Thursday, April 2, 2009

bitter. sweet.

today i made a couple of emergency phone calls.

today i said a couple of prayers.

today i cried a couple of times.

it's not what you think.


last night we made the decision to change things up with little leah.

change #1: soy formula.

change #2: new bottle, the expensive kind. (avent, in case you were wondering. this is our 4th kind of bottle we've tried with her.)

last night after her 1:30am bottle, she slept from 2am-7:30am. not only that, but after she drank the 7:30 bottle, she stayed awake for a while...without crying. for the first time in a long, long time. (well what feels like a long, long time) this had to be documented.

picture #1: 7 am



then.

after talking for a few minutes, she closed her eyes and went to sleep on her own. without me having to pick her up, rock her, wrap her, calm her. slept for 2 1/2 hours. that was when the emergency phone calls happened, i had to tell someone! i stared at her with bug eyes, coming into the room about every 10 minutes.

picture #2: 10am



then.

she woke back up, drank another bottle, stayed awake without crying, and went back to sleep on her own. for another 2 1/2 hours. she even opened her eyes for a second because of the flash of the camera, then close them again.

picture #3&4: noon



that was when the prayers started. prayers of thanks & gratitude, that even if this was just a fluke morning, i was so thankful that it happened!

then.

after being able to dedicate hours of playtime with caleb, he asked for the first time, if he could have a picture taken with his sister. she was still asleep, but i wasn't going to deny him this request.

picture #5: 3pm



then.

she woke up again, and smiled at me several times as i talked to her.
this was when the tears started.
because you cannot
taste the sweet without the bitter.

this is a lesson i have learned before and am learning again. i knew i would hold onto this moment just in case it didn't happen again for a while.


picture #6: 4pm
it's funny, i know. the red eye reduction flash makes her go bug-eyed. and a little cross-eyed.


she did get a little fussy around 4:30. but it was normal baby fussy, not her usual leah-ape-crazy-fussy. it lasted until about 7pm.

then. this.


picture #7: 8pm


i don't know if she's lactose intolerant, or if she just needed a higher-quality bottle.
or if God just answers prayers right when we need them answered.

whatever it is, i'm not changing a thing.

what a fantastic day.

24 comments:

Clancy Pants said...

This post buried the needle on my joy-meter. I can't express how happy it makes me... me who is essentially a total stranger. I love that you had a day to taste the sweet. I pray that it continues....

Rachel Chick said...

Oh, Lynsey!! I'm so happy! Like Clancy, I will pray for you all that it continues. That poor little baby has just been in pain all this time! Poor baby, poor mommy, poor brother and poor dad! She's probably just SAVORING the uninterrupted sleep as much as you are. I'm so happy that it was such a good day! Thanks for sharing!!!

Rachel H. said...

woo hoo!! Partying over here! SO happy you had that kind of day--and praying that it will continue!

Marci Ward said...

Lynse!! OH! That just makes me so happy for you! It just seems like we have to figure stuff out all the time and then when we do...ahhh... I hope it continues. Way to go on figuring it out!

Jake, Jill & Jenna said...

This post made me a little teary. It was just so sweet. You are doing such a good job and really are a fantastic mom and have a good perspective on everything. I have a lot to learn from you. Leah is so beautiful!! Hope days like this come more often for you.

The Pyne's said...

YAY for you!!! I'm so happy and of course LOVED, LOVED, LOVED all the super cute pictures. ESpecially the one of caleb and his new little sister. He just looked so, SO, so happy! Hope this kind of day continues on forever!!

5 cute kids said...

Yeah for Leah and for you! Hopefully you can both be a little happier with each other now and just love each moment. I'll keep you in my prayers that the "new" whatever it is keeps working!

The Hunter's said...

I am so happy for all of you!!! What a cute family!

Francis and Fawn Becker said...

Yeah Leah!! You go girl! I am glad you guys are coming to the party--yipee! And, you don't have to bring anything just your cute self & Mr. Caleb:)

Mills Family said...

