Ups and downs...

Cute little boys!

We have hit the 6 week mark, which is normally a big milestone, but since Sayer was 3 weeks early, we technically have 3 more weeks to go before things are supposed to start "settling down". We have had a rough couple weeks with this little guy. He had been spitting up, or rather throwing up quite and bit, and was being very fussy. I was starting to think that he was colicky, but I refused to believe it. So, I finally called my Dr and asked if we could get him on some acid reflux meds, and she was like "sure". What?! Really?! Awesome!! I love when they take mom's word for it, and don't have to do a bunch of tests. So we got him on the meds, and he was still fussy, but his reflux was much better. That's when I started to think colic, but then he never had those few hours of non-stop crying. I have always been able to calm him down, by (do I even need to say it?!) swaddling him. He would settle right down! So anyway, I basically think that the kid doesn't like to have bubbles in his tummy, and doesn't like having tummy aches, and he is going to let me know all about it!! But yesterday and today have actually been SO much better. I started paying attention to the way I held him when feeding him, and noticed that when I use my boppy, he ends up kind of laying on his back while eating. Well, I thought about what happens to me when I try to drink while laying on my back, and it just doesn't work. I always end up feeling really uncomfortable and having to burp. So since then, I have been feeding him in a more suitable position, and it seems to be making a difference. Since yesterday afternoon, when I started this experiment, there has been very little crying, which makes me feel so much better. Even if it's not really the reason, it makes you feel good to think that you can control the situation. But I really do think it's helping.

The other thing was that he wasn't sleeping very long at night, which was torture!! When my mother in law came into town, she was so great to take over when Sayer was crying a lot, and she was a pro at getting his burps out, and then he would calm down. So I worked really hard to be patient and always get his burps out and wait until he stopped crying, before I put him to sleep. When I did that, he slept so much better. The first couple nights, he went back to his 3 hour stretches, but the past 2 nights, he has been doing 4 and 5 hour stretches of sleeping (6 hours without eating, and 4 hours of sleep for me) which has been marvelous. I actually feel pretty good today... I even mopped the floor (which was disgusting by the way)!!

So anyway... having a new baby is definitely a challenge. It's such a guessing game, trying to figure out what it is that makes them so sad and what it is that makes them feel better, etc etc. But Sayer really is such a sweet little guy. He is so cute and precious. I live for those moments when all is happy and calm, and he just looks around and smiles, and coos and kicks.

Sayer, sleeping on his tummy! Gasp!! My father in law is now shaking his head in disapproval, and my sister is law Lizza (his daughter) his giving me imaginary high fives (her last baby was a tummy sleeper). Sayer doesn't normally sleep on his tummy, but sometimes after I feed him, he'll fall asleep on my shoulder, and I'll lay him on his tummy. It helps him get all his gases out, and he usually feels better afterward! ;)