My Adorable Mess

Claire and Colin were almost three months old when we finally got around to their 2 month well check up with Dr. Han, the pediatrician, which included the vaccinations. I decided to be brave and go alone. My mom offered to go with me, and I was going to take her up on it, but since we rescheduled due to Colin's bronchiolitis I forgot to tell her the new day and decided to see just how brave, or how stupid, I really am.

"Baby Claire" is already being spoiled rotten by her big brothers.

The day before the appointment, they both had follow up ultrasounds on their hips, which went fine. Claire's hips are perfectly fine but Colin's still have laxity. The difference between Colin's laxity and Adam's laxity, however, is that Adam had laxity with dislocation, meaning that his hips slid and sometimes clicked out of place. Colin's are not dislocating, but they want to keep an eye on them in case they do, so we go back for another ultrasound in 4 weeks.

Colin also did a swallow study and luckily they found he is not aspirating milk (although of course, when they did the test he was swallowing perfectly. Never fails to make me look like an overly paranoid mother. I hate that - love that he is fine, though). It's good to rule out a physiological issue and focus on what is most likely going on - reflux. I had switched him to the protein intolerance formula (Alimentum and Nutramigen) a few days before the swallow study, and he's already doing much better. Dr. Han also gave us a prescription for Xantac.


On top of the potential hip problem and the reflux, our doctor noticed that Colin's head was showing mild signs of plagiocephaly (his head isn't the normal shape). Last week she pointed this out to me and asked if he preferred his right side, and I told her that I had just noticed it in the hospital, that he almost literally cannot look left. She told me to try doing some stretches with him and do things to make him turn left. Well, we went home and I massaged him and stretched him and did everything I possibly could to make him voluntarily turn his head left, but the tightness or strain in his neck was winning. I had for a week or two noticed that he was just a ball of stress and tightness, which they say could be caused by the reflux or even by position in the womb. I called the chiropractor because I knew he would be able to do much better than I ever could. And a week later at the well appointment, his head shape is about the same (which I expected), and I was glad that immediately after the check up we were on our way to the chiropractor appointment. All of this is completely ironic to me since he had a "nicely shaped head" just 8 weeks ago.

Dr. Han gave me a pamphlet and instructions to call for a cranial evaluation. She said it was free and would give us a little more free physical therapy, and that they would be able to tell us if he needs further physical therapy. I think he does. At the chiropractor that afternoon, Colin got a good long massage and it made all the difference in the world, but I still think he needs some extra exercises. No one has said anything about thinking he might need a helmet - I'm not sure it's quite that bad, but we'll see at the evaluation.

Poor Colin - his lungs, his digestion, his hips, his head, his muscles... he's a mess. Adorable, but a mess. And Claire, fortunately, is doing just fine.

I'm fairly certain this is how Shannon looks at me behind my back too!

Despite Colin's potential need for physical therapy, he and Claire both have "extremely advanced motor skills." Head control, rolling over, strength . . . and Claire tries to crawl on her stomach and tries to stand when put on her feet, which Dr. Han says is impressive for her age, let alone her adjusted age. They are both on the small side for their age but are growing well. Colin is 12.5 pounds and Claire is 11.5 pounds. Colin has finally taken the lead by being a whole pound heavier and an inch and a half longer.

Then they got their shots, which were fine. Colin is a bleeder, unfortunately for me, and didn't love the shot but was not all that hurt by it... until he started bleeding and the nurse had to apply pressure. He said that hurt and not to do it again. While that was going on, Claire cried for him too. But when Claire got her own shots, she kinda fussed like she was annoyed, but gave it up quickly after it was over. We have tough kids.

Wait, shots? I didn't agree to this...

Overall the day wasn't too bad - two double appointments including vaccinations and I went home feeling less stressed than I have some days when we're just at home. We'll see how the next appointment goes, however. I know that it can only get more difficult as they get older, stronger, and more skilled.

I find it strange that I feel the need to lie to our pediatrician about their sleeping situation. I have finally gotten them able to sleep on their backs and not on their stomach next to my face or in a nap nanny, but they are both still on our bed sleeping next to one another (Shannon is on the couch, but mostly so he can get sleep to be able to function at work, not because he was kicked out). I put a bed rail up on the opposite side (one of those purchases that Adam never needed, so I moved it to our room). According to "experts," co-sleeping is "bad" and "the family bed" is "bad," but honestly it's the best thing for them for now. We plan to move them directly from the bed to their crib, and I'm hoping that if they are comforted by each other it won't be as big an adjustment. I also would never get any sleep if I had to go to two different bassinets all night. They are starting to stretch out their sleep cycles more - woo hoo, 4.5 hours at a time! - but still.

And I am a bad liar, so I told her Dr. Han the truth. She didn't lecture me or seem all that concerned.

All I know is that Claire is just eating up all this extra cuddle time with her brother and Colin is doing some cuddling up to her of his own...

Claire is grinning like she hasn't a care in the world, while Colin is trying to solve the world's major issues.