Pediatrician and Cardiologist

Well we went and saw the pediatrician for the first time on Friday, October 5. He weighed 6 pounds and 10 ounces (4 ounces less than when he was born and 1 ounce less than when we left the hospital). He was in the 25% for height, weight, and head circumference so he is a little small, but perfectly proportional. The pediatrician said he is a perfectly healthy little boy and that he was in good health. He also got his first shot - Hepatitis B round 1. We will go back when he is a month old and then at two months old to get more vaccinations and do more check ups.

We were able to see the cardiologist on Thursday, October 11. He performed another Echocardiogram. The echo showed that his PDA (patent ductus arteriousus) has closed on its own (YAY!). The VSD (ventriculoseptal defect) and the PFO (patent foramen ovale) are both still open, but small and causing no adverse health effects. The irregular heartbeat has also resolved on its own. The cardiologist said that in most cases both of the defects that Brian has will resolve within 9 months of age. We will go back to see the cardiologist in 8 months to check them again. Other than that, we don't have anything to worry about and the cardiologist said that he is in perfect health. We were relieved and happy to hear it. I will be periodically monitoring Brian's heartbeat myself and if I hear the murmurs resolve, then we can go see the cardiologist sooner and get everything checked out and get a clean bill of health. It's nice to know something about medicine. It can be scary at times, but I like knowing what is going on and I like that doctors can talk to me like a doctor and I understand them.

In general, we are all doing well. I am back at school today and my mom is in town helping out with Brian. I am very tired and my breasts hurt, but other than that I am doing well. I am healing well from my surgery and hope to be able to work out soon. I am ready to get this extra tummy off. Brian is as cute as ever and is a champion eater. He seems to like to sleep more in the day than the night though which is a little frustrating, but not too bad. He eats pretty consistently every 3 hours at night and during the day it varies from 2 to 5 hours (I try not to let him go that long). He is making more noises which I like and he makes lots of faces which are fun to watch. He is staying awake some during the day - most days he will stay up between 2 feedings at least once, sometimes twice depending on what is going on. He has a pretty sensitive stomach and I have to be really careful about what I eat or he will get really bad gas. I want a coffee pretty badly, but caffeine is too hard on him and makes him stay up. I love being a mom - even when I am really tired and he won't stop fussing. He doesn't really cry - just fusses. I love watching Jason with him - they are SO cute together. Sometimes I don't like some of the things that Jason does with.to him, but I keep my mouth shut and remind myself that dads are a lot different than moms and that babies need both kinds of interactions. I can't wait for him to start laughing, but at the same time I want him to stay little and cute. I still can't get over how beautiful he is - I just stare at him sometimes. I love him so much, and my love for Jason has actually grown too. It's amazing. I knew it would be and I am not disappointed.