2 Weeks Old

Dear Wyatt,

Today you are 2 weeks old. We had your 2-week checkup this morning with Dr. W. Your weight is up to 7.8 lbs and you are still 21" long.

He asked me about the breastfeeding, your poops, and how things were going. He checked out your cord (it still hasn't fallen out, just looks disgusting and oozy, which he said was fine). He told me you are going to start being awake more and fussing more often (yeehaw!). He also informed me that he'll see you again at the 2 month checkup when you get your first round of vaccines (not looking forward to that...).

So how have things been these past couple weeks?

Rough.

Not gonna lie, being a new parent is not easy.

The first couple nights home you were up and fussy and inconsolable. Turns out the whole breastfeeding thing wasn't working out too well for us (gee...go figure). When we went to your first pediatric appointment, they told us you had lost 8% of your birth weight and that we were to try feeding around the clock every 2 hours (Dr. W told us at 10% weight loss we would have to intervene with formula). We had to go in the next day for a weight check and had gone up an ounce, so we were golden!

Trust me, you and I worked hard for that ounce! We were both exhausted...

Over the weekend, my milk finally came in and I became engorged on Sunday (OMG that is some terrible pain - I didn't even want to look at them!). We went back for a weight check Monday and you were up another 5 ounces, when we were only shooting for 3! After that, they told us we were good to wait for another weight check at your 2 week appointment.

However, that following Wednesday you and I were still in bed and the pediatrician's office called saying one of your results came back abnormal on your day-old blood test that is sent to the state of Missouri. They wanted us to come in that day for an appointment and to get blood drawn. I was so worried, I got us ready and AJ met us at the office and Dr. W explained that your lab for Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia was elevated (and could kill you in your 2nd week of life if you had it), so we had to take you to get blood drawn and wait for 2 hours to get some results back.

Your daddy and I were so worried. I cried all the way home and when we got home I just held you and cried. Those 2 hours were torture - I took us on a walk just to keep my mind off of it. After a couple hours I finally called and they had the results - we were good! They had said that those tests are often wrong, but still I couldn't imagine losing you. I'm so thankful everything is okay!

Our home has been a revolving door to visitors wanting to see you. Sometimes it is nice to just be the 3 of us even though I am thankful for all the help we have been given.

Over the weekend we took our first trip out of the house besides a walk or to the pediatrician's office. We went to your Grandpa McKinney's and he BBQ-ed and I fell asleep sitting straight up on the couch while your great-Aunts Diane and Catherine loved on you.

I don't know why, baby, but you sleep all the time and yet your momma is sleep deprived! My days are mixed up with my nights and I never know what day it is anymore.

You are such a good baby though. Ever since our first few days of breastfeeding nightmares, you have been doing great with that. You are good about telling me you are hungry and you have hardly cried at all aside from those first couple nights when you were dehydrated.

I never want to put you down and I have trouble sharing you. I always want you cuddled up with me and it's all I can do to put you in the bouncer to get anything done. I want to kiss you and love on you constantly. I think you are perfect. I am probably driving people crazy posting pictures of you on Facebook, but I don't care! I can't get enough of you.

When you open your eyes (which isn't that often) I just melt. You look around at the world around you. When you are sleeping you sometimes smile and I just hope that you are a happy baby and want for nothing.

Love,
Momma