Pretend it's May 2010

Continuing on with updating our records...

Saturday, May 1, 2010
Bekah was an angel today! She caught herself from tattling...
"James is ... oh I forgot to mind my own business."
And she remembered all her bedtime routine by herself! She found satisfaction in doing good and in obeying and she said I didn't make her feel embarrassed for it, even though I noticed and said thank you. I love her!
Lately any time I've been praising her she gets embarrassed, but if I don't praise her and she notices I praise James she feels hurt. When talking to my mom about it, she pointed out that maybe it's because I'm still praising her like she's a toddler--super excited high pitched "yea!"s and "I'm so proud of you"s--cause that's what I've always done, but maybe now it's time to think about praising her in her grown up way and in her "love language". (Later note: I'm excited to read "Five Love Languages of Children" that I got for Mother's Day!)

Praise is a funny thing...I remember feeling the same way when I was a child--so wanting to feel adored and loved and yearning for that approval, but anytime that attention came feeling embarrassed about it. It's a strange dichotomy. Almost like (in my teenage somewhat-rebellious times) I wanted nothing to do with anything my parents' (or any un-cool adult) wanted me to do, and yet still wanting them to be proud of me and feeling like the only way to get there was to do what they wanted. Like I wanted them to respect me for me, not because I was doing what I was "supposed to be doing just because I was supposed to". I'm rambling a little, but interesting thoughts.

I've always heard that if you want people to respect you, you show respect for them first. Maybe praising her like a 6-7 yr old deserves (or even like I would praise an adult) will help her feel more respected and like the praise is real and not fake or inflated. And that it's something she can be proud of.

When I was in elementary school, I loved my teachers and the homework (for the most part) and the projects and just going to school period. I loved that I got more attention at school for doing good work, I got to accomplish things that were done in a day or two so I felt productive, and I got to see friends. I got to feel in control of my life a little, away from parents and siblings. But this was not Jason's experience, nor has it been Bekah's this year. Jason is pretty good at looking at things and seeing right through what they mean, whether it's ideas or people. In public school, he says he seemed to be pretty aware of the why's and what was going on and could distinguish between what was busy work and what was really relevant to him to learn. (Hope I am remembering this conversation somewhat correctly! Or that it's at least in the same spirit of things.) So if someone like this couldn't see the point of why they needed to learn a concept or do the homework, they stopped caring about doing it. And if they were required to do it, they may have felt no satisfaction in doing it because it didn't feel productive. So it was done as fast as possible or late or maybe not at all. And if too much of this happened day after day, they might decide all school is not productive and you go just because you have to and you don't really care about learning something while you're there. Some teachers might see this as underachieving, and it certainly is easy to label it as this. But with just a little individualized time together at the right time a teacher could make life applications in math or science or language arts and possibly open a child's mind to why they should care about it. And suddenly you have a student whose excited about learning and will learn it as fast as they can! You no longer have an average or below average student who might be causing "disruptions" in the classroom because they are bored or don't see the point or never feel self-satisfied with the work they're completing. Yet the answer doesn't lie in moving them up a grade to "challenge" them more, with more of the same busy work (according to the child's viewpoint). The answer could possibly lie in just needing a little more individualized attention and time in an area they are interested in.

So this goes back to praise and feeling good about the work you do. For some, it's enough to do it just because you're supposed to and you feel like you got something done, and you may almost blindly go along with it because you trust that teachers or your elders know what they're doing and the payback will eventually reward you. For others, you don't feel good about yourself because what you're doing doesn't enrich you or others and you question what it's all about. These thoughts never occurred to me before talking about this with Jason. And these thoughts have opened my mind to a whole new reality and possibility of what Bekah's future education may need to be in the next few years.

In primary at church, Bekah is so engaged and fully participates and feels fulfilled. She comes home excited about what she's learned and there are constant compliments from others who witness her exuberance! I want her to love learning at least some subjects at school just as much as she loves learning about God and her place in His plan.

