Kathryn Reese: 4 Months

Weight: 13 pounds, 8 ounces (30th percentile)

Length: 25 inches (75th percentile)

Head Circumfrence: Enormous (95th percentile)

Clothes: 3-6 month

Diapers: Size 1

This month has been...rough. Girlfriend, your little digestive system just doesn't work very well. At the end of month 3, we started on Prevacid ($360 for a month's supply) which we were promised would be a miracle worker. Um...not so much. Two weeks later, I was back on the phone with the nurse because you were still pretty uncomfortable and vomiting at least one bottle each day. So, we decided to start on a thicker formula designed specifically for babies who spit up excessively...some help in the vomiting department, but since it is thick and not nearly as broken down for your tummy, it's very hard to digest and your stomach has been pretty upset. We've had to give you some pear juice and some...ahem, assistance...from time to time to help keep you...ahem, regular. Three days ago, I stopped giving you Prevacid, and you are doing SO much better! Dr. Newton told us this morning that the spit-up formula has to have stomach acids present in order to work, and the Prevacid was preventing your stomach from making acid...hence the discomfort. Soooo, all of that to say, feeding you is challenging. The plan going forward is to keep you off the Prevacid and ON the Similac for Spit-Up. We are going to hold off on solids for a while, too, given your sensitivity, and start with fruits and veggies in six weeks or so.

You are a PHENOMENAL sleeper at night, and you are slowly getting more and more consistent in the nap department. Most of the month, you took short naps around 8:30 and 11:30 and then went down for a good 2-hour stretch around 2pm. The last week or so, you've decided to make the morning nap the long one, so we'll see if that sticks. We've started putting you down more awake and letting you go to sleep on your own which seems to have helped quite a bit. You fuss for a few minutes, but generally speaking, you've got it figured out well. We did our new nap routine consistently the last two days and your naps were all at least 90 minutes long. (Wahoo!) Once we get your tummy figured out and I know you aren't crying out of pain/hunger, I think we'll be able to get on a more consistent schedule. 

You really are a sweet, happy little baby, but when your tummy hurts, you let us all know. Loudly. And when you're tired and ready for a nap, you let us all know. Loudly. Something tells me that your strong will and very opinionated nature won't change anytime soon...wonder where you got that from?? :) 

You are doing SO much better with your head/neck. We are still doing PT every 2-3 weeks to work on your tummy time aversion and stretch your tilt out, but you have ZERO trouble with your range anymore. You willingly look to the left (and can often be found sleeping that way!), but you still struggle with some tightness in the front of your neck. You are tolerating tummy time so much better though, and when on the Boppy, you do SO well looking up at my phone or a toy.You looked right on track this morning when Dr. Newton looked at your head control, so thank goodness for that! One less thing to worry about!

We look forward to celebrating your first Christmas with you in a few weeks! Love you, ladybug!

Family Photo Shoot

Thanks, Lindsey Murphy Photography! :) 

Kathryn Reese: 3 Months

Weight: 12 pounds (our scale)

Length: 23 inches (our measurement)

Clothes: 0-3 months

Little ladybug, you are growing like a weed! This month had definite ups and downs, but more ups than downs for sure. You are becoming a very happy, smiley girl most of the day, but especially when you first wake up from good naps or in the mornings. You smile BIG at me when I sing to you...I still can't decide if you like my singing or think it's funny-sounding, but it doesn't matter. I'll take the smiles any way I can! :)

You've SORT OF fallen into a routine this month, although it's not a routine I like. You are up most days at 6:45/7am to eat and then eat again at 10, 1, 4, and 6:30/7 before bed. Most feeds, you take 4-5 ounces, but your reflux is so awful that it's a struggle. You fight the bottle hard after your burp, and sometimes you just refuse to take the rest. We switched you to Prevacid this month, and we're hoping that helps. (Considering how expensive it was, it BETTER help!) We also started a formula specifically for spit-up yesterday, so the jury's still out on whether or not that will improve things. There are few things I hate more in this world than reflux...

Your naps are still fairly inconsistent, but usually happen from about 8:30-9:30, 11-12, and 1:30/2-4ish. If that last nap isn't a good long one, you'll sometimes cat nap around 5 in the Bjorn or swing, but I can usually get a decent 2-3 hour afternoon nap from you. We do your bath around 6:15 after dinner and then give you your last bottle around 7, so you are usually in your bed by 7:30/7:45 and (Praise Jesus!) you sleep until the next morning. That part ROCKS!

You've been a rock star with all of your physical therapy and seem to be making great progress in your flexibility! You LOVE Jennifer, and you'll let her manipulate you way more than me. You are getting better at tummy time, but you still only last about 3-5 minutes before fussing. Baby steps!

I think you are going to be a VERY independent little lady - we've come to realize lately that you just don't like being held unless you are facing out where you can see things. You are most content in your bouncy seat or on the play mat. You HATE going to MOPS with me because everyone wants to hold you and there's no where to lay you down to play, so you throw a fit there almost EVERY time. :/ I can't wait until January when you can go hang out in the nursery and play!

I remember 4 months being a really fun time with Carter, so I'm looking forward to your personality coming out more and more in the coming weeks as we introduce the doorway jumper and toys. We love you, angel girl! 

Pumpkin Patch Pics - Dallas Arboretum

Carter (2.5 and in the EXTREME smile phase) and Kate (10 weeks and still working on head control)

Kathryn Reese: 2 Months

Weight: 10 pounds, 15 ounces (37th percentile)

Length: 22.5 inches (48th percentile)

Head: 15.8 inches (92nd percentile)
Clothes: 0-3 month

Baby doll, you are two months old! We survived another month! :) 

I do have to say we only just SURVIVED this month...mostly related to your inability to sleep. You HATE the act of going to sleep, so naps and bedtime are absolutely BRUTAL. Once you get to sleep at night, you are down forever (6-9 hours in the first stretch and 3-5 in the second stretch - THANK YOU for this, ladybug!), but man, getting you there is awful. (UPDATE: On Wednesday, October 9th, you slept through the night for the first time EVER! 8pm - 7am! Amazing!) We can't wait for the evening fussy period to pass so that you aren't so worked up trying to get to bed at night. It typically takes about 2 hours from the time we start your bath until the time you are finally down (and staying down) in your bed at night. You startle yourself awake A LOT both at bedtime and during naps...like I said, we just try to survive day to day. You're worth it, though! (And we remind ourselves daily that this phase is short lived.) We try to get you about 4 naps per day, but at this point there's no rhyme and reason or schedule to them. That will come in time.

You wake up in the morning absolutely beaming and smiling, and it's my favorite part of your day. I can get you to smile here and there throughout the rest of the day (as long as you aren't tired or hungry), but first thing in the morning is a guarantee. I can't get enough!

You are eating about 4 oz every 3 hours during the day, so you average about 22-24 oz of formula in a 24-hour period. Your reflux seems to have improved a lot this month, and you really only spit up during the fussy evening feed since you cry so much at that time of day. You are still taking Zantac twice a day, and Dr. Newton doubled your dosage at the appointment today since you've gained so much weight. Hopefully that continues to make you more comfortable!

Other than the fussy evenings, you are really a laid back and easygoing little lady. You like hanging out on your activity mat, riding in the Bjorn carrier, laying on the Boppy pillow, and scoping things out from the bouncy seat. Laying on a blanket in the backyard is another favorite pastime...as long as big brother doesn't come step on you or drop his little golf clubs on you. (Sadly, this happens a lot. You're going to be a tough cookie!)

