A Long 4 Months

     Well, I've appreciated all the advice we've received over the past 4 months.  I know everyone just wants to help and make things better and we've taken advice and tried more things that I can even remember or count. Sometimes it seems like there is an improvement after trying something, but then we realize it has nothing to do with what we tried. 

   3 weeks ago while Malia was screaming, I got a great glimpse of the roof of her mouth and thought it looked a little unusual.  Wish I could get a good pic to post, but this is the best I can do.  Anyways, she has her gums/jawline, but then there is another ridge that goes around on the inside of that.  I have no idea if that is normal, never looked in my babies mouths or any other baby's mouth for that matter.  I began to wonder if that was what was causing her to take in so much air when she eats.  Originally we thought she just sucked too hard.  We had switched her to bottle and pumping, because she was even worse when she nursed and had even more gas and fussiness. 
    Well, today she had her 4 month checkup and I was a little nervous as to what the doctor would say when he saw her mouth.  I was relieved to find out that he was not very concerned about it.  I had read a lot about high palates, etc and different suggestions as to how to help them eat better, etc.  Also read that a lot of babies with it when it is associated with other things, also tend to deal with malnutrition.  She does have a slightly high palate, but not too bad.  He said sometimes high palates are related to different syndromes and such, but doesn't feel that is the case in her case.  She is developing perfectly and growing great, definitely not malnutritioned! 
    Her tongue does slip when she is eating, but he wasn't concerned because she is still eating well and in a timely manner.  And she seems to be improving more little by little.  Her spitting up is reflux, but there is no acidity to it, so no need for reflux meds because they don't control the volume that she will spit up, but the burn, but she doesn't appear to have any burning (we did try the reflux meds, but didn't help at all, so it all makes sense).  She does not seem to be allergic to or have any big issues with anything dietwise, etc either.  So he has suggested that adding rice cereal to the bottle to thicken it might help to reduce the amount she spits up or make it easier to swallow it back down.
    He said she simply is Colic.  We've tried what we can and will wait it out.  And I feel peaceful about that, I'm DONE going crazy over figuring out what is bothering her.  She has definitely made improvements over the last month or so, but I know its still a long road.  I'm just grateful for the peace of mind that came today (along with what feels like a renewed dose of patience to continue on).  She is Healthy and having more happy moments during the day too, so I can't ask for too much more.
   I felt that we were warned before she arrived that there was going to be a period of DIFFICULTY!  When I was pregnant and feeling FABULOUS (seriously! by FAR the easiest pregnancy), I had the feeling that there was something coming down the road so enjoy it now.  And I DID!  And I remind myself very frequently of that as I struggle now.  Gives me the strength to hold on and not go insane. ;)
   These pictures are a big improvement over all the crying ones I got in the months earlier, she has more happy/content moments than she used to, so we will take it! :)  (Don't expect many to read all this, but wanted it for my record).