This morning Tonton Shawn held Evan for quite a while, until his leg fell asleep and his arms cramped up (Shawn's leg and Shawn's arms, that is ;) ). We'll have to get a picture of them together. Here's some of Jen and Evan:
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Tatie Jen
Tatie Jen and Tonton Shawn are here this weekend visiting. Right when they walked through the door, right when Jen leaned over and started talking to Evan, he immediately stopped crying and started smiling. This NEVER happens in the evening, as he usually is very fussy at night. But he just kept smiling, laughing and cooing, and didn't want to sleep.
This morning Tonton Shawn held Evan for quite a while, until his leg fell asleep and his arms cramped up (Shawn's leg and Shawn's arms, that is ;) ). We'll have to get a picture of them together. Here's some of Jen and Evan:
This morning Tonton Shawn held Evan for quite a while, until his leg fell asleep and his arms cramped up (Shawn's leg and Shawn's arms, that is ;) ). We'll have to get a picture of them together. Here's some of Jen and Evan:
Friday, September 29, 2006
World champion
After Evan's bath this morning, I wanted to do a photo session of him. He was not in the mood, but he begrudgingly accepted a few snapshots.
"What are you doing? Taking my picture again?!?!"
"OK, I'll look almost happy for just a second but make it snappy."
"I'm not looking, I'm not looking! So you might as well stop!"
"I'm tired of this, can you stop now?"
"What are you doing? Taking my picture again?!?!"
"OK, I'll look almost happy for just a second but make it snappy."
"I'm not looking, I'm not looking! So you might as well stop!"
"I'm tired of this, can you stop now?"
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Party at the Sudre's
Last weekend, my aunt Sue and my mom were here visiting, and then my aunt Denise, my cousins Renee and Becky, and Renee's boyfriend Jose all came. Denise cooked and brought dinner and desert and we had a great meal and a great time. It turned into a real party!
Evan was absolutely smitten with Denise, smiling and cooing at her like crazy. Evan loves everyone, though; he smiled a lot at Sue and his Grandma too. And when he was crying, Jose took him and he fell asleep on Jose instantly!
JR and I had so much fun. It made me realize how much I love having family over to visit. I like being surrounded by family and friends, and I wish more of my family lived closeby.
Here's a photo Sue took of Evan smiling at Denise:
Evan was absolutely smitten with Denise, smiling and cooing at her like crazy. Evan loves everyone, though; he smiled a lot at Sue and his Grandma too. And when he was crying, Jose took him and he fell asleep on Jose instantly!
JR and I had so much fun. It made me realize how much I love having family over to visit. I like being surrounded by family and friends, and I wish more of my family lived closeby.
Here's a photo Sue took of Evan smiling at Denise:
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Happy baby
Today Evan fell asleep on his own, in his bouncer! Not once, not twice, but THREE times! A small feat perhaps for some, but considering he usually needs someone to hold him in order to fall asleep, this is a big deal. It looks like he is learning to self-soothe. And I must say, it's not because of a mother determined to teach self-soothing, but because of the heat. Today it was just too hot to hold him...so I gave in and put him down. And he was fine with it!
Here's a photo of him (next to Grandma), and he is almost smiling here:
And in his bouncer, from just a short time ago... Now, everyone says when Evan cries he looks like JR, and when he is calm, he looks slightly more like me. I must say, I agree. What do you think?
Here's a photo of him (next to Grandma), and he is almost smiling here:
And in his bouncer, from just a short time ago... Now, everyone says when Evan cries he looks like JR, and when he is calm, he looks slightly more like me. I must say, I agree. What do you think?
Monday, September 11, 2006
Doctor appointment
Evan saw his pediatrician this morning, for another checkup. He has gained a LOT of weight in the past two weeks; he is now 9 pounds, 1 ounce! (4.15 kilos) The other day he gained 3 ounces in 1 day! Usually he gains at least 1 ounce a day, sometimes 2, but 3!
I tried to explain to the doctor all of JR's and my concerns, referring to my notepad where I write everything (feedings, medication times, reflux times, etc). JR and I have been more nervous lately because he still has reflux and he got pale a couple times when he seemed to choke on spitup. The doctor said that we could do something absolutely forbidden nowadays, for fear of SIDS: put Evan to sleep on his stomach. Reflux is the one exception to the "back to sleep" rule. She kept talking about SIDS but said if we watched him at first we could try the stomach-sleeping position. I just thought about how 20-30 years ago, all parents put their kids to sleep on their stomachs... I asked about putting Evan on his side and the doctor said, "Oh, yeah, try that first." A good compromise.
I don't know why JR and I have been more nervous lately. Sometimes at night I worry and if Evan's squirming a lot, I pick him up and hold him in bed. Then he falls asleep and is calm. Lately, Evan wakes up around 6am every morning, spitting up. The reflux is just getting annoying, but maybe it seems to be bothering him less...
There are so many positive things to focus on, though. Like how Evan smiles more and more every day. How he is focusing more on faces and objects in front of him. And of course his weight gain. Even now as I type, he is in the baby carrier calmly sucking his pacifier... He is beautiful and perfect and seems so happy.
I tried to explain to the doctor all of JR's and my concerns, referring to my notepad where I write everything (feedings, medication times, reflux times, etc). JR and I have been more nervous lately because he still has reflux and he got pale a couple times when he seemed to choke on spitup. The doctor said that we could do something absolutely forbidden nowadays, for fear of SIDS: put Evan to sleep on his stomach. Reflux is the one exception to the "back to sleep" rule. She kept talking about SIDS but said if we watched him at first we could try the stomach-sleeping position. I just thought about how 20-30 years ago, all parents put their kids to sleep on their stomachs... I asked about putting Evan on his side and the doctor said, "Oh, yeah, try that first." A good compromise.
