Reed's First Four Months!

Well, I'm way behind on this blogging deal, and especially with updating yall on Reed! I have been keeping a journal for Reed and taking a monthly picture, so I thought I'd share that!

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July 31-August 31, 2011

Boy were you a surprise! You decided to come, and you came! It was a Sunday morning about 5AM, and I woke up about 30 minutes before the alarm. We were getting up at 5:30 to go work the chickens before church. I felt like I needed to go to the bathroom, so I got up and went. I laid back down and felt like I had to go again. Then I couldn't make that feeling go away. When your dad got up at 5:30, I was still in the bathroom and had started cramping. It went from every six minutes to every four minutes. Your dad called the hospital and they told us to come up there.  When the doctor came in and said I was going to have a baby today, I almost passed out! You were 8 weeks early. I had to have a c section because you were turned wrong. At 10:19AM, you were born! You weighed 3lbs. 8ox and were 16" long. I got to see you for a split second, and then again around noon when they were getting ready to transport you to the NICU in Huntsville. I couldn't come visit you until I got out of the hospital on tuesday, but your dad and grandparents came to visit.

They had to use a uv light for jaundice a couple of days, and you were on a c-pap machine because sometimes you would forget to breathe. A few times you tried to yank that thing out, so they tried just using a canula up your nose. You showed them one day that you didn't need it because when we walked in, you had it in your mouth chewing on it.  After about a week, you were moved from the intensive care unit to the critical care unit. There you stayed in an incubator.

You started getting "care time" every 3 hours. It was later changed to every 4 hours.  That was when you got a diaper change, your temperature taken, and fed. If your dad and I were there, we could do it, but we could only hold you once a day for 15 minutes, the first time being when you were a week old.

 You were fed only by a feeding tube for the first three weeks, then they tried a bottle once every 24 hours. Every time you drank a bottle good, they would increase how many bottles you would get a day. You had to take all bottles and be able to maintain your body temperature before you got to come home. You were having trouble staying awake while drinking your bottles, so it felt like it was taking forever for you to get to bottles only. When they changed you to "care time" every four hours, it clicked! You started drinking your bottles. You were drinking a whole 50 ccs, which is almost two ounces. You had to stay a few more days while you were working on maintaining your body heat. We learned how to give you a bath, and you broke us in by pooping on us. On my birthday, August 31st, they let you come home!

September 2011

We hardly slept at all the first few nights you were home! You are a very noisey sleeper, and we didn't know what all those noises meant! We finally learned what we could ignore, so we could get some sleep! Your Grami (my mom) stayed with us for a few days while we got settled in. You had your first doctor's appointment on September 2nd and you were 5lbs. 1 oz. and 18 3/4" long. Your second appointment was on September 9th, and you were 5lbs 12oz. You were gaining almost an ounce a day!

You have the gassiest little tummy, wow! You also developed a little bit of acid reflux. It looks like it hurts to drink sometimes and you spit up at random times. You weren't allowed to go anywhere for six weeks, so when I got to take you to Aunt Nell's for lunch, it was exciting!  You also got your first stroller ride, which you slept through.

You're starting to hold your head up pretty good, even though it wobbles and falls over, and when I lay you on your tummy, I swear you try to crawl away. You've become attached to your "I Love My Doggie" blanket, and his arm always ends up in your mouth. You love trying to chew on things. You're also rolling back and forth pretty good! You never stay in one spot. Quite often, you have staring contests with the snail on your bouncy seat or the lion on your playmat.  The lion's foot always ends up in your mouth.

You had one more doctor appointment, and you were 6lbs. 11oz and 20" long. The doctor said you were progressing well, so we shouldn't even consider you a preemie anymore! Which, by the way, you have outgrown all your preemie clothes!

Your Grami, Gran Gran (Lance's Mom), and Aunt Nell have all had turns babysitting you, and they say you're the best baby!  You've also grown into an internet sensation. Everyone loves seeing the pictures I post online of you!  You also met our dog, Wiggley, for the first time. He likes to lick your foot, and is afraid that you're going to eat his dog food.

October 2011

This month, we took you to church for the first time, and everyone thought you were so cute! Your feeding times are at 10, 2, and 6, so I feed you during Sunday School, and you usually sleep through preching. We also took you to your first Young Farmer's meeting, and after you ate, you looked around the whole time.

Your acid reflux and gas issues seem to be getting worse because that is really the only time you cry, unless you wake up really hungry.  The doctor put you on Zantac, and it seems to be helping a little. I also give myou gas drops. We've learned not to lay you on your back for at least an hour after you've eaten because it makes you spitup. Before your Zantac started helping, you would have fussy spells that would start around 9PM and sometimes would last all night! I was losing lots of sleep! We finally found the cure! It was putting myou in your boppy pillow to sleep!  Wow, what a difference!  You even managed to sleep all night long a couple of times this month!

We started picking cotton this month, so when I go to the field, Aunt Nell babysits you. She also comes over in the mornings when I am in the chicken houses. We went down to Grami and Pop's on Talladega race weekend to spend the night. You went to church with Grami, while Pop and I went to the race. The last week of the month, your Great Granny came to stay with you for a week while we were in the field and Aunt Nell was gone.

For Halloween, you were the cutest hotdog I've ever seen. Everyone wanted to eat you up!  I took you trick or treating and to Trunk or Treat at church. And before I forget, you have rolled over from your stomach to your back twice this month! You also met your friend Elijah (my best friend's baby, 1 month older than Reed) for the first time! You also had your first ride in the cotton picker!

November 2011

You are drinking a while 4oz of formula efvery four hours. You also get a teaspoon of rice cereal in every bottle. We add the cereal to help with your spitting up. The acid reflux doesn't seem to be causeing you as much pain as it used to, but you still spit up almost an entire bottle at least every couple of days.

You're starting to hold your head up pretty good, but you still get to wobbling like a bobble head sometimes. You've been compared to Stevie Wonder when he plays the piano. You're also starting to try to "talk" to us. You love to talk when you first wake up in the morning. This month, you've become quite attached to your swing and you love to be rocked. The bigger, the better!

We took you to Al and Mick's BBQ at lunch one day for your first "restaurant outing", which you slept through. You also slept through your first Farmer's Federation meeting!  We took you to your first "dinner party" at the Clowdus', who own Snead Ag (the local John Deere dealer), and of course, like usual, you were the star of the party! I took you back to church and you tried talking to the Sunday School teacher all during class, and you even burped during prayer requests!

This month you finally outgrew your newborn clothes and moved into 0-3 months. You also moved from newborn to size one diapers! You also had your first Thanksgiving at your Grandad and Grandma Miller's (she can't decide what she wants to be called, Gran Gran, Grandma, Mawmaw) house.

December 2011

He's 11lbs 1oz and 22" long now.

I've got the picture, but you'll have to wait on the journal!