8 weeks

Reflux?

So this is all new to me.  Madeleine had a milk allergy but no one has had anything like this.  Poor Sarah has been congested since 2 weeks old.  She has woken up coughing and choking after every feeding at night.  She has an "arsenic hour" every night (You either want to give it or take it!)  She had a red "sandpaper" rash on her face and neck and head.  So first I gave up dairy.  Her rash completely disappeared - yay!  She seemed happier too.  But still couldn't breathe.  I took her to the doc.  He said he thought reflux but since she is gaining weight and not terribly fussy, it wasn't bad enough to treat.  He said the meds treat the acid and not the mucus production.  I took her to the chiropractor.  She (and my ibclc) said give up gluten.

Sigh.

I've been dreading this for years, thinking someone someday was gonna have a problem with it and I'd have to do it.  I LOVE bread.  I eat bread every day.  I make it from scratch.  LOVE it.  Seems like every food that's easy to eat and readily available has gluten.

So I'm on day 4 of gluten free.  Sarah is much better.  Nose is clear, didn't wake up coughing once last night, not even fussy at all today.  Her feeling better is totally worth it, even though it is going to be hard!

GF people - what do you eat when you go out to eat?  When you go to people's houses?  Parties etc?  What do you buy that is easy to grab and eat at home?

Oh, and on a fabulous side note, I've lost 5 lbs in 4 days ;)

3-6 months!

So she's 12 lbs 3 oz and this is her first 3-6 month outfit :)

I have lots of reasons

To love homeschooling so far.  But today, I was folding laundry after we finished school, and I heard Madeleine teaching John Paul how to pray the rosary.  Then she came and asked me to pray with them!  Who is gonna say no to that??

Sarah's nose is still so congested.  I have been off dairy for 2 1/2 weeks and her skin is completely clear, but she is still struggling with breathing through her nose.  She sounded so bad yesterday that I called the doctor and took her in.  He suspects reflux but since she is gaining weight (she's up to 12 lbs 3 oz!) and not fussy, they don't treat it.  I have tried the humidifier, sitting in a steamy bathroom, saline and suction, elevating her, and even putting water in JP's nebulizer and directing the mist toward her face.  Nothing helps.  I feel so bad for her.  Any other ideas??

Younger kids

I remember sitting in the hospital with newborn Leo, thinking, "poor kid, there's no way he is going to get enough attention."  (I had a 3 1/2 year old and a 19 month old at the time.)  Now, two years later, I know better!  Leo just may be the most loved kid in the history of the world.  Not only does he have two parents who adore him, but he has two big siblings who love him as well!  Madeleine thinks he's the funniest, cutest kid who ever walked the face of the earth.  She and John Paul play with him all the time, teach him everything (good and bad!) and he copies everything they do.  I am not in the least bit worried that Sarah won't get enough attention!  She has THREE big siblings who love her, and I have hardly put her down in all of her 6 weeks!

Funny story from today:

Leo has a little fever so Ken was trying to feed him some soup at the table.

Madeleine:  Daddy, someday can I help feed baby Leo?
Ken:  Sure, and when you get bigger you can also help feed baby Sarah.
Madeleine:  Yes, when my nibbles grow bigger!

(Ken and I about died laughing!)

Naming Sarah

Sarah was probably the hardest and eventually the easiest kid to name so far.  I did not have any girl names I was really attached to, so I was pretty open.  We knew that one of the names would be a saint, but that was pretty much it.  Ken had a name that he was really pushing for, but I absolutely could not see us naming her that.  I won't mention it because it isn't a bad name, and it's pretty common (in the 80s anyway! haha) but I just knew I couldn't do it.  Ken asked me to really try to let it grow on me (as he did with John Paul and Leo) but I just could not do it.  I really tried!  I promise!
I wrote a list of probably 25-30 names that I could live with, and told him he could pick any of those.  Sarah wasn't even on that list.  And nothing was jumping out at him.  So we just decided to "let it marinate" as he said for awhile.  But I really wanted her to have a name!  I suggested Gianna as one of my favorites, even though it's pretty common in Catholic circles, I still really love it.  Ken said it sounded like someone on Jersey Shore, so I figured that was off the table.

So one day I was driving up to Nicole C's farm, and listening to Sarah Bauer's album Lead me Home.  (Buy her CDs - they are great!)

The song Cause to Laugh came on.  The lyrics include....

