Saturday, May 5, 2012

{reconnecting}

I had a free moment where both boys are sleeping and thought that I would try to complete a blog post and say hi!
We are still here, I wish I had more time to blog, but honestly I am so worn out by the end of the day I just get what needs to get done done and go to bed.  Please tell me this all gets easier and I will be back to blogging... 
Crew is doing okay if you follow me on twitter or instagram you know that we have had a few tough weeks with Crew.
First he had a horrible cough that I ended up making three trips to the doctor to have them check him out.  We had two chest
X-Rays done and all was clear.  In the end it just took time to clear up.  It was exhausting for both Crew and I.  He was always waking up from the cough and was not getting much rest, which meant I didn't get much rest either.  Than there is the topic of his reflux and breastfeeding.  We have days where Crew eats every 3 hours during the day and some nights he will go any where from 4-6 hours between feedings.  But we do have several days where all Crew will do is eat every HOUR!  Those days are tough!  Then the topic of his reflux medicine I am thinking that it isn't doing it's job for Crew.  He spits up a lot, he often cries after he finishes nursing on one side.  When I know he is done nursing he cries because he wants to keep nursing, but I have learned my lesson several times if I let him nurse he will puke up everything.  So this will be the main topic of discussion at Crew's well visit on Tuesday!  I have had several wonderful friends and twitter friends give me wonderful advice and I am ready to speak my case to Dr S!
Crew is not a sleeper...he will sleep, but after each feeding day or night he stays up for 2 hours before going to sleep.  I don't mind it during the day, but at night it gets frustrating.  How do I change this?  I want to do the online Moms on Call, but I need to find time to devote to watching it and putting it in action.  I have heard WONDERFUL things about this program.  Right now it is tough because I am trying to balance a lot of things:
taking care of Crew and Grayson
spending quiet time and quality time with Chad
working a full time job
keeping our house clean and picked up because it is still for sale and over the past several weeks we have had a showing every week often two or three times in one week (I am ready to take it off the market and stay put!)
doing household duties (laundry, grocery shopping, paying bills etc)
Adding anything else to my priority list at this moment cannot happen...overwhelmed as it stands now!
I just keep telling myself that it is just a season and before I know it Crew will be ONE and Grayson will be almost THREE!

Speaking of Grayson he will be TWO in 12 days!
We have a fun party planned for Grayson and we are keeping it simple!  Grayson is so much FUN!  He loves to talk and tell me stories all day long.  He loves TRACTORS!  He wakes up and says tractor first thing EVERY morning.  All the way to school in the morning and on the way home he looks and talks about TRACTORS.  He has a little ride on TRACTOR at home and he rides that toy all around our house!  He is adorable and I love my little tractor loving boy!

As for the boys together Crew loves hearing and watching Grayson, he just stares at him.  I often wonder what Crew must be thinking...
Grayson has his moments with Crew where he LOVES him and wants to hold him all the time, but we do have days where Grayson hits him and tries to step on him.  The biggest challenge is when I am nursing Grayson either wants to sit basically on top of me or he is doing things in the house that he is not suppose to do.  For example he will try to pull on the lamp cords and pull them off the table or he will play in the curtains.  It is tough because I know that he doesn't understand what is going on and my time is not directed towards him.  I have tried several things such as a nursing basket with several fun things to do, but that didn't work.  The best thing that works for us right now is Grayson watching a movie, giving him a snack and milk and sitting on the couch next to me.  This way I can still interact with him by talking to him.  I keep telling him that soon Crew will be able to play with you and you will be the best of buddies.  
I am not going to say having two under two is easy because it isn't, but I love my two boys! 

Here is Grayson today playing with BIG TRUCKS!
It was a fun family day!

Crew turned 9 Weeks Old this past Friday...
slow down Crew you are growing too fast!

Okay I need to run and feed Crew and go to bed!

12 comments:

Jamie said...

Hope things get better for you guys soon!

http://jamiesjourneythroughlife.blogspot.com/

Traci said...

I will get to experience this in about 2 weeks when baby #2 gets here, sounds like its going to be challenging. I'm not sure I'm reay for this.

Lisa said...

Someone has probably mentioned this, but have you tried changing your diet to help the reflux? My daughter projectile puked like it was her JOB, but removing some things from my diet improved her enormously. It's been a long while (she's nearly a teen) but the most common culplits are red sauces and dairy. I'm sure google or your lacation consultant can shed more light! Hugs and good luck - it's is HARD having two that little!

Shelley said...

I feel for you! So, so much of this post sounds like exactly what I was saying a few short months ago. We have a 3 year old and a now almost 7 month old. I too have been trying to remember that this is a season and that before I know it they will be in high school, eek! Hang in there and keep doing what you are doing - mommy knows best! It gets easier. I know that is what everyone probably says but there is some truth in it :) I didn't believe it but by golly, it's turning out to be true - slowly...

