It Wont Be Like This For Long

So it is a good night in our house when it is 6:00 and Brian is home, dinner is finished, and homework is done. Bonus today- I even got the boys' sheets washed and put back on the beds. Wow! I feel accomplished! I heard this song playing on the radio today, and I had to rush home and find it and post it to my blog. IT WON"T BE LIKE THIS FOR LONG! This is so true, and means so many different things right now.

To say that times are very trying right now...well, that may be an understatement. Olivia has been diagnosed with Acid Reflux and it is pretty much making her miserable 24 hours a day. We have thought all along that she is colicky, but after doing countless hours of reading late at night, I have come to realize that she does indeed have Acid Reflux and has most of the symptoms that are pretty much making her cry all of the time. As of now, the doctor has switched her from Zantac to Prilosec, and we are waiting to see if this one works. That Zantac didn't work at all. Eating and sleeping are horrible for her because after she eats, it just burns in her little tummy. Then sleeping is bad because lying down makes it worse. We have found one little bouncy seat that she is sleeping in when she finally does decide to sleep for an hour or two. I think she hates the carseat because it pushes on a certain part of her tummy that causes it to hurt. Arching her back gives her relief, and she can't do that in the carseat.

I am exhausted each day, and by the time Brian gets home at night, he takes over and does the same thing I have done all day- hold a very upset, miserable, little baby. Next week will be tougher because Brian will be gone again. It is awful because we can't seem to comfort her. I was actually asked to take my baby ouside a store the other day by another customer. She said, "maybe you should go outside.." If I had had any energy, I would have turned her in to someone, but at that point, comforting my poor baby was more important.

In between all of this crying, we have managed to catch some smiles and the start of some cooing. The boys take advantage of every second that Olivia is happy. If she isn't crying for a few minutes, one of them will say, "Look- she's happy!!" I can only imagine what it will be like when she is 4 or 5 months old and playing with them- they will be so thrilled.

So, this brings me to my post title. IT WON"T BE LIKE THIS FOR LONG. Every day, I think about the 3 or 4 month point when most babies outgrow their reflux and colic. I find myself wishing away these most precious days and wanting the first three months to be over. I find that I don't have time for pictures and Olivia hates to have her clothes changed because she has to be lying down and that hurts her. So, I don't take the pictures like I did with the boys. I keep reminding myself that it won't be like this for long...before we know it, Olivia will be going off to preschool. I can't wish away this time.

Yes, it is difficult right now and tiring, and frustrating...but, we have Olivia. She is healthy (except for a little underdeveloped digestive system that needs time to mature) and strong, and we can hear her cry. I read too many blogs where babies are sick or never even survived, so it is so important, even amidst the crying, to remember that it won't be like this for long. She will outgrow this phase and be a happy baby soon enough.

One Month Old!

On September 3rd, Brian and I woke up at 4:30 in the morning and left for Harrison Hospital at about 5:20 am. As soon as we arrived, they began the prepping for getting me ready to deliver via c-section. After having been through two c-sections, I felt somewhat calm, yet still very anxious. After having gone through nine months of pregnancy and talking about our baby girl, there is a sense of anxiety that I felt, wondering if she would be healthy and free of complications. At about 7:30 am, Brian and I walked into the cold and bright operating room, where they proceeded to give me a spinal. It took forever for the meds to work on me. The dr. kept poking me with needles and I could still feel them. Finally after about 15 minutes, it worked. I was drugged and the surgery could begin. I can remember them saying they were starting, and then within minutes, baby Olivia Grace Nowak was born at 8:12 am. Dr. Bohanen said, "Wow, she is your tiniest baby yet!" And she was!! Little Olivia weighed 6 lbs 11 oz and was only 17 inches long. The boys were both in the 8 pound range, so she looked so petite, so tiny, but so perfect!!!!

Today, Olivia is exactly one month old. It has been a tiring month, but Olivia has brought so much happiness to our family. The boys can't get enough of her, and they have been so good with her, even when she cries (or should I say screams). It is funny watching Brian with a little girl. We went to the store the other day, but before we could leave, he took her upstairs. When they came back down, I asked him what he was doing. He replied, "Combing her hair... I can't take her out without her hair combed." I just had to laugh- he wouldn't have done that with the boys.

Unfortunately, Olivia is colicky and does spend a lot of her days and nights crying. We know that one day, she will wake up and smile as if to say, "I am ready to face the world!" For now, she is still trying to figure out why she had to be taken from the warm and comfortable tummy and be brought into this cold and scary place. Her favorite place to be is sleeping on our chests.

At one month old she:
is still in newborn clothes
weighs 8 lbs
smiles in her sleep all of the time
hates the carseat
finally loves her bath
doesn't cry anymore when she gets a diaper change
loves to lay on the bed and stare at the ceiling fan
only goes about 1 1/2 to 2 hours between feedings
gets about 1000 kisses a day from from her brothers (mostly from Matthew)
is the Apple of her daddy's eye!! I have to fight to hold her when he is around!! :)
Has completed our family and makes us so happy every day!!

Pause the music on the playlist on the right hand side before viewing the video