Coming Up Roses

There's a little saying that "Everything is coming up Roses!" Well. Every rose has it's thorn! 

Taking a look at this sweet sleeping baby and one would think everything is peachy! Truth is, we've had a rough patch of road to travel lately. 

Brian got sick the first few days after Calvin was born and wasn't even able to be around or hold him for the first 10 days. Then, of course, the kids were all sick too. So Calvin was quarantined in his room for the first bit of life. In fact, until just recently, the other kids hadn't seen much of him at all. Once he started getting integrated in with the family though, they have loved him and beg to hold him. Eli is a sweetie with him and gives him kisses and says "soft" while stroking Calvin's head (who he calls "Calvy").

But in all my "quarantining" and disinfecting and sterilizing to keep him healthy, I couldn't prevent him from getting acid reflux- or is it colic? We still don't know exactly what is wrong, other than he is very fussy and uncomfortable, and spits up most his meals. We spend hours with him at night trying to just soothe him, but there is seemingly nothing we can do to stop him from crying, wailing actually. It has been so hard for me to not be able to help him. I love him more than anything and just want to soothe him, and can't! I can't help but feel sometimes, what's wrong with me...what's wrong with him? 

We've hit some pretty frustrating moments. We've given him a blessing and have poured our hearts out in prayer over him. I beg for heaven's help each night. This morning I was just crying in my bathroom as I was getting ready for the day and finally begged God to send ME an angel to help me out and lift my burden. And guess who walks in my bathroom at that very moment? Eli...my most tender hearted child! It's as if he knew I needed a hug. He is such a sweetie. So tender and compassionate. I knew he was my angel at that moment! He just hugged me and pointed to my tears...and I got it pulled together and faced the day! I'm sure he doesn't know how much he helped. 

I know we'll get though this time, it just takes time and he'll grow out of it. We've had a lot of family help and support which has been so appreciated! I really couldn't do it without Brian's help at night either. It takes us caring for him in shifts to handle the crying some nights. He's a great support! Another blessing has been that Eli and Calvin will nap at the same time durring the day, so I cna usually sneak in a much needed nap. I've always known that nursing a newborn through the night is tiring, but one with colicky symptoms is SO much more tiring! 

Anyway, Eli has been talking up a storm lately. This picture is of him saying "cheese!" He also says, one of my personal favorites, "O-ink" for orange and "moik" for milk (and "more"). I love his little language right now and he is communicating pretty well. 

I found this picture of Jackson and love it. He received these items for his birthday from Grandma/pa Gray. One morning he dressed up in all his gear and asked me what I thought he looked like. I said "an adventurer!" And he said no...I'm a "Jungler" meaning he was going to the jungle on an adventure. He loves his "adventure" things! I think he's super cute. I love his imagination.