Monday, May 3, 2010
Jason has been so sick off and on. Keeps getting a bad cough and cold, yet is supposed to be finishing final papers and administering finals for his students, both here at MCC and downtown at UIC. It's so hard to stop pushing yourself when you can see you only two or three more days before resting would be convenient. (Two days later I took him to the doctor and he had bronchitis and a back sprain.)
We asked our hometeacher to come mow our lawn today since Jason needs to rest. I was proud of myself that I got the tulip bulbs uprooted in tact (for the most part) so he could mow that section of grass, and I got 6 leaf piles bagged or out of the way. I worked along side the kids for some of it so we got to talk. Bekah was telling me things she talks about with the kids at recess. She told me a joke she learned.
Q: How do you make Lady Gaga cry?
A: Poke-her face.
I laughed so hard!! It was a totally funny joke! Over dinner, Bekah told the joke to Jason, and I can't remember the last time I've seen him laugh so hard! It made Bekah feel so good.
Yet at the same time I was wondering inside, what else are you learning on the playground? Do I want my first grader thinking Lady Gaga is cool to listen to right now?

Friday, May 7, 2010
Cleaned bathroom, showered, made ice cream cake, decorated living room and hall with sings, streamers, and balloons, decluttered and dusted
all by noon
when Bekah and her friend Kyla came home from the half-day at school for Bekah's birthday party.
They played. We ate cookie cutter sandwiches for lunch. Then we went to Monkey Joes while listening to monkey music in the car, getting monkey stickers, and wearing monkey socks. When they started getting bored of Monkey Joes (a bounce house place), we started playing hide 'n go seek and pretend movies. Then we got Pizza Hut, did presents, cake and played.

A few months ago, Bekah came home from school saying "Kyla's my BFF!" Jason and I had to ask "What did you just say?" We can't believe the texting/IM language is already filtering down to first graders!

Thinking more about homeschooling and my experience with BFA for high school. My mom pointed out to me (and I never even realized this!) that the same year Russ and I started BFA (meaning we only had 3 half-days of school a week so we'd be home more and our mom would have to oversee our studies a lot more) was the year my mom would have finally had all four kids in all-day school. That was a sacrifice for her.

Saturday, May 8, 2010
Stake Women's Conference--
"I know that God won't give me anything I can't handle. I just wish He wouldn't trust me so much." --Mother Theresa

"Women are angels, and when someone breaks our wings we simply continue to fly. Sometimes on a broomstick. We are flexible that way!"--email circulating

"If your kids are fighting, they're bored."--Lois Jean Spencer's mom

"We hear a lot of 'ought to's. Pick one or two up and try them."--Bishop Burton

Unlikely Truths of Motherhood by Katie Van Dyke. Creator of Mother's Day fought to establish it, then afterwards, was saddened because felt it contributed to women feeling entitled. "Expectations are a reservation for resentment."
Don't sign up at the resentment hotel.
One year her husband forgot her birthday and it was just her and the kids, husband out of town, so she decided to throw her own birthday party and made invitations for each kid. Talked it up, made cupcakes together, and had the best birthday ever.

I always heard growing up that you need to surround yourself with good friends and good things so you can be strong enough to make good choices. To prepare for that end goal of marriage and family. And I thought about how to do this in my own for my own children growing up now. But until today I never thought about how I still need to surround myself with good things in that same way. Things that remind me that motherhood is important and noble and a privilege. In the home. In the car. On my ipod. Things that build up motherhood and womanhood. Then I'll have more strength and power to have patience and be the best wife and mother I can be. And then it will be so much more evident to my children that this is important. So maybe I'll make up some "mormon ads" for motherhood. We'll see.

