so he can kick at it.
In addition to the ENT and church, we also went to the zoo, Lexington Explorium, the aquarium, Totters otter ville, Storytime at the library and Joseph Beth... I think the aquarium has been his favorite though. It's a nice indoor activity, with fun things to see and experience. Though, we did go to the zoo one morning and left at lunch. The temp only hit 70 as we left- since it was so nice (and empty at the zoo), Colt enjoyed strolling through the zoo and stopping as needed to nurse without sweating!
Despite the whole breathing issue, Colt has moved out of momma's room and into his own space. He actually slept in there for a week or so before we learned about the laryngomalachia. At 3 months, we have moved both kids. Lucy slept in her crib then, but we have kept Colt in his bassinet- the fisher price rock and play sleeper. It's an inclined little chair/ bed that helps Colt sleep soundly (whereas he struggles to breathe flat on his back).
Before we moved him, we perfected the nighttime routine. Colt is now sleeping swaddled with an old iPhone playing white noise (rain on a car to be exact) all night. He falls asleep with his Cloud B sleepy giraffe on, it sounds like a heartbeat. 45 minutes of that nearly puts me to sleep too. However, most nights that combo keeps Colt asleep from 8pm until 4-5am, and then until 8am or whenever Lucy demands we get up:)
All in all, things are going wonderfully at our house. We are gearing up for the big Colliver family vacation. This will be the first time Colt visits panama city beach and stays at his grandparents condo. It'll be the first time either of our kids experience a big family trip like this. Neither of them will likely remember this trip, but the photos will be awesome! And maybe I'll get a nap!
Some days are still rough. That's the case with any baby. Add a toddler to the mix, and you have yourself an (I need a cocktail) party!
Colt is growing like a darn weed! He weighs about 15lbs and I'll guess and say he's about 24 in. tall? Maybe longer. It's hard to get hung up on stuff like that with two babies.
Not only growing in size, an awesome little personality is becoming in my little man. Smiling started months ago, but now Colt is giving full out belly laughs. He is quite ticklish and loves for Momma to tickle his belly and sides. He enjoys chatting, kicking anything and anyone, and mostly loves to be around his big sister. Seriously, Colt is just in love with Lucy. He adores watching her play, likes sitting with her, calms whenever he finds her through his tears. Not many people have someone who provides such comfort and constant like Lucy does for Colt- and as Colt will eventually provide for Lucy. I'm just so glad they have one another.
Life with laryngomalachia is unique. Luckily, we were able to visit the ENT this month, note that Colt continues to have no symptoms (except severe wheezing some days), and have been released from follow up visitation. We were told that we should call to bring him back in to see Dr. W immediately if anything changes- and of course, we have to watch him vigilantly for signs that he isn't getting enough oxygen. If his feet or hands start to look blue, we have to head to the ER immediately. (Much like any other person would do!)
And some days are harder than others. Jason and I both seem to know what conditions will make breathing harder for Colt. It's quite a learning experience though.
We visited Central baptist quite a few times this month. Unemployment has a couple of perks and we're relishing them all! On one trip to church, we had an awful time at an outdoor picnic. I had no idea the weather would be so warm, the air so thick, breathing difficult for someone with a regular larynx. Colt screamed in pain, sucked in air harder and harder, and just plain fought me any time we stepped foot outside. We decided then that he would not be out in 90+ degree heat again. This new rule has canceled a few plans for zoo trips or pool days, but it's worth it to keep Colt out of the hospital.
Another uniqueness of life with laryngomalachia is tummy time. I dont know many babies who enjoy tummy time; however, Colt loves being on his tummy... sometimes. He either stays in tummy time for quite a while, playing and scooting around the mat... or... screams his head off, irritating his larynx, making himself vomit and wheeze and turn all sorts of red. Just like any child, life with Colt is a matter of interpreting moods and feelings. Sometimes I get it right... other times...
Colt has also started to use the bumbo more this month. I made Lucy wait until 4 months to sit up in it, but Colt took to it around 2 months (they were roughly the same size at those times). Colt spends time everyday playing from his seat. And when he isn't using it, Lucy likes to make us laugh by plopping down in it. Colt received a new little piano from his grandma this week. He loves to swap at it, grab ahold, listen to the music and let it go so he can kick at it.
In addition to the ENT and church, we also went to the zoo, Lexington Explorium, the aquarium, Totters otter ville, Storytime at the library and Joseph Beth... I think the aquarium has been his favorite though. It's a nice indoor activity, with fun things to see and experience. Though, we did go to the zoo one morning and left at lunch. The temp only hit 70 as we left- since it was so nice (and empty at the zoo), Colt enjoyed strolling through the zoo and stopping as needed to nurse without sweating!
Despite the whole breathing issue, Colt has moved out of momma's room and into his own space. He actually slept in there for a week or so before we learned about the laryngomalachia. At 3 months, we have moved both kids. Lucy slept in her crib then, but we have kept Colt in his bassinet- the fisher price rock and play sleeper. It's an inclined little chair/ bed that helps Colt sleep soundly (whereas he struggles to breathe flat on his back).
Before we moved him, we perfected the nighttime routine. Colt is now sleeping swaddled with an old iPhone playing white noise (rain on a car to be exact) all night. He falls asleep with his Cloud B sleepy giraffe on, it sounds like a heartbeat. 45 minutes of that nearly puts me to sleep too. However, most nights that combo keeps Colt asleep from 8pm until 4-5am, and then until 8am or whenever Lucy demands we get up:)
All in all, things are going wonderfully at our house. We are gearing up for the big Colliver family vacation. This will be the first time Colt visits panama city beach and stays at his grandparents condo. It'll be the first time either of our kids experience a big family trip like this. Neither of them will likely remember this trip, but the photos will be awesome! And maybe I'll get a nap!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Colt's Second Month
Many things have happened this month. Colt is growing bigger and bigger... No kidding he'll be in 6 month sized clothes before he's three months old. He's wearing a bunch of them now! (I'll put in how big he actually is once we see the doctor for his 2 month check up on Friday. -Update: 13lbs, 21 3/4 in)
Colt has started to giggle, smile when he recognizes people other than mommy and is even starting to sit up supported. He enjoys the play mat and bumbo! Loooooves mirrors and his sister. Is enjoying naps with Daddy.
Colt is eating every 2-3 hours during the day. I'm mostly still feeding on demand. I figure it's a benefit of being home and he has his own little schedule so I try to go along with it as much as possible.
This month can be defined in one word: scary! We learned about laryngomalachia- who knew we'd be on first name basis with a pediatric ENT?! At Colt's follow up visit, it was decided that surgery is unnecessary. He isn't any louder and he continues to gain weight well. We visit again at the end of June. The Prevacid seems to be working well though and all around we have less fussing, better feedings and easier breathing! What wonderful improvements:)
This month was also scary because Jason's position with Maronda Homes was eliminated, so he was terminated with only 8 hours notice. I still don't know how my husband had the wherewithal to drive home alone for 30 minutes knowing he had news that would devastate me and really challenge our family. But we are getting through this together and with the help of our parents and the grace of our God. There are so many lessons that I hope Colt and Lucy learn as a result of this experience. I hope they learn to live simply. This has been our greatest adjustment. Clothes on the line. Dishes by hand. Windows open. We have always done these things to some extent. I love laundry that's been warmed in the sun and scented by a cool breeze. The first time I lived somewhere with a dishwasher, I was 22. We can live simply, save money an d maintain our quality of life. That's what I hope my kids remember about this time in our life and practice later in their own.
