Still No Relief

The chiropractor has decided that she cannot help baby M. I can't say that it has made a great difference in his sleep. I feel like I'm getting more used to the fact that he will just be awake most of the night. Does this mean that my body has become a more efficient sleeper? Perhaps my body knows that restful sleep is few and far between so it sleeps great when it can. Anyway, we have one last trick up our sleeves, and if this doesn't work its going back on e-bay. Check out this link for the Amby Baby. If anyone has any experience with this good or bad please feel free to share. We haven't gotten it yet, but it sounds good in theory. Baby M is 5 months old now, he is a great joy to be around and still lots of work. He doesn't have to be held as much anymore, but only when he's well rested or entertained by Flippity will he sit by himself. He hates tummy time and lying on his back. He loves to give wide open mouthed baby kisses. He smiles all the time and is easy to make laugh. He is very interested in everything that is going on. His favorite person on earth, and the one he finds the most amusing is Flippity. He LOVES his bath at night, you'd think he was moving into Disney World by the way he lights up and gets excited.

On the adoption front, we have gotten the dossier instructions from the agency. Our homestudy needs to be updated, but not that much. I have requested my dossier back from the agency because they have all of my original documents some of which I could re-use instead of spending tons more money on new ones. I have yet to hear if this is possible.

Crack this

I took baby M to a chiropractor the other day. Why you ask? I was/am at wits end with what to do with this child. From one day to the next it's a complete mystery which I love for the most part, but really only on a good nights sleep. Recently I have been seeing every hour on the clock at night with him. He doesn't particularly want to eat, just be held. He is now sleeping in our bed as well. Not my preference, but seemingly the only choice. I can just roll him on his side when he begins to fuss and pat his butt rather than dragging my tired butt out of bed and rocking him endlessly in the chair just to do it again in another hour. So, I'll try anything to help this baby sleep. She adjusted his back in hopes that it would do wonders. Well that night he woke only to eat. A small victory in my opinion. We have discovered that we are parenting "attachment style" with him. I have also learned that this is the way to do it with an adopted child. Baby M is preparing us to parent an adopted child. If anyone denies seeing God's hand in this whole story, I beg to differ. Why did baby M have to come in the midst of our referral? Why couldn't he wait until after the adoption? Why, it was so that we'd know exactly what to do with our daughter from Ethiopia. And by the way, we are getting ready to re-apply to the program. I have asked God to slam the door without question on this adoption if it is not meant to be. So far, full speed ahead.

Could it be?

My child (baby M) has been diagnosed with acid reflux. I have to say I am a bit skeptical simply because many of the features of a high need baby are also symptoms of acid reflux. Fast forward... he has been on zantac for a week with no improvement at all. Improvement would constitute better sleep with longer stretches. Right now we're lucky if he sleeps for more than 2 hours at night without waking. Translation... one tired and crabby mama. I called the Dr. yesterday to update her on the lack of improvement and she prescribed a stronger med (prevacid). I am not expecting this drug to do miracles either, but am willing to try anything for more sleep. A dear friend of mine offered to take baby M yesterday so I could get some sleep. I let her take Flippity instead. He has been neglected through all of this because baby M is so much w0rk. God bless the child's heart for not getting resentful of his brother. Flippity just goes with the flow, and is satisfied with very little entertaining. We try very hard to do things just for him since he is such a good big brother. Flippity and Daddy are going to visit grandma this weekend by themselves. It's such a long car ride and baby M HATES being in the car. Even to go less than a mile to the grocery store we are blessed with his ear-piercing shrill. Sigh. I don't know how to handle this kid, but I'm learning new things daily.