*********
It's 12:11am. I'm so tired. I am feeling like nothing I do ever gets finished or even better. No matter how much I organize or declutter or put away, more stuff or the same stuff goes back in those same places. It makes me feel like it's out of my control and there's nothing I can do about it! It makes me want to scream sometimes!
I almost cried when Bekah asked if I could lay down with her for a minute or two with the lights out at bedtime. I probably should have...but I'm so tired. I'd fall asleep and then I wouldn't have got the sweeping, mopping, wiping counters, washing dishes done just so I can have some sense of peace and order for Sunday (and Mother's Day). I hope she saw that her mom loves her but sometimes she can't do everything and needs help. and needs her to do things herself. It's a hard thing to learn. But it helps us mature and grow up.
So here is what I did get done today so I can see it and feel better:
-went to stake women's conference (gone from 8am to 3pm)
-sang "In Perfect Faith" at Mark's baptism, and got lots of really nice compliments about it
-gave JJ a bath
-vacuumed almost the whole house
-watched Bekah open the rest of her presents that Jason had wrapped while we were at the baptism
-dropped off dry cleaning" of Jason whose not feeling better yet but still took care of kids all day so I could go
-took out trash and recyclables
-put away my pile of clothes that were by the bed
-loaded dishwasher
-wiped stove and counter and table down
-swept and mopped tile floor
That's more than I usually get done in two days, and I only had about half a day.
I guess sometimes I get down thought because most of that stuff has to get done again. Not that I don't want to do it again but that having to do it again means yet again no time to go through the other projects or piles of stuff that needs homes so our home can feel free and a place where we want to be. WE NEED LESS STUFF! But I don't know what to get rid of (nor do I have time to sort through it!). It's so frustrating.
I need to get some sleep. I always feel better in the morning.

Sunday, May 9, 2010
Jason gave me U2 tickets!!! Or at least a print out saying he would buy them if I wanted to go. Now I feel guilty, though, because they're expensive.
Jason made risotto for dinner. So good!

Monday, May 10, 2010
Bekah's birthday!
My birthday!
Not sure why but this year especially feeling like it's getting old having to share birthdays. But it is what it is.

Jason made us a wonderful breakfast! Bekah went to school, I had lunch with my friend (whose birthday it was also!), then I had lunch with Bekah at school, took cupcakes to Bekah's class, and cake and presents. Jason made me a 10-12 inch high ice cream cake! He made a layer for each type of candy I like. Wow!
Then Bekah and I took our "Dinner Impossible" trip Jason gave Bekah on Saturday to ride the train to Arlington Heights and eat at California Pizza Kitchen.

Thurs, May 13, 2010
So much rain our basement and small part of our roof flooded today!
McMullins end up having to move to San Fran for the summer and want to give us their U2 tickets as payback for watching over their house! Wow! I've been wanting to go to U2 since I was 16 and now I can not feel guilty about going! It's July 6th. I can't wait!
Bekah's open house was tonight. She loved showing us her art projects on display, her classroom and her book she published at the publishing center. It was dedicated to cousin Kaylee.

Friday, May 14, 2010
Bekah's well child doctor visit today:
51 lbs, 4 ft 1.5 inches.
On the way home (it was just the two of us) we talked about the possibility of homeschooling next year. Bekah was so excited about it! She kept coming up with ideas about how to learn things and how to make it fun. It was wonderful to see her enthusiasm and made me lose all doubt that we could do this.
Later that night we got nice chocolates, and as we ate one, Bekah said:
"Oh...mmm...how much do these cost?" (with mouth full of chocolates)
Mom: "About $3."
Bekah: "Remind me next time I have $3 to buy some of these!"

Saturday, May 15, 2010
So for my birthday Jason said I could buy a new vacuum (I could hardly vacuum with the one we had...it wasn't worth it much since the dust it kicked back just made the room more dirty!). With cleaning houses, I have fallen in love with the Dyson vacuums, but they are spendy. We thought long and hard and today I found one at Costco with a big rebate! So Jason said get it! I love it! I actually look for excuses to vacuum! It feels good to clean with it because I know it's cleaning so much better.
Bekah thinks I'm weird that I wanted a vacuum for my birthday. "Mom, that's not fun." Well, I guess that's what happens when you get old and become a mom. Or is it become a mom and get old. :)

Jason and I went out for dinner with our good friends tonight. We have NEVER gotten a babysitter where we just left and let go of the worry and just come home when we feel like it. But this babysitter was college age, totally trustworthy, and didn't have to be home by a certain time. So nice to really enjoy ourselves. It was a good long double date and we were with really fun people. We can't wait to do it again sometime.

