We went to a BBQ today to welcome Andy home from deployment. He has been gone for several months and we know it has been tough on his wife Michele. We are very happy to see them together again! But, it was a rough day for Cooper. We didn't get to stay all that long or visit with Michele and Andy very much. We'll have to do something again soon.
We fed Cooper about an hour before we left and then again for a few minutes right before we left. It was a 2 hour drive to San Diego because of traffic. Cooper slept the entire way in the car. When we arrived he woke up and started acting hungry. I attempted to feed him, but he barely ate anything, only 5 minutes on one side. This is unusual since he usually eats every 2 hours during the day for 10 min per side. Now he has only eaten a total of 8 min in 3 hours. So we let him relax and wake up a little more, figuring that's what the problem is.
I tried again in 30 minutes, when he was really showing hunger signs and he just got fussier. He wouldn't latch and began pulling at the nursing cover. I went into the other room and removed the nursing cover and his overalls, which seem to be bothering him. I attempted to nurse, and again he was fussy and wouldn't latch. We laid him down and let him relax and tried again--but he wouldn't eat. So we figured it was too cold in the room and went back to the living area. We let him relax and tried again in 30 min. It had now been nearly 4 hours and he had only eaten for 8 min. He was very hungry, but very fussy and would not latch.
Now this is where it gets frustrating. (I sort of feel bad complaining about this woman...but she just rubbed me the wrong way.) I attempted to feed Cooper again and tried to get away from some of the people. I quietly sang to him, hoping he would calm down enough to eat. This older woman with several children and grandchildren, said "You're feeding that kid again?!?" Argh!! Umm, no I'm attempting to feed him because he hasn't eaten in 4 hours! You're not helping and don't question me knowing when my child is hungry!! I don't know you and just because you have kids and grand kids doesn't make you an authority on MY child. Butt the hell out. Of course I didn't say all of that, but I sure wanted to!
Everything seemed to scare him...it was too loud, there were too many people, the super cute dachshunds were just curious but really in his face. He started to cry and become frantic, which he never does. Finally Michele offered us some food, but I thought we should just go. But that older woman offered to hold him while I ate. I was starving and she meant well, so I said okay. I knew Cooper didn't have long before he had a melt down.
While she was holding him he was so fussy and started to cry. I could barely stand it. The woman asked if it bothered me...OF COURSE IT BOTHERS ME!!! My baby is upset and I know you can comfort him okay, but he's just ready to go. I can't stand to hear him cry. (Have I said that enough?? I have this wrenching gut reaction to his cry that makes me feel incredibly anxious and sick to my stomach.) I explained that it is awful for me to hear him cry. She says, "Yeah, as a mother you feel like you are the only one that can calm him." Umm...no, I know I'm not the only one who can calm him. I just know that I am calming TO him...my voice, my smell, my milk, me...it calms him down faster than anything can.
She asked if he had a pacifier, we explained he won't take one and she looked at us like we had two heads. Then she flips him over in football hold and tells us this is the gas hold. Um, yeah, I know...I'm not an idiot. But he doesn't have gas right now. All the people getting in his face and saying, 'Oh poor baby..it's okay." is what's wrong.
Why is this woman acting like I don't know how to take care of my baby?? I might be new at it and I don't know everything, but I know that I'm an adult and pretty damn good and figuring out things I don't know. I do know that my baby hasn't eaten a real meal in about 5 hours and that's strange for him and that he is only 2.5 months old and is over stimulated!
With Cooper now really crying, we woofed down our food and decided it was time to leave. When we got to the car and he calmed down enough to eat. Probably because it was quiet. He ate for about 10 min and then got super sleepy so we put him in the carseat. He zonked out during the 2 hours home.
He was ravenous all night...more so than usual. In fact, my milk wasn't fast enough and I had to give him a bottle of breastmilk just to take the edge off his hunger. (It probably didn't help that I didn't drink as much water as I usually do today.) He finally was calm enough after his bath to eat and relax to go to bed. Oh, what a day!
Other Cooper updates:
Cooper has a bald spot across the back of his head. It's more like a bald line that goes from above one ear, across the back of his head to above the other ear. We're pretty sure it's because of his Stevie Wonder impression he does when he is sleepy and we lay him down for a nap. It's really quite funny to watch him shake his head like that.
Babies beat up their mommies. First they kick from the inside, then when they get out the head butting starts until they can gain control of their heads. When they learn to control their hands they have been known to pinch mommies while they eat. When they get teeth, sometimes they bite mommy while eating. At the toddler stage the tantrums can be very dangerous to mommies.
Cooper has his own version of beating me up...the wind-up boob slap. When he is eating, he will wind his arm around and slap (or really punch since he doesn't open his fists yet) my boob. I'm not sure why he does this...maybe this is his way of getting the milk out?? At any rate, when I get done feeding him, I have little red fist marks all over my breasts and chest from him.
Cooper really loves Scout. He will look at her the entire time she sits by him. He even smiles at her. He will follow her around with his eyes if she is close enough to him. Now when she lays next to him he has learned that her dog tags my a 'clinking' sound and he will sort of punch them over and over. He also loves to touch her soft ears. If she lays at his feet, he loves to kick her over and over and she doesn't seem to mind this. His favorite is when she gives him kisses...the slimy tongue on his feet and hands really makes him smile big. It's super cute to watch.
Cooper started blowing raspberries today. I love the sound he makes when he does it. I'm not sure he knows how to do it on purpose yet, but I'm sure it won't be long.
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