2 Month Check-up

Robby had his 2 month check-up last week (at 2 and 1/2 months- or 11 weeks). 

He weighed 13lbs 6oz and was 24in long!!  He was in the 75th percentile for both... big boy!!  Any of the 'issues' we brought up to the doctor was met with "It'll get better..."  She said all our concerns (i.e. sleeping habits, evening fussy time, etc.) are very normal and will get better as his neurological system matures. 

Robby also got his first set of shots.  We are doing an alternate schedule so he only got 2 sets of shots this time.  He'll go back monthly for shots until he's about 7 months.  He did GREAT with the shots!  He of course cried when the nurse stuck him with it (I don't blame him- ouch!) but calmed down as soon as Nick picked him up.  When we tried to put his pants back on, he lost it.  So I nursed him for about 10 minutes and he was good!  No fever in the following days, just didn't want me to put him down AT ALL for an entire day.  If I was holding him he was just fine.  Typical of our little monster :)

Sad baby :(

A few days later, however, we noticed he was sleeping more than normal.  And in the following days, he started acting like he was just uncomfortable and had what is considered 'diarrhea' in a baby.  He just wasn't himself, it was clear he wasn't feeling well.  The nurse at the doctor's office said he probably caught a 'gastrointestinal bug.'  If you ask me, he got a touch of rotavirus from getting the vaccine- which is a live virus.  The doctor won't admit it has anything to do with the vaccine, but it's just too coincidental that he caught a stomach bug which is commonly caused by rotavirus... just DAYS after getting the rotavirus vaccine!  Regardless, poor guy was pretty miserable for the past few days, but mommy quite literally nursed him back to health after leaving work early yesterday.  :)  He's already doing much better today!

While Robby is still continuing to want to exclusively sleep on Mommy throughout the night, the good news is that he's been consistently having a 6-7 hour stretch between feedings at night!  If only we could get this to happen in his crib...  He has also discovered his hands and has been trying very hard to get them into his mouth!  He wants very badly to grab ahold of Sophie the giraffe and put her into his mouth as well, but he's just not quite coordinated enough to make that happen yet.  He's also started drooling... a lot!  And often blows bubbles so it looks like he's foaming at the mouth. Robby's really been doing a lot of "talking" lately... cooing, squealing, etc. and loves it when Mommy "talks" back to him!  I may be biased, but he's really quite adorable.  For some strange reason, he LOVES his changing table in his nursery.  He can be fussy, and many times, we'll bring him in there to change him and he'll just lay there, talking, looking around, smiling... little stinker.

He'll be 3 months a week from tomorrow... crazy how time has flown by!

Until next time,
Carrie

 

The Difference a Year Makes

Every morning I wake up and I could cry knowing I have to leave my baby in just one short hour.


One year ago, I would drive to work every morning, and I did cry.

I cried because I wanted a baby so badly.

I cried because everyone around me seemed to be getting pregnant.

I cried because I didn't know if I would ever get to have the one thing I wanted my whole life.

I cried because after close to two years, we were no closer to becoming parents.

I cried because life just wasn't fair.


Now, just one short year later, I drive to work every morning and once again, I cry.

I cry because I have to go to work and leave my baby at home.

I cry because I wish I could be with him every day.

I cry because, of course, I miss him.


But mostly?


I cry because he's here.

I cry because I have a baby.

I cry because life is wonderful.


It's amazing the difference a year can make.

Videos

Here are a few short videos of Robby from this month! 

Emotionally Unstable Baby

Loves the mobile on his swing!

Reaching for the toys on the toybar of his bouncer

Talking to and smiling at the musical star!

First Two Months

Life has been crazy here in the Thielmann household!  Robby has been doing great- eating well and getting big!  After the first few weeks, we were able to eliminate all supplemented bottles and he has been exclusively nursing since.  This is much less stressful for mommy thankfully!  I've had what's called a 'foremilk imbalance' that has caused much fussiness in Robby so I've been working with a lactation consultant and luckily this issue is getting much better.  We've also determined that Robby has a dairy intolerance so I've given up dairy- which has made him much less gassy, overall happier, and cleared up the baby acne he had on his face.  Robby is still what I like to call a 'high maintenance' baby- gets fussy easily and goes through many phases where he doesn't want to be put down.  He only likes to sleep in his bouncer or on us... which makes mommy very exhausted!  Despite all this, he is an extremely smiley baby!  Many times at night I can't get him to go back to sleep because he is laying there smiling at me every time I look at him... So even though many times I'm ready to lose my mind, he makes up for it!  I'll keep him.  :)


Robby's getting to be a little chunk- at not quite 1 and 1/2 months he weighed 9 lbs 12 oz.  He has his 2 month check-up next week so we will know what he weighs currently at that time.  We can sure tell he's getting bigger by the day- he's getting a double chin and thigh rolls!  He is currently eating about every 2-3 hours during the day and typically has one 4-5 hour stretch at night (then usually wants to eat more often in the early morning).  He definitely has a fussy period in the late evening (which is made worse when he is overtired!) but even this has gotten better since we eliminated dairy.  Robby has recently started reaching for his toys on his toybar on his bouncer and when laying on his play mat!  He loves to watch the mobile on his swing as well.  His favorite thing to do is to push up and stand when you're holding him and 'flex' his muscles- I like to call it his Muscle Man!  Kona has been very good with Robby- she's very gentle, gives him kisses... however, she really would prefer it if we would just return him. :)  She's still adjusting to not having all the attention on her and she gets upset when Robby has a bad day and cries the majority of the day.  I keep trying to explain to her that once he is moving more she will love him because he will play with her!  Soon enough she'll understand...  Robby went on his first plane ride with mommy back to Chicago the week before Labor Day weekend and got to meet our families and friends.  He did great on the plane!  Slept through take-off and landing, took a bottle halfway through the flight, and pretty much slept the rest of the time!  We were so excited to be able to introduce him to everyone.

Practicing flying while sitting on Mommy's lap on the airplane!

Robby had a renal scan done at 5 weeks to check the function of his kidneys and to determine if there was damage to his right kidney.  This would also tell us if further testing needed to be done.  Poor guy was only allowed to have Pedialyte one time after 3:30am and the test wasn't until about 9am. When we got there, they had to place an IV since he had to be sedated for the scan.  This unfortunately was horrible as they couldn't get it placed.  His veins kept either blowing or disappearing as soon as they tried to place it.  Three different people tried for a total of 9 times.  One of the nurses finally got it placed... in his scalp.  :(  We felt so bad for him- but were so glad they were able to place it so we didn't have to be sent home only to come back and do it all over again.  According to the doctor, his kidneys are functioning great- left at 54% and right at 46%, which is normal.  There is no obstruction or kink in what connects the kidney to the bladder, which is good.  However, the urine could be refluxing back up to the kidney.  We have been referred to a pediatric urologist in Kansas City for further testing.  This doctor thinks it's very possible his kidney is just swollen and that it will go away on it's own.  But he still wants to do the testing to rule out reflux and/or anything else not seen on the first scan.  Let's hope this is something he can just grow out of and no surgery has to be done!

The past two months have been the most stressful and exhausting but also the most amazing two months!  We can't believe how big Robby's already getting and we love to see his personality starting to come out!  After everything we went through to get to this point, we are so grateful and amazed to finally have him here.

Here's some recent pictures of our little man!

Until next time!

Carrie