Gillen Azar: Nine Month Doctor Visit

Quite possibly the fastest doctor's visit we've ever had.

Weight: 19 lbs 15 oz - 55th percentile

Length: 28 inches - 35th percentile

Head: 45.5

This was such a quick visit because it was just for Gil. No concerns. I'm still not eating dairy. He's growing like a weed. The nurse did a finger prick for iron and lead tests - both came out fine. When the nurse pricked Gil's finger and proceeded to squeeze blood out of it for TEN MINUTES, he didn't even flinch or cry. It was amazing. And then when she had to come back in because it took her so long the first time that the blood clotted off, she had to do it again --- still not crying. This boy is a rock star --- all almost TWENTY pounds of him!

A Trip to the Emergency Room

Well Mr. Gillen let us know just how stubborn her really is upon deciding not to eat or drink anything. He refused to nurse Saturday morning around 10am biting me if I offered. We figured he was teething so we let him be. I continued to try thorughout the day and he wouldn't take even one drop. We had a wedding to go to, and couldn't leave a tired hugry not-eating baby with our sitter so we brought him with us. He was perfectly content, but not eating.

When we arrived home we tried to offer him a cup, water, anything and eventually ended up force feeding him breastmilk with a syringe. No pee all day and we told ourselves that if by morning there wasn't any eating or any peeing... our guy needed to go to the hospital.

So at 10am Sunday morning a friend came and got Owen (we didn't want him along if Gil needed an IV and/or a feeding tube) and off we went.

I had flashbacks of being in that very same emergency room when Owen was burning up and was a complete mess. All the while, our little guy was smiles and happy.

The second the resident walked in the room to evaluate him, he latched on an nurse like nothing was wrong. OF COURSE HE DID.  With that and his adorable smiles, I honestly don't think they believed us. They told us to bring him back if he stopped eating again but as long as he was happy, drooly baby sometimes it's okay to have no wet diapers and an eating strike.

He didn't latch again until Tuesday morning (despite a visit to the pediatrician on Monday declaring him okay to continue his strike). A friend of ours told us her family came down with the most horrible sore throat she's ever had. So perhaps Gil had that and just couldn't tell us.

72 hour eating strike. This guy was letting us know who the boss is :)

Doctor Visit: Owen 3 years & Gillen 6 months

The boys went together for well visits again with me flying solo. Thankfully it was a very uneventful visit and both boys checked out great.  This time Owen picked for Gil to go first and was very supportive when Gillen cried on the scale, "It's okay Gil, they just need to know how big you are!"

OWEN

Weight: 28 lbs - 14th percentile

Length: 38 inches - 64th percentile

 Owen is growing beautifully and is turning out to have his Daddy's long lanky body (2T pants/3T shirts/9.5 shoes). He just looks like a swimmer in this first picture (guess we'd better get him to some swim lessons ;)) He was happy to have his blood pressure taken and he tells every nurse, "My Daddy is a doctor, he takes blood pressure." It makes me laugh every time, I'm not even sure Jeremy know how to use a bp cuff. And O was pretty freaked about getting his height measured - evidenced by his WTH? face in the third picture.

Totally done with potty learning and wears a pull up for nap and night time. Sometimes when we leave the house, but very rarely.

He was running, jumping, skipping and TALKING TALKING TALKING. Dr. Springer assessed that his verbal skills are at a "high 4 year old" level right now and that might explain why we're having some disconnect with him. She said while he is advanced verbally there is no advanced emotional development so sometimes what comes out of his mouth makes us think he has more emotional capabilities than he actually does. This is probably true, and she told us to keep our expectations of him closer to a "newly three" level, despite his advanced negotiating and protests.

Other than some random bloody noses, Owen is healthy and happy at three. We are so proud.

GILLEN

Weight: 18.5 lbs - 64th percentile

Length: 27 inches - 63th percentile
Head: 44

Gil was a trooper for his visit. He didn't like laying on the scale (what baby does?) but other than that he was all smiles. What was really amazing to me is that Gillen's height is exactly what Owen's was at six months and he's about a pound heavier. They are built so differently and I think Owen being so small for so long kept me from seeing how chubby he actually got. We'll see how it pans out as Gil continues to grow. (I'm also not sure they are measuring Gillen on the breastfed baby charts, I need to check that.)

There really aren't issues to discuss with Gil because he is so easy going. We discussed sleep a little but the fact that our apartment only has two bedrooms, it's either he wake me, or he wake me AND OWEN. We're not ready to go there quite yet so he'll stay with us. 

Milk allergy. Dr. Springer didn't want to do any additional allergy tests at this time because the treatment would be the same. No milk protein for me. And since that is what I am already doing, she said just to be careful as we start to introduce foods and watch him closely for reactions. Also no introduction of any type of dairy until after one year, and then start slowly through my diet and see if the allergy persists.