Thursday, May 20, 2010
Bekah and I toured and observed HEART today, a homeschool program in Barrington that our friends go to. HEART stands for Homeschool Enrichment Achieved Respectfully Together. Every Thursday during the school year from 8:30-3:30. Very wonderful feeling there. Very Christian based. We'll see if it works out if we do decide to homeschool.

Bekah's eye doctor visit today. Left eye a little farsighted and has slight astigmatism, but not enough to need glasses yet. The doctor praised Bekah for telling the truth and not lying to try to get glasses like some kids her age do. We are proud of her for doing so, even though she does really want glasses.

Friday, May 21, 2010
We think JJ is starting to get scared of the dark. He stopped sleeping through the night like he has been. Keeps crying real cries and saying "dahk dahk" when we come in. We need to find a night light for him to see if that helps.

Saturday, May 22, 2010
Went to the Kohl's Children's Museum today. JJ's favorite area was the cars, car wash and tools section. Bekah's favorite was the grocery store and water area. Good memories.

Sunday, May 23, 2010
Thought more about homeschool today. Maybe it will only be for one year. I can't turn back the clock if I choose not to--I might regret not trying it. But if it doesn't work, she won't be behind. She's so smart, she catches on quickly. I only see regrets if I don't try it.

Monday, May 24, 2010
Been cleaning houses about 3 days a week this month. Today I cleaned two houses. Jason made lettuce wraps for dinner! Yum!
When you work all day and come home and see everything fine without you, you begin to think you didn't miss out on anything and that you still know how everything is. It's a slow process if you work full-time as a mom--to where you think this is working out to be gone all day. "I can still be a good mom" but you don't see what you're missing and you get out of the loop without even realizing it. You don't notice their new habits or how much TV they've had or snacks they've had, or new words they've said or things they've learned. You don't have that ability to oversee the whole picture to make better decisions for tomorrow or right now. You don't see how important it is to be there when the kids are there unless you do it and see it. I have to remember this. It makes me realize more what it's like for husbands who are gone all day and need to be brought back into the loop so they don't feel left out of things.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Saddest news today. U2 concert was postponed until next year! Bono had to have back surgery. Was really looking forward to going.

Played at the park as a family after dinner. Bekah decided to go across the high monkey bars all by herself. She really worked to complete her goal! She didn't give up! She didn't make it all the way across but her progress was amazing in such a short time. And she felt really good about herself. Really good. Instead of saying "Good job. That's so awesome!" I realized I should point out how good she feels so she can start working on finding more satisfaction within herself. "Doesn't that make you feel so good to do that? Look how far you made it! That feels so good." I should realize more times when I can do this for her.

These are my favorites times together as a family. Playing at the park, doing things together and enjoying each other's company. Time seems to stand still. Feels like magic.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010
JJ is walking around saying "I did it!" "I made it!". It's so cute! What's amazing is he isn't getting the you/I mixed up since we say "You did it!" back to him! I think he's learned it from Eric Carle's book From Head to Toe and from us cheering him to eat his dinner.
What's funny today is he did things he wasn't supposed to do and then cheered for himself and said "I did it!"
At least he's starting off with good self-esteem and confidence.

Monday, May 31, 2010
Jason left for his conference in Minneapolis on Friday, and James got pink eye Saturday. Great timing. We had to stay home from church and hibernate in the house for a few days. We had borrowed our friend's car since Jason took the van to the conference. We so couldn't go back to a car. I know I hit my head a few times trying to get them into the car seats.
Today it thunderstormed just before the parade was to begin. Bekah was so let down.
When Jason got back, Bekah and I went to Chuck E Cheese for some fun. Nice to be just the two of us.

Weight, weight...don't tell me...