Have a great week!

Unknown said...

learning to balance nursing with 2 under 2 was super hard. I had many interesting experiences that I wish to never experience again. It does get easier tho I promise.

DustyandBrooke said...

Hi, Melissa! I have a little girl who just turned two...I cannot imagine having another little one in the house. Praying for you, girl! I know you've had lots of advice, but from one mom to another...Prilosec {and Similac Alimentum} saved our lives in the reflux department. Zantac did NOTHING. I finally told the doc that something had to give. I know exactly what you're going through. Hope things get better quick!

wren handmade said...

Hi,
I also have a newborn (1 month) and a 20 month old. Two boys like you. I've had the same exact problem of my older one going around the house doing all the no no's while I'm nursing the baby. Really the only thing that works is to strap him in his high chair with books or puzzles or a snack. He doesn't seem to mind. Crazy how they pinpoint everything that they are not supposed to do! Good luck, hope Crew feels better soon.
Laura

Aja said...

You're taking me back to the fall of 2010. I feel for you. I remember well having a 19 month old and a new baby. My baby got a cold from older brother at 10 days and a bad, bad virus around 3 months that landed us in the hospital for tests (was just a virus). Baby #2 spit up a lot too.

It's tough right now and I know not so helpful but it WILL get easier. Now mine are 3 and 19 months and it's easy. They play so well together and are fun and love each other so much. Hang in there. Sending extra prayers your way!

Missy F said...

Hi there. So sorry you guys are experiencing hard times with reflux/BF-ing...my little guy fed every 90 min (oh my lord is was rough)b/c he was comfort feeding (while they are drinking their esophagus feels good, the min they stop they are on fire) We discovered after seeing a pedi GI & allergy specialist that he was MSPI (milk/soy protein intolerant) and that changed everything!! Adding a 2nd reflux med also helped (very long story short we ended up on Elecare a Rx formula only availble from your GI thru mail order as well as Zantac & Prevacid) I hope you get answers soon, follow your Mom-gut and press the issue- you all deserve some releif & answers! Prayers for you and sweet Crew ; )

Alyssa said...

HUGS! My son had severe reflux as an infant, and at 8, still has it, but not as bad. When he was newborn, he nursed, ALL the time. It was frustrating because I also had a 4 year old who wanted attention. He would nurse, spit up everything, and then nurse again, and repeat. I know a lot of his wanting to nurse was for comfort because of the reflux, but that only made him puke and then need to nurse because he was hungry. It took us 4 months to find a combination of drugs to control his reflux to the point where he didn't continuously vomit/scream bloody murder/ be completely stiff from pain. We eventually stuck with zantac and reglan that worked well. But keep in mind that those meds need to be continually adjusted for weight to keep them working correctly.

He also was never a sleeper (still isn't that great). Again, that goes back to the reflux as well. He had to be elevated at all times. The second he was laid down, even in his elevated crib, he would wake up, screaming in pain, and you could hear him refluxing, so we knew that was the cause. We co-slept, and that was our only peace- quiet and of mind. I was always terrified he'd choke during his sleep.

Sorry this is so long. You're welcome to email me if you have any questions. It's a rough journey, but we've survived reflux and it does get easier. I will warn you that bottles may be tricky. We never could get Preston to take one because the milk came out too fast and it really made his reflux bad. Even with a heavy milk flow, nursing was still easier on his reflux than bottles.

I'll be praying that things get easier soon!

Miranda Robertson said...

Oh Melissa, I can completely remember feeling this way when little Gwen was first born. I am here to tell you that it all gets so much easier and now Gwen is almost two and Abi almost four and it's so much better. I didn't think I would ever sleep again! I also can totally relate to Grayson stepping on/hitting Crew. Abi did that too and it was SO hard. I think for a while it got so bad that I would have to put on a movie for Abi and then actually leave the room to nurse Gwen. My kids both had reflux too and I really noticed a difference with the medicine, but also, if I just nursed as much as they wanted, especially at night, they seemed happier.

Good luck and know you aren't alone. Soon enough it will be you who is reassuring someone else that it gets easier.

XOXO
Miranda

Ginny said...

I thought I would share my experience with baby puking. Both of my children were volcano vomiters. I breastfed too, and they would often throw up their whole stomach full. I never gave them drugs for it, as they were both in the 90th plus percentiles for growth. What was interesting was that it stopped for both of them when they were able to sit up...I think it was a physical maturity of some part of their digestive system or the muscles that support it. If that is your sons issue, I am not surprised that drugs dont work. Hopefully, in time it will end like it did for my two. I just lived with it and went through a lot of bibs and burp rags!! Try to avoid him bending at the waist or laying flat right after he eats...carseats were a disaster, I remember!

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