Lazy Friday

We have been packed with plans all week, and it's nice to have a "day off" to just chill with the punk. We just got back from a little stroll around the back neighborhood, which just happened to coincide with "school bus drop off," so we got to see that there are a TON of kids in the back neighborhood. (Our street is full of retirees. They water their lawns all day. So sad.) I didn't see any babies, but hopefully there are some or will be in the future.

So what has gone on this week?

1. I took the baby to a holistic chiropractor to try to help her reflux. I have read that some reflux is due to nerve "squishing" during gestation and birth and that sometimes the nerves that control the pyloric sphincter can be compromised. Of course I had to find THE hippiest chiropractor in existence, who not only has helped tons of kids with reflux, but also said that my daughter "looked pale" like she "wasn't getting enough nutrients" and also "had puffy eyes" which was a sign of Something Else Bad. How do I always find these people? Anyway, she had me convinced for a few minutes that my daughter wasn't getting enough nutrients and I felt SO guilty - it was like the nonexistent milk supply saga all over again. But then I realized - dude, my kid gained six pounds in ten weeks. She is NOT starving. Either way, we have two chiro appointments for next week and I will see if it helps. Otherwise I will just chalk it up to a learning experience.

2. Due to what I thought were normal runny poops but were in fact diarrhea, we have switched to soy formula. I was REALLY reluctant to switch to soy because they just replace everything with corn syrup, and I don't do corn syrup. But then we found an organic soy formula that is made with brown rice syrup. I feel a little better about that. I also feel better about the fact that she no longer has diarrhea (cha cha cha).

3. We went to the dermatologist for the "rash." I put it in quotes because apparently it is not a rash, it is petechiae, or broken blood vessels under the skin. No one is "really concerned," yet no one knows why there are broken blood vessels in the punk's right arm. The dermatologist threw around the words "possible vascular disease" which about gave me a heart attack, so now the pedi is trying to get us in to a pediatric dermatologist in a city about an hour away.

4. We went to mama and baby group and since there are so many mamas, they split the group up and now I am in the "older kids" group. Gulp. That means I only have one more month of mama group! I really like some of the mamas and we have been doing some "extracurricular activities" on other days, like walks in the park or breakfasts out. It's nice.

5. Our little punk is going to be three months old on Monday! Holy carp, where did the time go? I can't believe she has been on the outside for three whole months already. We are nearing the anniversary of her conception and I can't even believe it. What a long and wild journey it has been to make a frankenbaby.

6. Since she is three months old, I am nearing my breastfeeding goal. It's funny, a month ago I couldn't wait for three months to get here because I was so frustrated... now that I have come to peace with my lack of milk I am hoping that my middle of the night milk doesn't disappear because I like to lay in bed with the punk on the boob. Hopefully she will continue to want boob for naps during the day, too. *sniff* I have already starting tapering down the domperidone and have already noticed a drop from 3/4oz to 1/2oz. It's only a matter of time.

7. We found a church community that we really like and have been "regulars" for the past several weeks. We're now planning to have the punk baptized in a Christian church. I really never thought that would happen, but I'm thrilled about it.

8. I have successfully (for now) orchestrated a nighttime schedule for the punk. She now goes to bed between 7 and 8 (usually around 7:30), gets up for milk at 4ish, and then is up for the morning around 7:30am with a pretty guaranteed morning nap between 9 and 10. It's amazing how grown up she is getting. :) Of course, Jen and I need to figure out how to make the most of the baby-is-sleeping-but-mamas-are-awake time. This is key.

Have a great weekend, everyone!