Sunday, June 24, 2012

Theron Drake is 2 1/2 Months Old (And Kicking Our Butts)

Dear Little Dude,

Well, we missed the 2 month update because sub-consciously your mom and I were trying to forget your 2nd month with us.  So she has employed me to write your 2 1/2 month update and I'm going to give it to you straight (goods and bads).

This last month and a half has been the most difficult month and a half in any of our lives (that's not saying much for you).  There has been a lot of tears, cries, and screams, and you have had it rough as well.  What we thought was a pain in OUR butt colic baby, has turned out to be a pain in YOUR tummy/esophagus silent reflux baby.  The word on the street (internet) is that of all the refluxes, silent reflux is the most painful.  The irony lies in the name "silent reflux" in that in renders you far from silent.  Screaming reflux seems to be a much more appropriate title.  As the acid in your tummy comes up to your mouth, instead of spitting it out like normal reflux, it goes back down and burns that way too.  I can't imagine what that must feel like, especially for a little dude like you.  Your mom and I (and everyone else that loves you) feel so bad for you and the pain that you must be in.  When you are having your "moments" we can see the tremendous pain you are in and our hearts break a thousand times for you.  Even your puppy sister Scout gets bent out of shape when you start screaming.

What adds to the pain of being your mom and dad is that we feel like we cannot help you.  Before having you I heard people talk about doing anything to keep their kid from being in pain.  I thought that was just talk... now I know exactly what they mean.  There is nothing I wouldn't give to ease the pain you go through in your "moments".  I love you eternally, son, and I know that you will one day be freed from this pain and you hopefully will not remember any of this.  That is of little consolation now.  You are on your 2nd prescription medication (first Axid and now Prevacid (your Aunty Em helped figure this out)) and he have tried countless other remedies.  Our next step for you is going to a GI specialist to figure out what is going on in there.

Each day feels like a struggle to get through and we have developed certain mile markers to help get us through the day and until night.  Thankfully, you are a pretty good sleeper.  For instance, we have started watching Jeopardy! but we really look forward to Wheel of Fortune.  I think that both of these will seep into your brain and will help your intelligence.

But.........

There are amazing moments and being a reflux baby is not all you are (although at times it feels like it).  At your 2 month check up (2 months and 1 week technically, but we'll get to that in a bit) you checked in with the following stats: Head 16 3/4 cm, Length 25 in (when does it become height), Weight 14 pounds.  You are above the 90th percentile in all of these categories!  Wowza!  I have already contacted Ivy League basketball coaches telling them that in 18 years (maybe fewer, Doogie Howser) they will have a brilliant recruit to sign up.

The reason why we had to postpone your 2 month appointment was because your mom had to go on tv to show your room (and you).  How many 2 month olds can say that they have been on tv and had a female tv star in their room?  Hubba Hubba!  At this appointment you received your first big round of shots and you... well... you took that shots and that's all we'll say about that.  You can watch it here.



Other factoids about you, duder:

- You like being held in the Buddha Baby position, even though it doesn't do much for your figure.


- While sitting in your bouncer you like to look up at "hate" lamp and just smile and talk to yourself.


- Your are entranced by the picture wall (these last 2 facts seem to indicate that you have inherited your mom's home decorating gene)

- You have already finished The Great Gatsby and are working on Fahrenheit 451

- You are not a big fan of pacifiers (although Scout LOVES them), your swing, or baths (even though you come out looking this handsome)


- Sometimes you tolerate car rides and walks.... sometimes


- You love wearing your dumpers

- You've discovered your hand tastes pretty good (and makes you look very introspective) and drool is a nice add-on to your onesies (which doesn't make you look so good)


- You already have your list of favorite songs (Avett Brothers, Mumford and Sons, Citizen Cope, Blind Melon, and Elton John)

- You (and you alone) really like daddy's singing, dancing, and watching his hair move about

-  You're becoming so good at Tummy Time you may have to go pro!


