Sammy

The doctor was going to put Samantha on some medicine for her Reflux, but we didn't end up picking up, but its okay because its been over 2 weeks and she has only thrown up twice, yay! I think she is growing out of the Reflux. She is such a sweet baby. She is now making the cutest little noises, I'll have to try to get it on film.

The joys of owning a home

Alan mowed the lawn for the first time on Monday while Luke and I enjoyed blowing bubbles on the patio. I think Alan forgot how hard it is to mow the lawn, but he did a great job and the lawn looks really nice.

Tummy

I took Samantha to the doctor this week for her tummy. Sammy weighs almost 15 pounds and is 26 inches long, I'd say she is doing pretty well considering the doctor was worried about her weight loss and nursing when she left the hospital.
The doctor said Sammy looks really good other then her throwing up. She is worried about her throat because of all the throwing up, so she wants to put Samantha on medicine for a couple of weeks and see how she is doing after that. If she isn't better then she will need to see a specialist. Sammy hasn't started the medicine yet, but she hasn't thrown up for 3 days, s0 hopefully her body is fixing its self.

Easter and a new ward

Easter Sunday was our first time in our new ward. Alan and I were a little nervous because we didn't know what to expect and in all the other wards we went to before we knew it was only for a short time, but we could potentially be in this one for a long time. We were making guesses on what we thought the ward would be like, I wont tell you what we said because you'll think we are bad people, but some were pretty funny. It wasn't really like we thought it would be. We thought there would probably be a lot of Military in the ward because we are so close to a Air force base and there was. I don't really want to say how it went because it was only one Sunday and I can be pretty negative, but Luke did go to nurse all by him self and stayed the whole time.

This was our first year giving Luke an Easter basket, we even hid the eggs and basket. He was kind of scared to go looking for them, he didn't quit know what to expect. I think when we told him the Easter bunny was coming he thought that when he woke up there would be a big bunny hopping around and maybe that's why he didn't want to go searching. We had a delicious dinner at the Wilson's and an Easter egg hunt for the kids.

Big Boy

Friday Alan and his co-worker Steve brought home a twin bed for Luke. Steve was getting his son a new one and we were thinking of maybe getting one for Luke. It was free and came with bedding so we took it. I wasn't really sure Luke was ready, but out of the three nights we've had it he has slept all the way through the night 2 nights one of them being the first night. Hopefully he will continue doing well. Next stop potty training.

A light bulb moment!

We had my cousin Aaron and his family over for dinner this past Sunday and I was talking to him about Samantha's tummy problems, she still throws up about every other day or sometimes one time every day, because he his doing his residency here to become a pediatrician. Well as I was talking to him he said yeah that's normal most kids have some degree of Reflux. Reflux huh, I remembered that in high school I babysat a baby that had sever Reflux and I couldn't quit remember what it was a. I got on to the Internet and this is what I found.

Is it normal gastric reflux (GER) or the rarer, more serious condition GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)? What is the difference between GER and GERD?
by J.J. Courtiol, M.A. Ed.
GER (Gastro Esophageal Reflux, a.k.a.“reflux”) is simply defined as the backward flow of stomach contents into the esophagus (the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach). GER is a normal, common process that occurs time to time in almost everyone, of all ages, particularly after meals. It usually involves regurgitation. Almost all babies will regurgitate or “spit up” after some feedings, whether they are breast or bottle-fed.
The prevalence of GER peaks between 1 to 4 months of age, and usually resolves by 6 to 12 months.
Regurgitation, or “spitting up” has been reported in up to two thirds (65%) of healthy infants,
but decreases to 1% by one year of age.
Babies with GER regurgitate without secondary signs or symptoms of inadequate weight gain, esophagitis, or respiratory disease. Infants with GER are thriving and represent the majority who present to the physician with this condition.
In contrast, GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) is a less common, more serious pathologic process that usually necessitates medical management and diagnostic evaluation. It is also referred to as “Pathogenic GER”. Approximately 1 in 300 infants will present signs and symptoms of GERD and it is more common in children with neurological impairments.4 Patients with GERD may manifest persistent regurgitation with typical complications such as inadequate growth, failure to thrive, feeding and oral aversions, esophagitis,etc. or atypical complications such as wheezing, pneumonia, chronic sinusitis, etc.5

Ding, ding, ding, light bulb moment. As I read the description I just kept shaking my head up and down, yes this sounds like Sammy. I'm fairly certain that she has GER the less serious form. I'm going to set up an appointment with our doctor for next week to see what we can do to help her. The great news is, is that she is still a very happy baby even though her tummy is bothering her.

5th Wedding Anniversary

Thursday April 2nd was Alan and mine's 5th wedding anniversary. I can't believe it has been that long and yet it seems like Alan and I have been together forever. We have been blessed with so many things these past 5 years especially with our 2 beautiful children. As Alan's brother Joe pointed out in a card him and his wife Kristi sent us its an accomplishment to be married this long now a days. We have had a share of ups and downs and have gotten through them with our love from each other and help from above. I look forward too many more years with my wonderful husband.