You were diagnosed with Torticollis today at the doctor, and we have a physical therapy consult on Wednesday due to your neck weakness/stiffness. Because of this, you HATE tummy time...I've tried to get more creative with it and put you on the Boppy or the exercise ball or even on my shins looking at me, but you just really hate it. We broke out the Bumbo this week in an attempt to improve your neck strength - you're a little young for it at this point, but at least it gives you a chance to sit up somewhere! You'll like it more in time, I'm sure.

I think that about sums it up! We love you lady bug!

Happy Sister

Someone started smiling, and we can't get enough! :) 

Kathryn Reese: 1 Month

Weight: 8 pounds, 7 ounces (14th percentile)

Length: 21.5 inches (64th percentile)

Head: 15 inches (88th percentile)

Well, little ladybug, we survived the first month together! Definitely a month of ups and downs, as you are battling some pretty nasty reflux now that you are totally bottle-fed. As much as I tried, nursing was just not in the cards for us unfortunately, so after your first 10 days, we gave up on that venture. It's taken quite a few tries to get your formula right, but you seem to be doing well on the Similac Total Comfort and Dr. Brown's bottles. Sadly, we had to start you on Zantac about two weeks ago as well, as you were violently spitting up (usually on your daddy) and in so much pain from your reflux. I'm still not 100% convinced we have you on the right meds since you still twist and seem to hurt with a few feeds here and there, but as of now, that's what we do. I'm hopeful that with a little more time for your tummy/digestive system to develop that this will be nipped in the bud. It's SO sad to watch you hurt, but at this point, I think we're doing the best we can for you. 

I normally would talk about your daily routine at this point, but let's be honest, we just don't have one yet! I'm hoping that will develop more as we start trying for the eat, play, sleep cycle this month. I'm definitely not a huge Babywise fan, but I do believe the eat, play, sleep cycle encourages better sleep, so we do plan to start trying for that part now that you are a month old. As far as your day to day goes, you are typically eating anywhere from 2-4 ounces every 2.5-3 hours. If you are super sleepy during a feed and only take 2 ounces, it's a challenge to hold you off even for 2 hours, but the pacifier and going outside helps a lot. You LOVE your soothies and the Wubbanub! (So different from your brother!) 

As far as sleep goes, you are a rockstar most nights and sleep about 4-hour stretches. Two nights ago, we got a 5-hour stretch from 9:30-2:30 and it was glorious! If your reflux is really bothering you or you spit up in the middle of the night, it's a battle to get you back down, but most nights you go back very easily now that you seem to have day and night figured out. You also love to sleep swaddled, even though you eventually work your hands out of it. (Yet another major difference from your brother!) Since you do have the reflux, you would definitely prefer to be sleeping on your tummy, which we learned from many tummy time fails, but at this point, I force you to sleep swaddled in the Rock 'n' Play at night. Naps during the day, you just kind of sleep wherever - car seat, bouncy chair, swing, etc. This week, I started trying to get a good afternoon nap going in your crib. Most days it has worked, so I'm hoping the crib transition isn't too brutal. We have no idea when we'll make that transition at night, but I'd like to consistently get good naps in there first so I know you're used to it. 

You have the sweetest little temperament and so far are a very laid back little girl. You love spending time on your Boppy or in your bouncy seat, staring at lights/ceiling fans, and being outside in the fresh air. You also love going for walks, your swing, and watching your big brother play. He is SO sweet and loves to come over and talk to you, feed you, "hold" you, etc. He calls you "Sister" most of the time, but he definitely knows your name. He gets VERY upset when you cry...I think it scares him...which just shows how much he cares about you. :) 

You've developed a little bit of a fussy period at night before bedtime, but that's totally normal for a newborn and we have just learned to take you outside, put you in your bouncy seat, and let your lungs get some exercise around 8:30 each night. :) You'll outgrow it, so I'm not sweating it at this point. (Sorry neighbors!)

Well, peanut, I guess that's about it! I'm looking forward to the second month and seeing how your little personality develops and watching you interact more and more with your brother. We can't wait to see your sweet smile and watch you grow into a little lady, and we sure do love you!