Lilypie Fourth Birthday tickers

Lilypie - Personal pictureLilypie Fourth Birthday tickers

Lilypie Second Birthday tickers

Lilypie - Personal pictureLilypie Second Birthday tickers

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Things are Looking Up!!

I'm happy to report that we're all doing much better over here. I think we've found the right dosage for the reflux medicine and now we have switched to all formula. Both seem to be doing the trick. Tessa is a lot more comfortable after she eats now and has long content stretches in between. It's so nice to see her just relaxed and looking around. I must have been starving her before . : ( There are still some crying fits, but she snaps out of them quicker, and we are figuring out ways to soothe her. We are also learning what to do to prevent her reflux screams. I even was able to change her diaper three times without her crying today!! So, all in all, we are much happier!


Here is my happy baby! I now get believable smiles from her, especially after she eats!

Since Tessa was in a good mood today, I thought we'd try some "tummy time". She lasted about 2 minutes before she zonked out.

Later, I set Tessa in her crib so I could change Kyri's diaper. When I came back in her room, she was sound asleep. She took her first nap in her crib ON HER BACK! You know the medicine is working if she actually was content on her back. It didn't last long and she was kind of crabby when she woke up, but it's a start!

We had a good day!

Monday, March 28, 2011

Bounce Town

Today we ventured out to Bounce Town in Oswego for the first time.

We met Grandma Nancy and Aubry,

Aunt Susie and Audrey,
and Audrey's brother Peter.
The kids were a little nervous at first
But then decided they LOVED it!
Double Trouble!
Peter was a great big brother and helped all of the little girls out.
They even found a new friend to play a game of Ring Around the Rosie!
Grandma and her girls

It was a fun place to run off some energy!
I think the adults were more tired than the kids at the end of our trip!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Pizza Party

Last night we had the other Burritts over for dinner. Kyle bought mini pizza crusts so we could all make our own. Charlie and Kyri enjoyed getting in on the action!


And we had a party to go to this afternoon, so here is Tessa all dressed and ready to go!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Two Gifts in One!

After reading about our poor baby from two posts ago, Grandma Nancy did some research to find something to help Little Tessa B. She found this comfy lounger that is designed to help reflux babies sleep upright. Tessa has slept well in it for the past two nights and also likes to chill in it during the day while she's awake!


I even managed to get some REAL SMILES while she was in it!! (Kyle thinks this picture looks like she's crying, but she really was happy at this moment!)


And, while Kyri was napping, Kyle used the box that the lounger was sent in to make a pirate ship for her! (I'm not sure who was more excited about it...Kyri or Kyle.)





And, more exciting news.....
Almost all of Kyri's hair fits into pig tails now! : )

Thank you, Grandma Nancy, for helping Tessa to be able to sleep better (and us), and for providing some entertainment for Kyri (and Kyle)!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Real or Fake?

After reading my last post, my college roommate, Kelly sent me this picture that she had taken when she visited about a month ago. Of course, at only about 3 weeks old, we know that this was just a random facial expression in her sleep. Kelly, however, believes that she is Tessa's favorite and that Tessa was smiling at her on purpose. We'll just let Kel think that. Either way, Tessa has an adorable smile, and we look forward to the days when she continuously smiles and MEANS IT!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Poor Baby and Some Family Outings

***A few hours after I posted this, I THINK Tessa smiled at me. I'm not positive, but her eyebrows were up instead of furrowed like usual and she opened her mouth real wide while looking in my eyes. It seemed like a deliberate smile, but who knows. I'll keep watching for more!***

