3 months

This proved to be a really challenging month, in the midst of McKenna's smiles and coos. This little lady REFUSED to eat and it was so frustrating. I felt helpless, confused and didn't know how to help my daughter eat. I assumed it was her reflux, but it seemed like it was only getting worse. After talking to my doctor multiple times, he encouraged me to go see a lactation consultant. I went to a place called Milkalicious and it was the best thing I could've done for McKenna. After meeting with the consultant, she put in a request to my doctor to change her meds from Zantanc to Prevacid. She also told me to eliminate dairy, soy, nuts and anything acidic like strawberries and tomatoes. Seriously, what could I eat? She believed that McKenna had a milk soy protein intolerance and could not digest her food. She put her on probiotics and gave me digestive enzymes. I left feeling extremely encouraged, but then I had anxiety as to what I should eat. I called my doctor immediately following the appointment and he agreed to all of the changes. It was amazing to see the difference in McKenna after implementing everything. Her body seemed much more relaxed and she was EATING! A miracle! On Thanksgiving, I ate turkey and cranberries and felt pretty satisfied, but I did miss the mashed potatoes : ( I made an apple pie with earth balance butter, which was so good... but I gave in and tried a sliver of pecan pie, which obviously has nuts and butter. Oh man, I paid for it the next couple days. McKenna was back to her ways of not eating and tensing up. So I knew that my diet was playing a huge role in helping her. As the week progressed, things didn't seem to be getting better. She continued to refuse to eat and I didn't get it. I finally figured something out... I was using a lactose free creamer in my decaf coffee from trader joe's that actually has dairy in it... caseinate. I am so thankful I read this on a random website. So I took that out of my diet and things started drastically improving once again. My doctor also said I could start letting McKenna cry out a night feeding to help her take in more calories during the day. So after letting her cry 2 nights, she has been sleeping from 6:45/7 until between 4 & 5am. I feed her and then when she gets up, we start the day. The past few days, Jack has been sick and McKenna has been racking. They have been sleeping in between 8 and 9am! So great, but then not so great because we are starting the day so late. McKenna is also a total cat napper. I think that I need to get some more structure to our day and start some sleep training with naps because a 45 minute nap is too short for the little lady. I have been letting her cry out her naps the past week, but it has been a lot of crying and no improvement, so I'm taking a break. A week straight of it has been too much. I'm thinking that when we start getting up for the day earlier that she will fall into a better schedule. Oh, the joys of a newborn.

Little Kenna is so sweet. She has a VERY happy demeanor. She loves watching Jack and Lucy run around. She has been laughing the past couple weeks and it so funny. She is really easy to get a smile from. Anything makes her smile. Matt told me last night that he things she is going to be a funny, carefree girl. I think she is going to be like her mama : ) I have these dreams of what our relationship will be like one day... taking car rides with sunroof open or in my future convertible (ha!), laughing, talking, taking bikerides, sleeping in and making breakfast while Matt and Jack surf. I love my little sweet pea so much and am thankful that we found some answers this month. Hoping that she continues to be more comfortable and grow through some of this hard stuff!

I am a sweetheart

Someone is a proud older brother

Did I just toot?

My little kids

Well, hello

I am getting bigger than my bunny

This is my Zoolander pose