Because of Caleb's potty problems, he is often in pain. He cries during most feedings because his poor tummy is so upset, and when he tries to have a bowel movement it looks like he may pop a blood vessel or something. I know that his medical problems are not severe, so to speak, and that there are many others who are worse off than him...but, my baby is still in pain, and it still breaks my heart. I felt like Caleb was miserable all the time.
A number of weeks ago, Caleb cracked his first smile. Now, I'm not talking about a "I have gas so I'm gonna smile" type of smile, this was an actual smile. Oh my gosh, this absolutely melted my heart. As the days passed Caleb started smiling more and more, then eventually they were accompanied by a giggle! I can't even describe how happy this made me to see that Caleb was happy. Actually happy. It's like he's trying to tell me "I'm OK Mommy! See, I'm smiling!" I know it may sound cheesy, but I totally live for his smiles. Caleb LOVES smiling for his grandpas! It doesn't matter what mood he's in, when Grandpa or Opa hold him, a huge grin shows up. It's the cutest thing! When he wakes up from a nap he is all smiles and giggles on his changing table. It makes getting up at the crack of dawn so worth it! This is what I'm greeted with after every nap: 
Being a parent may not be easy, but this smile makes it worth it.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
The Significance of a Smile
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
2 month appointment
Today Caleb went for his 2 month appointment which meant shots! Poor baby cried a whole lot, but he survived and is now sleeping peacefully.
Besides the obvious potty issues, everything else looks great! He's a growing boy, and that is awesome.
Here are Caleb's 2 month stats:
11lbs, 12oz
24 inches
Head circumference: 39 inches
Background: Potty Problems
When Caleb was only a few weeks old, he started having trouble pooping. Sometimes he goes 4 days with out having a bowel movement. His doctor has determined that he's not constipated, but rather, he has a small sphincter, making it hard for the stool to pass through. Doc assured us that this is something that will get better, but in the meantime, feels like Caleb should be seen by a specialist at Valley Children's Hospital. We're in the referral process right now, so we should be getting a call from them soon.
It's obvious that this is uncomfortable for Caleb. During feedings he often cries because his tummy hurts from not being able to go to the bathroom. Doc has told us that we can give him suppositories when we see him pushing...it seems like the side affects from the suppository are almost worse than the reason for giving it. We're just playing things by ear. Hopefully things start improving in the potty area.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
2 months old!
Yep, that's right. Our baby boy is 2 months old! The cliche thing to say would be "Time has flown by so quickly!", but that's not a completely accurate statement. At times, it feels like we're living life on warp-speed, but at other times, it feels like it's been at least 6 months since he was born.
After having 8 weeks off, Dave returned to work last week. I admit, I was very nervous about being alone with the Little Guy all day, but things went well. I'm very lucky because I have my parents right next door if I were to need anything. It is so nice having that support nearby. Thanks Mom and Dad!
While I was pregnant, I would love seeing mom's shopping with their kids. I would see it and smile thinking about the day I'd be able to take my little one out shopping. Well...I've learned that Mommy and Caleb shopping trips aren't exactly easy at this stage in the game! In fact, yesterday I had a number of errands to run and decided to take Caleb with me (my mom offered to watch him, but I felt like taking on the challenge). The child was GRUMPY the whole entire time that we were out! Of course, it's not his fault, he was probably just sleepy. I made sure to stop and feed him at Starbucks before hitting the floors at Target. He ate, seemed happy, so I put him in the sling and was ready to go. Nope. That was not in Caleb's plans. He screamed bloody murder when I put him in the sling. He usually loves his sling, but yesterday he just wanted to be held. So, I did my shopping with my little baby hanging out on my shoulder. Towards the end of our shopping adventure he started crying and screaming loudly. I finished up as quickly as possible, and got the Little Guy home. I look forward to the day when he actually enjoys being out and about!
The downside to being 2 months old, is the second round of vaccinations. He has an appointment tomorrow afternoon...hopefully the shots aren't too painful :( Bottom line, our baby is growing so fast and we love him more than words can express!!!