Twenty Eight Weeks!

Weight: I'm guessing our baby girl is around 14 pounds at this point.
  
Sleep: Sleep remains an issue for us right now. I'm not sure if it's just that I need to change my mindset and accept the fact that, though she slept through the night beautifully for a decent period of time in her life, she's since given that up and is now waking up again like she did when she was younger. I didn't mind it then, so why worry about it now? Anyway, we're averaging three to four wake-ups a night I would say. Last night, she woke at 11:30 p.m., 2:00 a.m., 3:00 a.m., and 5:00 a.m. So maybe the reason why her night wakings are concerning to me is because she's waking up so much more than she ever has before. However, I have to cut the girl some slack: she's dealing with a rather uncomfortable issue at the moment…

Medical Issues: As I just mentioned, poor girl is dealing with an uncomfortable issue right now. Last week, I said that Lizzie started some multi-vitamin drops to ensure she has enough iron in her system. Unfortunately, a side effect of the vitamin is the potential for constipation. Because of this, I opted to only give her one dose before going full-speed ahead and giving them everyday. Alas, that one dose was more than enough to wreak havoc on her poor little digestive system. Since Thanksgiving day, she's been terribly stopped up. We've done so many things: pureed prunes, pureed pears, pureed peaches, increasing water intake, glycerin suppositories (poor baby!), helping her push her knees to her chest… and nothing has helped. I'm completely certain that at this point, we have some issues with impacting :( So sad. Poor girl. But she's still so happy, you'd never know it! Well, until she tries to go to the bathroom, anyway. So I have a hunch that her nighttime wakings are a direct correlation to this issue. My main concern is that her waste is going to get backed up so far that it overflows into the rest of her little body! Which I'm certain is irrational, but you know me. So I put my second call in to her doctor so far this week (mind you, it's only Tuesday) and just heard back. We're headed to see Lizzie's doctor right after school and they'll do an x-ray to see what's happenin', and we'll talk logistics after that. Poor babe.

Clothes: Hanging out in three to six month clothes by day, but zero to three month jammies by night.

Socialite!: Lizzie girl was a bit of a shut-in last week because I was home most days! Hooray for Thanksgiving break! When we weren't home, we were with family. Lizzie loves watching her big cousins play :) Lizzie's Godfather, Norm, also stopped to see her over the holiday weekend. It was so great to see him, not just for Lizzie, but for us too! We love when Uncle Norm visits. I'm convinced he holds bitty babies in his free time -- he seems like an expert at it.

Diet: Still nursing Lizzie exclusively while doing baby-led weaning. I've started letting her try some meats other than ground beef now. She had a little bit of rotisserie chicken the other day, as well as some turkey on Thanksgiving (what else?). She also tried some regular potatoes, and she also had a baked sweet potato (though I fed it to her, which, I know, is against BLW rules, but oh well). I also picked up some very soft pears at the grocery store the other night, and she's been eating those like a boss -- she can't get enough! I learned a valuable lesson in avocado buying, too: firmer avocados are better for baby -- not hard, just firm. Lizzie can so much more easily grip them, and I can cut them more easily.

Baby Gear Love: Nothing new to really express love for this week, just the usual suspects that I mentioned last week. 

Crying: Even though she's had some tummy troubles, baby girl has still been so good -- we're not even sure she's all that uncomfortable with those issues because she really doesn't cry or fuss about it. 
Mommy News: I'm learning quickly now just how easy it is to worry sick over your little one when they're not feeling well. Even though Lizzie girl isn't exhibiting any outward signs of discomfort via crying and fussiness, it breaks my heart to know she's not feeling as well as she could be.

I also continue to be reminded what a miracle of life she truly is. A couple close in age to us recently gave birth to a sweet baby girl, too -- but their sweet girl has a rare genetic syndrome called Zellweger's Syndrome, so she likely won't live beyond six months old. My heart aches for their little family. I truly cannot imagine how devastating that news would be. When I learned of the baby's diagnosis, I called Andy crying -- I just felt so, so, so sad for them. Please pray for this family. They have incredible faith and are such a beautiful little family.

Milestones: Lots more little milestones this week! Lizzie girl celebrated her first-ever Thanksgiving Day! Which means she was also a part of the annual DeCock family gingerbread house building tournament. She wasn't exactly on a team this year, but next year I have no doubt her team will dominate!

Lizzie also had her first Christmas tree decorating experience! Sweet girl got to "help" us put ornaments on the tree, although I have yet to pick out a Baby's First Christmas ornament. I think I'm too picky maybe :) Anyone have any suggestions? I've been perusing Etsy for quite some time and have quite a few contenders, but I have yet to make a decision.

Anyway, along the same lines of Christmas decorating, it's hard for me to believe that just a year ago, I was holding my breath, hoping that this would be our life right now. I know, as I think we all do, just how fragile new little lives can be, both before and after birth. I can't express how big my heart smiled and eyes glistened as I so carefully wrote "Lizzie" at the top of her stocking in glitter puffy paint, just like my mom did and does for each one of us and each grandkid, and hung it next to Andy and mine on our railing. Oh, sweet girl. You don't have any idea just how special you are to us. Such simple gestures, done with such great love just for you.