Also, I want my children to understand that bank accounts can be filled, stomachs can be bloated with food, houses can be huge and full of belongings, but joy isn't promised to those with things. Joy is within. Financially, we're being extremely conservative and attempting to prevent a long term fall out. We're going to need to eat from our own garden more than normal this year. And we're probably going to need to get rid of some belongings. But we are full of joy because we are together, we have help, and we have been blessed with the love of a family. And not just any family, but a family created by God, who knew this would happen, who provided for us before it occurred, and who walks with us as we navigate through it.
Colt,
You make me rich.
Never in my life have I prayed to be wealthy. Never have I prayed that I'd never need help. Never did I ask God to give me things.
But I begged and pleaded to have you and Lucy.
The Lord answered the desire of my heart. We have no reason to live in fear, no matter how scary life gets, because we have been given to one another. Baby boy, remember that your family will always keep you safe and protected, just as God intended.
All my love,
Momma
Colt has started to giggle, smile when he recognizes people other than mommy and is even starting to sit up supported. He enjoys the play mat and bumbo! Loooooves mirrors and his sister. Is enjoying naps with Daddy.
Colt is eating every 2-3 hours during the day. I'm mostly still feeding on demand. I figure it's a benefit of being home and he has his own little schedule so I try to go along with it as much as possible.
This month can be defined in one word: scary! We learned about laryngomalachia- who knew we'd be on first name basis with a pediatric ENT?! At Colt's follow up visit, it was decided that surgery is unnecessary. He isn't any louder and he continues to gain weight well. We visit again at the end of June. The Prevacid seems to be working well though and all around we have less fussing, better feedings and easier breathing! What wonderful improvements:)
This month was also scary because Jason's position with Maronda Homes was eliminated, so he was terminated with only 8 hours notice. I still don't know how my husband had the wherewithal to drive home alone for 30 minutes knowing he had news that would devastate me and really challenge our family. But we are getting through this together and with the help of our parents and the grace of our God. There are so many lessons that I hope Colt and Lucy learn as a result of this experience. I hope they learn to live simply. This has been our greatest adjustment. Clothes on the line. Dishes by hand. Windows open. We have always done these things to some extent. I love laundry that's been warmed in the sun and scented by a cool breeze. The first time I lived somewhere with a dishwasher, I was 22. We can live simply, save money an d maintain our quality of life. That's what I hope my kids remember about this time in our life and practice later in their own.
Also, I want my children to understand that bank accounts can be filled, stomachs can be bloated with food, houses can be huge and full of belongings, but joy isn't promised to those with things. Joy is within. Financially, we're being extremely conservative and attempting to prevent a long term fall out. We're going to need to eat from our own garden more than normal this year. And we're probably going to need to get rid of some belongings. But we are full of joy because we are together, we have help, and we have been blessed with the love of a family. And not just any family, but a family created by God, who knew this would happen, who provided for us before it occurred, and who walks with us as we navigate through it.
Colt,
You make me rich.
Never in my life have I prayed to be wealthy. Never have I prayed that I'd never need help. Never did I ask God to give me things.
But I begged and pleaded to have you and Lucy.
The Lord answered the desire of my heart. We have no reason to live in fear, no matter how scary life gets, because we have been given to one another. Baby boy, remember that your family will always keep you safe and protected, just as God intended.
All my love,
Momma
Friday, May 25, 2012
Just keep swimming.
When Lucy was born, we thought that was the end of our medical education. Between hyperprolactinema and single umbilical artery, we were well educated in infertility and high risk pregnancy business. We didn't know what a coloboma was and we didn't think we would need to. But alas, Lucy came with two beautiful eyes- one looking a bit unusual and thus began our higher education into all things weird pediatric!
Now don't get me wrong- Lucy has a coloboma that causes her NO TROUBLE! We don't really have any idea what her vision will grow into, but these poor babies share genetics with me and my eyesight kinda blows. So eye exams and the potential for glasses/ contacts/ etc doesn't surprise us or worry us. It is what it is.
