We like to call this past month, the worst month of our lives. I know that sounds awful, but it was awful. We experienced more exhaustion & frustration than we ever want to experience again. We've both had several moments where we just want to quit.
Most of our struggles this month were a result of having premature babies. A first, we thought we were going to lose our minds because Derek would cry uncontrollably. It felt like it was nonstop; all day; all the time. He even lost his voice for crying out loud (pun intended)! It got to the point where we decided to look online to see what could possibly be the issue. According to WebMD, his symptoms matched up with that of a baby that has GERD. This just means that the ring of muscle at the end of the esophagus is not fully developed therefore causing acid reflux. I called my sister, & she asked her pediatrician what she recommended to do. We eventually got medication & new formula. Praise the Lord, Derek is feeling much better!
This month has also brought out the boy's personalities :) They are so different, it's like having complete opposites.
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Max eats like a turtle walks... slow and steady. He takes his good 'ole time to finish a bottle. Sometimes you will sit with him for 45 minutes, & he'll only have eaten 3.5 ounces. He also tends to be the more relaxed of the two; he is content just to sit or lay wherever. Max really enjoys being in the swing, so much so, that he's known for falling asleep in it. We really try hard to get him to bed before that happens. He loves to wear clothes & will usually let you swaddle him. When he cries, it's only because he's hungry or needs to burp. Max isn't a huge fan of the pacifier, but will take it occasionally before falling asleep. If he's not really tired, & it falls out before he's asleep, he goes ballistic.
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Derek has a temper that he surely got from his daddy :) It's all or nothing with him. When he's hungry; he is HUNGRY! This is probably another reason why he cries so much. Funny thing is, you can always tell when he's getting upset because he'll clench his fists & his teeth, and his face will turn red from holding his breath. Then, he'll let out a scream. (Can't say we're looking forward to dealing with this when he's a toddler.) Derek also eats super fast. He can finish a 4.5 ounce bottle in 10-15 minutes, which in turn causes him to spit up in excess. He's the reason we go through so many burp cloths. He does not like having his arms restricted (no swaddling this boy) & will fuss when we put clothes on him. He doesn't like to sit by himself & is only content when being bounced. Kurt calls that his "money spot." Derek is better with a pacifier. He'll take it while waiting for his bottle & sometimes when he's going down for a nap. However, he always spits it out before falling asleep.
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Even though there have been times this past month where we wanted to give them away, we love these boys SO MUCH and wouldn't really do it <3
Happy 2 Months Max & Derek!
