For those of you fellow blog-followers, my apologies for not writing an update sooner! Where does the time go? Oh, I know....most of it goes into feeding my fussy eater Kai!
We have had battles with Kai's eating for months now. He was diagnosed with reflux, as many preemie babies have some sort of reflux. Although he doesn't fit the classic symtoms, he's been on zantac and prevacid for quite some time, and for months we thickened his formula as well. We've seen a GI specialist who wasn't all that concerned because he hasn't lost weight, and she increased his prevacid to the maximum dose. So much, in fact, that our pediatrician was surprised as he has never had a baby on that much prevacid. Not to mention, it doesn't even work...
He doesn't spit up a lot, and you can lie him flat on his back after feedings and he'll be just fine. He just absolutely hates it when you put the bottle in his mouth and make him eat. If it was up to him, he wouldn't eat a thing all day. Instead, we pretty much do circus acts to get him to drink 5 oz four times a day. Yes, that's all he eats in 24 hours, with a tablespoon of solids here and there. We stand the majority of the time (my upper body is stronger than it's been since I was a gymnast!), it usually takes an hour per feeding, and we have to walk around the house or outside, let him listen to cars driving by, and if we're desperate to sit down for a break we turn the vacuum cleaner on. (Thx Julie for the discovery!)
He's been seen by an occupational therapist in case it is an actual oral-feeding problem, which it of course isn't. For the past week we have changed his formula from the all-important Neosure to a hypo-allergenic formula called Alimentum. At just $28 for a small can, it is completely dairy free and soy free. Apparently 30% of kids with a dairy sensitivity also have a sensitivity to soy, so the GI specialist recommended cutting out everything. *Maybe* it's helping a little bit. He still requires the standing and bouncing and walking around and singing and severe distraction, but at least he isn't screaming bloody murder. We don't thicken it anymore, as the cereal has soy in it, but he does pretty well at keeping it down. An occasional projectile vomit here and there, but nothing unmanagable. So, I thought he might be hungrier and start eating more than 5 ounces at a time since it's not thickened anymore...but nope! 5 is just fine in his book. Well, 3 is ideal in his book, but mama doesn't let that happen. If we don't see a huge change in another week of the Alimentum formula, he might need an endoscopy and a biopsy of his esophogus. We're hoping to avoid this, but we need to do what's best for him. Oh, Mr. Kai. I hope you grow out of this soon! I know, someday he will come home from school and eat my entire refrigerator, and I will say 'remember when...'
As you could only imagine, life has been busier than ever because of our little eating challenges. Thankfully Katherine is quite the little eater now (drinking 5 ounces 5 times a day with solids at dinner time). When we finish with her bottle, we begin the feeding extravaganza with Kai, and poor little Katherine waits an hour for some attention. Thankfully she's really into her toys and playing with her feet. (She's figured out how to suck on her toes now, mmm). Usually she is patient, but there are many days when I am feeding Kai, singing to and bouncing him, standing on one foot with a toy between the toes in my other foot, shaking the toy in front of Katherine's face who is lying on the floor looking up at us. Oh, to be a fly on my walls, huh?
Both babies are rolling over now. Kai is rolling very often and will play with toys while on his tummy for quite awhile. We are now working on the beginning stages of crawling during physical therapy sessions. (Ugh!! Am I ready for that?) Katherine doesn't mind being on her tummy anymore, but only on her own time. She will roll over only when she really wants to. Nobody is gonna make her do something she doesn't want to, that's for sure. Kai sleeps through the night most of the time, but now that he's rolling over, he'll get onto his tummy in his sleep and then wake up because he's not used to it yet. So we just flip him over and back asleep he goes. I think he forgets how to get back onto his back while he's so sleepy. I'm sure he'll get used to sleeping on his tummy if he lands that way eventually. You never know where you'll find him in the crib when he wakes up. He's hysterical. Katherine wakes up about once or twice a night now, only for her binkie. We were climbing up and down the stairs up to 10 times a night a few weeks ago, so we're quite pleased right now. Every now and then she will even sleep all the way through the night! Those are some joyous mornings!
Grandma and Grandpa Eichhorn came to visit the babies last weekend. They were here over Christmas while the babies were still in the NICU, Katherine just over 3 pounds and Kai just under 4 pounds. Needless to say, they were very surprised to see how big they are now! Katherine weighs around 14 1/2 pounds and Kai weighs around 18 pounds! My chunky monkey! The babies were also baptised on Sun, July 19th at St. Brigid Catholic Church. Katherine was adorable in her princess dress and Kai was very handsome in his little white suit. Both babies did extremely well throughout the entire baptism ceremony. Thank you so much to Heidi Dobbs and Carrie & Joe Schaefer for being the twins' godparents! Afterwards we hosted a little BBQ on our new deck that dad built when he was here. We are putting it to very good use this summer.
A few weeks ago we went to Josh and Heather's house for our first trip away. They babies did great in the car and slept well in the basinette portion of the pack-n-play. They loved swimming and we can't wait to take them again. We've also gone swimming at the YMCA while Julie and Michaela were visiting/helping to babysit the twins. They are definitely water babies and love taking baths. They are obsessed with their little bath toys. They are almost sitting by themselves, so they'll have lots more fun in the tub soon.
We found a new nanny named Sabrina who is wonderful with the babies. She is very patient through all of Kai's eating dilemas and we are so thankful to have found her. She is also a teacher who recently moved to San Diego with her husband, but the job market for teachers in San Diego is pretty tough right now so she is nannying for us until she finds a job. I'm selfishly hoping that won't be for awhile!
The past couple months have proven to be quite stressful and super busy. As a mom, I'm just so worried that we're missing something with Kai, and I just want him to be okay and actually enjoy eating like a baby should do. I hate to see him so upset, but I am determined to not allow him to lose weight and I must keep going no matter how much my arms ache and how much my back hurts! I know this is just a phase. Nothing is as stressful as our 3 month NICU stay, but these past couple months have ranked right up there. As much as I can't wait for him to outgrow this phase, I don't want to wish any time away...
