James took his first steps!!

James took his first steps today! And I happened to be at work at the time...sad :(
but he showed me right when I got home with a little prodding from dad. He is 14 months last Sunday. We're trying to get it on video soon.

Last Wednesday I had a doctor appointment and took James with me since I am always wondering if he has ear infections since he always pulls on his ears. Lately, though, he's been covering both his ears with his hands like we're being too loud, folding his ears in half, and putting food in his ears! He hasn't been eating well, but he was sleeping fine and wasn't too out-of-sorts (no fever either). I don't usually bring multiple patients to one appointment, but since we have the same family practice doctor and it's just a quick look in the ears...and with how busy things get I thought about how much time it would save. Anyway, how many times do I make appointments because I think one of my kids have an ear infection only to have nurses and doctors look at me like I'm dumb because nothing is wrong! Then they treat me like I'm one of the those parents who beg doctors for antibiotics. Ahhh! It gets so frustrating. So, of course, the times I don't make appointments are the times where it matters. His right ear looked infected. We had to weigh him right then to see what dosage he needed...and he was just over 20 pounds!! (Yeah! We were finally legal on facing forward in the car. He loves the car so much more now!) I can't remember if it was 20 lbs 2 ounces or 4 ounces or 8 ounces...something like that. Since this was his third infection this year they tried the next family of antibiotics. We'll see how things go. I'm not too hopeful since Rebekah had to get ear tubes and James seems to be following the same pattern of infections with antibiotics not solving things long term, but again, we'll see how things go. Sometimes I think it's a mini-curse to have children who act normal while being sick since doctors think you're just an over-worried parent since the kid doesn't act sick, or, the opposite, you didn't even know they were sick until you bring them in for some other reason and the doctors make you feel like a negligent parent for not bringing your child in sooner! It's so easy to make yourself feel like you'll never get it right.

Anyhow, I am very grateful that I don't have the other curse...kids who act cranky when sick. I do realize that's even more not fun to deal with as a parent.