Lynsey,
We all appreciate your candor. For those of us with new babies, we can relate to those frustrating moments. And you are right, it is hard sometimes to realize that this is just as miserable for them as it is for you. I wil tell you one thing that has helped us: Gas drops. Have you done them? Dave is convinced that you can't OD on them, but they sure hep at least for a while. My other boys were such good babies, so this has been a challenge for me to have a grumpy baby, but a lot of women that I have talked to say that screaming and sleepless nights are totally normal for most kids until about 3 months. Maybe no comfort in that, and hopefully the new formula and bottle help, but unil this all passes, thank Heaven for tender mercies!
Kate

Kurt and Kristy said...

Yay!!! Its funny cause when I found out Bryson had a milk allergy I felt like a horrible mother for not nursing but you know the minute he got put on the bottle he was happier, I was happier and we all got the sleep we needed! And you know once I got over my "yes my baby is bottle fed" phobia it was fine and you know I think Bryson is turning out just fine! Im so glad that prayers are answered!!

ericandjanine said...

awesome awesome! so glad that you have found some peace.

Garry and Mindy said...

I'm so happy for you! There is nothing like seeing the difference between seeing a fussy and a happy baby!

Tui Family said...

Yay! I'm so happy for you. I LOVE Avent bottles! I have been a fan for four years! Hopefully the combination did it for her! Have they suggested she may have acid reflux? I went through similar things with Leini, and they finally put her on a medicine for reflux. Keep us posted. Hopefully this good luck continues! =)

Shellee said...

We all need more days like that. Give her more kisses from me. Those cheeks are adorable.

Love, raisins

Trixy Lovelace said...

I am so sorry to hear about your colicky baby. Girl, I have soooo been there! My girls come out screaming and don't stop until around 5 months old. 6 months for Kenzie. I'm sure your sanity is hanging by a thread but it will pass, and you will enjoy being around her more when it does!

The Johnson's said...

I know that God answers prayers when it comes to children, because you never know what we will end up doing when are nerves are shot. Love keeping up with you guys.

Sara and Company said...

Yay!!! So so so happy for you! Sending prayers your way that it continues. Sad that we truly have to have the bitter to fully appreciate the sweet, but how sweet it is.

Cuddlydoll said...

I am so glad you had a good day! They seem to make everything worth it. I hope things stay good.

Marielle

Brooke said...

I am so grateful. There were so many of us praying for you and hoping that a miracle would happen. I'm so glad it did. Love you tons. Kiss her for me.

Tui Family said...

Ok Lynsey...how many times did you change this girl in one day? lol As I just glanced back over the pics, I noticed like 5 outfit changes??? Maybe that's part of the reason you're so exhausted! lol

K Harker said...

Lyns,
I don't know if I told you or if you remember we went through something very similar with E when she was first born. It took us over a month to finally convince a doctor there was some thing wrong. After two months we finally enjoyed our new born.
I know the crying, I know the daily Q-tip suppositories (just to get her to poop) I know the look of an unhappy newborn in pain.
I remember switching to soy formula, which unfortunately only made her worse but we finally got her on a formula called "Nutramagin" (some thing like that)only cost us $18 a can (the small cans) and just like you experienced, after just one or two bottles of the new stuff she was so happy. She finally pooped on her own and was a lot less fussy, slept better through the night. We kept her on that until she was almost one.
Any way lyns as I have been reading your updates of the good and the bad of little Leah I totally remember what it was like. I really understand what you are going through because I was once there. I'm so glad to hear that she is doing better and I hope it is not just a fluke thing.
You are a great Momma! And those pictures of her a so cute.

Mike and Jenny said...

I sure hope this works for you!! I will keep my fingers crossed and pray for ya!

Lauren Horsley said...

First of all, a big WAHOO for all of you! And I can't tell you how priveleged I felt to be one of those emergency calls (and glad that you finally got ahold of me!).

Secondly, Wendy's comment is not only totally funny, but totally right! It's so fun dressing a girl - I don't blame you at all! Plus I liked seeing her in her little wardrobe changes. My favorite were the cargo jeans. Leah is quite the fashionista!