You know what does worry me though? My nearly 2 month might stop breathing, could choke and turn blue, might require surgery. I know- where did that come from?! It
hit us out of nowhere too.
A week ago, I thought Colt had normal newborn congestion. In fact, I've been told by medical types that he sounds fine for a c section baby. I never worried. As a second time mom, I rarely worried that he would stop breathing while I was asleep. So please understand that no one in our house expected this week to happen as it has.
Last Friday, we celebrated my father-in-law's 60th birthday. It was a great party and we visited with many friends. A lot of people were able to finally meet Colt. So Monday morning when Colt woke up a little wheezy and chest rattling, I thought he picked up a party cold. No big deal, right?
In my "be prepared" momma wisdom, I called the pediatrician. My question "how will I know the difference between his normal newborn congestion and a cold- and can I prevent it from spreading to his sister?". Their response "I can hear him through the phone. We need to check him out immediately."
I still didn't think much of it. Ok, he's noisy. Always has been. So I took Colt in to see Dr Miller while my mom hung out with Lucy. As the nurse got Colt's stats, she asked plenty of questions about the squeak/ noise/ problem. She wanted to get the oxygen thingy (I can say the word but not spell)... Colt's oxygen was 95. I know from colds with Lucy that 95 isn't ideal, but isn't serious (doesn't require supplemental oxygen). So I waited with my agitated boy to see Dr M. Finally, she came in with a barrage of questions. I still feel incredibly dumb because I don't really know how best to answer some of these. "He doesn't always make so much noise. I guess it's getting worse. He is a spitter and chokes/ gags when my milk lets down (or so I thought). Of course he'a louder when agitated, so am I."
After the questions and a quick exam, she just said "Yeah, he's too loud." Apparently the noise is called infantile inspiratory stridor. You can google that and find some great info. It's fairly common and well described online. The stridor isn't the problem, the cause of the stridor is. Dr M thought Colt might have a mild form of laryngomalachia. Say that five times fast.
A mild case for the following reasons: my son is huge! Talk about an effective eater. He was 12lbs at 7 weeks. (No need to worry about milk supply issues this time!) So, yeah- that's what makes this seem mild. Regardless, it was necessary to confirm the diagnosis and so Dr M called Children's hospital for an immediate appointment with the ENT, Dr W.
This all happened within a few minutes. I sent Jason a text message, not knowing anywhere near enough, telling him that Colt has Stridor and needs to go to Children's ASAP. Cool. (Sarcasm.)
ASAP was actually Tuesday afternoon. Jason took a few hours off work to go with me. We didn't know what to expect except a flexible scope. And that's what happened. After answering all of the same questions from Monday's pedi visit, Colt had to be held tightly against me while a camera was stuck down his nose into his airways. Again, cool. (Also again, sarcasm.)
Laryngomalachia occurs on a continuum. (Here's the newest lesson in my pediatric medical degree.) The mild cases are most common- like 99% kinda common. A noisy baby who eats and gains weight appropriately, may have some GERD/ acid reflux issues, and has visual vocal chords as seen in a scope.
Severe laryngomalachia is related to failure to thrive- baby won't eat, can't gain weight, spits up, gags, chokes, coughs, stops breathing, turns blue and has barely visual vocal chords.
Colt is symptomatically mild. However, the scope showed that he is anatomically severe. Even I was aware that something looked wrong during the scope. It was nearly impossible to see his vocal chords when he took a breath in. And my poor boy was screaming at the top of his lungs, so clearly he was moving air vigorously.
Since Colt is night and day, clinically and experientially, we were given a choice. Dr W asked how scared we were about this. I didn't know until the day before that I needed to be scared, so not much. Did we see a problem with his eating/ breathing/ sleeping? Maybe he's a bit more fussy than Lucy was, but I don't compare them much. I assumed a bit more fussy was still in the normal fussy baby range. I don't know!
