Hello September

Week 1 with a baby is bliss, the honeymoon period, the newborn "all I do is sleep" period and the husband being home makes life a bowl full of cherries. The 2nd week, you start to get a little tired but life continues to be sheer bliss. The 3rd week comes along and exhaustion is starting to set in and then BAM! the 4th week comes and slaps you upside the head. The husband is soon going back to work (yes we were lucky enough for him to spend a whole month at home with us), the baby starts to have longer wakeful periods, the guilt of not being the best Stay At Home Mom starts to set in because alas, you can't do it all, and you start to figure out how you are going to cope. Yes, week 4 was an eye opener for me. Byron then decided that perhaps he didn't like nursing so much, then he decided that he didn't like eating at all so much. By week 6, I was exhausted and overwhlemed. Why does my baby cry ALL.THE.TIME? What was I doing wrong? We started supplementing with formula (add more guilty feelings please) and things got a little better. Byron continued to be very "fussy" (fussy implies he was cranky, cranky doesn't even come close to explaining the screams that escaped my poor boy's lips). Luckily, I have the internet. I started to do some research and paid a little more attention to how Byron was acting. Reflux. That had to be it. Ok, get to the Dr, get him something to make him feel better and life will be blissful again. Dr-check, prescription-check, bliss - not yet. Byron and I had to head to my Mom and Dad's for his baby shower the day after the Dr's appointment. Luckliy, Byron slept most the way. I, on the other hand, cried more than half the way (the poor 16 year old boy at McDonalds didn't know how to respond to my swollen eyes, runny noes and gasps for air - sorry kid). Mom and Gramma were there to help when we arrived, they were able to witness the sounds that such a little boy can produce and see the obvious pain he was in, I wasn't crazy afterall. I wasn't over reacting to his cries. A few days later, the Zantac started to work and life was on the up and up again! Less barf, way less screaming and even some giggles (from both of us). I am happy to report that as Byron appraoches his 4 month birthday, life is good. Byron is growing well and doing all sorts of fun things now. He rolls over, he belly laughs, he puts everything in his mouth (EVERYTHING!) and he is starting to get really good sleep habits. We are happy. Bliss- check! We made it.