This visit Gillen had to have six injections and an oral vaccine. My bravery flying solo was truly tested and one of the nurses took Owen for a walk in the hallway to pick a sucker so that he wouldn't be upset by Gillen's shots. There is a nation wide shortage of combination vaccines such as MMR, so the components needed to be given individually. He was also vaccinated for flu,Hep B & rotavirus. It absolutely broke my heart for his chubby legs to get that many sticks, but I knew my favorite vaccine guy was working so I trusted he would go fast. Three in one thigh, three in the other. Gil cried out as the third shot went in and by the time scooped him up, he was all smiles again. The tech actually said, "Did he seriously just stop crying?"

Such a brave boy -- and brave Mama!

As Dr. Springer left the room she told me my boys are beautiful and I'm doing a wonderful job with them. That is always so nice to hear.

Gillen Azar: Four Month Doctor Visit

16 lbs 4 oz (60th percentile)

25.75 inches (67th percentile)

Me and the boys headed for Gil's four month doctor visit knowing that he had gained quite a bit of weight. The little piggy gained THREE POUNDS! His thighs are dripping with rolls and it just melts my heart.

It was actually a great visit, Owen has settled in as the big brother and we spent next to no time talking about him. Dr. Springer commented on how strong Gillen is, he sits almost completely unassisted and rolls both ways. Most of this is because he wants to be upright and watching his big brother. Gillen was a champ for his shots, three again this time. He didn't start to cry until the last one was in and he shook it off in a matter of minutes. Brave boy! (and again, brave Mama!)

After some great and very patient behavior, Dr. Springer made Owen two "puppets" with tongue depressors and Elmo stickers.

Our visit was pretty uneventful, just like we like them. Gillen is growing like a weed and it's always nice to hear Dr. Springer tell me how healthy and beautiful my boys are.

Gillen 2 Month Doctor Visit and Challah Shabbat

 13 lbs (58th percentile)

 22.8 inches (26th percentile)

As soon as we walked into the exam room Owen said, "I pick that I will go first and baby Gillen will go second." Little did he know, this appointment was only for Gillen and no matter how many times I told him, he insisted on getting all of the attention (thankfully, Gillen doesn't know or care yet).

I let a med student come in first and she clearly didn't have children because I think she was horrified at Owen's behavior. He was throwing a fit and screaming and telling her his leg was injured and he needed a doctor to fix it (ahem. smart kid.) (also? WHERE DID HE LEARN THESE SHENANIGANS!?) For the record there was NOTHING wrong with his leg.

When our pediatrician came in he demanded her attention. She obviously knows a thing or two about two year olds who are having a hard time adjusting to a new brother so she looked in Owen's ears, made him a puppet with a tongue depressor and let him tell her all about baby Gil.

So, in short, the appointment was once again about Owen. Gillen is perfect. He had his first shots and I was a brave Mama and held him through all three of them (Daddy was stuck at work). He's sleeping, eating and growing. Looks like he might be short and stalky - my gene pool working some magic on this boy.

Of Note: Before the appointment I had a discussion with Owen that Gil had to get some "owies" I didn't want him to get upset seeing the needles or hearing Gil scream. So when Owen started getting hysterical when the guy came in with the shots I thought he was upset for his brother.

Nope.

He stood on a stool right next to us and sobbed "But I WANT AN OWIE TOOOOOOOO!"

And there you have it folks, the extent to which a toddler will go to pull attention away from his baby brother. He wants a shot.

He didn't get one. But he did get to choose a sucker. You know, for being such a good patient ;)

After we got home poor Gil did LOTS of sleeping which allowed time for Owen and I to prep a Challah. My first time making challah - or any rising bread for that matter - and while I did forget to separate the dough into two loaves and made ONE GIANT CHALLAH - it was really good.

I also made chicken and dumplings for the first time. Owen was sitting in his booster seat coloring while I cut the dumplings and he says, "Mama, watching you make dumplings is BORING."

I about died.

Shabbat Shalom!

Doctor Visit: Owen 31 months & Gillen 1 month

We took both boys to the doctor for well visits. Thankfully, Jeremy was able to meet us there and help out with juggling two kiddos. Since Owen was the Big Brother he got to pick who went first. He has been pretty jazzed about playing doctor (and apparently doesn't remember going there for shots) so he picked to go first.

OWEN

Weight: 27 lbs - 17th percentile

Length: 36.75 inches - 58th percentile

Since weaning six months ago Owen has really taken to whole milk (he drinks either milk or water). Dr. Springer was happy with the weight he has gained and said he is back on the curve for the growth charts. She suggested continuing whole milk (even though it is recommended to switch to 2% at age 2) until he is 3 and try to find calorie dense foods for him to eat, which we already do. She suggested two oatmeal raisin cookies with peanut butter as a snack. Anything to up his calories. He is a good eater and eats a variety of things, so overall we're very happy with his eating/weight. He loved having his blood pressure taken, just like in his doctor kit! He showed off lots of his physical development (jumping, running) and of course, his stellar verbal skills. We talked lots about his adjustment to the new family dynamic, which she said is all normal behavior and should peak around 6 weeks and then get better.