I think we were spoiled having Kyri as our first baby. Although she cried when others held her, she rarely cried at home. Even when she was hungry, she usually just started wiggling around. Even when she was throwing up her bottles and refusing to eat, she didn't cry. Tessa, on the other hand, is keeping us on our toes (literally...we have to walk around bouncing her quite a bit.) Last week was rough for Tessa...and us. She is demonstrating a lot of the signs of colic and tends to cry for hours at a time. We know it has a lot to do with her reflux problems, and she also was constipated last week, so that didn't help. When she cries her body gets stiff as a board and she arches her back. It makes it really hard to hold her. While the constant crying is frustrating, we feel so bad that we can't comfort our little girl! The books say she should start smiling now, but we don't think it will happen for a long time. She always seems so unhappy and doesn't seem to have anything to smile about. So sad. She also still only weighs 7 and a half pounds. Anyone who knows me and knows how psycho I was about trying to get Kyri to eat, knows that I am freaking out about this. So far I have only been nursing her. We tried to supplement some formula twice last week, but that only increased the screaming! I'm going to try and do formula again this week to see if it goes any better and to see if we can get her to put some weight on.

The doctor has upped her reflux medicine again, and we have seen some improvement. I wouldn't say she's cured, but she has longer periods of contentment. She actually laid under her play gym yesterday (on an inclined pillow) for about 10 minutes without crying. She also allowed us to set her in her swing twice since we upped her medicine. (Before, she always screamed in her swing.) So, maybe it is helping. She still refuses to lay on her back, which is making it difficult at night. She still sleeps on me or in her boppy pillow, but she seems to have longer stretches of sleep at night, which is good!

The biggest improvement we're seeing is that she is willing to sit in her carrier much better now. She still cries occasionally in it, but if she is sleepy enough, she'll actually stay asleep for hours in it. This makes me very happy, since I know we've got some long stretches of time in the car when I go back to work!

Kyri has been very patient with me and seems to be immune to the crying. She sleeps right through it, luckily! Her vocabulary continues to grow, and she continues to crack us up. I think her cute little ways are what is getting us through these frustrating days. Right when I think I'm about to lose it, she comes dancing in and says something hysterical. I feel badly that she is stuck inside and always has to wait around for me to finish a feeding or calm Tessa down, so I try to come up with a fun activity for her to do each day. Although she can be needy sometimes, she is our comic relief right now! I can't wait until Tessa is comfortable so she can be in a good mood, too!

Kyle is off on Spring Break right now, and it's been great having him around to help with the girls. We took advantage of the beautiful weather on Saturday and went to the zoo. Then, yesterday we went down town to the Chicago Children's Museum on Navy Pier. Kyri loved getting out of the house and Tessa slept through both of the trips!

Here is the new ride. They travel in style!

Driving a big fire truck

She was convinced these fish and frogs were real and wouldn't touch them.

Going canoeing. Wearing her life vest like a good girl!

Kyri would have stayed on this slide all day if we let her.

Tessa was all snuggled in her carrier (and not crying!)

Kyle and Kyri were catching rain drops.


Cool shades!

And here are a few more pics of Tessa looking peaceful. I don't have many pictures of her awake, because I usually am trying to keep her calm when she is.

So sweet....


Sunday, March 13, 2011

The Annual O'Knutson Party




Last night we did our traditional St. Patty's Day celebration at my parents' house. The corned beef was delicious, but the entertainment was even better. In the past two and a half years, our party has increased by 7 beautiful little girls! All of the cousins spent the evening playing and giggling together (well, the three newest girls couldn't quite yet, but they will next year!) It was fun to have everyone together and see how our family has grown!

Here are the girls in green, from oldest to youngest...


Charlie

Kyri

Aubry

Mia

Tessa

Lillian and Gwyneth
(Notice their cute shamrocks on their cheeks!)

Everyone was excited for the arrival of the twins.
Charlie is introducing Kyri to her little sisters.

Cousin Love








It was nice to have so many extra sets of hands to hold the babies.

Tessa and her Godmother

Uncle Steve, The Baby Whisperer

Tessa was mesmerized by Aunt Sandy's Shamrocks!


Group Shots!

The New Family of 5

The New Family of 4

Sisters

The 5 Burritt Cousins


And Now All 7 Little Girls!!!


Happy St. Patrick's Day!!
(A little early!)