Sunday, August 12, 2012

Landry: 1 month

I'm a week late with Landry's 1 month update but hey, at least I'm getting it done now :)

We took him to the doctor this past Tuesday and he was 5 lbs 11 ounces and 18 1/4" long. He gained almost 1 lbs in 2 weeks which is great and also grew another inch, 2 inches since birth!

Dr. Jones looked him over and gave him a great bill of health. I had a concern because he only turns his head to one side, prefers to eat on one side and sleeps with his head one side. I was worried he'd get a stiff neck from it or a flat head. His right side is a little more flat but nothing to be concerned over yet. Dr. J gave us some exercises to try. He's so stubborn about it that I will swaddle him and turn him on the other side only to find him turn to his preferred side.

We also had the Early Childhood Intervention consultant that day. Any child who is behind in development because they were born early or were small for gestational age qualifies for these services. We will get monitored to see if Landry falls behind in any development and if so then he can have therapy to catch up. It went well, he failed in all his areas just because of his weight, gestational age, birth history, etc. I'm not concerned, I think he will catch up with time in all the areas he needs to be at. But until then we will monitor him.

On Thursday we went to the hematologist and his platelets were 139, down from 2 weeks prior but there were also several clumps that the machine didn't count so we think the number is higher. His red blood cells are still enlarged so we will monitor and go again in 2 weeks

My friend Mandy came out and took some AMAZING pictures of Landry. I'm so thrilled with the shots she captured. With Jaxson, he was awake the entire time, Brody was too young to get any pictures with and we only got a few really good shots. With Landry, he was awake as well (little stinker) but zonked out towards the end to let Mandy do her work. We got a ton of really good pics. My house and work is going to be covered in wonderful memories! Thanks again Mandy! You are so talented.

Life as a family of 5 & Csection recovery

We have settled into a new routine as a family of 5. Landry has been with us for 5 weeks now and it's as if he was a missing piece to the puzzle. The boys absolutely adore him and going from 2 to 3 kids has been a lot easier than from 1 to 2. I think it is because Brody and Jaxson have each other to play with and entertain one another, where before I was Brody's playmate and then couldn't play with him as much once I had Jax.

Logistically it is harder. Getting 3 kids ready to go, finding shoes, packing bags, getting them in the car is exhausting just to go for a drive or over to the parents house. I haven't ventured out by myself with all 3 yet except to go to my parents. Even just running an errand I ask if someone will go with me and then they sit in car with kids while I run into store. I can't imagine going by myself into the store with all 3 or going out to dinner, that might have to wait a few years :) It's a lot of work but it is definitely worth every ounce of sweat and tears, lol.

My recovery is going slowly which is extremely frustrating. With the 2 older boys I was fine after a week or two, could lift, clean and do all the things I like to do just fine. Here I am 5 weeks out and I'm still in some pain in one area of my incision (I think I have a stitch sticking out still that didn't dissolve! yuck ) and still can't do the things I want to do. If I lift Jax out of his crib or help Brody onto the potty I pay for it later in the day and am in pain around my incision site or my muscles around my pelvis are sending sharp pains throughout. I don't know if this is normal or if I've done too much from the beginning that has slowed my recovery but it's not fun. I can't not pick up my kids or do things around the house! I go back to the doctor the 24th so hopefully I will get some reassurance that it is normal and will just take time.