ROP, Formulas, & Progress

I don't have a lot of time to update, because you-know-who is due to wake up hungry in about 30 minutes, but I'll give it a shot...

First things first, I have WONDERFUL news about Harper's eyes. Jeff & I took her to the retinologist as scheduled last Friday, and she received a fantastic diagnosis. The ROP is almost completely gone in her right eye, and although her left eye is still currently at stage two, it is a "better" stage two than it was a couple weeks ago. In fact, things are looking so good that the doctor said we really shouldn't worry, that the ROP in her left eye would most likely go away on its own, and that she definitely would not be a candidate for laser surgery (thank God!). An added bonus is that we no longer have to see the retinologist on a weekly basis; we don't have to return until mid-August, which, for now, seems a billion years away.

I'm absolutely ecstatic because--believe me--you do NOT want to watch a retinal exam performed on a newborn. It is unbelievably traumatic. First, Harper's eyes have to be dialated. I've never had this done, so I don't know what it feels like. I've heard that it doesn't hurt, really, but that it's no picnic either. Regardless, it is not enjoyable for anyone to have to pry an infant's eyes open, apply three rounds of drops, and wait around for roughly 45 minutes so that the drops have a chance to start working. But the worst is the actual exam. The doctor has to clip these little things on her eyelids to keep her eyes completely open, and although Harper's cry during the exam is more of a panicked, "what is she doing to me, Mom?!" yell than a true, "I'm in pain here!" scream a la her vaccinations, it is still unbelievably tough to take. And the fact that I have to hold her little arms down while they do this to her from the comfort of my lap is almost unbearable. I honestly don't know whether it's harder for Harper to physically endure the exam or for me to witness it. All I know is that I'm THRILLED we don't have to go back for another month.

We've been having a lot of issues trying to find the right formula for her, and our struggles continue. In the hospital, and during the first couple weeks at home, she was on Similac Neosure, a formula made specifically for preemies. However, babies aren't supposed to stay on it for very long past their original due date because of the ingredients (I guess it's higher in fat and calories to "bulk up" premature babies who are so small). Harper was also having a lot of gas pains on the Neosure, so our pediatrician recommended that we switch to Similac Alimentum, a hypoallergenic formula. The result? Projectile, Exorcist-style vomiting that Jeff & I both had the pleasure of experiencing first-hand on more than one occasion. Good times.

So we then switched to Similac Isomil Advance, an all soy-based formula. She seemed to love the taste of it and would drain her bottles at each feeding, but she continued to have horrible tummyaches (and audible, college frat boy-like gas!), so we switched again...to Nutramigen, Enfamil's version of hypoallergenic formula. Harper DETESTED it. Every time we tried to feed it to her, she would scrunch up her face as if to say, "Ewww, yuck!" and would ultimately eat only about half of her bottles. Sooo, as per a friend of mine's suggestion (and similar experience with her son), we're now trying Good Start Soy Plus. Thus far, Harper likes it--doesn't love it, but likes it--and isn't having nearly as much gas or as many tummyaches as before. She does seem like she's having more trouble pooping, though, as she did on the Similac Isomil Advance, so we need to give it some more time to see if it's going to work for us.

So, the formula debaucle continues. I feel so bad for Harper. I'm sure she doesn't understand why we keep changing her food, and Jeff & I are so frustrated by our inability to find the right solution for her. It makes me feel guilty that I didn't breastfeed her, even though that was far from a perfect solution for us. I couldn't even remotely keep up with her demand no matter how much I pumped, and to be honest, she seemed to have just as much gas on her tummy when she was on strictly breastmilk. Ugh!

The good news is that the pediatrician has nothing but good things to say about her. She is in wonderful shape, physically, and thus far, has hit all of her developmental markers. At her last doctor's visit (July 1st), she weighed 9 lbs. 13 oz. (almost 10 lbs.!) and measured 22 3/8 inches. She is such a tall girl! She is getting too long for most of her newborn outfits, but 3-months outfits literally hang off of her, so we're in one of those weird phases where finding the right clothes is a challenge. Carter's clothes seem to fit her the best, so we're extremely brand loyal right now!

Oh, and she is FINALLY sleeping longer than three hours at a time (thank God!). These days Harper is eating 4 to 4 1/2 oz. every four or five hours. Last night she went the longest she's ever gone between feedings--five and a half hours! I fed her at 11:45 P.M. and she woke me up to eat at 5:15 A.M. It was WONDERFUL to sleep so long, although I think I'm actually pretty used to getting up every three or so hours now. Last night I almost had the sensation that I'd slept through my alarm or something.

What else? Although she remains a carbon copy of her daddy when she's asleep, Harper is looking A LOT more like her mommy as of late. It's not so much that she resembles me now, but she looks identical to my baby pictures (aside from the blue eyes, of course!). I will try to scan a picture of myself as a three-month-old the next time I go over to my parents' house.

Sadly, Harper's gorgeous tresses are falling out--or, should I say, "rubbing off." She has rubbed a big bald spot on the very back of her head, and I keep finding little baby hairs all over her sheets. If she takes after her mother, she will be a bald Buddha baby by the time she is six months old!

In terms of personality, Harper remains a very serious, smart baby; she does, of course, smile when entertained, but she generally seems more interested in studying things than smiling without cause. (I caught her staring at her fist for about five minutes straight yesterday!) However, she absolutely loves for us to talk to her and intently listens whenever such conversations take place. She also continues to LOVE music, particularly from her lamb swing mobile, which she now stares at for 10 or so minutes at a time, and lately has shown genuine interest in her Bright Starts activity gym. She bats and coos at the hanging objects on her gym, particularly her favorite: a "flower" with purple petals and a yellow face that makes it look more like a sun than a flower. Fans are her favorite household objects; we catch her watching them spin often when she's awake.

Other likes include her daddy (she is a real Daddy's Girl who loves snuggling up on Jeff's chest), taking baths with Mommy (I decided this was MUCH easier than bathing her in an infant tub!), and being held "sack of potatoes-style" (e.g., backwards over my shoulder). Major milestones in her third month include grabbing our noses, glasses, etc. when we hold her up close to our faces, kicking and using her legs to push off of my hands when I support her, looking us in the eyes when we speak to her, rolling over unassisted for the first time, cooing and squeaking--particularly in response to us or objects around her, opening her mouth as if to "give kisses" when I kiss her on the lips, staring at the moving lambs and stars on her lamb swing mobile, and attempting to "bat" hanging objects on her activity gym with her hand.

Jeff & I have given her about 1,000 different nicknames, including "Harpster," "Harperoni" (shortened to "Roni" on many occasions), "Harperton," "Harpsichord," "Harpsie Lou," "Harpunzle," "Mrs.," and "Cooberry." She probably won't know her own name by the time she's ready to start talking! (I'm kidding. We call her by her name a lot, too.)

Unbelievably,you-know-who is still asleep! I am going to try to get some thank-you notes written before she wakes up. Wish me luck! :-)