Puppy Pads aren't just for Puppies!

So the diaper rash situation is getting no better. :(  Poor Baby, it looks really raw and painful!

Doc said that "moisture is the enemy"... so I got to thinking....

Let her be NAKIE!!!!!

So off the Target I go to get puppy pads for her to chill on all day while her little bum airs out.

It is not quite the fairy tale I pictured... for some reason she was not at all content to just lay there on the puppy pad. Plus she was going through them like every 10-15 minutes. 

But we toughed it out all day. Every time I had to change the pad we changed spots... the floor- the swing- the bouncy seat- and of course momma's arms. I only got peed on 2x and all the poo stayed on the pads. :)

She took a 2 hour nap in the swing, and yes I knew I was going to have to wash that blanket but I didn't want the nakie baby to get cold. 

Nothing was peed or pooed on that can't be washed, but her little bum is not any better. Not sure it was worth it? What to try next???

1 Month Old

HAPPY FIRST MONTH BABY GIRL!

Our first visit on the "sick side"

Friday Mary Claire and I had our first encounter with the "sick side" of the waiting room of the pediatricians office.

Wednesday afternoon Mary Claire and I went for a long walk at the park and when we got home I noticed she was a little snotty and congested. With the crazy warm weather we have been having, I assumed it was just allergies. Thursday she was even more snotty and congested but had started coughing & sneezing, and now had watery eyes- again though I just assumed it was just allergies.

But Thursday night was a B.A.D night at the Peeler house. She did not sleep AT ALL- and I am not exaggerating. Typically we lay her down in her crib when she is just about asleep and she will fuss just a few minutes but then go right on to sleep, but Thursday night was a whole other story. I laid her down and a few minutes of fussing turned into 30 minutes of fussing then on to screaming. So I got her back up and rocked her a little while then laid her back down. For some reason I had an intuition it was going to be a long night because I got my pillow and made my nest in the spare bed in her room so daddy could get his beauty sleep for work.... Again fussing turned into screaming- but I decided to let her scream a while (you know... maybe she could soothe herself, right?!?!?) WRONG! She started coughing then gagging then spitting up then she was even more ticked because she was wet and laying in spit up. I finally gave in and got her out and she was WIDE AWAKE now... there was no going back to sleep. The night continued on this path of hanging out in with mom in the spare bed, laying in her crib, fussing, screaming, gagging, spitting up, changing her clothes and diaper, hanging out with mom, etc.

Chase came in about 6:30 to tell us bye and was surprised to find us both WIDE awake hanging out in the spare bed. 

Chase: "Long night?"

Me: "UHHH... Yeah to say the least"

About 8:30 I called the doctor to talk to a nurse. Knowing the weekend was coming I wanted to hear someone say that she was going to be fine for the weekend- that it was just allergies. After telling her Mary Claire's symptoms and explaining to her that I was SURE it was just allergies- she told me it very well could be, but with her being so young we need to be careful. Then once she heard her cough and congested breathing over the phone she said I should bring her in.

So- Hi Ho Hi Ho it's off the Doctor we go... AGAIN!

I signed in, and apologized to the receptionist for being "that mom" that brings her kid in all the time and worries the stew out of them. She just laughed and said that they didn't think that at all (yeah right!) and I should never feel bad about having to bring her in for silly things.

Then it was off to the sit on the dreaded SICK SIDE! AHH!!!

We got called back, and when the doctor came in she said "Did we get you sick when you were here on Monday?" I told her no... it was just allergies, but I just wanted to have her looked at before the weekend. 

While listening to her chest Dr. Bennie got a very serious look on her face and said, "Bad news mom, it's defiantly more than allergies."

She said that it is either a run of the mill cold or worst case scenario it is could be RSV. Then went on the explain what RSV is.... A very bad cold virus... "VERY concerning" because of her age ... could settle in her lungs as pneumonia/bronchitis or her ears as an ear infection ... no treatment ... sit her up as vertical as possible ... saline spray & bulb syringe ... Watch for temperature ... But to be honest I wasn't making any mental notes because I just new it was not RSV, I mean she wasn't that sick.

10 minutes later the nose swab came back and the Doctor came back in... It's Positive..

My heart sank, and tears immediately filled my eyes. My little baby was really sick and I thought she had been fine for the last 2 days.

