Garrett didn't have quite a long of a run of sleep last night as he has been.  But he did have one about 3.5 hours long.

He hasn't wanted to eat as much today.  My son has a stomach bug, so I hope Garrett hasn't gotten it.

Garrett started having fussy periods during the day.  Guess what?? The straining has begun!  Yep, he's working on another one.  He didn't end up having any luck today.

Garrett was pretty fussy during the night.  You could tell he was just working on a BM.

He usually does not go back to sleep after his 6 AM feeding.  Well this morning he did!  Sounds great doesn't it?  However, it was a school day for Riley so even though he was still asleep at 8:15 AM and I could have kept sleeping, I had to wake him up!!  Isn't that TYPICAL???

This morning I decided to give him some Colace.  Something has got to be done.  He hasn't had a poopy since Monday morning and it was obvious he needed to have one. 

He did not want to eat this morning.  At two feedings I tried to give him a bottle and he would not take it.  He kept acting like he was choking.  I finally just gave him his pacifier.  He has not slept much this morning either.  Just too fussy to eat or sleep.

Garrett FINALLY had a BM this afternoon.  He was SO much happier afterwards.  He finally took a bottle and is now sound asleep.  If only we could solve this BM problem!

Garrett did ok during the night.  He was pretty much fussy during the rest of the day.  By the afternoon, he was completely miserable.  It just seems like everything is "every other".  Every other day is good, and every other night is good.  Good days = bad nights.  Good nights = bad days.  It's really weird!

We tried everything this afternoon and nothing helped.  I was so miserable.  Finally in the evening I gave him some Gaviscon.  I am going to start giving it to him regularly again.  He seemed to settle down after that.  I was dreading the night.  My husband was out of town and I figured I would have a terrible night.  My mom came to spend the night, just in case.  He went to sleep at 9:15 PM and....

Garrett slept for *6* hours straight last night!!  He went to sleep at 9:15 PM and woke up at 3:15 AM.  I didn't believe my eyes when I looked at the clock.  I thought I must have been dreaming.

He took a bottle and went right back to sleep.  He woke up again at 6:15 AM and was very uncomfortable.  I tried to feed him, but he didn't want to eat.  My mom took over at that point and let me get some sleep downstairs on the couch.  She said he finally ate at 6:45 AM and was back to sleep at 7:15 AM ( He apparently has a new thing for quarter after the hour!! ).  He slept until 9:15 AM ( I know - weird! ).

He had a BM at 9:45 AM and has been so content ever since.  He was so awake and alert this morning.  I laid him on the couch in the toy room and he watched me and Riley play.  He was still awake, so I put him in the swing.  He stayed there content for quite some time and finally got fussy.  I put him down to sleep and he drifted right off.  It's been a really good morning.

I gave him some Colace again this morning.  I'm hoping it will continue to help.  He didn't struggle as much with this morning's BM, but I did help him with his legs.  He needs to get to a point where I don't have to do that anymore.

He has had a really good day.  He has spent a majority of it wide awake.  I swear I think he smiled at me for real this afternoon.  He is starting to make eye contact when he looks at you.

I gave him a bath tonight and he hated it!  He screamed and screamed, but I had to wash that head full of hair.  He seemed to enjoy his last bath, so I don't know what the difference is.  But now I'm afraid he took in too much air while screaming, so it may be a rough night.  Well, it was a good day, so according to my "every other" theory, it's going to be a rough night anyways.  And Dad's flight home has been cancelled, so he won't be home until after midnight.  Wish me luck...

BTW - I had a mother ask me about how my son's handled riding in the car.  I thought I would include my response here because I hear all the time about how many parents of reflux babies put the child in the infant carrier to sleep, as that is the only place they are comfortable to sleep.  Well, my kids were/are quite the opposite.  So here was my reply:

"When Riley was little he would scream bloody murder when we would put him in his infant carrier.  I remember the first time I went anywhere with him by myself.  Went to my work.  I was scared to death the whole time - afraid he would scream all the way.  He did fine on the way there, but boy did he let it rip on the way home.  I finally had to stop [on the side of the road] and try to calm him down.  The only thing that worked is that I put a Shania Twain cd in and sang at the top of my lungs!  It worked!!

Garrett hates to be put in his carseat too.  He screams his head off, but as soon as the car starts moving he's fine.  But if we stop at a red light - you can forget it!!  He starts up and doesn't stop until we start moving again.  So you can bet you won't find us on [the Interstate] during rush hour anytime soon!! "

Garrett didn't end up having too bad a night.  He did his usual 9:30 PM to 3:30 PM run.  I had to laugh at this....

