It's all about the poops

Well not too much has been going on the last month (ha!)...

Poor baby Rudy got constipated.  We switched him to soy formula, thinking it would help with his crabbiness...instead it stopped him up and made him way worse.  It was so awful.  The poor guy would cry and scream so loud whenever he was trying to poop and then just little rock-hard acorns would come out.  This went on for about a week.  We took him off the soy as soon as we found out that was the culprit and went back to the "gentlease" formula.  I was still mixing in breastmilk until this past weekend, though.  Anyway, we tried it all to get him feeling better, which isn't a lot of options at his age.  What ended up working was giving him 2 ounces of water mixed with 1 tsp of dark Karo syrup, so sugar water basically, between every feeding and some "sits" baths.  Since I put him in there just to relax, I took him off the sling and let him sit in it...too funny!  He really enjoyed himself.  At first he was just so concentrated looking at his feet and knees, moving them around slowly and then he got the hang of it and our counter and myself were covered in water from his splashing.  He wasn't laughing, but he was fascinated by it. 

Of course as soon as he started going again, it was the other direction and he had diarhea for several days.  We actually took him to the doctor right before Thanksgiving to have the doctor check him out.  I feel so bad for him that he's inherited my digestion issues!  They said he looked "perfect" but to keep pushing fluids and stick with the gentle formula and if he were to look dehydrated or lose weight, then they'd be concerned.  But until then, even if he did have a bug or something, they wouldn't treat him for anything.

Let's see...what else?

He has been doing better sleeping at night.  He still wakes up a couple times, but usually one of the times he just needs rocked back to sleep for about 15 minutes, which is ok with me.  I actually enjoy those minutes with him.  Then he will wake up again, usually closer to 5 or so and want to eat and rocked back to sleep, so maybe 45 minutes.  The last couple mornings he has gone back to sleep until about 8, so we are getting there!

I don't know if it was the holidays, teething, gas, or what but he has not wanted to nap during the day.  Poor LeeAnn had him yesterday and he only slept a total of 1 hour alllll day.  And if he doesn't sleep, he is a crab and demands so much attention.  And when I got home I thought for sure he would take at least a little hour nap, but nope!  He was up until 8:30.

I think God is trying to teach me to relax and let things go some by giving me a baby like Rudy.  As much as I try and try to plan his eating and sleeping schedule and get him on a schedule, he does something different every day and night.  We are doing the best we can, and that's all we can do.  I'm trying to do what's "best" for him -- as in all the things you should do to keep from developing bad habits with eating and sleeping -- but I think I need to let go a little because it just makes it more stressful on everyone when I try to be perfect with it.  Everyone does their best with him and he is loved beyond words and that's all I can ask for!

Rudy wore jeans!  That was an exciting day.  He looked so grown up...

Being back at work is getting easier, but I still dread it.  I miss him so much during the days and wish I could be with him, but as much as I hate to admit it, sometimes it is nice to be forced to leave.  I feel too guilty to choose to leave him, but its probably for my benefit that I get away.  John usually sends me a picture of him during the day, which I absolutely love.  This one I got one day with a text, "Hi Mom!  Hope you arrrrrrrrre having a good day" -- not going to lie, it made me tear up, but in a good way.  I have such an amazing husband. 

I tried to get some good 3-month pictures of Rudy -- trying to cut some expense of taking him somewhere every 3 months.  The picture part isn't hard, its the setting up the area and a "backdrop" -- he might be going somewhere for 6 months! 

Rudy rolled over this past weekend!  I was changing his diaper and there he went.  We were on the floor in his room and he used the thick rug to pull himself over.  He hasn't done it again since.  I played with him on his floor last night, hoping he would do it again, but he was being stubborn.  I put him on his tummy and he rolled over to his back, though!  I actually got it on video.  I let the camera run while we played but it was 10 minutes before I stopped it.  Needless to say, I haven't had a chance to upload and format it to be added here.  But he is getting much better at tummy time.  He still doesn't like to be there for long, but he can lift up way better than before!

This is how he ends up while we are on the floor a lot.  And he even rolled half-way over like this when he was sleeping last night.  Its funny because that is how he slept or layed when he was in my belly, too.  He was always over to one side, stomach arched, with his feet on the other side... 

And as you can see in that picture, his hands are constantly in his mouth.  Or if not his hands, anything he can get his hands on.  I thought he might be teething -- between that and the amount of drool this kid spits out, tis amazing.  But no signs of teeth on his gums, yet.  His hand-eye coordination is getting much better, but still not perfect.  He gets so frustrated when he has something in his hands, but can't get it in his mouth.  He yells at it until he gets it in or we help him out.  And some things are never going to get in his mouth, but he tries...like the buttons on his activity gym.  He will lay his head down trying to eat them and sit up with a face full of drool... or his bumbo seat...

It's seriously non-stop that he is either sucking/chewing on something or trying to!

I put out our Christmas decorations this weekend!  John is putting up some lights outside today and I have just a couple more things to do in the house.  I love this time of year.  And in another month, Rudy will be that much more fun.  He won't have a clue its Christmas, but we will always remember his first one.  I put a little tree in his room.  He loves the lights. 

And just for fun...let's compare...

I can't get that to rotate...but what a difference a few months makes!