Rice cereal adventure

Well, we were told by Evan's NICU doc and dietician that once Evan hit his 4mth corrected age we could try him on rice cereal if we wanted, and he showed interest. His dietician still preferred waiting until 6mths corrected, but was okay with us trying it out as Evan led.

So, a couple nights ago...we tried!! And it was HILARIOUS!!!!! I made it pretty runny for the first time just so he could figure out a new taste (ugh...rice cereal does not taste so great in my books!), and he just kind of drank it down from the spoon. But as I would bring the spoon to his face his arms would start waving wildly and he would start shaking. And when I took the spoon away he got mad! SO FUNNY!!!!

I've tried making it less runny each time now and he is starting to get the idea of this new "thing" in his life.

Evan is doing well. I weighed him yesterday and for the first time ever he didn't do his textbook 1 ounce a day gain. Just around a 1/2 ounce a day which is still normal. But for me...it put me in to total panic mode. I thought the scale was wrong and tried another scale. Nope...it was right. And of course I was in turmoil for the rest of the day.

However, my older brother did point something out to me...Evan has started to grow more length-wise, so that could be part of it. And babies do eventually hit plateau's. I just don't like that though! You have to understand, from day one in NICU the goal is weight gain...and it's really hard to come home and "relax" from that being engraved in to your mind. But yesterday he ate quite a bit more so I'll just re-weigh him next Friday and that will help put my mind at ease.

He is still LOVING his jolly jumper!! He goes crazy in it!! I have still yet to put together the maze of his exersaucer, but I have to because I know he'd go crazy over that too!

Lastnight Evan and I were hanging out while daddy had to run errands and I looked outside and saw the most beautiful sight in days. Sunlight! And the way it was hitting the tops of the trees in our neighborhood...it was too beautiful for words! Like the edges and tops of the trees were outlined in gold. And the sky was a beautiful blue and pink. I took advantage of the turn of weather and bundled Evan up and packed him in to the stroller and hooked up my dogs and we all went for a walk. Evan has been missing his walks, as have I!! The fresh air was good for us all!!

A couple nights ago there was a break in the grey sky and in the clouds, I KID YOU NOT, there was a dark outline of a heart shaped cloud. I looked at Brett and got all teary and showed him and said...Zac is sending us his love. Geez, I miss my boy! I was looking at Evan today thinking, how much fun would you be having with your brother right now bouncing around or rolling on the ground?!

I watched a part of 20/20 lastnight (I love that show and Dateline!) and it was about albino children. One African-American family had twin boys...they call themselves chocolate and vanilla because one of the boys was born albino. They get stared at wherever they go, and once a mall cop tried to make the father put his son down because some lady said he was trying to take a white child! Could you imagine!!!! ANYHOW, they were interviewing the boys and the one brother said of the other "when people make fun of him and call him names it makes me mad. He is the other half of my heart." I LOST it!!!! Right then the flood gates of my soul came crashing down and when Brett came home after hockey I told him about this and said "I don't want Evan to feel like he's lost the other half of his heart!" I've heard of people who have had a twin sibling pass as infants and the surviving twin saying they always felt like something was missing. And that kills me inside to think that Evan may feel that. I wish I could have fixed things and I wish that Evan still had his brother right beside him.

ANYHOW, October 15th is recognized in the states as pregnancy/infant loss rememberance day. I am thinking of doing something special that day. I think it is SO good that this is a nationally recognized day.

Well, Evan is finishing up his morning nap and then I think I will take advantage of a no-rain day and go for another walk! I've missed our morning walks!!