-Your face is so expressive and everybody just loves to see your side-smirk grin that you inherited from Grandpa Dan


- The last fact about you is that you will feel better and life will become much more pleasant and comfortable... I promise!


P.S. - Joi (and myself) would like to thank you for all of your emails of support and wonderings about the blog.  Thanks for caring enough in this little blog to be supportive and concerned about whats going on.  Joi promises she will be back to blogging as soon as she can.

25 comments:

Michelle said...

Those pics are ridiculously cute! Those reflux issues are the worst.

jandjhome said...

He is delicious! Que Rico! So sorry to hear about the reflux. My niece had it so bad she lived with ear infections from 4 weeks until she was 2 that they put the tubes. The fluid of reflux would go up to her ears. I read a lot about chiropractors and their work with reflux. Might be worth the research. Most doctors aren't big fans, but it may save him some pain. Other than that the hope is that it usually starts getting better at about six months. Sending you love!

Sara @ Russet Street Reno said...

Oh jeez, this breaks my heart and I hope my little man doesn't get reflux! He is adorable, I really hope the new medicine works.

C said...

Yay a blog update! You're such a great dad, Dave! Praying the GI doctor will have the solution and baby T won't be in pain for much longer. I wish I could impart some words of wisdom or help, but I know Joi has scoured the internet so praying is the best I can give you 3! XO!

Jennifer said...

Bless you guys...hang in there! I had a reflux baby as well. We used some of the same meds, but my boy finally settled down when we switched to soy milk. He sure is a cutie!!

Melissa Beck said...

You already know my thoughts are with all of you and I hope that baby T will get help soon. He is so gorgeous and expressive that one day hopefully all of the screaming moments will just seem like a bad dream.
Love you guys and hope you get some answers soon.

ellenconner23 said...

I've always been a lurker and love yalls house but had to post!! I have a 9 month old and were still on 1x per day prevacid ( mainly bc I'm scared to go all the way off) but things are 23545434345 times better than they were!!! I know everyone says it and it's hard to believe and frustrating to hear when your baby cries all the time, but there is light at then end of the tunnel!!! Prevacid was a miracle for us, but took about two weeks to really kick in. I'm sure u know this but the fisher price sleep and play rocker is incredible and ok for night time sleep. The nap nanny is great for the day. I also got results from cutting dairy if your breastfeeding. 4 months was a major turning point. It sounds crazy but u will (mostly) forget!! Sorry for the long stranger lurker comment :) but God bless y'all and that sweet big boy!!!

Pete and Mo said...

Hi. Def go see a GI. I waited too long with my daughter, and only after we did all the tests did she begin to thrive. I know its difficult, been there. Praying for u guys!

ThoughtsON said...

I usually read and don't comment but I just had to make a quick post! My 13 month old dealt with silent reflux issues, so I just want to extend my sympathies and reassurance that this too shall pass! Fortuntely, we were able to fix his issues with some Enfamil Gentlease forumla mixed with Mylanta but I remember how terrible just a single day of that awful screaming and terrible hopeless feeling can be! I hope and pray that the medicine eases his pains and you guys don't have to go the GI specialist route. On a happier note - he is OH EM GEE ADORABLE!!!!! Seriously such a cutie pie! And he really is kicking butt at the tummy time! :)

Kathy Groah, Aardvark Furniture said...

Like so many others I feel your pain. My daughter had the very same thing, only 25 years ago the only 'cure' was Mylanta! It worked, along with some fabulous neighbors who took turns pacing the floor with Hannah and the ocassional glass of wine while I pulled myself together. As Danielle said, this too shall pass! The picture of him right out of the bath is my favorite! Cuteness+

JB said...

Acid Reflex is getting common in babies, I feel for you and baby Theron. I hope you get to feeling better soon baby Theron you sure are a cutie and growing up fast. You have two Awsome Parents!!!

