The Smith Journey: formula and potty training woes

So, to sum up the first blog, yes Chandler does have Down syndrome and an AV canal that needs to be repaired. Once the shock of Down syndrome wore off, we have been more concerned with the heart surgery. I have found that living day-by-day is best for me, because it will consume me when I stop and think about all the possibilities! We haven't started any Early Interventions yet..as one doctor told us to just love her and feed her, so that is just what we are doing!! When she was 1 week old, we took her to Jackson for the first of many doctor appointments. We were referred by Dr. Shores to see Dr. Parnell at UMC. And get this, our pediatrician, Dr. Charles, and her worked together a long time ago--it's a small world! So, she trusts him and instead of us going to Jackson weekly, we have been seeing Dr. Charles on the opposite weeks. Poor thing has been to the doctor every week of her life! She has had an echo cardiogram every trip to Jackson (3) and two EKGs. Chandler takes .4 mL of lasix twice a day and .4 mL of enalapril (blood pressure medicine) once a day. She doesn't mind the enalapril so much, but boy does she hate the lasix. As Madeline says, "Mama, her not like that medicine!"

Dr. Parnell and Dr. Charles have also suggested that we find someone to keep Chandler at home instead of daycare. Now, Madeline goes to Lisa Paulk (Lisa's Little Angels on 24 Hwy) and LOVES LOVES LOVES it there!! In fact, you know how most kids cry when you drop them off?!? Not our big girl, she cries when we pick her up!!! It warms my heart to know that she loves it so much and makes it a little easier to go to work knowing that she is WELL taken care of there. So, when we had baby #2, of course she was going to Lisa's (or Ms. Misa's as Madeline calls her!). This has got to be the worst time of year to have an infant..how in the world are we supposed to keep her well during cold and flu season?!? We had to find someone that would take care of Chandler the way that I would take care of her and that we could trust to come in our home...slim pickings around here that's for sure!! God is good all the time is all I have to say about this, and I have to give Kris credit for thinking of this person while he was on the lawnmower! He does his best thinking on that thing, which isn't always a good thing..."Megan, I have come up with another way to make us some money!" Yes, honey, I bet you have! haha And for those of you who know him, he is ALWAYS coming up with new ways to make money, and it ALWAYS comes with a looooong story :) Anyway, back to our sitter issue, Brittney Ray is keeping Chandler, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and Grammy (my mom) and Nana (Kris's mom) will pick up the slack on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We are very thankful that this all worked out..these three women are life savers and will be partly to blame about Chandler being so rotten!! haha

At the first appointment, Dr. Parnell increased the calories to 22 calories per ounce because feeding tires her out. Feeding to her is like running a mile to us, and I know if I tried to do that I would probably pass out!! So, she increased her calories so she wouldn't have to work so hard. We were able to use regular formula just by changing the amount of scoops per water. Since then, Dr. Parnell increased her calories to 24 calories. Once you start increasing more of the regular formula it does something to the electrolytes plus they don't sell 24 calorie formula over the counter...great!! So, in order to get it we would need to either A.) get a prescription or B.) apply for WIC. Again, Madeline had a healthy heart so this is all new to us!! I didn't even know where to start, so on one of our many visits, Dr. Charles suggested going through WIC to get the formula all I had to do was go to the health department. That's all?!? That seemed easy enough but boy was I wrong!! They approved us on a trial-type basis until I could get some paperwork to them, so we were able to get a months supply. How nice! That was until I took the paperwork to the health department yesterday and was....DENIED!!! We make too much money and haven't been approved for medicaid yet. Which I had called to check on and it is still in process. The medicaid paperwork has been sent off so that Chandler can be declared "disabled" now that hurt hearing that. I have come to terms with Chandler's diagnosis but hearing that about my 8 week old baby was more than I could handle. But I put my big girl panties on and moved forward. I just hate having to use her "disability" to get her the help she needs with her healthcare and formula. That is all we need assistance for is her healthcare and formula!! No one said that this was going to be easy, and we will go to the ends of the earth if we have to for both of our girls. Anyway, we are not giving up and are still going to fight for our precious girl because if we don't, who will?!?

Enough about Chandler for now. Let's talk about big sissy and the adventures in potty training! OH MY GOODNESS....no one warned me about this milestone and add a hard headed 2 1/2 year old!! This mama is in need of a vacation for sure!!! We had started before Chandler was born and she just wasn't ready, so we decided to wait until after some of the newness wore off. We had no plans this past weekend so we (as in me, Madeline and Chandler, also with Kris and Shimmy some of the time) stayed home Saturday and Sunday and potty trained. We had talked about it and we had her a sticker chart and m&m's..we were ready or so we thought, I was ready, she wasn't quite ready. After cleaning tee tee off the dining room floor, the chair, the rug, and changing bath water, she FINALLY tee teed in the potty and oh what fools we were!!!! She went all night Saturday and Sunday night without wetting the pull up which is a start. She is all about being a "big girl" but just doesn't want to take the time to sit on the potty to do her business. She likes to sit and look at the stickers, play with her baby doll or just talk and THEN potty on the floor!! She will also say "I gotta go to the bafroom" when it is the most inconvenient time, of course! And Chandler picks the time Madeline is on the potty to cry, which she hardly ever does! If we can ever get through this stage in her life, I will feel like I have really accomplished something...whew!! I commend all mothers who have been through this and despise the ones whose child was a breeze to potty train (only just alittle). haha I know that this too shall pass, but my patience is surely wearing thin.

Please continue to pray for us and our sweet, precious gifts from God. We go back to Jackson on Friday, so pray for weight gain and the best news we can get!

until next time,
Megan

brings tears to my eyes at the love Madeline has for Chandler..