A few from Cash's newborn photoshoot...

They won't stop coming!

I am so glad that P and I saved a lot of money before C was born because the medical bills won't stop coming! Just when I think I'm paid up another bill comes. I got a 4th one today. Seems like when you have insurance you shouldn't have to pay anything. Here is the rundown:
My hospital bill (2 days)- $1200.00
My anesthesia bill (epidural and c-section)- $145.00
My OBGYN delivery bill-$378.00
C's hospital bill (2 days)- $444.00
C's NICU bill (1 hour)- $250.00
C's Pediatrician bill (when they say him in the hospital)-$ 278.00

This is the portion I had to pay out of pocket. Our finances are really going to suffer when I go back to work. Both P and I are going to go from 40 to 36 hours a week so we don't have to pay for day care. Then I have to pay for C's insurance now and his perscription Prevacid is $100 a month. Add $23 per week for formula and $40 per month for diapers. (Can you believe we haven't had to buy diapers yet? Thank God for wonderful friends and family.)

It's going to be different for sure. Our whole life has changed so much. But holding him and seeing him smile and coo at you makes every sacrifice worth it.

Do I have something in my mustache?

Source: etsy.com via Anita on Pinterest

Baby Fight Club

Source: imgfave.com via Anita on Pinterest

:)

I love when C smiles at me. It makes my heart swell when I can make him smile. Even in his sleep I will hear him laugh, look over at him, and he is smiling away I can't help but smile. I love how he lights up when he sees me. He will start moving his feet around when P has him on the changing table and I put my face into his vision. I love how P can try to soothe him and rock him and he cries but as soon as he hands him to me he closes his eyes and relaxes. I love how C will be in his Rock-N-Play and he will just stare at me, like there is nothing else in the whole world that matters other than me at that moment. I love how when he cries and I held him close and whispered into his ear; "mama is here, it's ok" and he stops crying and relaxes. I love how I never get tired of holding him and even though he sleeps in his Rock-N-Play I still want to cuddle with him and listen to him breathe. He loves me I just know it.

Busy day

Today was one of my neices birthday party. C did really well! He didn't cry the whole time and let everyone hold him. He just looked around at everything. He got a bit sleepy and took a little nap even when people were talking all around him. It was hot so I kept worrying he was going to get overheated but he did ok. I felt like the worst mommy because I left his formula out of his diaper bag. Thank goodness my nephew gave me some of their formula or I would have had to drive into town and buy some. C did ok after that but tonight he ate 6 oz but spit up like 4 times after eating. The past 4 days he has been spitting up, usually once a day. The only thing I can think of is it's the prevacid he has been on. The prevacid gives him bad gas pains so I have been having to give him gas drops with every bottle. The past 2 nights he has slept really well and slept 4 hours straight without waking. Tonight he was fighting his sleep a lot. I think he was overstimulated during the day and overly tired, his belly was hurting and he hasn't pooped today. He just wasn't a happy baby. I feel bad since his routine was messed up and he was exhausted. Monday we are starting a bedtime routine to get him used to going to bed and getting up at a certain time. Children thrive on routine. So, no more busy days for him for a long time.

I'm one sad mommy.

Cash's reflux is not good. You think having a newborn is hard? Try having a newborn with acid reflux. They cry constantly, spit up, hiccup, gag on milk, can't be made happy no matter what you do, did I say cry? C was on Zantac and it took the crying away but not the other symptoms. We started Prevacid 4 days ago and it can take up to 2 weeks to take effect. The doctor said to call after 7 days if it doesn't start to work. I hope and pray to God that this one starts to work ASAP. I can't handle trying different meds and waiting and waiting for them to work. C is miserable and so am I. It is so hard to see your baby in pain and not be able to do anything about it. Tonight I just cried right along with him. He cries so hard it make me so mad. Sometimes eating is the only thing that makes the pain go away so he will eat and eat and eat until he pukes. We have to burp him every ounce or two and he screams until he gags in between burps. I have done lots of research and most babies out grow the reflux when they start to walk. I can't wait until then.

Another thing I don't want to happen is for C to have all the side effects that Prevacid can have: fussiness, gas, abdominal cramps, and insomnia being the most common. Today about an hour after I gave him the medicene he was crying and crying and crying. I think his belly was hurting. It hurts me so much to see him in pain.

And the Prevacid is $100.76 for a 2 month supply so it better work.

I'm just glad that this isn't something else and only reflux. He can have something more serious and I thank the Lord it isn't.

Progress

For the past couple of days I have noticed that C has been crying a lot less. I think the Zantac is finally kicking in. He slept in his bouncer all night last night for the first time since he has been born. He can even lay flat on his back without crying. He actally likes it now! He can sleep laying flat for 3 hours without crying. He spends more time awake looking around rather than crying. It's nice. But he has started spitting up. I think I have figured out that it is when I give him Zantac right before I feed him. I'm going to start giving it in between feedings and see how that goes. He also contines to have that congested sound in his throat after feeds which I hope it isn't something else. Some babies have to have their formula thickened to cure this. He also coughs sometimes still, has frequent hiccups, and will get liquid in his throat and gag. I hope all these symptoms go away soon for him. I have been contemplating a switch in formulas too. Enfamil has a formula for colicky babies. If he continues to cry less and be happy more often then we will stay with the newborn formula because it has extra vitamin D and prebiotics to boost the immune system that the special formula doesn't. I hope we are done fighting the reflux battle. There have been a few night where C hasn't quit crying. I don't get mad at him I just am so sad. I cry and tell him that if I could take his discomfort away I would. Funny thing is I haven't had a single episode of heartburn since I gave birth to him. Three nights ago I have been getting heartburn again. And the past 2 days he has felt better. God listened.

C is 6 weeks old today! I don't get sad that he is getting older, I get sad that I have to go back to work soon.

total Bliss

His face explains how I feel about him. Totally comfortable and happy. There is nothing I would rather be than his mom.

Another doctors appointment.

I think I finally figured out what was has been bugging my boy. Acid reflux. For the past 3 or more weeks, I can't really remember, C has had crying episodes of around 3 hours at a time. I say crying loosley because it's more of screaming & punching an scratching. Nothing soothes him. Not rocking, walking with him, swing, pacifer (I even got a new pacifer), gas drops, burping, changing and feeding him more than a newborn should ever eat. I thought it was gas. We decided to try Gentlease formula. Of course it didn't work. I posted this on Facebook as my status and so many parents commented on it. I guess a lot of parents deal with gas and fussiness in their babies. One person I went to high school with sent me a message and mentioned that he may have acid reflux. She sent me a link and had the signs and symptoms of acid refulx and C had almost all of them.
-a hoarse voice that I had noticed the day before
-cough which often leads to hiccups
-wet sounding burps
-frequent hiccups (he has them ALL the time)
-Poor sleep habits with frequent waking
He will want to eat all the time which make the acid go down which gives him a little instant relief.
He sounds like he has a bubble in his throat after eating.

We took him to the doctor today and she agreed. She also said it sounds like he has colic. She told us to keep him upright when eating and sleeping and for 30 minutes after eating to hopefully cut down on the acid. So far tonight he hasn't had a fussy or crying episode. If by Friday he isn't any better we will start him on reflux medicene. I think I will go ahead and have her start the medicene because it is hard work to keep him propped up all the time. Night time feedings are going to be harder too since he has to sit up for 30 minutes. The doctor said don't worry about training him to sleep in his bed right now until we get the acid reflux issues resolved.

Moral of the story: No sleep for Mama since he can't sleep in his bed or flat. Before I know it he will be all growed up :)