Our plan: Colt is now on the highest, most aggressive medication for GERD/ acid reflux. Often the acid in spit up splashes onto a baby's vocal box and causes swelling- not an issue if your voice box has an adequate opening. Huge issue is the dang thing closes up on its own anyway! So, we are praying that the Prevacid will decrease some of the voice box swelling. If it does, we will continue with this plan as long as possible. Laryngomalachia is a condition that occurs predominately in children. It gets worse in the first 6-8 months of life, but is almost always gone by age 2. As long as Colt is able to breath and eat adequately, he will just be a noisy boy for a while.
However, if the Prevacid doesn't work- or if we report worsening symptoms- my baby will need a pretty invasive throat surgery to remove this extra tissue in his larynx. The more we listen, watch and assess Colt's eating and breathing, I think Jason and I are both starting to believe surgery might be the best option. Ridiculous that Monday morning I thought my babies were going to have a cold- maybe get an ear infection- maybe even RSV. I was so nervous about having two sick babies. I never imagined that we would be visiting Children's twice this week (we also had x rays performed this morning to rule out a tumor pressing against Colt's lungs or airways/ any other extra or floppy tissue issues. No additional issues. Praise God!)
I didn't know these things existed until I had children. I didn't know I could be so frightened and strong simultaneously until my babies required it of me. This has taken a huge toll on all 4 of us- between juggling appointments, emotions, fears and judgments. We are all literally crying to sleep at night. I know there have been many people praying for us over the past few weeks/ months/ years. Please keep those coming. We have made it through a lot by God's grace and we are confident this is yet another opportunity to demonstrate the goodness of the God who sustains us!
Now don't get me wrong- Lucy has a coloboma that causes her NO TROUBLE! We don't really have any idea what her vision will grow into, but these poor babies share genetics with me and my eyesight kinda blows. So eye exams and the potential for glasses/ contacts/ etc doesn't surprise us or worry us. It is what it is.
You know what does worry me though? My nearly 2 month might stop breathing, could choke and turn blue, might require surgery. I know- where did that come from?! It
hit us out of nowhere too.
A week ago, I thought Colt had normal newborn congestion. In fact, I've been told by medical types that he sounds fine for a c section baby. I never worried. As a second time mom, I rarely worried that he would stop breathing while I was asleep. So please understand that no one in our house expected this week to happen as it has.
Last Friday, we celebrated my father-in-law's 60th birthday. It was a great party and we visited with many friends. A lot of people were able to finally meet Colt. So Monday morning when Colt woke up a little wheezy and chest rattling, I thought he picked up a party cold. No big deal, right?
In my "be prepared" momma wisdom, I called the pediatrician. My question "how will I know the difference between his normal newborn congestion and a cold- and can I prevent it from spreading to his sister?". Their response "I can hear him through the phone. We need to check him out immediately."
I still didn't think much of it. Ok, he's noisy. Always has been. So I took Colt in to see Dr Miller while my mom hung out with Lucy. As the nurse got Colt's stats, she asked plenty of questions about the squeak/ noise/ problem. She wanted to get the oxygen thingy (I can say the word but not spell)... Colt's oxygen was 95. I know from colds with Lucy that 95 isn't ideal, but isn't serious (doesn't require supplemental oxygen). So I waited with my agitated boy to see Dr M. Finally, she came in with a barrage of questions. I still feel incredibly dumb because I don't really know how best to answer some of these. "He doesn't always make so much noise. I guess it's getting worse. He is a spitter and chokes/ gags when my milk lets down (or so I thought). Of course he'a louder when agitated, so am I."
After the questions and a quick exam, she just said "Yeah, he's too loud." Apparently the noise is called infantile inspiratory stridor. You can google that and find some great info. It's fairly common and well described online. The stridor isn't the problem, the cause of the stridor is. Dr M thought Colt might have a mild form of laryngomalachia. Say that five times fast.