Sorry if you get tired of my titles--I enjoy thinking them up even if they're cheesy. (...if you even know what this title refers to...those of you who like NPR like us)
Mr. James had his 18-month check up today. His first time with the new ped and I really like the docs I've met so far. Pediatricians are so worth the extra drive and effort (as opposed to family practice). They are so much more thorough. We get to go to the local outpatient center to test for anemia again since his iron level was low a few months ago. That will probably happen this week. The doctor said to back off milk (sorry James...time to start saying good-bye to your bottles) and that sometimes too much milk can cause anemia. His weight is 3% now!! Yay! Officially on the chart now. Here are the stats:
Head circum:  47 cm
Weight:  21 lbs 0 oz
Height: 32 3/4 inches

He cried more while getting his weight checked (since he was almost naked and had to let go of mommy) than he did for his shots!

James first two syllable word was "apple" about 2-3 weeks ago. Almost all fruits are apples to him. He also started saying "da-ses" for "downstairs"; he loves to go down to daddy's office and also to help with laundry. Good thing we have a good gate now. One of his favorite things to do with Bekah is run up and fall on top of her and hug her...and then grab her hair and pull hard...he thinks it's so funny no matter how much we try to discipline him. It's been hard for Bekah cause it's hard for her to leave him alone. She wants to play with him, but we just have to remind her she will probably get hurt. Such a small little boy, and already he beats up on his sister. When he's tired he gets on all fours and buries his head on the carpet and pushes around on his head without looking up! It's the funniest thing! He also head-bangs anything he can, including people, right before he goes to bed. He doesn't say many words, but he has started getting interested in the alphabet and will repeat the letter sounds if you say them to him (thanks to leap frog talking letters movie and help from daddy). He also is interested in the potty now! He helps us flush and loves to play with toilet paper (what kid doesn't) so we got out our little potty seat and he loves to sit on it and pretend to go. Then he'll take the cup out and pretend to dump it in the sink (we're still working on that one) and then carry it around the house (working on un-training that too). It's so fun to see the progress he's making.

More Teeth for James

Last week James was having several particular whiny days. He wasn't eating well or sleeping well. Lo and behold, I was able to look in his mouth and see about FIVE teeth all coming in at the same time! Two of which were molars and two were incisors, which I hear are the most painful at this age...I know it hurts him, but it does seem like it's easier for everyone for as many teeth as possible to come at once so we can be done for a while! Maybe that's mean of me to wish for, since I don't remember what it's like to teeth. We've found that giving him ib profen to sleep through the night actually backfires...he sleeps so deeply that after 4 hours he's up the rest of the night rearing to go! So it actually helps not to use it to sleep. But this week things are much better. And I can't believe how much a difference we already notice on the amount of time it takes to eat...he's much faster at chewing now and is able to eat bigger bites. Yeah!

James says mama, dad, ball, de-dah for Bekah, almost says pretty and please. Most everything is dah. His vocabulary isn't strong, but he understands so much. It's kind of surprising to us because he's so small we forget that he understands us even if he doesn't talk about it. It's great to be at a stage where he can point to what he needs. He also climbs a lot and finds himself upside down in boxes and bathtubs. And he knew exactly what to do when I raked leaves into a pile with no prodding from anyone!

He usually has at least one visible bruise or scar at a time, which I think is pretty good considering how much he falls daily. He loves to have his teeth brushed, his hair brushed and even play with my hair! Dream come true! He loves noticing details, like jewelry and little crumbs and trash. Almost everything goes in the trash so we have to check that often for things like new toys, the cable remote, and our phones! He also loves to dress up. We always get cheap dress-ups at the after Halloween sales and this skeleton suit is James favorite.

We are almost finished with his last can of formula and then he'll be on whole milk all the time. He doesn't do well with the iron vitamin drops so we've ended up just trying to feed him more iron rich foods and we'll see what his count is at his next doctor appointment. The good news is I was finally able to get James into a pediatric clinic instead of family practice! I am so thrilled about that! If there are no more sicknesses, he'll see the new doctors in January for his 18-month well check. Can you believe that! Time is going so fast.

