So he's really like 1 year and 1 week, but since Ryan switched jobs, we didn't have our reg insurance kick in until Aug 1 so I had to schedule it this way. So this morning, I set an alarm - which I NEVER do - and got ready to go and off we went to the doc at 730am. Doc looked Ethan over and asked me the 100 developmental questions that they always ask and we found out that.... drum roll....
He's PERFECT! haha!! Seriously, he's 22 pounds, 1 oz (37th percentile) and 30 inches long (54th percentile) and his head was 46.5cm (58th percentile). He looked in his ears and said that his ears look great, both tubes are present and clear. He did say that Ethan has a big tooth coming through and his little gums were full, red and swollen. So that explains why he's been a major challenge for me this week. His cranky level went to an all time high and between that and Jackson being a stinker - challenging everything I say, twice.... it's been a rough week. But thankfully that's all that's wrong w/ Ethan and that's totally going to be ok! So for reference, I'll be more specific on where my baby boy is right now.... About 3 weeks ago, we moved him to a sippy cup all day and since he still doesn't hold his cup back and drink, I just give him the straw sippy cup just like I did w/ Jackson and Ethan does great. He's been on whole milk all day and I was giving him a bottle at night w/ Similac "Go and Grow" and we just finished that, so we're done! I don't know how tonight will go w/o the bottle but he wasn't really taking that much anyway - he gets full on the milk.... So I don't think it will be too bad of a switch tonight. He usually wakes up around 700am or a little earlier... he really wants a nap around 830am - 900am and if we're home, I always let him do that. He usually always wakes up happy and plays and throws his pacis onto the floor waiting on me to come get him. He rarely cries when he wakes up. He takes his 2nd nap around 100p when Jackson does - which is really nice. Both naps are usually about 2 hours long - give or take 15 min or so.... He takes his baths at night - only when we've played outside that day or did something where I think he may have germs on him (ha!) - and he loves his bath! He takes it with Jackson and they play so good in the bath together. Usually, Ryan gives them both baths and then we tag team putting the kids to bed. I usually put E to bed and Ry puts J to bed. Ethan is generally in bed, asleep no later than 730p - but lately, since he's been so fussy - I've been laying him down at 700p and he still wakes up at the same time. He has 8 teeth right now - 4 on top and 4 on bottom and it's been that way for awhile. He has been eating SO much better. He rarely gags now. He still can't eat blueberries or grapes or anything that has a "skin" on it - because he will gag on that. We have actually "retired" our speech therapist that was coming to the house because there wasn't much she could do anymore. Ethan still tongue thrusts when he eats. That's my only and biggest concern about him right now but the couple therapists I talk to say he will outgrow it eventually, the more he eats. So far, that's no proven to be accurate, but I'll just keep praying about it. I think we're about to start trying popscicles and suckers to help with getting that tongue back! Anyway - he doesn't care too much what he eats - he seems to like most things I give him. He prefers fruit and loves NutriGrain cereal bars. He also loves Gerber diced apples and the turkey/chicken sticks in the jar. He devours those. His favorite foods right now are cheese and peas. So cute. He says DaDa and that's about it right now. I've heard him try to say Mama but he doesn't make it out well enough to where I can say he's saying it yet. I know he's referring to me, but he isn't pronouncing it completely yet. He loves music and wants to dance and clap when he hears any music. He follows J around and tries to do everything he does. I mean EVERYTHING! They play this copy game where E makes a sound and then J does it too - they do this over and over again... esp in the car. :) Recently, he has realized why J thinks Daddy is so cool and has begun to reach for Ryan rather than me. Makes me sick at my stomach, but I'm trying to keep the faith that he'll stay my boy and not become wrapped up in the Ryan-web-of-fun-love. haha! He still uses a paci to sleep but we said at his first birthday we were taking it away during the day and it's only for the car and sleep. I think in a few months, I'll try taking it away in the car and then by 18 mos or so, we're going to try removing it altogether. That's my goal - although I am a HUGE fan of the paci and I know there is a ton of controversy both ways about using it but I stand that as long as your kid isn't using it all the time and taking it to kindergarten with them, I think it's probably fine. The reason we're going to try to get rid of it by 18 mos is because with J, we waited til he was nearly 3 years old to get rid of it and it was disastrous. It was the hardest thing we've gone thru w/ him to date and I do not want a repeat! I've really started encouraging E w/ his blanket and he loves that so I think it may be a little easier since he does have something else he loves on other than the paci. Poor Jackson - didn't have anything in the whole world he wanted other than that paci. Thank God that's over! Anyway, Ethan hasn't watched any TV really... which is good I think. We turned off the TV after we got back from Jamaica in June and that's been a blessing to say the least. J doesn't need it and now we don't have to try to break Ethan from it. Ethan is still on Zyrtec and Xantac (reflux) but the doc gave me the green light to cut out the Xantac. I tried that about 3 or 4 mos ago - but it was a bad idea, so to make me feel better, we're going to cut his dosage from 3.2 mls/day to 2.5 mls/day and try that for a few weeks to see how he does. If that doesn't seem to bother him, I may lower the dosage to 1.5mls/day, etc.... I just don't want to cut it altogether at once and he start having that burn again and not want to eat. He is wearing 12-18 mo tops and either 12mo or 12-18/mo bottoms. He has a fat foot - so he's mostly in 4's I think... but some 3's too. He's a pretty good traveler... doesn't get too upset. In fact, he's a pretty awesome baby in general. Up until this week, he wouldn't cry unless he was hungry or tired. He has this adorable laugh and loves to play games like peekaboo and chase and the "hands up" game where he raises his hands up and we all join in... he thinks that's pretty funny. I cannot get over how much my boys love each other. I mean, it's soooooo beautiful to watch. And although J doesn't really know how to be gentle and play nice yet, he does know how much he adores his brother....
well, we all do. Love you so much E-fers and Tee-fers. Happy 1 Year!! :)