A mild case for the following reasons: my son is huge! Talk about an effective eater. He was 12lbs at 7 weeks. (No need to worry about milk supply issues this time!) So, yeah- that's what makes this seem mild. Regardless, it was necessary to confirm the diagnosis and so Dr M called Children's hospital for an immediate appointment with the ENT, Dr W.
This all happened within a few minutes. I sent Jason a text message, not knowing anywhere near enough, telling him that Colt has Stridor and needs to go to Children's ASAP. Cool. (Sarcasm.)
ASAP was actually Tuesday afternoon. Jason took a few hours off work to go with me. We didn't know what to expect except a flexible scope. And that's what happened. After answering all of the same questions from Monday's pedi visit, Colt had to be held tightly against me while a camera was stuck down his nose into his airways. Again, cool. (Also again, sarcasm.)
Laryngomalachia occurs on a continuum. (Here's the newest lesson in my pediatric medical degree.) The mild cases are most common- like 99% kinda common. A noisy baby who eats and gains weight appropriately, may have some GERD/ acid reflux issues, and has visual vocal chords as seen in a scope.
Severe laryngomalachia is related to failure to thrive- baby won't eat, can't gain weight, spits up, gags, chokes, coughs, stops breathing, turns blue and has barely visual vocal chords.
Colt is symptomatically mild. However, the scope showed that he is anatomically severe. Even I was aware that something looked wrong during the scope. It was nearly impossible to see his vocal chords when he took a breath in. And my poor boy was screaming at the top of his lungs, so clearly he was moving air vigorously.
Since Colt is night and day, clinically and experientially, we were given a choice. Dr W asked how scared we were about this. I didn't know until the day before that I needed to be scared, so not much. Did we see a problem with his eating/ breathing/ sleeping? Maybe he's a bit more fussy than Lucy was, but I don't compare them much. I assumed a bit more fussy was still in the normal fussy baby range. I don't know!
Our plan: Colt is now on the highest, most aggressive medication for GERD/ acid reflux. Often the acid in spit up splashes onto a baby's vocal box and causes swelling- not an issue if your voice box has an adequate opening. Huge issue is the dang thing closes up on its own anyway! So, we are praying that the Prevacid will decrease some of the voice box swelling. If it does, we will continue with this plan as long as possible. Laryngomalachia is a condition that occurs predominately in children. It gets worse in the first 6-8 months of life, but is almost always gone by age 2. As long as Colt is able to breath and eat adequately, he will just be a noisy boy for a while.
However, if the Prevacid doesn't work- or if we report worsening symptoms- my baby will need a pretty invasive throat surgery to remove this extra tissue in his larynx. The more we listen, watch and assess Colt's eating and breathing, I think Jason and I are both starting to believe surgery might be the best option. Ridiculous that Monday morning I thought my babies were going to have a cold- maybe get an ear infection- maybe even RSV. I was so nervous about having two sick babies. I never imagined that we would be visiting Children's twice this week (we also had x rays performed this morning to rule out a tumor pressing against Colt's lungs or airways/ any other extra or floppy tissue issues. No additional issues. Praise God!)
I didn't know these things existed until I had children. I didn't know I could be so frightened and strong simultaneously until my babies required it of me. This has taken a huge toll on all 4 of us- between juggling appointments, emotions, fears and judgments. We are all literally crying to sleep at night. I know there have been many people praying for us over the past few weeks/ months/ years. Please keep those coming. We have made it through a lot by God's grace and we are confident this is yet another opportunity to demonstrate the goodness of the God who sustains us!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
My big little guy!
Colt Colliver, you turning out to be quite the handful! Literally! At 5 weeks old, Colt weighed 10lb, 13oz and was 21.75" tall! The night before Colt came home from the hospital, he was his smallest: 7lb, 7oz. In the 3 weeks between his 2 week visit and 5 week visit, the pediatrician wanted to see a 30 oz gain. Try 42 oz!!!