Unknown said...

oh my goodness - what a beautiful baby! He is so cute! He looks like he doesn't mind tummy time too much - I had such a hard time getting my son wyatt to like it even a little bit! Also, love that smirk!
-kendall
songbirdsandbuttons.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

What a handsome boy. I hope his reflux gets better soon. My 4 month old was colicky 16 hours a day from 2-10 weeks. I have tears from the memory.

all the best to you!

Unknown said...

I had some of the issues my baby boy too :) We went to a GI Dr. which really helped :) I started nursing differently and we ended up not need any meds, which was great! He still visits his GI Dr. every three mos, she's says he's doing amazing.

Good luck and hang in there :) Your little man is darling :)

Leslie G said...

Joi (and Dave!)- thanks for the update! He is so very precious, and newborns are HARD work even when they are healthy. I can't imagine what you guys are going through with reflux added in the mix of being new parents. I remember when I had Cameron, that looking ahead to when he would be "more fun" and "easier" at 5+ months of age, it seemed so, so far away. Take it day by day- because every age brings a new set of challenges!

Freckles Chick said...

J & D~

You are amazing parents to an amazing little dude. Like Leslie, I remember thinking "Everyone says enjoy these precious days but I can't WAIT for this baby to be more fun/easier/tell me what she needs!". And that's w/ a healthy baby! My heart aches w/ all sorts of emotions for you guys & this horrible reflux business.

For what it's worth, 4 months was the turning point for us....hopefully it'll be the same for you, you're almost there.

It's so intense.....this love for our babies. Their pain is our pain. Their joy is our joy. All we can do is "be here now" & be comforted by the thought that most things (good & bad) shall pass.

Many xoxo's to you, love you!!!!

P.S. David did a fabulous job w/ this post, what a guy. =] I laughed, I cried, I spit out my coffee at the "Buddha" pic, omg!

Anonymous said...

I am so sorry that your whole family is suffering this AUWFUL silent reflux crap. I too am a parent of a silent reflux baby. It took us a full two and a half months to see that diagnoses. I felt like a shell of a human being. All of my energy went to my baby. He was the worst in the middle of the night. hours of screaming nearly broke. The final straw was when my 2 1/2 year old told me "Mommy I'm tired of being sad. I'm tired of baby being sad. And Mommy too." I went to our pediatricians and insisted they see us. AGAIN. Thank the stars he was having an episode WHILE we were there. Once we found the right meds (prevacid) he was so much better. I'm almost at 6 months and he's starting to sit up. I am praying these two milestones will help him even more. Good luck. And just keep breathing. It's all you can do sometimes.
-Love from a Lurker who NEVER comments but is so moved by what you're going through that I had too.

Kristen said...

What a cutie!!!! Thank you for sharing what you guys are going through and I hope the reflux ends soon.

Sharstin said...

ah reflux is a doozy! he is so adorable-and you guys are the cutest parents! love these picts~

Tonia Lee Smith said...

Awww He's so stinkn' cute. The acid reflux is not fun and I hope that stops. Otherwise how is motherhood going so far?

Unknown said...

It really pains me and my wife whenever we see our daughter have the silent reflux in babies symptoms because we tend to worry a lot about her health.

Myssie@PendletonMarket said...

I know that you guys are in the StL area, my little boy has lots of GI problems too. I recommend that if you do go the GI doctor route, go to Dr Lynda Brady at St John's (Mercy). She is fantastic, I can not say enough great things about her. She is wonderful. Good luck and hang in there.

Leah said...

Oh he's a cutie! Highly recommend chiropractic visits as well as probiotics...Good luck, remember that this too, shall pass!

Chris | Team Sea-Squared said...

These pics had me smiling through the entire post. Especially the Buddha Baby position pic :) Such a little cutie! I hope he starts feeling better soon!

Erin - Dwell and Tell said...

Dave and Joi - I can only imagine how hard that must be for you (literally only imagine). I've heard stories of colic babies and this sounds like a similar experience.

Praying this new med does the trick!

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