4 Months Old

Baby: I think I've pretty much been keeping up with his latest and greatest here. He makes me so proud every single day. We are yet to conquer the sleeping issue, but we'll get there. He really loves hanging out on his play mat and grabbing at the dangling toys. Its hilarious to watch because he gets so focused. He's also started scooting on his back. I haven't witnessed it, but each time I look over at him, he's in a different position or off the mat completely! He hates taking his medicine every day and makes the worst faces or spits it out. His neck is getting stronger. I'm hoping in the next couple weeks he'll have enough control that I can put him in the Bumbo Seat (thanks sis!) He and the cat and have become a little more buddy-buddy. We often find them snuggling in the middle of the night. He always grabs onto me when I'm changing his diaper. Sometimes we just look at each other and smile. Gooooo! Chunky boy - I couldn't even button the top button in this picture :)

STATS:

Head - 16 1/2" (20th %)

Weight - 16 lbs. 6 oz. (50th %)

Height - 24 1/2" (20th %)

Parents: The huz and I haven't shared a bed in quite some time and honestly, it takes its toll. One of us is always on the couch with the baby and we really miss our simple routine of watching Conan and getting caught up before we go to sleep. Not that we argue more or anything, we just miss each other in general. We miss the old us. He's really good about not letting us forget to make a connection once awhile though. He doesn't want us to get used to not spending time together. I agree 100%. We are always happier when we do, its just hard. Its going to take a little more effort and energy now, but its definitely a priority.

Mommy's Thoughts: I've noticed that my boobs have a couple new features. 1) When I sit down, the bottom of my boobs and the top of my stomach roll meet. Must work on my posture! 2) When I run, they not only bounce up and down, but side to side as well. I'm nervous to see what they will look like when I'm done pumping and they are totally drained. Poor things. And poor readers... sorry to talk about my boobs so much.

Some Birthday Luv

My husband is pretty rockin'. I usually brag about him on our anniversary, but today is his birthday and I feel like bragging about him now.

He's hilarious.

He's hard-working.

This whole "daddy" thing came completely natural to him.

He's patient.

He's understanding.

He knows what the important things in life are.

He cherishes his relationships.

He gets me.

His favorite food is rice. But not just any rice. His mom's. I'll vouch that its delicious, but what a funny favorite food to have, right?

He's good at almost anything he tries.

He's a procrastinator.

He's trustworthy enough that I know he'll get it done eventually.
He thinks big.

He's smart.

He never lets me forget that I'm older than him (only by 3 months!)

He's supportive.

He lets me get away with too much.

He's so darn handsome.

I could go on, but I think you get the idea. I scored big time. Happy birthday, boo.

Hooray!

Stevie is finally lifting his head! Oh, it is such a relief. I know I can't rush things and I try really hard to be patient with this little guy, but I will be honest - I squealed in delight when I saw him lift it up high like this.

It was amazing once he finally did lift his head, how quickly he progressed in just 2 days. He can lift it so high and is working on those baby push-ups. And this morning he did a 1/2 roll. Now I'm just dying to hear him laugh. He laughs in his sleep and it is the sweetest thing. If he laughs out loud while he's awake, I might just die from cute overload.

Opthamologist

Little Stevie was so darn good at his appointment today. It was a long 4-hour process and he was a happy boy through most of it. The only time he got upset was the actual eye exam at the end of the day. It took 4 people to hold him down - I held his arms, one doctor held his head, another doctor pried his eyelids open while the Opthamologist actually checked his eyes. He was fighting with all his might, and I'm sure I've never heard him scream quite like that.

I was a bit frustrated at the appointment myself. Not only because it took so freakin' long, but I don't really feel they had anything new to tell me. All the information they shared was basically things I had already learned all about on Google.

He has a condition called Ptosis, which means that the muscles in his eyelids are under developed. He will most likely need surgery to correct the issue. He is a little far-sighted, but that is normal for infants. So they want me to come back in a few months to check that his sight is getting better. At that time, we will probably determine when to schedule the surgery (we'll need to be referred to someone else) and if he might need baby glasses. Right now, she doesn't think he will need glasses, but it's a possibility.

Personally, I was prepared to get the surgery over and done with as soon as possible. But the doc has her reasons why she doesn't want to rush into anything. She feels that the Ptosis is not hindering his sight enough to warrant any immediate drastic measures. As long as his vision is progressing and he can see, we will just have to be patient. I have to watch for cues that he keeps making the effort to see things around him - by lifting his eyebrows and keeping his chin up - those are good signs that his eyes are functioning.

So I should be relieved. And I guess I am in some ways. I just want to give him every opportunity to develop as normally as possible and not have any other reasons for him to be delayed in any way.

This was after they put in the dilating eye drops (before the meltdown!) He opened them up so big! It was really cute.

My li'l love bug.

So Many Appointments

Last week: Stephen saw the Cardiologist. He had another ultrasound on the heart and an EKG - all is well. His oxygen levels were a little lower than usual, but well within the range they expect. We are still planning on his next surgery for June, but are yet to nail down any details. The doc said we'll probably discuss all that at his next appointment.

This week: Stephen had his 3 month check-up at the Pediatrician. It was mostly good news. We discussed his weight gain (great), his height (still in the normal range) and his head. Oh his little head. When he was in the hospital, they did their best to keep his skull shape normalized, but there was only so much they could do seeing that he was laying down 24/7. Baby skulls are just so pliable and delicate. He still prefers to look to one side rather than the other, too. So what was once a perfectly round little head, even at birth, is now a little lopsided in the back. The doc said "I don't want to overwhelm you with yet another appointment and another specialist, but after some other things settle down, I want to refer you to someone who will put Stephen in a helmet to fix the shape." A helmet. I didn't show any disappointment in her office, but as I walked to the car, I couldn't help but let my eyes well up a bit. Just one more thing. But again, in the scheme of things its not the worst that could happen. He'll still look cute in a helmet.

Next week: Stephen will be going to the Opthamologist to see what we can do about his lazy little eyelids. He has reached the point where he's keeping them open all the time now, but they are still droopy. It's called Ptosis and it basically just means the muscles in his eyelids are under developed. But I have been anxious to get that squared away as soon as possible to make sure that it doesn't hinder his eye development in any way. Whatever needs to be done.

Getting ready for bath time!

It tires me out a little bit just writing about all he has going on. But I try to limit the appointments to one a week, just so I can keep my sanity. He keeps me on my toes, that's for sure. In more ways than one!