Colt is growing so well mostly because he is a demanding little eater. I'd say I have spent up to 14 hours a day nursing him some days. This might sound like such a rewarding time to be binding with my adorable son (and it is!), but it is also a struggle when I'm home alone with Colt and Lucy. We are able to breast feed exclusively but we use the bottle a few times a day so I'm not totally tied down nursing. I need to be available to Lucy as well. During Colt's big 3 day growth spurt, Lucy let me know that I wasn't paying enough attention to her. She nearly flipped off the back of our couch!!! A climbing toddler and a demanding, growing newborn can be a handful and a half;)
I think Colt most remarkable developments this month have been rolling over and smiling. At 3 weeks, Colt has mastered rolling over belly to back. He doesn't mind tummy time, but he loves to roll around! Also, he recognizes his mommy! (And melts my heart every time!) Colt is also recognizing Daddy and Lucy. He grins, chuckles, coos and makes all his sweet baby noises for us.
Yesterday, Colt was laying on his back on the floor and Lucy was sitting beside him (she really likes to do that). Colt had enough of floor time and started to fuss about it. Lucy bent down and kissed his cheek, which made him stop fussing and coo for his sister. Jason said Lucy must be the Colt Whisperer!
Today was a big day. Since Colt spent some time in a breech position (though the time he was completely footling breech was during the ultrasound the day I was to be induced), he needed to have an ultrasound to check out his hips. After 45 minutes of testing, the tech told me that Colt looked "almost normal"- I can tell my postpartum hormones arent totally raging anymore as I didn't punch her for calling my son almost normal! Anyway, our pediatrician called this afternoon and said he's actually totally normal (I like her so much better!) and there's no need to give hip issue another thought. Good news!
I have to admit that two kids in 14 months is a challenge, but I already can't remember life without this boy! We spend most days together, just the three of us and it's perfect. It might be noisy, demanding, and hard beyond belief sometimes, but it's awesome, fantastic, and very perfect!
Colt is growing so well mostly because he is a demanding little eater. I'd say I have spent up to 14 hours a day nursing him some days. This might sound like such a rewarding time to be binding with my adorable son (and it is!), but it is also a struggle when I'm home alone with Colt and Lucy. We are able to breast feed exclusively but we use the bottle a few times a day so I'm not totally tied down nursing. I need to be available to Lucy as well. During Colt's big 3 day growth spurt, Lucy let me know that I wasn't paying enough attention to her. She nearly flipped off the back of our couch!!! A climbing toddler and a demanding, growing newborn can be a handful and a half;)
I think Colt most remarkable developments this month have been rolling over and smiling. At 3 weeks, Colt has mastered rolling over belly to back. He doesn't mind tummy time, but he loves to roll around! Also, he recognizes his mommy! (And melts my heart every time!) Colt is also recognizing Daddy and Lucy. He grins, chuckles, coos and makes all his sweet baby noises for us.
Yesterday, Colt was laying on his back on the floor and Lucy was sitting beside him (she really likes to do that). Colt had enough of floor time and started to fuss about it. Lucy bent down and kissed his cheek, which made him stop fussing and coo for his sister. Jason said Lucy must be the Colt Whisperer!
Today was a big day. Since Colt spent some time in a breech position (though the time he was completely footling breech was during the ultrasound the day I was to be induced), he needed to have an ultrasound to check out his hips. After 45 minutes of testing, the tech told me that Colt looked "almost normal"- I can tell my postpartum hormones arent totally raging anymore as I didn't punch her for calling my son almost normal! Anyway, our pediatrician called this afternoon and said he's actually totally normal (I like her so much better!) and there's no need to give hip issue another thought. Good news!
I have to admit that two kids in 14 months is a challenge, but I already can't remember life without this boy! We spend most days together, just the three of us and it's perfect. It might be noisy, demanding, and hard beyond belief sometimes, but it's awesome, fantastic, and very perfect!
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