7 weeks already!

Times sure seems to fly during summer break, and when you add a newborn it seems to fly even faster.  Gordon was 7 weeks on Thursday. I can't believe it!!! Where has the time gone. He's getting bigger every day, and it's been neat seeing the changes in the kids in regards to Gordon.  Last Wednesday, he was weighed for an appointment and came in 13lbs  5 oz. He measured in at  23 inches.  So, I guess momma's milk is working well for him.

Nursing is getting better, but it's still a challenge at times. I'm really glad that I made the decision not to take on any new children under the age of 2 this summer because I wasn't sure how things would go with him. It would have been really hard to nurse him, and take care of a young toddler or infant.  One of my daycare families had to stop coming, because their dad last his job (damn economy), and I was really sad.  Mr. E was just on the verge of taking his 1st steps and I've missed that big milestone.  It's turning out to be a blessing though that he and his sister is not here, considering the challenges that I've had with nursing Gordon. 

Plus Gordon is turning out to be a fussier baby then Cyril was. He's more like his sister Dawn at this age. So that's been a tough on all of us.  Mom has been a HUGE and I mean huge blessing with him, especially during the work week when Jessie is gone.  I'm not sure what the kids and I would have done with her.  She says that Gordon looks so much like me when I was a baby at that age, only he's a lot bigger then I was ( I was only 7lbs when I was born. lol.)  So that in a way is a blessing, because she's really bonded with him, I wasn't sure if she would.

I discovered something very interesting in the last couple of weeks.  Since Gordon has been so fussy almost colic like (Dawn has colic. Ugh, that was hard), I've been on the hunt to find out if there was a cause.  He also has eczema really bad.  I read an interesting article about fussy babies/colic babies and milk sensitivities.  These babies also tend to have the acid reflux eczema, and, are also the spitters too when fed formula. (Breastfed babies spit, but not as often and most certainly not as bad.)So at this point I was ready to try anything. So I cut out the cow's milk and dairy products I was consuming, in hopes that it would help.  And that has seemed to really help things, and his eczema has disappeared almost. Why did no one tell me!! So as of now I'm GFDF or GFCF depending on who you talk too. (DF=Dairy free or CF = casein free) I'm getting used to almond milk in my coffee. I haven't been brave enough to try it in my cereal. I will not do soy milk, because of what Soy does to the male body.  I figure Gordon's already getting enough soy products from the foods that I eat, and he's getting enough synthetic estrogen already from the environment...why the hec would I add more? He's also proving to be sensitive to gluten products.  Up until recently I thought that I had been able to eat gluten products without having any attacks on my body the 2years I nursed Cyril. I know, I know - dummy me. Recently that was proven wrong to me, and to top it off, the same days that I had gluten products, Gordon was fussy and had extremely messy diapers, worse then what a normal breastfed baby has.

I am missing alot of the dairy products, but it's not forever.  I figure I'll try in back in my diet in 4-6months and see what happens. If' he's still the same, then I will continue to avoid till after he is done nursing. After I started doing this, my mom reminded me that my cousin Jess was lactose intolerant or had a milk sensitivity as a child.  Plus Cyril is sensitive to milk too.  We haven't taken him off dairy though, and I'm starting to wonder if we should.  So we'll see what happens for Gordon.

God Bless~

I miss my husband..

I miss my husband very much.  It's tough having him gone all week long, sometimes more then others.  Then again, there have been a few times, I'm glad he's gone for the week.  lol. Which I'm sure there are times that, he's been glad to be gone all week.  I'm not that easy to live with at times. lol. Things have been tough this last week or so with him gone. Due to him working overtime this past weekend, it will be 2 weeks by the time the kids and I see him again.  Over the last couple of days it feels like an eternity away, and makes me wonder how military families do it?

With all the rain, being couped inside, the adjustment to having Gordon here...things have been really tough. The kids have been at it more then normal, and I've ready to pull my hair out. lol. I didn't realize that having 4 kids would be this hard.  I knew it would be tough, but I honestly thought that it would be a little easier having the age differences that we have with our kids. I wish someone had knocked me on the side of the head during my pregnancy. lol.

Dawn has been a HUGE help with Gordon and the 2 daycare kids I had last week. She and Spencer have been a thorn in each other's side come evening time though.  Here I thought with them having activities that would lessen a bit, it has and it hasn't made that much of a difference. I wonder if that makes sense? lol. Cyril is being super naughty last week and this week. I know why, and was prepared for it to come...it's still been really tough, having my sweet boy become this...this...I can't really find the words other then naughty.

Not to mention that Gordon and I are having trouble getting the nursing relationship down.  He's a lazy latcher, and nurser. He falls asleep nursing barely after 10 minutes, doesn't matter if I strip him down to his t-shirt or not. Then he wakes up an hour later to nurse again. Or he'll go 4-5hours between feedings, by then my chest is ready to explode! lol. I think I gave him his nuk to early too, because he likes his nuk, way more then he should. Plus he doesn't want to latch on right either and gets so mad because the let down doesn't come as quickly as he'd like. So needless to say my milk supply has taken a serious hit -which is adding to the stress and frustration - of having a new baby, in addition to 3 children who all need attention. Did I mention I miss my husband? lol.

Do I need to mention the hormones too? lol. I had forgotten about those changes too. This weekend they really hit, and are stilling going strong. I'm crying and laughing at the silliest times, getting cranky at other times.

When Jessie was off those few days after Gordon was born, and when he was home that 1st weekend too, it was a HUGE blessing to not only have him there, but to have that extra helping hand.  I had forgotten the extra work you have when a new baby comes into the household.  I think a great gift for ALL new parents is for time to stand still or give us an extra hour, or two or three...so that we can get everything done that needs to be done.

Only 4 more days till he's home...and I'm counting the hours till he's here. It's Father's Day weekend this coming weekend...the kids and I will need to plan something to show him just how much we miss him and appreciate him.

God Bless ~