Owen was finally old enough for the flu mist vaccine, so instead of the "ouchy" we had prepared him for, instead he had to "sniff the flowers" for the nasal mist. Our boy did a great job! Big boys get a sucker as a reward at the doctor, so he was pretty thrilled with this visit overall! 

GILLEN

Weight: 11 lbs - 77th percentile

Length: 21.75 inches - 58th percentile
Head: 38.5

Gillen gained 3 pounds in FOUR weeks! To say this boy likes to eat is an understatement. He has chubs galore, much to his Mama's delight. His neck is strong and he sleeps for one 4-hour stretch for us each night and then 2hr blocks after that. He has a little bit of baby acne on his cheeks as a result of my pregnancy hormones but that is totally normal and should go away in a few weeks. Vaccines don't start until his next visit - so we all left tear-free this time.

Milestones: we put away all of his newborn clothes and moved to size 1 diapers.

Dr. Springer said that both of our boys are absolutely perfect and as we drove away Jeremy and I talked about how lucky and thankful we are for these beautiful, healthy children. We all enjoyed lunch at Panera before Daddy headed back to work and the rest of us headed home for naps ;)

Gillen's Newborn Visit

Because we left the hospital after 24 hours, our pediatrician wanted to see Gillen in the office two days later just to check on him. Everything checked out beautifully - his length was still 21 inches and he weighed 8 lbs 3 oz. No bilirubin concerns at all.

Yep. Our boy was back to birth weight within 72 hours! YAY MAMA MILK!!

Our pediatrician said she usually likes to see newborns back in 2 weeks for a weight check but because he was already back to birth weight, she'll see us at his 1 month visit.

The rest of the appointment was spent talking about how Owen is adjusting to the new baby. He's been very emotional and acting out. His eating and sleeping are a little wonky and you can tell there is a lot going on in his little mind. She said it takes about six weeks for toddlers to get over the newness of it all and after that point they usually don't harbor memories of how it used to be.

Let's hope she's right....

36 Weeks Pregnant with a "sizable guy"

This is the comparison of my boys at 36 weeks

36 wk was the week I was released from bed rest with Owen, I'm more swollen and carrying more closely to my body. At 36 wk with Baby Brother I'm feeling strong and confident. My belly is bigger but because I've been on my feet I have more room in my rib cage this time around.

Had an OB appointment today and when Owen and I arrived the receptionist told me my appointment had been moved from 915am to 1050am. I told her my appointment has NEVER been moved without someone calling first but she shrugged, handed me my label stickers (for any urine or blood work they run) and said they'd try their best to fit me in sooner. I was pissed so I just folded the labels and shoved them in my purse. Owen was an angel in the waiting room. He ate an oatmeal bar and blueberries I packed for breakfast and played toys. The waiting room filled and emtpied several times over while we still sat there. There was a check out girl who watched Owen playing nicely and asked if he could have some fruit snacks she had hidden in her office. She asked me why we were sitting out there so long... by this time it was 11:45!

She went back and told the doctors a woman and her 2 yr old had been waiting since 9am and they said, "Mrs. Reese no showed her appointment" --- she explained that she had seen me waiting since 9am and then came out to ask if I was given labels. I said yes, dug them out of my purse and they had the WRONG person's name on them with a 1050 appointment time. The check-in girl messed everything up! The doctors and staff were horrified but even more suprized that 1) Owen was AN ANGEL the entire time and 2) My blood pressure wasn't through the roof!

After the doctor apologized like one million times, we went over my birth plan (I wrote about it this week on Kveller) which he said looked great.

Baby Brother's heartbeat was strong, I'm measuring a little over 38 weeks (at 36.5 weeks) and I'm not dilated AT ALL! He checked to see if he was head down and sure enough, he is! Jeremy helped me do some inversions (from this site, thanks E!) one night this week while he tried to move the baby into place and it worked! When the doctor was feeling for baby's position he said, "Wow you've got a sizable guy in there!"  He reminded me to pay careful attention to kick counts/activity and if I feel him getting at all sluggish to call as he's quite big in there and the risks of being born are now lower than the risks of staying in without a enough room. He's an active guy, much moreso than his brother, so I'll be sure to keep an eye on him.

I'll be 37 weeks on MONDAY!! Another prenatal Yoga class and looking forward to FULL TERM status.

I now have weekly appointments on Thursdays :)

****************************** BIRTH VISION *************************************

Hospital birth attended by MFM attending/Fellow

Support person(s): Husband and Doula

I am requesting to NOT be delivered by an OB/GYN resident – would like MFM Fellow or Attending.

After a high-risk pregnancy/induction with my first, followed by a miscarriage we have chosen extra support to help us feel like we’ve done everything we can to have a positive birth experience. Our goal is a healthy baby so we are open-minded and flexible but appreciate your support with these requests assuming all is medically sound. 

Labor: I would like go into labor naturally and progress w/o pitocin for as long as medically possible. I would like to be as mobile as possible - free to walk, use birthing ball or change positions. I want to make every effort to birth unmedicated (I am open to an epidural, but I will ask)

No pharmaceutical opiods (Morphine, Nubain, Demerol).  Would like to be Heplocked (I know I will be treated for Group B Strep) and fetal monitoring via telemetry.