Numbered in days she felt forgotten
as she waited with Abraham.
When the guests finally arrived
And told her of God's plan.
The promise God foretold to you
To bring forth a son.
Is anything too marvelous
For the Lord our God?
The impossible proclaimed,
by God she was renamed.
God said "you'll have a son."

And Sarah laughed...
What a promise maker is He
She laughed...
Can this truly be?

For the love that's found within my heart and the promise written there
God has given me cause to laugh.

(Sarah, sorry if I got some of those wrong!  Going from memory!)

So driving up there, hearing that song, I realized that I could totally relate to Sarah... she thought maybe she would never be a mother, and then just had to laugh at God's plan.  I had the same feelings once, and then I was getting ready to have my fourth child in less than 6 years. I have to laugh that this was God's plan all along.  I thought Sarah would be the PERFECT name for her.  But since I chose both of the boy's names, I knew Ken had to think of it.  So I said a quick prayer, "God, if you want Sarah to be her name, please let Ken think of it."

So we get up to the farm, and we're in the pig barn, and I get this text:

I was blown. away!  I just knew that was the perfect name for her.... and I even got Gianna when I had given up hope!  Of course I immediately agreed.  Pretty sure it was meant to be :)

If you want to buy the song, go here.  You'll LOVE it!

Dairy free again

I took Sarah to my favorite ibclc last Saturday and she thought, with her congestion and rash, that she has some kind of allergy.  She suggested I eliminate dairy from my diet... I admit I was a little reluctant to do this again, it's a big sacrifice for me.  (Did it for a year with Madeleine.)  I have to cook differently and give up my very favorite iced coffee with real cream and sweetened condensed milk.  But, it's definitely worth it for her to feel better.  She is still a little congested but definitely better.  I started making my iced coffee with coconut creamer and I made my own sweetened condensed coconut milk.  It's a decent substitute.

Also we had the most amazing weather I remember in January this past weekend.  It got into the 60s on Friday and Saturday!  So we went to our neighborhood park both days and everyone had a great time.  John Paul even spotted a crawdad, or as he called it, a "giant lobsta."  Sarah and I enjoyed the fresh air and sunshine while the kids and daddy played.  It was soooo nice and made me wish for spring.

Loved loved loved this weekend!  And look how much better her face looks!

Epiphany mass

On Sunday, our electricity went out right in the middle of the Colts playoff game so we made a quick trip to Grandma and Papa's house to finish watching and eat dinner (Ken was already in the middle of cooking it!)
Turns out, our whole neighborhood lost power, including the church. 357 people in this area were without power for 5 hours. I hadnt gone to mass so Sarah and I went to 5:30 Sunday. I walked in during the opening song (I know!) and an usher saw that I was carrying a carseat and asked if I'd like a seat. I said sure, and she led me up the aisle. It was so dark that I actually had to feel where the pew was before I set Sarah down. I couldn't see the person sitting right next to me or really my hand in front of my face until my eyes adjusted. There were a few candles up by the altar and the priests, altar servers and choir had flashlights to read and sing. Otherwise it was pitch black.

I was talking to the older lady sitting next to me afterwards and she said, "this was extraordinary!" That summed it up exactly for me. It was almost like celebrating mass like the early Christians did. It was so beautiful!

I did snap a quick picture ;)

Daddy's back to work

Luckily it was just a 3 day work week to break me in!  So far we are doing pretty well but next week we are starting school again so who knows how that will go!  I'm shocked and thrilled with how well Leo is doing with his new baby sister.  Every time he passes her he pets her gently and says, "Nice."  He even got hurt today and ran to my lap where I was holding her, and I picked him up and he did the same thing even through his tears.  What a sweet boy.  I haven't gotten to hold and cuddle him and put him to sleep as much as before though, and I miss that.

So although Sarah is nursing great and gaining weight, she has a little issue.  She has had a lot of nasal congestion for 2 weeks now (half her life!) and also has started coughing really hard about two minutes after eating.  It doesn't last long but it's kind of scary when it happens.  It is the worst at night when she is laying flat.  I tried to elevate her head on my shoulder last night after she ate, and we have tried a humidifier in our room and suctioning her nose a few times a night, but it doesn't seem to help.  Does that sound like reflux?  She spits up a little but not too much.  I hate to get her tested and treated if that's not it.

I can't believe she will be a month old in 2 days.  Didn't she just get here??