Weeks 2 and 3

If you are reading this, please stop and say a prayer for our little family. The past couple of weeks have taken a wicked turn with our sweet girl. 

I'll start with our 2 week doctor's appointment last Monday. Before this, Emersyn had been very fussy and constantly nursing. I didn't know if it was a growth spurt, cluster feedings or what. I had cut out almost every type of flavored food and was sticking to a bland diet wondering if something I was eating was causing E's tummy ache. We tried Mylacon drops. I had my wisdom teeth removed- one cut and and one pulled- only with local anesthesia and no antibiotics so it wouldn't affect little Emersyn. I knew all this would be worth if she had been gaining weight and growing like a big girl.They put her on the scale and from her 2 day post-hospital visit, she had lost 5 ounces! My heart sank and I bawled like a baby. She had been fussy because poor baby was starving. The doctor encouraged us to start supplementing with the dreaded formula until we could work something out with the nursing. This broke my heart even more. I called the lactation consultant in tears and boo-hooed all over her answering machine. She had some ideas and I was more than willing to try. We supplemented that day and little Emersyn was as happy as a lark. She slept for 4 hours at a time at night and was full of sweet faces. I cried every time I saw a bottle or the formula, but was thankful that sweet girl was feeling better. Over the next few days, she kept wanting more from the bottle, I HATE bottles and formula, every feeding she would leak more on herself than got in her mouth. We were constantly washing burp clothes and sleepers. She started to increase the fussiness as well. We have had a few weight checks and little girl has been picking up weight, thankfully. She should be at birth weight again by 3 weeks- which is Sunday. Today, she was 1/2 an ounce away which is about what she should be gaining per day. Hopefully she will be spot on her birth weight by our weight check on Monday. 

We had a lactation consultant appointment yesterday and she seemed very hopeful. We seem to have made some improvements with my supply. She gave me this absolutely wonderful contraption called a supplemental nursing system. you put any supplement (pumped breast milk or formula) in the bottle, then a long tube reaches to the breast. When the baby latches and begins to suck, the baby gets mom's milk and the supplement. It eliminates bottles and allows the bonding time for mom and baby. This little design has been an answered prayer! We only thought our troubles were coming to an end....

Starting Thursday  night, Emersyn was awake most of the night screaming. We finally fell asleep around 6 am, I thought maybe she had a tummy ache and dared anyone to mention the "colic" word. At the lactation consultant's office, E let out a couple of screams that made the lactation consultant wonder if she had a little reflux that was causing some pain. Then, last night, E started screaming at 6pm and didn't stop until 6 am. She had 2 good naps, I had none because I was such a mess. The answering service for her pediatrician recommended the emergency room, instead we waited until the office opened this morning and took her in. I never imagined I would be at the sick clinic with my 20 day old angel. The doctor checked her out and did a thorough exam, she looked perfect. They gave her a catheter for a urine sample to check for a UTI- thank God, it was negative. The doctor said he thinks it is reflux and a little bit of immature gut. Possibly a touch of colic- Lord, help us- she has two medications that I have prayed over will help our sweet girl. NOTHING in the world is worse than your baby hurting and you not being able to do a thing about it. I have told Emersyn over and over again that if mommy could take the pain away and have it multiplied by 1,000, I would do it in a heartbeat!

I have been a complete wreck. My sweet, precious mother who has saved my life has been a wreck. We stay up with little girl all night and just cry and pray. We hold E close and just love on her, I hope and pray this will pass soon. 

Of course, that can't be all. If you haven't read the story about my first child, Maximus, it can be found here. We have noticed over the past week, sweet puppy is starting to show the effects of the tumor. He wasn't eating his food because it was too hard, and that side of his body has begun to fail. It is heartbreaking, so I also hold him close and snuggle with him as much as possible.

Like I said, we pray A LOT. I can't imagine a purpose-less life without the peace of Christ right now, it's the only thing that gets us from one hour to the next. On the bright side, E is an otherwise healthy, perfect little girl. She has no serious health concerns, wasn't born with any defects, and is a blessing every second she is in our presence. I continuously find myself on my knees in thanksgiving for my sweet baby. Same goes for Maxie, it may sound silly, but he has given me so much love and joy. I can't imagine life one day without him and can't think about it without having a meltdown, but he has been so loved and will always be the first baby :)

On a happy note, we did get newborn pictures made and they are beautiful :) E's gallery can be found here: http://wjonesphotographyproof.com/entry/portrait

Scroll down to 'Emersyn H' and check out our sweet girl.

Surely we have to be on the mend!  Thank you, in advance, for your prayers! I can't believe we  are stacking on days to hit our 1 month mark.... E is growing up way too fast.