I guess around midnight, I woke up and Garrett was sawing logs!!  I mean, I couldn't believe how loud he was snoring!  I was thinking, "Gosh baby, you screamed so hard during your bath, you have really worn yourself out!"  And then it was so loud that I decided I had better lean over and check on him.  Well, when I did - I realized that my husband had gotten home and was asleep in the bed.  It was my husband who was sawing logs!  But can you imagine my first thoughts when I woke up, thinking it was Garrett and hearing all that racket!!?? ( Sorry Dad - had to share that one... )

Now to this...I know you can "push back" your baby when you are trying to change their feeding schedule, but can someone please tell me if you can "push back" your child's BMs???  Garrett, now that he is starting to get somewhat "regular", has picked 6 AM to have his BMs.  So like clockwork, this morning at 6 AM, he did his thing.  Had to help him a little this morning with his legs, but not too bad.  Anyways, the problem is that he then feels SO much better that he's ready to get up and get his day started.  Well sorry Charlie, but I Mommy is still tired!!  So I'm accepting all suggestions on this one.... <G>

He ended up having a great day.  He was so comfortable and slept.  We went to a family gathering and he had some great periods of awake time and just studied the faces of all who held him.  Then took some great naps.  Just did fantastic.  So you know what I'm thinking - good day = bad night...

His schedule was a little out of whack because we stayed out late with friends and had to wake him up around midnight to change clothes and put his monitor belt on.  So he decided he needed a midnight snack.  I had a theory that maybe we should be waking him up for one more feeding before he goes to bed for that 6 hour run to see if it would help him sleep longer.  Well, apparently that isn't going to work.  He was up every 2.5 to 3 hours after that.  He had a pretty fussy period early this morning.

BUT!!  Around 9 AM, he had a BM all by himself!!  I didn't have to help him one bit.  Isn't this pitiful!?  Bless his heart, Mommy's proudest moment so far is him having a BM without assistance.  <VBG>  But seriously, he didn't struggle at all, so I'm praying this is the beginning of good things!

And that proudest moment was soon replaced, because as usual, he felt SO much better and was so relaxed and was ready to socialize.  So I talked to him and he studied my face and I know that beyond a shadow of a doubt - he smiled at me!!  I thought I was pretty sure he had earlier in the week, but I'm positive now and NO it was not gas,  so today will go down in his book as being the FIRST SMILE!! 

BTW - I got an email this morning from a mom who had a safer and more efficient suggestion for my hairdryer trick:

"Dear Karen:

The Sharper Image sells a device that produces "white noise."  This noise is similar to that emitted by a hairdryer or vacuum.  It has done wonders for our newborn suffering from reflux.  We wish we would have found it sooner after having two hairdryers burn out.  I'm sure this item can be purchased online if there isn't a store close by. 

Sincerely,

Annette R. (frustrated and exhausted parent)"

I'll mention here too that we run an air purifier in our bedroom not only to help the air, but to produce white noise as well.  I don't know if Garrett is close enough to it for it to make a difference, but we run it anyways.

Garrett continued to have a good day while we ran errands.  Except he stayed pretty hungry which is the case after most BMs.  He was not happy in Toys 'R Us when the buggy stopped moving.

We were getting ready to go to a birthday party and I realized Riley needed "clean britches" as we say when he has a dirty diaper.  Then I went to put Garrett in his carrier and realized he needed some too!  So that was BM #2 for the day on his own - good for him!  So about that time my husband walked in from putting some things in the car and I said, "Honey, I love ya', but if YOU need clean britches too, you're going to have to take care of that yourself.  This line is closed!" <VBG>

Because Garrett has been so "snorty" as I call it, we pulled out the Tucker wedge/Tucker sling last night.  I think it is too big for him right now, but we made it work.  He seemed to do fine on it.  And no snorting during the night or today.  I think it is going to help.  He had started having green gook come up in his spit up over the weekend and I think it's from the crud that is created when the spit up goes into his sinuses.

He was pretty fussy early morning though at the usual time around 6 AM.  I was tired, as we had a very busy weekend and I was not happy about the fussing!  I'm pretty sure he's working on something again.  You can just tell from how he strains while he's fussing.  It's definitely different from his hungry or wet/dirty diaper cry.

He has decided to stay awake pretty much most of this morning.  He at least gave me about 30-45 minutes while I put a meatloaf together and cooked some fresh green beans and red potatoes.  I even cut up strawberries for strawberry shortcake for dessert!  My husband is going to come home tonight and think aliens have kidnapped me and replaced me.....  <VBG>