More Formula

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello little cutie pie!  Today is your (Great) Uncle David's birthday!  When your Gigi was pregnant with me, they thought I might be born today and we would have the same birthday .... but I came two days later!  ;-)

Also, today is Pearl Harbor Day.  On December 7th, 1941, the Japanese Navy conducted a surprise military attack on a US naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  Many Americans died that day, so we remember them and their fight each year on this day.

This morning, you had your usual breakfast of cereal with apple juice.  You daddy helped me out this morning getting you fed and ready because you had an 8:15am appointment back at Wake Med!  You had one of those Special Infant Care Clinic (SICC) appointments and saw Dr. Dunn .... one of the first neonatologists that saw you when you were born.  You like Dr. Dunn.  :-)

She thought you looked good and was developing really well for your 'corrected' age.  You also saw Marie, the physical therapist who saw you in the ICN (Intensive Care Nursery).  She had some suggestions on getting you to rotate your truck more.  She saw a big improvement on your plagiocephaly and torticollis, and could tell your head was rounder.  :-)

Dr. Dunn said that they usually recommend preemies to be on formula for a full 'corrected' year old .... I told her that we had been giving you half/half bottles with whole milk since October, and she was concerned that you weren't getting enough nutrients that way (which I was wondering as well).  She had the nutritionist look at the formula container (since it was toddler formula and not infant formula) and she wants us to now mix 5 ounces of water with 3 scoops of formula to add more calories into your diet.  She put it on a sticky note on the container so we won't forget.  :-) 

They weighed you and you weren't 'chunky' enough (a little over 19 lbs) .... though you 'looked' fine, you weren't progressing on her growth chart as she would have liked for your weight.  The other growth charts where showing improvement .... length, head circumference, etc.  But, then she looked at me and said, "You're little so he may just be little."  :-P  

I told them you weren't sleeping through the night very well and they suggested rubbing your back when you start crying but not to pick you up.  I guess we'll try that, but hopefully you'll start sleeping better.  Also, Dr. Dunn suggested a teaspoon of prune juice in your bottles if you continue to have trouble with hard poopy diapers, but you haven't had any trouble recently. 

We were back home for lunch.  You had half a jar of chicken noodle and then a bottle with your new formula mix.  Then, you played as I ran two loads of laundry.

You never took a morning nap, so you started to get fussy by mid-afternoon.  I rocked you for a few minutes and you fell fast asleep on me!  I took you into the bedroom and you curled up next to me as I read.  I then took a little nap with you.  When I woke up, you were still sleeping so I folded laundry around you.  :-P  You woke up once daddy got home!  

I gave you some dinner while daddy cooked some eggs for dinner.  Then, you had your usual evening bath, I had my usual evening shower, and then we all played together in the play room!

Tomorrow I head back to work.  You and Penny will have together though!  Save those precious smiles and kisses for me!  

Sleep tight little one!

I love you very much!  :-)

~Mommy