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The computer
crashes and we lose a few files, including the
pages for this site.... So we get backed up in
the old "updating" side of things...
Curren's definitely
developing a personality. He's sweet, adorable
and charming, much like the men on the Walker
side of the family. He's also demanding and kind
of a picky eater.
He's developed...
GAS!
Oh MY, how
this child can rip 'em! Smiling so sweet and innocent
as he cuts one loose! And the gas sometimes hurts.
It kills me to see his face turn red as he tries
to get something out of his system. We've tried
Mylicon drops, we burp him all the time, I've
changed my diet,... but he continues to get gas.
Partially because of the way Curren eats. He gulps
at the breast so loud, you'd think he'd never
had food before. But by the size of him, you can
tell the kid gets to eat! (But read on...)
The whole gas
thing is a pain, but what's even more of a pain
- and kind of depressing - is that I simply am
not producing enough milk for the kid. Curren
is in the 90th percentile for his height and weight
range. So, at 2 months, he needs more than the
average infant. I've been consistently producing
about 4 ounces every ... say ...4 hours? Or 2
ounces every 2 hours,... whatever. But Curren
needs about 6 ounces every 3 hours. So we have
to supplement. Curren will EITHER take the bottle
OR the breast, but not BOTH. So either we go ahead
and give him a full bottle of formula and pump
what I can feed him later, or we give him the
breast, which means he's only getting a few ounces,
and feed him from the breast AGAIN, 1 1/2 hours
later, and AGAIN 2 hours later, and AGAIN an hour
later... Dan and I have had long talks about just
putting him on formula. He seems less gassy, and
he sleeps better when we put him on the lactose
free stuff. Both of us agree that he's a well-adjusted
kid, and our pediatrician seems to think it's
o.k. I've just been batted over the head so many
times to give the baby only breast milk until
he's like, 4-6 months old. But now, the Ped says
Curren is growing so big and so fast that we'll
have to start him on "solids" (rice
formula & cereal?) at 4 months. If he's getting
his nutritional value from the bottles I give
him now, and he's doing better physically, I should
just give him the freakin' formula, but...
There's a bond
with breast feeding that I enjoy, even if I don't
enjoy the act of breast feeding. it's to much
easier, for that 4:00 a.m. feeding for me to put
him on the breast than to warm up a bottle. And
he seems to know the difference. When he's on
the breast, he concentrates on me, he puts his
little hands on my chest, his eyes go half-lidded,
and he's' content.
When he's on
the bottle, he gulps it down, pays attention to
anything in the room, he's kind of wiggly, but
he's full, and again, he's content.
The bottle
allows Dan to feed Curren, and that's very cool.
The breast
allows for Curren and I to share private time.
The bottle
alternates between making Curren costipated, and
then making him crap like a monster, and THAT
is also a traumatic issue with him!
The breast
gives Curren gas like a monster, and that hurts
him as well..
It's a battle.
--
Developmentally,
Curren is a dream.
His milestones:
getting his shots and taking them like a trooper!
We thought he'd scream for days, but he just wimpered
a little and then went back to his playful self.
Curren is paying
more attention to objects in the room, recognizing
our voices, becoming more attentive all around.
Curren is just
in LOVE with his Aunt Ebony (Ebby) who came to
visit on the 22nd. Eb wouldn't put that child
down, but I don't think Curren minded a bit.
A friend of
ours named Ivy sent a very delightful book called
Monster Faces, which Curren seems to enjoy! He
had the oddest reaction to "Sour Face."
The first time he saw it, he laughed! Curren has
an odd little chuckle that he rarely produces
-- mostly he laughs in his sleep. This was one
of the rare occasions of Curren laughing while
conscious... I FREAKED! And then Curren Freaked,
and he hasn't laughed at the picture since! I
probably ruined his sense of humor forever!
Curren is turning
on his side! All the time! He'll have turned over
completely, soon!
We give him
"belly time" when Dan places Curren
on his stomach and gets Curren to push himself
up and hold up his head. Curren's got incredibly
strong legs!
Curren is by
now well over 13 lbs, and he's only 2 months old.
By next month, he'll be even larger (he gained
over 3 pounds in one month!)
We're having
a hard time keeping up with clothing...
And we're just
now starting to sleep through the night...
Being a parent
is never easy. We're still getting used to the
fact that we ARE someone's parent, that we DO
have important decisions to make that will affect
the well being of this tiny individual for the
rest of his natural life!
It makes me
miss (and appreciate) my parents even more.
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