Well the new baby is down for a nap and the boys are watching cartoons. That's right I am totally using the tv as a babysitter while I drink coffee and veg. out on the computer. I'll do parental penance later by letting them help me bake cookies....which I should probably be doing now while the baby sleeps. I don't know if I will be able to follow a recipe right now though. I am in one of those sleep deprivation brain fogs. Excuse me if I am totally incoherent. I'm still just getting used to this new hanging out with a baby in the middle of the night routine.
So far little peanut has been a really easy baby. As far as babies go. He is SO precious. So far he eats when he needs to eat and sleeps when he's supposed to sleep (except from 3.30-5 last night ) He's a great independent napper though which is a blessing when I've got 3 other kids and a house to keep. I make sure to get lots of snuggle time in with him too....I would do that all day if I had my way. I'm trying to find a baby sling I can borrow though to make him a little more portable. He's still to tiny to fit into my Ergo carrier.
As far as withdrawal symptoms go they have been really mild and he seems comfortable. The only thing I've noticed is he gets little tremors sometimes and a bit more stiff. I give him meds every 8 hours for that and every 4 hours for thrush. I notice about an hour before he is due for his withdrawal meds he gets a little agitated and more jittery. He's not a big cryer though which is nice. After my super colicky last baby (Silas) its nice to have a little guy who doesn't scream for hours on end. That may come though as he is weaned off the meds in the weeks to come. Keep praying for this little guy. The mother admitted to using both alcohol and other various drugs while pregnant. Poor little guy had a lot going against him before he ever took his first breath.
The kids are loving him. Silas is obsessed with the "baby" regularly announcing "my doey" (I can do it), "my how" (I know how), and "my feed baby" . He goes between wanting to look after the baby (which is scary) to acting like one himself.
Roman is a big sweetheart with him of course and loves to sit and snuggle him. The first thing he said when he saw the new baby was "His head looks like 1000 years old!" Interesting new born observation Roman.
Aili is a little mother of course and can't wait to show him off to everyone she knows.
Speaking of showing him off. I wish I could plaster pictures of this gorgeous raven haired baby all over my blog but I can't. Social services recently sent out a letter to all foster homes warning us about posting pictures on public sites. It makes sense I guess. I would never post their real names anyway but I removed "Kade's" pictures from some old posts too.
He's just a little peanut. Currently 6 lbs at 11 days old. He's got jet black hair and eyes and beautiful tiny features. He's starting to take notice of the world around him when he is awake and alert. He really likes to be held. He calms right away when mama picks him up. I'm trying give him lots of interaction and snuggle time. After spending his first 9 days in the NICU he is probably running a bit of a deficit in that department (the nurses their were great though). I've heard that early on in life proper attachment and nurturing develops and essentially awakens specific parts of the brain. This guys going to need every advantage he can get!
I enjoyed my day (Wed.) hanging out at the NICU with him. It was interesting to see all the little babies in there. So many precious little lives off to a rough start. If I lived closer and had time I think I would see if I could volunteer there.
I had the chance (my surprise) to meet little peanut's biological mom. It was a bit of an awkward shock when she showed up and asked who I was. I was just very nice to her and encouraged her to finish feeding him while I went and talked to the nurse. I told her I was there helping out (since I didn't know what she knew at that point.). I went for lunch and a social worker came and made sure she understood everything that was happening. I went back and visited with her for a while as she spent some time with him. She was actually very sweet with him and brought him a diaper bag full of new little clothes and blankets. She gave them to me to take home with him. She was concerned that he would be warm enough leaving the hospital. It was obvious that, even though she loves him as best she can, she lacks the cognitive capacity to care for another person at this point...especially a fragile little one. I'm really glad I had a chance to meet her and encourage her. It gave me more compassion for her and the obviously hard life she's lived. As a foster parent it is not my job to judge or condemn birth parents....its my job to love and look after their kids when they aren't able to. Its easy to get angry with a person I've never met when I consider the damage done to a precious baby (outraged actually)...but when I saw her my heart broke for her. It is still upsetting to me that someone would do this to a baby but I can see past it. She is a broken hurting person that is unfortunately just part of a cycle that keeps on getting passed to each new generation. The baton was probably passed to her at birth as well. It was great to get off to a good start with her as we will be seeing her at visitations in the future. I'm hoping to make a little scrap book (baby book) for her with his id bracelets, photos and keepsakes. Every baby deserves to have those precious moments recorded.
Well I'd better get back to my boys (all three of them). Little peanut is now sleeping on my chest as I type and Silas is bent on destroying the house.
Thanks for your prayers for us this week. I am feeling better this morning. The last few days I felt a bit under the weather but I seem to have gotten over whatever was trying to get through my immune system. Thankyou for praying.