Dr. Bennie again went over RSV and the things we could do to help keep her comfortable while her little body fights it off. I guess she could tell I was 1/2 way listening earlier. She just kept on and on about how "concerning it is because of her age", she was "only 24 days old".  The main thing we have to watch for is a fever. If she runs a fever of 100.4 or higher we have to go the the hospital because that means the infection has settled somewhere.

So it was just a waiting game... waiting to get better, waiting to get worse.

I called Chase and gave him the scoop and he immediately came home, then to the store to get saline spray, baby vicks, etc... and I just sat on the couch and held her tight... yes,  did hold a sleeping baby. It may not have made her feel any better but it made me feel better.

So operation RSV Go Away is set up in our living room- the coffee table has turned into medicine cabinet complete with vicks, saline spray, nose sucker, and thermometer. The swing, bouncy seat, and car seat are all ready to hold her upright while she sleeps, and the humidifier has been going non-stop. 

We are now about 3 days out and so far so good. Mary Claire seems to be making progress and getting better every day. THANK GOODNESS!

Only one problem... she really likes to be held while she is asleep now... OOPS :)

Mary Claire- our little fish

This girl loves the water!

For about 2 weeks Mary Claire has had diaper rash something BAD, so doc said not to use baby wipes because wiping the area will just irritate it. Instead wash her bottom off with warm water and let air dry. This has not been to much fun for momma and daddy (esp at 2am) but Mary Claire LOVES it!

She usually gets a little fussy when you strip her down, but the second you put her little hinny under the warm running water her face just lights up and her whole body relaxes. It's just amazing!

So I have not so patiently been waiting to give her a real bath and not just a sponge bath- and we can now that her stubborn umbilical cord is gone! Wahoo!!

Check out this baby's face

She loves the water!!!

Come on Summer Time! We are ready for the pool!

Hospital Shadow Box

Thanks Pinterest!

 I will never have another original idea in my life!

                                      Inspiration                                                  The one I made

Umbilical Cord Uh-Oh

When we were at the doctor last Monday for Mary Claire's 2 week check up her umbilical cord was still VERY much attached, so Dr. Bennie gave us a week to try to coax that thing to fall off or she would have to cut it off. YIKES!!!

So Chase and I cleaned it with alcohol very diligently at every diaper change- which by the way is like every 45 minutes... this kid poops A LOT!

But this is what it looked like a week later :(

Hi Ho! Hi Ho! It's off to the doctor we go

Come to find out the umbilical cord stump is not attached by one fat fibrous tissue as I had thought- There are actually fibrous "strings" about the diameter of yarn that are holding it on. One by one Dr. Bennie cut the strings and Volia! It's off.

The pink skin is "new skin" that will close the opening in the next few days

Look how much the opening closed in just 6 hours

Sorry there are no pictures of the actual cutting, but I was too scared it was going to hurt her even though Dr. Bennie stressed that she wont feel a thing. Mary Claire just laid there are stared at her the whole time. She only got fussy when we stripped her down to weigh her.

Guess how much our big girl weighs now.....

7 Pounds 15 Ounces!!!

Yes for those of you counting- she did gain almost a pound a half in 1 week! Wowzers!

She is official

Mary Claire Peeler is now an official citizen of the United States of America

Blessed :)

Blessed... The only word to describe how I feel... Just incredibly blessed. 

We could not ask for a better baby. She eats really good (she's in the right family)- both from a bottle and nursing, but she does seem to be a spitter upper. If she has eaten in the last 10-15 min you can almost guarantee you are going to get spit up on if you are holding her. It doesn't make her mad, and she doesn't act like her tummy is upset- she just spits up and keeps on about her business.

She is a pretty good sleeper (with the exception of last Saturday night) - up about every 3 hours to eat then go right back to sleep. The only catch is she doesn't really want to go to sleep until 11pm and wants to sleep until 9am- which is not a problem right now, but will be once mommy goes back to work. She will sleep in her crib, her bassinet, her bouncy seat, her swing, her car seat, or of course if you are holding her... but we don't hold a sleeping baby :).

She hardly every cries! If she is fussy you can bet she is either hungry or is sitting in poop. Which makes her a GREAT shopping buddy already! Oh and her poops.... those are another story in themselves.... Very explosive!!!- but apparently that is normal for breast-fed babies.