Postpartum:  Assuming this baby is healthy and able I would like to have baby skin-to-skin immediately, Apgars on my chest, and delay non-emergent treatments until after first hour (bonding/nursing) eye ointment, vit K, bath etc.

Breastfeeding only – do NOT offer formula.

We would like to request that the hearing test is done in the room.

No circumcision (We are Jewish & will do it at a later time)

Doctor Visit and 1st Seder

This morning Owen and I headed to the doctor to see Baby Brother. We were happy to hear that everything is still looking good, even though I had lots of pelvic pressure and contractions this week. My cervix has shortened a little, 3.6cm (down from 4cm two weeks ago) but they were happy to see it is still above 3. It took the tech a long time to get the measurement because baby was feet down kicking my cervix right where she was trying to measure. Eventually, the doctor had to come in and do the measurement herself. His heartbeat was perfect at 150 bmp and it was nice to see him in there all cozy and active.

We are on week 3 of the P17 shots and although Jeremy and I both dread Thursday nights, other than a little soreness it's going well.

This morning, Owen and I were featured in an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about Passover and PJ Library. They even sent a photographer to our house to take a picture of us reading together. I think it turned out super cute! 

Owen took a great nap and then woke up excited for "Passover Shabbat!" Daddy got off work early and we headed over to our neighbor's house. We had a wonderful celebration and everyone raved about my chocolate cookies! Yay!

All dressed up in his Shabbat clothes

Owen at the seder table - such a big boy! This was his third Passover :)

Owen found an Afikoman (and accidentally dropped it) and turned it in for a prize!

2 Year Doctor Visit

1 month

1 Year

( a little frightened of the scale)

Owen had his 2-Year visit at the pediatrician and everything looks perfect.

He is 23.5 lbs (10%) and 35" (50%) 

She says our boy is destined to be long and lean!

Owen demonstrated his running and jumping(ish) skills for her and lots of talking (his specialty)

her first comments as she walked in the room,

"I can see that Owen is still leading with his verbal skills!"

She commented that some of the thoughts Owen is putting together are at a 3 or 4 year old level, which made my Mama heart proud and put me at ease that he lags behind a little with gross motor.

Overall we have a happy, healthy 2-year old!

(pinch me please, because I STILL can't believe he's TWO)

Two Owies

This morning I took Owen to the pediatrician for his flu shot and HepA immunization.
I've gotten used to taking him by myself, although I still get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach when I hear him scream in pain.

But today was different, today Owen understood.

He played happily in the waiting room, pretty unsuspecting because we hold our monthly La Leche meetings in the very same place so he was happy and comfortable there. Once we were called back to the exam room it dawned on him and immediately he gave me his, "I don't like it here" face. He was clinging to me resting his head on my shoulder and I thought to myself, "I need to tell him."

How could I just let some woman barge through the door and stab his thighs when he knows exactly what is going on. He looks to me to keep him safe, and take away his pain.

Me: "A lady is going to come and she is going to give you 2 owies on your leg. The owies will just be a little pinch."

O: "No owie! No owie!"

Me:"I know you're scared baby, I don't want you to get the owies either, but you need to get these owies to keep you heathy and strong."

O: "No owies"

Me:"And right after your owies we are going to the grocery and you can get a cookie from the cookie lady."

O: "No owies!"

When the nurse came in the room Owen was hysterical. I had to lay on his upper body for her to give the injections and my heart sunk with his visceral reaction to each jab. He sobbed, and sobbed with huge alligator tears crying, "Owies...Owies.." clutching at his leg.

and then just as loud and with just as many tears he cried,

"COOOOOOO-KIEEEEEEEEEEEEE"

and off we went to get my brave and aware little boy,

his cookie.

Eighteen Month Check Up!

NOT a fan of the scale

22 lbs 2 oz (22nd percentile)

33 inches (72nd percentile)

Our boy has officially been declared: Long and Lean

How did this boy come out of me? Tall? 

Never have I, or anyone in my family, 

 been described as tall

Typically, you can double a child's height at age 2 to determine adult height

If he were 2 today -- he would be 5'5"

Something tells me this boy is going to be taller than his Mama before middle school

One Year Visit!

Last week we took Owen to the doctor for his ONE YEAR visit! Such a perfect boy we have and I couldn't belive that he SITS UP on the scale now!

Birth: 7 lbs 2 oz 19.5 inches

1 Year: 20 lbs 8oz  30.25 inches

He is in the 65% for height and head circumference and 34% for weight (on the WHO breastfed babies chart). Growth-wise he's doing great. He had three injections and his finger pricked for iron levels (12.1 Hbg, PERFECT!)

