19 Month Check-Up 7.25.13

Dear Conor,

Because you were born so close to Christmas your check-ups are always a little later than typical.  So, we had your 18 month check-up when you were really 19 months old.  Because Auntie was here visiting she got to go with us to your appointment (this was your FIRST time having someone else there besides Mommy and Daddy - in fact, Daddy stayed at work this time).

We arrived with just a few extra minutes (its a lot different driving from grandpa's house than our old house just up the street).  The nurse first had to take your measurements.

You have not grown that much little man!  You are still growing but only by the tiniest bit each time.  Nolan is as big as you now!  But, good things come in little packages and you are a VERY good thing!

As a reminder - here are your prior stats:

While waiting for the doctor to come in your played with the paper on the table.  You enjoyed playing peek-a-boo with Auntie and ripping the paper to shreds!

You did have to get one shot this time around (Auntie did not like watching that) and because she was such a good girl and you were a good boy (no nursing and you only cried for a minute) I took you guys our for ice cream.  This was your first ice cream cone.

You got so messy the owner asked if we wanted extra napkins or a bowl.  Nope - I just let you go to town and you rode back to grandpa's house in your diaper and sweatshirt and your clothes went right into the wash :)

Our next appointment will be in January for your 24/25 month check-up - that's a long way away so I can't wait to see how much you change!  Just think - at your next appointment you will have been a big brother for at least 2 months!

xoxo
Mommy

Apple Update

Wow!

Apple you are growing and growing and I have to admit that I haven't been as diligent at writing up your progress as I was with your big brother (curse of being the second child I guess - but you are not loved any less)!! 

Currently we are at 26 weeks and we had a check-in with the midwives this week after a long 6 week break from them.  Why the break you ask?  Because we were very busy the month of July.  You and I had a few trials and then we had to attend a Bachelorette Party, Nolan's first birthday and finally, Auntie Cathlin's Wedding!

Your first and (likely only) Bachelorette Party 6.15.13 - 20 weeks 

Aunties!

You weren't a big focus at Auntie's single night celebration but by the time her wedding came around a month later you wanted the world to know you were here!  You are a BIG time mover and shaker and together we shook up the dance floor and had a wonderful time celebrating the newly married couple!

Wedding Day Bump - 24/25 weeks

Auntie's going to the chapel and she's gonna get married!

Mommy, Auntie, and Sweet Apple

Auntie and the new Uncle!

our first picture with Apple!

You are growing quite well.  All tests are coming back with great results and while I am on the lower end of the weight spectrum right now I am certain that you will catch up to your brother in those last few weeks.  Your heartbeat is quite strong and your Auntie Sarah got to hear it this week as she is up visiting and went to your appointment with me.

Your brother is in love with you and often wants to touch you and talk to you through my belly button.  He likes to blow raspberries on my stomach and I can only imagine what you are thinking when you hear that noise.  He talks about you a lot and thinks there is a baby in everyone's tummy which is really cute. 

Giving you kisses - 23 weeks

Loving you - 25 weeks

Right now we have moved out of our home in E.W. and are staying at grandpa's house while we wait to see if we can move into our new home in K.  I hope that we are able to move soon so that we can slowly get things ready for your arrival - we have one more appointment in August and then after that we move to every 2 weeks because your arrival will be in less than 100 days now!!  YIKES!!!!!

Besides moving around a lot (which Conor didn't do) you are so different from him in almost every way.  You constantly put pressure on my skin with your body and your moving (sometimes I swear your foot or knee is going to pop right out) but I have far less heartburn than I did with your brother.  You are sitting much lower than he ever did and I find it harder to get up from sitting down because of how you like to settle right into my pelvic area when I have been sitting too long.  You are active the most in the evening hours (which worries me that you are going to be as difficult a sleeper as Conor) and so I have had trouble sleeping at night because all your moving around causes heartburn at about 2am every morning.

Keep growing strong in there little man because we can't wait to meet you (and pick a name for you)!

xoxo
Mommy

PS.  Conor wants to name you Elmo or Ernie or Grover - how do you feel about those names?

