pics for the new year

ugghhhhhh

In the last few months people (mainly younger folks or friends that don't have kids yet) have asked me what is the hardest part of being a parent. I have been hard pressed to come up with an answer. UNTIL NOW!!!!! I know we are new to this parenting thing and I am sure there will be major trials in the future, but for now, without question-the hardest part of being a parent has been caring for Cameron while he has been sick. In a previous post we mentioned the fun at the ER. Well, things got even more enjoyable when we got home. To make a long nightmarish story short the antibiotic the Doc at the ER prescribed was too harsh for Cam's little tummy. He projectile vomited all three doses of his medicine along with the bottle we were careful to give him so the medicine would not upset his stomach. I (Jason) was the proud recipient of each vomit session. After the third session I simply stopped showering. It's also been hard to deal with the unconsolable crying, especially at 10pm. and midnight. and 3 am. Trying to get a 4 month old to tell you what's wrong is somewhat difficult. We have had the toughest week by far in his short life. I say this remembering that a few months ago we moved cross country 13 days after Cam's arrival. Our blessing has been that this happened over the holiday break so that both of us were home. We have been tag teaming. When one of us gets frustrated we do the hand off. Luckily, we don't go insane at the same time. God gives us staggered patience. Thank goodness. Hopefully he'll do a little better in the New Year.

there's no place like the ER for the holidays

So, if you are 4 months old---don't get sick during Christmas! Poor Cameron's fever continued today and he was getting an odd rash that looked like ant bites on his arms and one of his legs so we called the doctor again. The office was closed today so we tried some other peds offices--all closed. So, we decided to take him to a walk-in clinic. We could only find one in town that was open, but when we arrived they refused to see him because he was under 6 months with a fever. We decided to go home and rest. After a few hours the Tylenol was not putting a dent in the fever so we decided we needed to have him seen before Monday so we loaded up the car and headed out to the ER.
We did not have to wait too long before the called us to the back. They took his temp and weighed him (a whopping 17.2 lbs!) After a few minutes they took us back into an examination room where we changed him into the smallest hospital gown we have ever seen. The doc examined him and ordered a blood test, nasal swab, and a chest x-ray. I will save you the details about drawing the blood and the saline solution they shot up his nose to get a snot sample. All the tests came back fine, but he has an ear infection that seems to be the cause of the fever. We have to take him back tomorrow to check on the fever. He has just been eating and sleeping ever since we got home. He even managed a smile when we got home. We are grateful he is doing well. He is on antibiotics for the ear infection. He was a trooper. He must be tough like his mamma.

under the weather

Cameron has not been feeling very well the last few days. He is running a low grade fever and has a bit of a rash. We have been on the phone with the doc and we will take him in on Monday. Though not 100%, he has been a real trooper the past couple days.

>napping with Grandma Swinehart

eating with Grandpa Barrett


snuggling with Grandma Pat


Christmas dinner at Great-Grandma Fay's


opening presents with Mom and Dad on Christmas morning

cameron and his aunt holly

new toys

all i want for christmas is a bag of chips

making cookies

santa baby

solid food

At Cameron's last doctor's appointment we were given the okay to introduce him to solid food. Like most kids he is going to start with rice cakes..or was it rice cereal? Hmmm?

more shots

Cameron had his 4 month shots today. He was the best boy in the whole world. He hardly cried at all. They had already done the first one and daddy didn't even realize because he didn't make a peep! We're so proud of him.

father and son and father and son

Brand Joseph Hedden and Jason Daniel Hedden




Jason Daniel Hedden and Cameron Brand Hedden

adventures with cam

snoozing

dancing

going for a walk with dad

boppy

at least someone's getting some use out of this thing...

pterodactyl

we didn't know when we picked out the the dinosaur theme for Cameron's bedding that he would take it to heart. he apparently thinks he's a baby pterodactyl.
enjoy!

4 months!

Cameron is 4 months old today, and he thinks he is so big.
He holds his own bottle.

He's reading.

But he's still just a small sprout who needs his sleep.

santa's little helper

the poo...

so mommy experienced her first real blowout yesterday. i'm sitting in the chair with Cam laying on my lap facing me. he's pooing, which he does a lot, and i'm letting him finish, as he tends to fill it up as soon as i put a new diaper on him.
well, i pick him up to go change him, and i realize that there's poo all over my arm. and my pants. and all up his entire back. it was the most disgusting thing. it had all shot up the back of his diaper. i had to give the kid a bath at 9:00 in the morning.
way to go, Cam.

checkup

Cameron went for his 4 month checkup this morning. He's in about the 60th or so percentile for weight at 15 lbs 4 oz, and in the (get this) 97th percentile for height at 27 inches! How on earth did a little shrimp like me give birth to a string bean like this?? He must be channeling his Uncle Jerry...