4 Months

Is it just me or is every month going by faster and faster?  It seems like before I know it, this boy is going to be a year old!  Things have gotten SO much better.  In the early weeks when people told me it would get better, I had such a hard time believing them.  But, they were right!  Things are awesome now.  I think the missing link was me going back to work.  

Being back at work has made me so happy!  I love waking up in the morning to an adorable and giggly baby, getting ready, dropping D off at daycare, going to work, interacting with adults, eating lunch without the fear of a baby going nuts-o, picking up my adorable giggly baby at the end of the day, and just hanging out the rest of the night until bedtime.  It’s exhausting, but I love it!  I always knew I was a people person, but if these 4 months have taught me anything it‘s that I NEED to be around people.  I get my energy from other people and being alone all day is just really hard for me to do.  I wouldn’t trade the first 4 months though, I’ve learned so much about myself, my husband, my baby, my family, and my friends…what an awesome and rewarding experience! 

The only downside to being back at work is me having to pump more.  If you would’ve told me before I was pregnant that I would LOVE breastfeeding, I would‘ve called you crazy.  But seriously, I love it.  Even though breastfeeding is a full-time job in itself, it is something between me and my baby.  That only we share.  It is our time and I love when he looks up at me.  He is just so darn cute!!  Pumping on the other hand is just so…not personal or intimate.  It’s more like work.  But it has made me appreciate the times that I can feed Dillon even more than I did before.

Pumping is going well though, so I can’t complain.  It’s nice to be able to pump what I need to send to daycare plus an extra bag of milk to freeze.  I’ve got a nice stock pile going and it makes me feel good to add to it!  I’ve been getting a few blocked milk ducts lately and I think it has something to do with how much I’ve been pumping all of the sudden.  I‘ve been making sure to “empty” the boob and apply heat when needed.  But the other day I could not get any relief and it freakin HURT!  So I went to my favorite baby momma advice site (http://www.babycenter.com) and did some reading on the message boards.  And came across the “white dot” method…holy crap did it work!!!  I’m talking INSTANT relief.

Then there’s my galactocele.  This lovely, 4 cm, cystic milk bag, lump, thing in my left boob.  When Nate and I first found this lump we freaked out.  I immediately made an appointment with the OB, which lead to an ultrasound at a radiologists, and then another radiologist appointment to get it drained and biopsied.  But then they recommended to wait until I was done breastfeeding because the risk of infection is much higher and they didn’t want me to develop a milk fistula (sp?)…so they did a mammogram (ouch, but if I can handle popping out a baby this wasn’t bad at all) to verify it was a galactocele.  And they pretty much did.  So now we just leave it be, hope it doesn’t grow bigger or get infected, and it may go away on it’s own once I’m done with the boob juice.

Speaking of being able to pop out a baby…does anyone else compare everything that MAY hurt to labor?  I’ve found myself thinking “this can’t be any worse than labor” or “there is no way this could hurt more than pushing a baby” and I can instantly relax.  Like when getting blood drawn or a mammogram.  It’s like nothing is that big of a deal now that I‘ve experienced labor…and even that wasn’t so bad!

Dillon has to be the cutest baby in the entire world!  Or is it just me? 🙂

I can’t believe how much he has changed since we came home from the hospital.  Looking back over the pictures, I can hardly recognize him in them!  He is so darn cute, I can’t stand it.  He has finally started to laugh.  And they are the big cackling laughs, they are the best.  He is very stingy with them though, it’s hard to squeeze one out of him.  But once he does, man, it’s so great!  He is super smiley and loves everyone.  He has gotten so curious about everything and puts everything in his mouth.  He even tried to eat my cheek the other day…weirdo.  He also has this cute AMAZEMENT look that he does.  When Nate or I click our tongue, Dillon looks at us like “OMG that was so cool!!”  or “WOW!   I can’t believe you can do that, how do you do that?”  He has figured out how to kick and splash at bath time, so we will be moving the little tub into the big tub.  He loves for us to squirt him with water.  He is almost ready for the stroller without his car seat and he’s been loving the lightweight stroller, woohoo! 

We love putting Dillon in his highchair and eating dinner as a family.  I can not wait to start him on solids, which will probably be at 4 months.  We’ve noticed he’s been really interested in what we are eating, has been salivating like it’s his job, and I’ve noticed he’s gotten more control over his tongue lately.  So I think he is almost ready, but I don’t want to start him too early.  The pediatrician gave us the OK at his last appointment to start at 4 months with rice cereal. EEEeeeeeee!  He’s growing so fast.

(16 weeks, he had his first bowl of rice cereal and loved it!! And he also got his first ear infection, but has handled it like a boss!)

I find myself imagining Dillon learning all these new things and accomplishing milestones.  I don’t want to hurry him in growing.  But I am SO excited to start feeding him foods and trying new foods out.  I’m looking forward to him rolling over for the first time, HE IS SO CLOSE.  And wow, when he can sit up or crawl.  Gosh, just dreaming over him learning these new things is so fun and amazing.  I was so proud and happy when he could grab his own hands, who knows what rolling over will feel like.  It has to be good 🙂

Having a baby really teaches you to enjoy and appreciate the simple things.  Like grins or your baby whacking a toy for the first time.  Who know something so simple could make you so happy and delighted?  I‘ve got to cut myself off, I could type forever about this kid!  Enjoy the pictures: