Do You Hear Angels...

My friend Kari used a football to show her baby's size. In our family's usually fashion, we were late photographing Trey! This was a few days ago.

My grandma sent me the quilt she made for Jackson. She was not comfortable giving it to me until now. I am so thankful for it.

On that note, I have called Trey Jackson twice---it unnerves me. I know they are not even close to being the same boy. But Trey's eyes look like Jackson's when he's sleeping. I gaze at them and it takes me back to holding Jackson's much bigger body in the hospital almost two years ago. I miss him so much.

shhh...I'm sleeping!

It's hard for me to put him down after feeding him...unless of course it's 3am and I'm nodding off!

Last night at dinner he was wide awake and making funny faces. We had such fun with him!

Like father like son. :)

Ahhhh... I hear angels singing. No more fever for the last two days!!! And before the fever broke, I survived by watching the Youtube video about the intruder breaking into the projects... SOOO FUNNY!!! It seriously got me through!
But without fever, I am so happy. Ironically, the cause was a new antibiotic - simple amoxicillan. And while it's not supposed to be strong enough, it is for me. It worked last time, when I pumped Claire's milk and got mastitis. It was what I asked for the first day I got a fever this time. Too bad I didn't insist on it. It seems to be the theme of my life - learning to insist you know your body/baby more than the professionals, getting a loud enough voice....

So it turns out, from talking with a lactation specialist, that preemies keep forgetting how to latch on correctly and you have to reteach them with almost every feeding.  This never occurred to me because Trey ate so well so fast in the hospital. He latched on right away. I didn't realize he wasn't doing it right. Nursing hurt every time, but it's normal in the first two weeks so i didn't think about it. As it got worse, I should have clued in! 

I guess I was not prepared for all the special nuances of a preemie. He's so sweet and good natured. He seems perfect to me. Just not in the eatin' area! And having to take a bottle with special vitamins has certainly added to his latch issues. But with my husband's help, we're working it out. I have taken another bit of Kari's experience and made it my own by stopping the bottles. It makes the clogs worse since he latches so differently to a bottle than me. Kari believed in her own ability to nurse even a tiny baby without the added calories of formula, and I have had to once again shuck the doc's advice and do the same.
My husband's good eye and latching technique are helping me out immensely, along with a good supply of fresh garlic (my poor family), probiotics, yogurt, and feedings every two hours.
I am LOVING this one-long-day, exhausting life! I love this precious miracle. Days and nights blur together, and my shower is missing me dearly, but I am SOOO happy to be able to enjoy my baby now. I'm so happy to be able to enjoy my children and help them with all their little house-destroying projects. Never have I been so behind on housework/laundry, but first things first. And Trey's first. The little energy I have leftover goes to my family.
THANK YOU to everyone who has brought dinner!!!!! You saved us! What would my poor family have eaten while I was in bed all those days? I feel so looked after. I am so thankful.