Okay … so now I get it. Now, at nearly three months post-partum, I understand more fully why people choose to become parents. In what seems to be the most miraculous disappearing act to date, Barrett Brehm has cast out the evil stomach monsters and moved on to flirting, farting and finding his happy place. The longest of screaming fits found its way into our day just three weeks ago today when Barrett fussed and fumed for 6 hours straight. Throughout the last two and a half months, I found myself wondering what was wrong with our precious Barrett bundle and why I, as his mother, could not make the pain pain go away. We struggled through many hours of crazed crying, screaming, spitting and shrieking. Barrett had ultrasounds of his belly from top to bottom and aside from some major gas bubbling up in his little body, there was no evidence of defect in our darling. We wrestled with going to specialized formula which would cost ~35 dollars a can and decided that breast would still be best … at least for the forseeable future. Following his 6 hour screaming soiree, Barrett’s melancholy moments dwindled each day … 5 hours … 4 hours … 3 hours …. 2 hours … and finally, our precious peanut rallied with a banner week. We’ve had a couple of cameo appearances from Mr. Blue since but one-off days are much more manageable than the cacophony that once filled our crib. Barrett is just lucky I was unable to locate my receipt during his trials and tribs, otherwise it would have been back to the baby store with him.
Although the days are not completely without muss and fuss, Barrett has surely turned a corner and we will be erasing the route he took to get here out of the computer navigation system so as to never accidentally travel down that road again. I am currently continuing my sabbatical from dairy and soy and have determined that for now, the sacrifice is worth the reward … a happy, smiley son. The most ridiculous part of my current regimen is that there is no true confirmation that Barrett’s bliss is as a result of his diet or due to collecting more cushion but either way, I am not about to rock this boat.
In the last week, Barrett has begun blowing out his bum after each feeding which offers us both much relief; physical and comic. As he gets ready to clear his colon, little B pushes and strains and makes the most concerted effort as is evidenced by his red, scrunched face … our little babe proves to be more similar to daddy Brehm with each passing day. I have decided that not only do I love Barrett but I genuinely like him and this whole motherhood thing can be fun. Believe you me, there were days where I thought surely I was being punk’d and that Ashton Kutcher and clan would pop through my front door and save me from the insanity that had become Barrett’s days of dejection. Thank goodness the air and his tummy now seem to be clearer and he has found respite from trying times.
In other news, I am now an employee of Double B Inc. as I have made the move to being a stay-at-home momma. Barrett’s early arrival, his screaming sessions and his preemie proportions were just a few of the components that went into making the decision to ditch my old daily grind. While it was incredibly difficult to leave my much loved line of work and my kick ass colleagues, I think it was the right choice for our little fam for now. I am adjusting *slowly* to not showering everyday (ahh, life’s little luxuries), donning expandable duds and figuring out how to clean up the clutter that has amassed in the great room {aka Barrett’s office}. At first, my biggest concern was just how isolating it can be to stay home but playdates and social outings paired with my new sistas — Ellen and the Gilmore Girls — are making the transition a smoother one.
All in all, things are shaping up for a swell spring for the Brehm bunch and we think our baby rocks. Yay!