She has already changed so much in the last 2 weeks. Her little face has matured- her nose has taken more shape (a shape like daddies of course!) and her little eyes keep getting lighter and lighter. Hopefully they will be as blue as her daddy's eyes. She is even more awake and alert then she has been, and makes some of the funniest facial expressions. Chase and I just sit here and laugh at her! Such a ham!

                   Mary Claire- show me BIG EYES!!!                        Check out that grin!

Mary Claire has had a few new visitors in the last week

Gran-nannie

Uncle William

                                                                      Believe it or not, she does like her Uncle William

"Aunt" Robyn

We try to get out and walk anytime the weather is nice

D'D watched Mary Claire on Saturday night so Momma and Daddy could go on a "Date Night." It was weird us both leaving her, up until this point one of us was always with her. But it was defiantly a good thing for both Momma & Daddy, and Mary Claire. 

Daddy sleeping with Mary Claire while waiting on to get his food after church on Sunday... Saturday night was a LONG night, remember?

Headed to the Doctor Monday afternoon

Today Mary Claire had her 2 week check up. She has gained 8 oz and now weighs in at a whopping 6 pounds 10 ounces- still a little squirt! Some of the premie clothes we had to buy when she first came home are already getting a little snug (although the 0-3 months clothes still hang off of her).

Waiting on the doctor to come in

Her umbilical cord is still very much attached. Dr. Bennie didn't seem to alarmed yet, but wants us to be a lot more aggressive in cleaning it, and if it is not off by next Monday we have to come back for her to potentially cut it off. YIKES!

I asked the Doctor about her explosive poops because her little bum is irritated. They tested her poop for blood because that could be a sign of a food sensitivity (primarily milk allergy)- but it came back negative. WHEW!!! So Doc said to treat it with an anti-fungal cream (because there is probably some kind of yeast in there?) and then put butt paste on top of that to help protect her bum when she does poop. Oh- and the kicker... Don't use baby wipes because the wiping motion can aggravate the already irritated skin. Instead rinse her bottom off with warm water and let air dry before putting on the creams. Thus a changing station has been set up at the kitchen sink. Just imagine the antics every time we change her diaper now....

Mary Claire also has a "stork bite" on her chest and one trying to develop on her tummy. 

They are just little capillaries close to the surface of the skin that will continue to get larger until she is about a year old then slowly fade away.

As I am sitting here writing this Mary Claire is just a cooing and grunting in her bouncy seat right in front of me. With every little noise she makes I fall more and more in love. She is defiantly the best thing that has ever happened to me (with Chase a close 2nd). We still very new at this parenting thing, and are trying to figure everything out. Each day we learn more and more about our little girl, and I can't wait to see what the future brings...

Mary Claire Out Takes

Libby was "Dying" to meet her new sister when mommy and daddy were at the hospital

Mary Claire, What does a lion do?

Hey guys... I think there is a fly on my nose?!?!

This is her "O-face"

A face only a mother could love

Now THAT'S a poop

Our first week at home

 Chase and I got home about lunch time on Wednesday afternoon, we were so excited to finally be home as a family of three. To be honest we were not at all nervous for some reason? Guess we probably should be, but it just feels right to have her here. 

Here are a few highlights from the first week

Mary Claire Loves her D'D

Libby is still trying to figure out what this thing is we brought home. 

Daddy feeding Mary Claire her first bottle... in the middle of the night :)

 She found her thumb! Maybe we will have a thumb sucker :)

Our little burrito strapped into the bouncy seat. HA!

 MawMaw and PawPaw came up for a visit

Mary Claire LOVES to swing

 Her first bath

Flowers from our church

                             Mary Claire planking                          I can't get enough of that sweet face

Her first Sunday in the world she was at church

Then our first family shopping trip to Babies- R- Us

Some things we have learned about Mary Claire during her first week with us:

She is jumpy and startles easily (like her daddy)

She twitches when she is falling asleep (like her daddy)

She is a spitter uper. Regardless of how she eats, she always spits up. 

She doesn't like to leave the house with out a "head accessory" whether it be a bow or a hat.

She loves her swing and her bouncy seat

She has only been here for one week, but I could not imagine my life with out her now!