* plays peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake
* waves bye-bye and gives "high five"
*points at objects
* (sometimes) holds up pointer finger when we say, "how old is Owen?"
*drinks (water) from a straw cup and feeds himself with thumb and fingers (even VERY small pieces of food)
* Says, "Mama" "Dada" "Daddy" "ducky" "quack" "cookie" "stinky" "tweet, tweet" "weee" and sometimes, "uh-oh"
* when he is tired he says, "Night, Night" over and over again
* This week he started signing "milk" to me when he wants to nurse!
*crawls (quickly now!) to get wherever he wants
*pulls up to standing and can stand for a few seconds
*cruises around furniture
*understands simple requests, "give that to Mama" or "Go get your book" or "dance, Owen!" or "eat your toes"
*fake laughs
* after he nurses or takes a drink of water he says, "Ahhh"  I ask him, "is that delicious?" and he answers, "Ahhh" (like in the back of your throat after you take a long drink of pepsi)
*gives kisses at his own discretion 
*loves music and loves to be sung to
*has eight front teeth and is working (painfully) on four molars
*still prefers to be spoon-fed pureed foods, but is slowly accepting more table food with some texture. Slowly. This boy is the slowest eater on the planet. His meals take upwards of 45 minutes! He definitely doesn't take after his Daddy at the table ;)
*nurses at least five times a day
*plays well independently and "reads" books to himself (especially loves touch-and-feel books right now)
*has no attachment to any blanket, object or toy (despite our encouragement for a lovie) 
* goes to bed around 8:30pm and wakes 7:30-8am
*wears 12-18 month clothes. We're just starting to put away some of his 12 month onesies because they don't snap and the feet in his pjs are too tight.

This past year we had two sick visits to the doctor, one for teething-related diarrhea and one for teething-related diaper rash (last week). He had the stomach flu for three days (and passed it on to Jeremy and I). I can only hope and pray that his second year of life is filled with as much health and happiness as his first year.

This tiny person already is such a patient, smart, expressive boy. I love him more and more each day and wonder how it is possible for my heart to be so full.  I never take a single moment for granted.

Nine Month Check Up

Weight: 19 lbs 3 ounces - 27th percentile

Length: 28.8 inches - 64th percentile

Head circumference: 45.5cm - 54th percentile

Owen had his nine month check up this week and as always, he was a star. He still doesn't have stranger anxiety so he was "chatting" away the minute the doctor came into the room. 

The first thing she said was, "Oh my, looks like the baby I saw a few months ago has been replaced with a little boy. Its amazing how quickly that happens!" 

You're telling me lady! 

The first thing we talked about was Owen's weight. He did not gain since his 7 month sick visit (although we think they may have mis-weighed him at that appointment because when we brought him home he only weighed 18.5 lbs on our scale). She said the weight alone was not cause for concern because his length and head circumference are still following the same upward trends. She said is it common for children to "pick a new curve" around this age and he might genetically trend more along the 25th percentile. I am always hard on myself about O's weight and eating, and although he isn't super interested in solids he still eats plenty (a serving size is only a couple of tablespoons per meal) and nurses 6 times a day. She said to just keep offering and once he gets better at picking up food and getting it in his mouth, which he is just starting to do, he'll eat more because he can do it himself. I was so happy when she said, "by looking at this boy there is definitely no cause for concern. Healthy, happy boy."

We talked a little about gross motor and Owen's hesitation to crawl. He demonstrated for her how he likes to creep for Daddy's cell phone. She said "combat crawl" is very common and some babies do it for quite some time. She told us to just keep encouraging him. She noted that he makes up for what he isn't doing physically with his social skills. She praised how interactive he is, and loved his "talking" and smiles.He mimics sounds and makes lots and lots of noise and razzing!

We discussed a big issue we've been having with Owen - biting. It started out with biting while nursing and when we returned home from vacation he was biting my face, my arms, my neck - everywhere. It was like I was holding a tired piranha. I eventually had to start setting him down and let him cry because the biting was hurting me so badly. I've tried everything people have recommended to stop him, and nothing has worked. He only bites me, never Jeremy. I don't necessarily think its malicious biting, but those seven teeth are razor sharp and come close to breaking my skin. The doctor told me her son was a biter and she had a hard time breaking him of it. She demonstrated the tone we (I) have to use when he bites and it nearly scared Jeremy off his chair. She wasn't messing around. She said I have to be consistent and STERN (read: MEAN) to curb the behavior before it transitions into a problematic toddler behavior.

and there is was. My baby is being referred to a toddler ((wipes away Mama tears)).

No shots for Owen this month so he was a VERY happy boy! Jeremy and I almost fainted when we were scheduling our next visit -- ONE YEAR. We just sat there stunned that this little person will be one before we know it. 

for his next visit.. .four shots and a blood draw. We pushed it off a week so not to cloud his birthday with such a painful visit to the doctor. Not looking forward to that one - Daddy is definitely going to have to get the day off ;)

Big Boy: Confirmed.

Yesterday Owen continued on his diarrhea kick with a total of SEVEN pooey diapers. He was up until 10pm "clearing out his system". I decided that after ten full days of poo-mania I would take him to the doctor. I was still hesitant even this morning, my fugal mind didn't want to pay a copay just to hear there was nothing we could do but wait it out. He hasn't had any complicating factors to his bout with diarrhea - no fever, no vomiting, no bloody stool and he is definitely NOT dehydrated (drool GA-LORE and nursing like a champ). But to be on the safe side I brought him in  - just in case they wanted to culture it or there was something else going on that Jeremy and I might be missing.

