Up until last week, our little peanut was set to be in the womb. With a due date of March 5th and Barrett barrelling out one month premature, we’ve had constant reminders that little B was not even supposed to be here yet. With weekly weight checks, acid reflux meds and general fussy fits, Barrett is a true preemie. Up until this point, our pediatrician (whom I absolutely adore already) has reminded us over and over that Barrett believed himself to still be in utero and thus, is not fully aware that this is not so.
Friday marked Barrett’s monthday and he is now over one month new into the world. Our little peanut is officially over 5 lbs… and is slowly gaining. Currently weighing in at 5 lbs 2 oz, Barrett has been holding his own since we left the hospital. Let me tell you, I thought people said ridiculous things when I was preggo but even better is the smattering of comments we’ve heard since toting our little tot about town. People are so curious as to why he’s so tiny, what’s wrong with him, why he’s not living in a bubble and how we take him to and fro in our vehicle when he is clearly weightly challenged. Kate Hudson and the Olson twins are skinny minnies and we applaud them but our little boy being a small bundle seems to be so alarming to the masses… weird.
We’re hoping that Dr. Dek’s appointments will start to dwindle soon but for now, we see her at least once a week and are currently tending to some nasty acid reflux issues. Barrett’s already been introduced to the world of medication as we’ve tried our hand at baby Zantac and have moved right on to Prilosec. Not only does the reflux make him as moody as a mama with PMS but also produces an incredible amount of baby vomit following each visit at the booby buffet. Also, in an attempt to get mama to drop her baby weight (okay, maybe not the reason but a likely side effect), Dr. Dek has instructed me to start deleting dairy from my diet in an attempt to quell a possible aversion to the milky goodness. Oh yes… it’s as fabulous as it sounds… and so easy, too … especially because I hate cheese, milk, and all of the other goodness that comes from the cow. Okay, so I am a wee bit bitter about the lack of lactose but as Tim Gunn says, I can make it work. It’s worth it to avoid the cost of specialized formula and/or Barrett’s gut wrenching pain … I guess I am officially a mother.
In the first month, we’ve gotten used to Barrett and have given him a whole bundle of titles to try on. The first was Benjamin Buttons because Barrett came out looking a bit like an old man with wrinkles to boot and was modified to Barrett Buttons upon suggestion from gma D. Other acquired aliases include: Big Bear, Bear Bear, double B, B-rat, and little B. This from the same people who chose names that “wouldn’t be shortened”.
Barrett welcomed his newest cuz this last week as auntie Em and Uncle Eric welcomed baby Charlie into the world on Thursday on our shared due date. Charlie could easily take Barrett in a fight as he weighed in at a healthy 8 pounds 11 ounces. Happy Birthday baby Bloomington! (Yes, another boy!)
So, one month down, forever to go in this family of three. It’s been a month of sleepless nights, diaper-filled days and getting acquainted … and we’ve decided we’ll keep him! We’re already think Barrett’s the cat’s meow and I can’t even imagine all of the beauty that is to come. All in all, Barrett has already lived a lot for a little boy who was really living the last month in a womb with a view. More to come from parentdom…