Age, Weight, and Time Continuum

James had his 15 month check-up yesterday, including two shots (which he only cried for 10 seconds!), a height and weight check, ear check, etc. All that fun stuff. And I happy to announce that...
JAMES IS ON THE CHARTS AGAIN! This is the first time since he was 2 months old that he's been above zero on the charts for weight-for-age! Granted it's only 5% but that is almost exactly where Bekah was at that age so we're doing just fine. Height-for-age is currently 50%. I guess that formula is really helping...or maybe he's just not burning so many calories, but that's hard to believe since he's starting to halfway run everywhere. He will be keeping me busy these next few years--if not longer. Anyhow, were to keep him on the formula for another few months to maintain things but we can start substituting for whole milk gradually. Yeah! $2 a gallon instead of $22--and I'm not exaggerating that. Formula is that expensive.

Details...
Height 2'7" (I guess he's tall enough now that they start listing it like that instead of in inches only.)
Weight 20 lbs 12 oz

Near the end of the visit, the doctor asked, "So have you started potty training yet?" Can you believe it! I said, "No...my daughter wasn't even trained until almost 4." Doc: "That's way too long. He should be trained during the day by age 2." (As if it was my fault for not making that happen sooner...goodness knows I tried!) I was quite shocked! Not that I was supposed to be thinking about it, but that it hadn't even entered my mind yet! It truly was a wake-up call that he's growing up, and I honestly had a hard time not saying out loud "He's my baby and I want to enjoy him just like this as long as I can. Don't tell me he's old enough for that."

With child #2 I've found it much easier to enjoy each stage as it comes and not seek for the next. But looking back I remember Bekah showed interest at 18 months. (It just didn't last. She decided once she had done it a couple times it wasn't fun anymore and nothing we could say or do would make her change her mind until preschool was coming and she decided she really wanted to go.) James is only 3 months away from that! And yet he seems so much younger than Bekah did at that age!

I'm realizing that maybe that's what makes a lot of the differences in placement in families (oldest, middle, youngest). Child #1 only gets compared to what we remember about being kids, or kids we babysat (which we said many times 'my kids won't act like that'), or even the adults we associate with. I found myself being so excited to see how grown up she was becoming and being excited about the new stages that soon expectations developed that made it seem like she should act more grown up because "look at all the new things she can do." Child #2 comes along and now you have a lot more recent benchmark...which there are both pros and cons that fallout from this, for both oldest and not oldest. Suddenly Child #2 can't be expected to do many things because it's obvious that "he's not as old as you" and "Child #1 you should know better." Then you find yourself at the doctor one day saying "no way, you're too demanding of my child" referring to Child #2 and then you think back and say, "wow, I was sure demanding of Child #1. Will she ever forgive me?"

Being the oldest myself, though, I feel comforted knowing yes, I saw it happened to me, but I think I still turned out okay. :) And there are other great benefits to being the oldest that make up for the hard parts. I'm hoping in the future I can remember this though so I can not be too hard on any of my kids. Yet at the same time remember to positively encourage new stages of development. So I guess that means potty-training here I come! Well...maybe.

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.

My brave little man

Yesterday, James had a routine test for lead and iron levels. You didn't even cry at all, and even smiled at the tech while she was squeezing the blood out of your big toe to fill the tube! I'm glad you were smiling, as Bekah was really worried about watching you getting poked and needed comforting. :) Your iron level was a little low, so you still need your daily vitamin and more iron-rich foods. Results on the lead test take a week or two.

You weighed 19 lbs 2 ounces (with clothes on) and were 29 inches...I don't think you actually shrunk, this clinic just measures differently than the doctor's office. But unfortunately I still can't turn you around in the car seat, much to your dismay. You want so much to be like Bekah and sit forward. Maybe one more month. Keep eating good.

The inevitability of shots

James had his one-year-old shots today. We had a bit of a wait in the exam room and I had luckily remembered to stash a new toy in the diaper bag. He's just started getting into cars and trucks and things with wheels and James was fascinated by the design on the wheels and how it moved. He was so interested in the sound it made on the crinkly paper on the exam table. We were having great fun...until we made him lay down for shots. I think he had forgotten they were coming. But soon that was all forgotten when he got his bottle. Here are the stats for today.