I don't know why JR and I have been more nervous lately. Sometimes at night I worry and if Evan's squirming a lot, I pick him up and hold him in bed. Then he falls asleep and is calm. Lately, Evan wakes up around 6am every morning, spitting up. The reflux is just getting annoying, but maybe it seems to be bothering him less...
There are so many positive things to focus on, though. Like how Evan smiles more and more every day. How he is focusing more on faces and objects in front of him. And of course his weight gain. Even now as I type, he is in the baby carrier calmly sucking his pacifier... He is beautiful and perfect and seems so happy.
Naps
9/07: Evan is starting to fill out the bassinet...
He doesn't look too happy about me taking his photo while he sleeps:
9/11: Ah, finally wearing pants...
Falling back to sleep? (Nope...)
He doesn't look too happy about me taking his photo while he sleeps:
9/11: Ah, finally wearing pants...
Falling back to sleep? (Nope...)
Wednesday, September 6, 2006
Tongue untied
I was dreading this morning. To go back to the same doctor that messed up on Evan's tongue, to have him attempt it again--it was wearing on my nerves. I asked the doctor how he was going to make sure Evan didn't move his tongue this time. In other words, how was he going to make sure he did it right this time? This time, the doctor was much more humble, and certainly more careful. He had a nurse help him and in two seconds it was over. Evan didn't even cry! He's so strong!
Now, Evan is no longer "tongue-tied." As the doctor said, he will be able to French kiss someday. Yikes! Now that's freaky to think about... Anyway, it's over and it went well. Immediately I saw Evan slightly stick out his tongue, and I gasped in surprise and delight (scaring JR as he was driving--oops). He took the bottle fine and now is sound asleep. He seems completely unphased.
My mother is here now, and starting crying in happiness and she stared at the sleeping Evan. Last time she saw him he was only a week or so old and much tinier. I'm sure Grandma will love holding Evan--she may not want to put him down!
Now, Evan is no longer "tongue-tied." As the doctor said, he will be able to French kiss someday. Yikes! Now that's freaky to think about... Anyway, it's over and it went well. Immediately I saw Evan slightly stick out his tongue, and I gasped in surprise and delight (scaring JR as he was driving--oops). He took the bottle fine and now is sound asleep. He seems completely unphased.
My mother is here now, and starting crying in happiness and she stared at the sleeping Evan. Last time she saw him he was only a week or so old and much tinier. I'm sure Grandma will love holding Evan--she may not want to put him down!
Monday, September 4, 2006
New medication
Evan saw a specialist for his reflux last Friday. The doctor seemed rather cold and clinical but was nice, throwing in seemingly serious questions in the middle of his medical analysis: "Does he have blood in his stool? ...How long after eating does the reflux occur? ...Is he cute?...He has long eyelashes...Mom, you have to stop pulling out his eyelashes..." Evan then "baptized" the doctor during the belly-pressing exam, squirting him with a warm spray of pee.
The doctor changed one of Evan's medications; he switched him from Zantac to Prevacid. After strugging with solutabs that don't dissolve evenly in water, JR and I finally found a method using a powder form of the medicine (dissolved in water). Friday was a difficult day--the stress was running high and taking a toll on JR and me. Also, Evan had some reflux on Friday--what I think was more than usual.
JR and I are realizing we have to remain calm, though, and not be too emotional or stressed about his reflux. Yes, it is scary to see him having these spasms, it's difficult to see him in pain, but he is not in any danger. That's what we have to remember. All we can do is hold him upright and try to comfort him when he cries. Part of why it's so hard, at least for me, is because I feel helpless. I cannot take his pain away, as much as I want to. As any mother, I would willingly take 100 times his pain for him if it would mean he wouldn't have any. But I can't do that. I just have to hold him and wait for it to stop. And it's hard waiting. It is hard to be patient. We have to be patient, though, as this new medicine takes a couple of weeks to take full effect.
We have only good news now: he is gaining weight (around 40 grams average a day, 1.5 ounces), he hasn't had any reflux in almost 36 hours, he is sleeping well, and he is getting more alert and beautiful every day. Since JR has almost a week off work, I've been able to catch up on sleep in the mornings while he takes care of Evan. I think both JR and I feel more rested. And we are building a team, working together to care for our sweet little boy.
The doctor changed one of Evan's medications; he switched him from Zantac to Prevacid. After strugging with solutabs that don't dissolve evenly in water, JR and I finally found a method using a powder form of the medicine (dissolved in water). Friday was a difficult day--the stress was running high and taking a toll on JR and me. Also, Evan had some reflux on Friday--what I think was more than usual.
JR and I are realizing we have to remain calm, though, and not be too emotional or stressed about his reflux. Yes, it is scary to see him having these spasms, it's difficult to see him in pain, but he is not in any danger. That's what we have to remember. All we can do is hold him upright and try to comfort him when he cries. Part of why it's so hard, at least for me, is because I feel helpless. I cannot take his pain away, as much as I want to. As any mother, I would willingly take 100 times his pain for him if it would mean he wouldn't have any. But I can't do that. I just have to hold him and wait for it to stop. And it's hard waiting. It is hard to be patient. We have to be patient, though, as this new medicine takes a couple of weeks to take full effect.
We have only good news now: he is gaining weight (around 40 grams average a day, 1.5 ounces), he hasn't had any reflux in almost 36 hours, he is sleeping well, and he is getting more alert and beautiful every day. Since JR has almost a week off work, I've been able to catch up on sleep in the mornings while he takes care of Evan. I think both JR and I feel more rested. And we are building a team, working together to care for our sweet little boy.
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