Meet the Family: Colin

16 months, June 2011

Colin very nearly became the baby who wasn't to be.   I didn't trust that he was safe and sound until he was delivered and placed in my arms.  Such a sweet, sweet boy.  He was an easy-going infant - and thank goodness for that - it was a real struggle at times to manage every body's needs during that first year.  I wish that I had taken the time to document our days, but then again I am glad I didn't because I was really struggling with PPD, and the posts would have been angry and depressing. (it would seem that some days they still are!!  sorry 'bout that...)

The pregnancy was absolutely nerve-wracking.  After the initial horrific episode of what could only defined as a 'very large bloodclot', I still had unexplained bouts of profuse bleeding for the next 3-4 weeks.  It was awful.  I laid down a lot.  It is hard to parent from a couch.  We got through it, and from about week 24 onward it was smooth sailing.

Colin was born in early February, and I chose to breastfeed him.  He nursed like a champ in the beginning,  but by about the five month mark, his interest was waning.  It was August, it was hot, and my period had returned.  By September, he was getting very skinny.  I could feel his bones whenever I held him - yet (stupid me) alarm bells weren't going off for me.  When he had his six month appt. in late August, they didn't like what he weighed.  He was in the third percentile.  They wanted to weigh him again in a week.  By that next appointment, he had lost several more ounces.  Tests!!!  Let's do some tests!!  Lots of blood draws, finger pokes, urine and stool samples!!  Well, everything came back normal.  More ounces were lost.   He was now off the charts.  We had to get a baby scale and weigh him before and after every feeding.  Finally *I* figured it out that because my period had returned, my milk production had dramatically fallen off...  (doctors... *snort*)  It was time to introduce him to formula.  All this took place during the month of September, and we had planned to go on vacation in late Sept/early Oct.  We left on our trip and traveled though KS, OK, TX, LA, MS, GA, FL, TN, and AR...in ten days.  It was actually a very nice vacation that went very smoothly.  We made a lot of bottles along the way - it was actually more convenient than breastfeeding (gasp!  Did I just say that??).  Here is a photo of Colin, in Galveston, TX, at the beach.



8 months, Oct 2010

This photo was taken shortly after Colin started on the bottle.  He is so skinny!  It is hard for me to look at - but then I realize how far he has come in eight months.  Compare it to the picture above, taken about three weeks ago.  Whoo-hoo!  I can't help myself - I squeeze his meaty little thighs about a hundred times a day.  It must be a primal thing.

So now that Colin has been crisis-free for several months, he has really grown (no pun intended) into his own person.  He is the class clown of the family.  Thank goodness we homeschool because he would be the thorn in every teacher's side.  He loves to do something outlandish and then looks around to see who has been entertained by it.  So then he does it again.  and again.  and again.  Bowl of oatmeal or yogurt?  On top of the head it goes.  He will make faces, make noises, spin in circles, play peek-a-boo - anything to make you laugh.  He also likes to 'talk' with Abby and Kitty.  He will howl with along with Abby when she is excited about something, and he will make sweet little sounds as he toddles behind Kitty.  They both tolerate him pretty well - especially Abby, since he grabs big handfuls of her fur quite a bit.

Here is a sweet little photo of our baby boy - a joy that is long overdue in sharing!



Colin, 11 days old