Length: 29.5 inches

Weight: 18 lb

s 4 oz (with onesie and diaper on)

Head: 45 cm

The doctor wants to keep him on high calorie formula for now since he's still below zero percent on the charts, but he is following a curve now so I guess she's not as worried. So no facing forward yet in the car, James, but you can start having a little whole milk! I guess I'll have to remember the new toy trick when you go back for 15-month shots.

Someday you'll understand. :)

Doctor visits

Bekah had her 6-year old check-up on Tuesday the 19th and was thrilled to hear she didn't need shots and won't until she's about 14! She came in at 3 feet 11 inches (80 something percent) and 46 pounds (I think 30 something percent). She's getting so big! She had so much to say to the nurse and doctor about her life. She is so delightful.

We weighed James while we were there and with a onesie on he was 16 pounds 12 ounces. A little bit better since last weight check he wore all his clothes. Big news for James is he is drinking some formula out of a sippy cup, especially if it's cold! That will help a lot. Also, early this week he started pulling up on furniture and yesterday started pulling up to a standing position! Cruising isn't far behind. He loves to play with things and figure out how they work, but gets bored easily so we have to keep thinking of new ways to use old toys. Go James!

Another doctor visit for James

I took James to the doctor on Friday because I wasn't sure his ear infection was getting better. He kept going in and out of a low-grade fever and wasn't acting himself again even though he'd been on antibiotics for over a week. The doctor said his ears looked a little better so to keep an eye on him. But he got weighed again...this time (with clothes on) 16 pounds 14 ounces! Way to go James!

Here's wishing babies could talk...

Today I took James to the doctor for his well-baby visit and found out he had an ear infection. He's been more fussy than normal and seeming to have a hard time swallowing but he hasn't been running a fever and he's teething like crazy (even his gums are bleeding) so I thought it was all because of his teeth. (He's got 6 now!) I remember one time especially with Bekah being frustrated with her being fussy and just thinking it was her not wanting to go to sleep as a 1-year old only to find out she had ear infections in both ears! I felt like such a terrible parent then. This time I know better than to think that--it's inevitable when a little person can't tell you (no matter how much they want to) that they hurt and where they hurt. But it still doesn't make the mom feel better that her child hurts.

So this is James' first experience with "the pink stuff". Bekah kept begging to have some today...so after a little talk about why we don't share medications, we got to talk a little about all the times she's had to have ear infection medicine and that sometime in the future she'll probably get to take it again. So James is on that and the doctor specifically asked that we keep him on Tylenol for two days to see if we can get him to eat better...that maybe that's why he's not gaining weight. Today he was only 15 pounds 11 ounces. The doctor is starting to get worried and is having us meet with a nutritionist to talk about options such as high-calorie formula. If he doesn't improve in a month, she wants him to see a pediatric specialist at the children's hospital. 

I keep going back and forth these last few months to being worried about him and not being worried about him. He is such a happy baby (usually) and content to smile and play and explore but in his quiet way. He loves solid foods and we are feeding him almost constantly. If it's not time to nurse or take a nap, it feels like he's always in his high chair eating solids! Poor kid! I feel better, though, when I talk to other moms who went through something similar and realize that sometimes you have to listen to your inner-mom-voice that tells you he's okay and tune out what others are saying. I can only do the best I can and take one day at a time. This is even more true when I realize that stressing out about it only makes the milk I produce worse. I just have to let go and put more trust in Heavenly Father that He'll make everything okay.

New stats for James

James saw the WIC clinic yesterday and he came in at 16 lbs 2 oz (with his clothes on) and 26 1/2 inches. His height is consistently in the 5-10% range. He's still just under 0% for his weight at his age, but no one seemed too worried about it since it's following a curve now instead of leveling off like it was from 4-6 months. And since he's meeting his milestones. I can't believe next week he'll be 9 months!!