We saw a really great physician's assistant that we've never seen before. We had quite the wait this morning and our appointment started to spill over into Owen's nap time. He let me know with lots of eye rubbing and a little fuss. I went ahead and fed him and our sweet baby was sound asleep nursing (in only his diaper- so cute!) when the PA came in. O woke up, popped off and looked him like, "Hey! Who are you? And why are you interrupting my nap?"  They guy had to laugh out loud at Owen's perplexed face.

Just as we thought, Owen checked out with flying colors. No fever (98.4) and not a single sign of dehydration - actually the PA said, "He's happy, responsive, definitely NOT dehydrated and doesn't look like he misses any meals..."  He said it's probably just a little virus that will run its course and just to watch to make sure nothing changes. He also gave me a probiotic that is supposed to slow diarrhea (Owen already gets probiotics - but we'll swap it out for this one and see if it works.)

So although it was a pretty uneventful visit - just as we suspected it might be - it was nice to have some reassurance. AND it was nice to get a seven-month weight and length on this boy. I have to admit, for a boy who is refusing to eat solids and only wants his Mama's milk - these are some pretty impressive stats.

Weight: 19 lbs 3 ounces - 75th percentile

Length: 28 inches - 85th percentile

I came home and put him down for his nap. I lingered in the rocking chair just a little while longer thinking about my boy. MY BOY! With THOSE PERCENTILES! After our rocky start with breastfeeding and trying my best to listen to that quiet voice in the back of my head that just kept saying, "this will work, be patient" I finally whispered to myself, "I'm doing this, we're actually succeeding at this."

And later this afternoon when he turned his head at the banana that was offered but did manage to gobble down some yogurt - I didn't care. Because he's getting what he needs, and the rest will come in time.

How big is Owen? SOOOOOO BIG!

Six Month Check Up!

I am compelled to first describe THE HORROR that I found when I lifted Owen out of his car seat in the exam room this morning. I had to wake him up for our 9am appointment.

8:32 Wake Owen
8:33 Nurse Owen
8:43 Change and dress Owen
8:47 Put Owen in the car seat
8:50 Leave the house
8:59 Arrive at Dr. Office
9:07 Take Owen out of the car seat in the room
(note: having a child has done nothing to remedy my stellar procrastination skills)

Sometime between 8:47 and 9:07 THIS HAPPENED:

And this picture was taken AFTER I TOOK OFF THE SHORTS HE WAS WEARING! Needless to say, the shorts were a casualty and the car seat got a good scrubbing with Clorox wipes provided to me by the nurse who I swear was trying not to laugh when I pulled him out of the seat. She looks at me while saying, "Okay, just get him down to diaper...um..." as I was gasping at the pooy mess. Then she gave me a puzzled look when I grabbed for my camera instead of a baby wipe and took pictures of the mess before cleaning it up. But honestly, how could such a well-timed explosion go undocumented? This is what happens when I feed my child homemade sweet potatoes for his six month half birthday. He gagged on the sweet potatoes yesterday (I thought babies LIKED sweet potatoes??) and then poohed them out in public. Even worse, after I had cleaned the pooh out from between his toes, every fold on his leg and carefully rolled the onesies up over his head - I found a fleck of sweet potatoe NEAR HIS EYE! That fleck was a pooh potato and I just wanted to die.

So much for me being nervous about his shots...

Weight: 17 lbs 8 ounces - 50th percentile

Length: 27 inches - 75th percentile

Head circumference: 34cm - 50th percentile

This boy was a knock out at his visit. Look at those percentiles! He was so sweet for both the nurse and the doctor. He cooed and sat up and shot everyone his killer smile. By the time the doctor was done answering all of my neurotic-new-mom questions (does my baby need to drink water?) and jotting some stuff down she says, "Well, I don't even have to ask about milestones because he's demonstrated most all of them to me while we've been talking.You have a very social boy here." She showed me how he watches my mouth and moves his mouth - an early indicator of language development. She said his legs are super strong, his sitting up is great and even if he hates tummy time (which he still does) he tripods well and should start crawling from that position. She told me to be careful not to let him skip crawling because it helps with left/right brain interaction - which I had just read an article on this week. I asked her about him not giggling for us and she politely said, "He's very social, look at his smiles. Maybe you're just not that funny. I'm sure he'll tell you the same thing himself when he's a teenager, they always do." 

Medically Confirmed: My husband and I are Just.Not.That.Funny.

Sigh.

