Baby, baby

Charlize Aleta was born ad 8:00am on Aug 20.  Andy and I closed on our first home Aug 18.  We never claimed it was a great idea but then we've never done things the conventional way.  When they say your whole world will be turned up-side-down with a baby I don't think they even considered doing such crazy things at the same time.  Our first week home with Charlize was so easy.  She only fussed when she was wet or hungry.  When she was tired, she simply passed out.  So when the dr asked me if I had any questions at our one week appointment I couldn't think of a thing!  We loaded her back in the car feeling very proud of ourselves when it stared.  She was crying for no reason, something we hadn't dealt with yet.  The crying persisted.  Then came the vomit.  And if you're one of those people thinking, "Oh, I'm sure it's just spit up.  It really looks like more than it is." I wish she would have vomited on you.  We're talking projectile, clearing five to six feet, vomit.  I knew babies went through a lot of clothes but me?  I barely had a wardrobe for my post baby body, let alone for three to four changes a day!  I planned on re-gifting a few of the thousand blankets we got for gifts but am so glad I hadn't had the chance.  We use about four a day.  Puke, puke and more puke.  Needless to say on day 8 we were back in the dr's office wondering who this baby was and where they had put ours.  Acid reflux was the answer!  Meds at 8 days old was not something I was interested in.  We visited chiropractors, tried massages and basically never slept.  (Yeah, Yeah, sleep when the baby sleeps...she honestly lived on 5 minute cat naps!)  After another 2 weeks of watching our baby scream we gave into the drug that would take another week or two to kick in.  They did help temporarily but soon we were back to the dr. and they tell me that these drugs usually only work temporarily but they have to prescribe them first for insurance reasons and didn't they tell me to come back when this happened?  No.  They did not.  She's really lucky I didn't have the strength punch her...and that I was so sleep deprived I didn't really register anything she said until later anyway...maybe she did tell me to come back...)  So we switched meds.  Much the same result.  Effective for a couple months (longer this time) and then back to square one.  The next diagnosis was lactose intolerance.  Formula was the golden answer this time.  Not that breast feeding had been the beautiful bonding experience I have read so much about (picture vomit and more vomit, lots of choking and screaming...and a lot of tugging and pulling on sensitive areas!  I have checked for teeth many a time.  Really?  These are the moments mothers hold so dear?  I was sure my child was trying to tear me apart from the nipple out!) but I was not accepting this as a reasonable answer.  Thank the Lord for MilkWorks.  I called the ladies there and made an appointment.  The pediatricians advice matched exactly what my gut had been telling me all along, (some simple diet changes) so naturally I loved her. ;)  I had suggested this to Charlize's dr several times and they explained why it wouldn't be effective (long story about hidden ingredients in foods...too much to remember, let alone type!) and that the only reasonable answer was formula.  Anyway, long story short...or I guess really long story still kinda long...cutting basic dairy has worked wonders.  My daughter laughs and smiles all the time now.  She did these things before, just not often and usually followed by more screaming...or vomiting.  She's a little over four months old and it makes me sick to think of how long she was hurting, not to mention all the people I want to smack for telling me that nothing was wrong and that babies cry.  Really wish she would have vomited on some of those people.  Maybe when she's older we can work out some sort of a code so she will know.We'll just carry ipecac (sp???) with us.  ;) So yes, up-side-down is the best description of how things have been but in the strangest way, better than ever.  Today she grabbed her binky from me and studied it for quite a while before chucking it back at my face.  Shortly after she reached out and grabbed my bowl of soup off of the table.  Then she sneezed and peed on me and shot snot out of her nose.  All of these things would tick me off if anyone else did them (especially peeing on me) but I find them all hilarious and adorable when she does them. She's a pretty cool little gal.  And for almost a week now she has been taking an hour morning nap and a two to three hour afternoon nap so I am rediscovering a lot of things.  Like make-up, showers and tooth paste.  I may even shower and put on make-up today!  Yes, Andy's a lucky, lucky man. :) 
Shows have changed too.  I can't use my breaks as carelessly as I once did.  Now my breasts determine how my break time is spent.  In the parking lot pumping usually and yes...it's been very cold.  It's a good thing though.  If it was warm out I may have just passed out in the car from exhaustion. 
Well she's waking up so I don't have time to end this gracefully (not that there's any saving this one...) so until next time!
Sheila