K yeah, I was reading my friend Mandy's blog, and she talked about how moms don't have the time to blog... and I realized I hadn't posted since my birth story! Sooo.... I'm going to try really hard to complete a post today! To make sure of that, I'm posting earlier in the morning, after babies have been fed and changed!
So... wow... I don't even know where to start! Babies are huge, and healthy... Well mostly. We had to switch Abigail to Similac Sensitive (which my mother in law has graciously offered to pay for, for the time being), mostly because my little girl was having severe bouts of gas pain, so switching to a sensitive formula seemed to be the correct course of action. Oh yes, for those who don't know, we are not breast feeding. We gave it a good honest shot, it really didn't work out, I really don't want to get into it! lol nothing horrible or traumatic mind you, it was just stressful... You moms know how it is. So, the similac seems to help Abigail, but only to a certain point. She appears to have developed Colic, which is sort of late in the game believe it or not... normally it starts to clear up by now, but in her case it's only just begun. Now I thought that Colic meant horrible bouts of gas etc that lasts on and on through the night... well it turns out it's much more broad than that. Colic is generally defined as bouts of crying lasting 3 or more hours a day (total) for 3 or more days a week, for 3 or more weeks. Colicky episodes normally occur at the same points of the day every time, and normally occur after meals. That doesn't mean that Colic is caused by eating, or by gas or whatever. There have been a lot of studies about Colic, and the general concensus, is that they really don't know what exactly causes it because the causes and solutions are so varied. So, Abigail cries and demands to be held rocked and coddled at around 1:00pm, (which is typically after a long morning nap and then lunch) and around 8:30 - 9:00pm (which is typically after a long awake period and final feeding for the night). For those of you on facebook, take a look at my typical posts of insanity, the times line up. The past week I've learned a lot about Colic, and a lot about my baby girl... What works, what doesn't, and that when she's having one of these spells, it's pretty much only me that can soothe her. Which really sucks at the 1:00pm spell because I'm home alone with them, and my son needs attention too!
On to my son... well he's healthy, and has grown wayyyy faster than Abigail. He's over a pound bigger than her, and the difference is actually visible to the naked eye. They are equally healthy, he's just big! Originally we had them both on the Parent's Choice formula from Walmart, because 1. It's insanely inexpensive in comparison and 2. It's received great reviews from every mom I know that's used it. However, we noticed that Elliott was having trouble pooping. His poops were too formed, and had a strange clay color to it. (Yeah I focus on poo, I'm a care aide, it's a big part of what I do.) He was also struggling to have movements, so we decided to switch him back to what the hospital had him on; Similac. So now we have 2 babies on Similac, one on the sensitive formula and one on Similac Advance. Elliott still only goes every 2 or 3 days, but when he goes, he GOES!! And it's not so much of a struggle for him. The doctor says it's normal for babies to do this, and not to be concerned. I'm trying not to be, but my inner know-it-all has heard and read that babies should poop every day and multiple times a day! Well Abigail only goes once, and it's ALWAYS after her morning feeding. (Seriously she's that regular, I'll feed her, and immediately afterwards, she poops.) Now that we've gone over the great poop situation, I can talk about the other end! Elliott's teething. Oh yeah, almost 12 weeks old, and Elliott appears to be teething. Just on and off mind you, but the signs are all there. The red cheek, the drool, the tell-tale hard white spot on the gumline... But it's not every day that he is cranky, or has the red cheek or drool. But the bump is still there, and it's a canine. Of course my kids have to do things the hard way, it's in their blood afterall.
There was one very major thing I wasn't prepared for... No matter how everyone told me about it, prepared me for it, warned me about it.... I was nowhere near prepared whatsoever, for the love. I had no idea that I could love something so intensely, so fully, and with absolutely everything I have. And I had no idea, that I could possibly have not just that much love for one baby, but I have more than enough for both. I loved them both from conception, I loved them both more from birth... But the real intense wave of all encompassing love started with the smiles. I remember the day when Elliott smiled for real. I was changing his diaper on the changing pad on the dresser, and had just finished dressing him in a new cute little outfit that he was given. I looked down at him, and said "Aren't you a cool lookin' dude?! You handsome boy!" And I got it. A great big open mouthed gummy smile, the whole time looking right at me. I started to laugh, and then I started to cry. I scooped him up into my arms and told him what a good boy he was and how happy he made his mommy. Just thinking about it now makes me teary, because it was probably the most magical moment in my life up to that point. It took a bit longer for Abigail to smile, but when she did, I melted. She has the sweetest most lovely little girl smile, with this adorable little dimple on her left cheek. Just one dimple, and I think that makes her even more special. Elliott still smiles more than Abigail, but every morning, after they have eaten and been changed, they lie side by side on the couch, and are both happy. So happy they are full of coos and smiles and almost giggles. For that brief time during the day, every single day, my heart swells to bursting and I get the overwhelming urge to dive into the baby pile and snuggle them crazy.... And most mornings I do. I get my face right in between both of their cheeks and get little happy cheek hugs from both babies at the same time. That my friends, that is absolute heaven.
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