She looked inside his little mouth and noted that we have a few little toothies waiting to break through on the bottom - Owen has been sucking his bottom lip and drooling buckets for weeks now so I'm sure it won't be long. Then it was time for the dreaded vaccines. Four for our boy today because I opted for the flu vaccine which just arrived that morning (this year includes H1N1 and a new strain as well). Usually Jeremy holds Owen and I look away. Not this time. This time I had to be strong for my baby. [RANT: One of the things that really bothers me is how long it takes these nurses to uncap each vaccine and the slowly plunge it into my son's thighs. TAKE THE DAMN CAPS OFF BEFORE HAND AND GO FASTER ALREADY! Why not stab him as fast as possible so by the time he notices the first stick the rest are done?] He cried. But thankfully, I didn't. I did pretty well for my first time as the brave parent. The nurse slapped on some (unattractive brown) band-aids and I scooped up my boy for some snuggles. She left the room and I nursed him a little and watched him tell Sophie the Giraffe all about the terrible mean lady with needles.

All better now.

It goes without saying that I am SO INCREDIBLY PROUD and in awe of how my baby has grown. My body did this, it made this incredible child and then provided him the nourishment he needed to drip chubs off of the scale. My heart was so full as I drove home with my precious cargo. I love this boy with all my heart.

One Month

Six Months

He gets the follow-up dose for the flu vaccine in 30 days but after that no more check-ups or needles until 9 months - Owen is relieved, and so am I.

Mama worries

The same week Owen turned four months I was nursing him just before bedtime and he started to shake. His eyes rolled back in his head and his head and arms were shaking rhythmically. Jeremy was at work that night so I wasn't sure what to do. I pulled him off the breast and tried to wake him up - I wasn't sure if he passed out or had fallen asleep. He sort of opened his eyes and his pupils looked like tiny pins. He went right back to sleep. I tried to stay calm, and called Jeremy. I didn't know if it was a seizure or what had just happened to my precious baby - all I knew was that it was really scary.

Jeremy came home shortly after and asked me again what happened and checked on Owen. We had his 4-month visit in a few days so we decided to ask then - unless it happened again.

I brought it up with O's new pediatrician and he said if Owen was at the breast, transitioning to sleep, and then stopped shaking when I woke him that it was probably a benign myoclonic jerk. He said it was kind of like when adults are falling asleep and we twitch a little. He said it can be more pronounced in babies. Since it had only happened that one time, it wasn't anything to be worried about.

Over the next few weeks it was happening more and more until a few weeks ago when it happened every day at both nap time and bedtime. Each time I would wake him because it was so unsettling. The frequency started to worry me, so when I went to the pediatrician for the lactation appointment I brought it up again. They decided to order an EEG for my little babe.

Last Friday, on Daddy's only day off, we were back at Children's hospital for the EEG. I was told the test would take 90 minutes and I needed to bring O tired and hungry, "try not to let your baby sleep for 2-3 hours prior to testing" the lady on the phone said. YEAH. RIGHT. We ended up getting an earlier appointment so it had been about two hours since O had eaten or slept. By the time we arrived he was hungry and tired.

When the tech called us she said, "Okay we're ready for Owen." Jeremy and I both stood up.

"Oh, Dad - you can wait out here."

This was her first mistake.

No. absolutely not. Both me and my husband are coming back.

Okay, suite yourselves but this test takes over an hour.

We know.

When we got back to the room, she grabbed Owen from me and started wrapping his arms down in a sheet and strapping him down to a table. Owen was screaming, my poor tired, hungry boy. She is frantically pasting the leads onto his little head - all 23 of them. Then she says,

Do you have a bottle or pacifier?

No, he doesn't take a bottle or pacifier. I breastfeed him.

Well, they should have told you when you scheduled - he has to remain completely still in this position. Do you want me to get a pacifier for him?

No. I told you he doesn't TAKE a pacifier. (Owen screams louder) And he is hungry!

Well, he's going to have to wait an hour before he can eat. I need him like this.

I started to get really upset and cry. Jeremy tried to calm me down and communicate our concerns to the tech. We explained what we were told on the phone and that we brought our own swaddle, which would keep him much calmer than what she was doing to him. We were told that we needed to recreate the environment in which the shaking episodes happen and that meant to breastfeed him when he was tired.

The lady could see that I was obviously upset. All I kept thinking in my head is THIS IS NOT WHAT IS BEST FOR MY BABY. THIS IS NOT HOW THIS IS GOING TO GO.

I had Jeremy take the Woombie out of the bag. I told her we were going to use that instead of strapping him to the table and I would pull a chair close to the leads so I could feed him.

Well, when people breastfeed they are all over the place, baby is wiggling, mom is switching breasts.

I assured her that Owen stays completely still, eats and falls asleep.

And as soon as we zipped our little pumpkin into his swaddle, he snuggled up on his Mama, ate and fell asleep.

The lady was amazed. Then Jeremy decided to tell her that he was a RESIDENT ON THE SURGERY FLOOR. I think the lady almost shit. her. pants.

Owen did beautifully for the test. It broke my heart to see all of those leads on his head, but I knew he wasn't in pain and I was with him. He slept through most of the test and then fussed a little at the end. She showed him some flashing lights and then we were done. Mr. O was all smiles as we left - icky, sticky hair and all.

