My outlet

When I started this blog at Amber's request, I planned on writing about all the funny and interesting things young children do in a days time. However I find myself using it almost as an outlet to vent about all the difficulties I have had to face since having a second child.
Chase was such a happy baby. Other than the typical teething episode, bumps and bruises, or the one stomach bug he got, the kid never really cried. He never got sick until his first birthday. He began sleeping through the night early on,and other than rough patches while teething, he has always been an awesome sleeper. He is wild and rambunctious, but what young boy isn't? All in all he was truly a wonderful baby and is a good kid.
I know that everyone tells you no two kids are alike, but I never imagined just how different two could be. Other than the first couple weeks of life, Cole has been a challenge to say the least. He does have a very strong personality and can show his temper quite often, but all that aside, the biggest challenge is how sick he has been. The list is ever growing.
Around 3 or 4 weeks, we discovered Cole suffered from colic. Anyone who has ever dealt with a child with colic knows that you feel as though life could not possibly get any worse. When it is 3am and you have been pacing the house with a screaming (not crying, screaming) infant for hours, you start to understand how some people with no support system and no outlet, go crazy and hurt their poor innocent children. It is hard, very hard. Never in my life have I prayed as much as I did during those long nights.
Once we started to feel like we might be getting somewhere with the colic we learned Cole suffered from reflux. This helped explain some of the screaming after he ate and why the moment we laid him down, he would wake wailing and tossing around as though he was in severe pain. Eventually with medication, we felt we were getting somewhere with that as well. He even began sleeping until about 4 am every night. Things were looking good.
I believe our next hurdle was his first ear infection. After that, I lose track of the order becasue it all seems to be one ongoing illness. Following that ear infection, he added RSV, croup, and 3 additional ear infections to the growing list of illnesses. Since Christmas, my dear Cole has been to see the doctor at least once a week, sometimes twice.
As a parent, it is the worst feeling ever to watch your child suffer day in and day out and not be able to just fix it, I have had to give him medication daily now for 7 months of his 8 months on this earth. I cannot imagine what parents dealing with such larger issues must go through. I realize I am truly blessed with both my boys, but I am ready to see my baby feel good and possibly sleep through the night at least once.
Our most recent visit to the MD was yesterday when we learned that cole had the fourth ear infection that I mentioned. I will be calling an ENT this week to set up an appointment although our pediatrician said we have to have one more ear infection. I feel sometimes Mom knows best, even if I don't have MD after my name.
I am included photos of Mr. Pitiful. Please pray for my sweet baby that soon, very soon, he will feel much better and that we can both get some much needed (8 months worth) sleep!