We received the results of the test yesterday and it was completely normal. Yay for my baby!! If he were having actual seizures everyday, chances are the EEG would not have been normal. Also, being able to wake him up to stop the shaking was a good sign that it was not true seizure activity. SO we're going with benign myoclonic jerks and the doctor says he will probably outgrow them.

I am glad we took the extra precaution. It gives me peace of mind now when the episodes happen. I am also glad we advocated for what was right for our baby. And I will never hesitate to do it again.

uh, even now these pictures make me a little sad - sweet boy in his spider-man onesie. He WAS a superhero that day!

Nursing boy, completely still

Mama loves you angel

As soon as we got home, Daddy snuggled our chubster before we put him in the bath to scrub all the icky paste off his head

Very thankful for our perfect boy.

Four Month Check Up!

Baby Owen has DOUBLED his birth weight!!!

Weight: 14 lbs 4 ounces - 38th percentile
Length: 25.5 inches - 70th percentile
Head circumference: 16.7 inches (42.5 cm) - 53rd percentile

Yesterday Mr. Owen had his 4-month visit with his new Doctor here in Pittsburgh. Our appointment was at 4:45pm so that Jeremy could come, since it was the first one we both wanted to be there to meet the new doctor (and Mamma HATES when O has to get shots). Owen usually naps from 5-6pm, so we were already entering cranky territory. Unfortunately, the doctor was running behind - WAY BEHIND. We had a cranky, down-to-diaper boy in the exam room and we accidentally took the swaddling blanket out of the diaper bag. Finally, I remembered there was one in the car and within two minutes of wrapping him up, he was snoozing away. The doctor finally saw us just after 6pm. He answered our questions first (my LOOOONG list of questions) and examined O last. He was a nice guy, and very up to date on current evidence-based literature. It will take some adjusting for me, as our pediatrician in Dayton was very touchy-feely-granola lady who was there for me through Owen's post-birth and eating saga. She always told me what a strong, beautiful Mamma I am and what a wonderful job I was doing with Owen. Do I need that kind of reinforcement? Hell yes, I eat it up.

The new doctor carefully unwrapped Owen and did most of his exam while he was still laying in my lap, which was very nice. He showed us how our boy was trending on the growth charts and said everything looks perfect! He said all that slobber doesn't necessarily mean teething, and was happy that Owen has met most of his 4-month milestones already.

• Bearing weight on legs
• lift and turns his head when lying on his belly
• holds head up when in sitting position
• responds to sounds and watches our faces
• tracks objects 180 degrees
• holds objects and brings them to his mouth
• Rolling over, both ways
• becoming vocal (cooing, squealing)
• plays with his hands and feet

Then it was time for his shots. This office has combo vaccines so this time, Owen only had three needle sticks and an oral vaccine (which he slurped down like a champ!) Our boy was none too happy with that nurse and cried the biggest crocodile tears I've ever seen. Uh, my heart breaks when we vaccinate our baby!

By the time we got home, it was SEVEN THIRTY! It was time for Owen to go to bed, and he was sleepy and happy to nurse. Unfortunately, he woke up every thirty minutes screaming or whimpering, half the time his eyes weren't even open - my poor boy. I just kept patting him back to sleep and finally at 3am I scooped him up and nursed him on and off until 630am (side note: Daddy leaves for work at 4:45am and we were up). I was so exhausted, so I brought the swing into our room and finally Owen (and Mamma) napped soundly from 630am-1130am.

He was pretty fussy today too and took a monster nap in the afternoon. Note to self: Schedule vaccine appointments IN THE MORNING.

I am so proud with how big and strong our little one has become. When I close my eyes, it's becoming harder and harder for me to see that tiny cub we brought home from the hospital, I feel like everyday when he wakes up he does something new!

My sweet boy!

Three Month Check Up

Weight: 12 lbs 7 ounces
Length: 24 inches
Head circumference: 16 inches

Last Friday was a big day for LOTS of reasons - two hours before Jeremy graduated we took Owen for his 3-month follow up with our pediatrician in Dayton. We were confident going in, because we knew we were carrying in a totally different baby than we were last month. When the nurse put O on the scale, she said, "I need to weigh him in another room, this scale has been acting up. It is showing he gained A LOT of weight." We assured her that we expected he had gained A LOT of weight but she insisted on reweighing him. Sure enough, our boy had gained nearly three pounds in one month. ALMOST THREE POUNDS!!

Owen's measurements put him in the 40th percentile for all indicators and we are so thrilled. When his pediatrician came in, she said he was a completely different baby. She commented that his sitting up strength was remarkable and going forward SHE IS NOT AT ALL CONCERNED ABOUT THIS BOY!!

I am overjoyed with Owen's progress. He is breastfeeding beautifully and I don't take a single day for granted. He has started to look up at me while he eats and even pops off the boob sometimes to smile at his Daddy. Last month we were defeated, stunned and crushed to say the least. This month, only four short weeks later, our sweet boy is trending at the 40th percentile. 40th percentile when compared with full term babies! Indeed our little family had lots to celebrate this weekend.

And now, for the first time on the world wide web, I present to you....

THIGH CHUB!! MY BOY!!