Ten Months

Dear Conor,

Somehow along the way I forgot to post about you being 10 months!!!  You turned 10 months on October 14th and looking back you have changed SO much since you turned 9 months.

Just before turning 10 months you had your 9 months check-up on October 11, 2012.  When you were weighed you tipped the scale at 20.11 lbs (40%); you were 27.5 inches tall (17%) and your head was 47 cm (83%).  The percentages are quite deceiving because everyone you meet comments on what a big boy you are - I think they must be looking at your cute round head because you are a short and rather lean little thing from the neck down (though you do have broad shoulders which I believe runs in both families).

In the last 30-31 days you have gotten teeth (two beautiful bottom teeth that pushed through on 9/20/12), you have begun music classes (which you love) and we are once again participating in swimming lessons.  You had started walking a lot more (while pushing an item) and you are speaking!  You have a few words that you say often: Hunter, Quack, Duck, Hi, Mom, Dad, Yes.  You like to do pretend sneezes and coughs and you have started to understand and follow direction (for example when we ask you to stop doing something you do).  You are wearing a mix of 9 month and 12 months clothes depending on the brand and what article of clothes it is.  You have beautiful gray eyes and your hair is brown but has strong red undertones to it - so much that many people comment on your 'auburn' hair.

Photographing you for your monthly pictures continues to be a struggle as you do not like to sit still very long and you always want to reach for the sticker!  Because I want this blog to be a true reflection of what life is like - here are some outtakes from your photo session!

Stop - no more!

nope - the distraction didn't work - you still went after the sticker

Daddy trying to keep your attention from the sticker while he placed it

you got it - and then rolled off the pillow (Daddy was right there - I cropped him from the frame)

I don't even know what to say about this one C-man!

You certainly changed quite a bit between these two months and I can't wait to see the changes that happen in the next 30 days.....its been an amazing 10 months little man!

xoxo
Mommy

PS.  Look how much you've grown!

Happy 8 Months!

Dear Conor,

As I sit here and write this post you are days away from being 9 months old.  I have fallen behind a little on the blog because we have simply been having too much fun this summer (and Mommy has had to work a lot) to keep up but I'm going to get caught up and then stay caught up because I want to remember each and every thing you do!

The morning of your 8 month birthday you had an appointment with Miss Erika.  You love visiting her and I think this picture says what you think of chiropractors and their work!

love the smile - you are so relaxed

checking your spine and hips

making cranial adjustments

 Miss Erika is very happy with how your head is progressing and your next visit was scheduled a month out (remember - we started going weekly, then moved to biweekly).  I can see improvement in your skull and so now we have to work on your neck, jaw, and leg.  Your neck and jaw are tight because the muscle in one side of your face was likely over worked due to your tongue tie and therefore your smile and jaw alighnment are crooked a bit.  So we will continue to see Miss Erika for a little bit longer.  Her daughter N (your friend) was awake this time so she got to watch you get worked on and then you guys got to play a bit.

When we got back from seeing Ms. Erika it was nap time and when I went up to get you when you were done napping you were STANDING IN YOUR CRIB!!!  This was the first time you had done this and when I saw it I was so thankful that Daddy and I had lowered your crib all the way to the bottom just a few weeks earlier!

first time standing in crib 8.14.12

Of course, I also had to take your monthly birthday photos - they are getting harder and harder to do because you don't like to sit still so Daddy and I have to do it together.

My happy baby

on the go!

Trying to catch a picture before you take off again

There's a keeper!

And it didn't last long!

At 8 months old you are crawling fairly well - you tend to use your left leg to propel you and your right leg is the 'catch up' leg meaning it kinda just skoots into place after your legs has done all the work.  Your left leg does more a crab type crawl then a traditional crawl on your knee but this doesn't phase you and you move right along.  You tend to go a couple of paces and then you have to stop.

You are wearing 9 month clothes in almost everything and we don't own a single pair of socks that fit you but since its summer that doesn't matter at all!

You are loving swimming lessons and experiencing the outside.  You have spent time in both the sand and grass and you don't seem phased by moving around in either material.

You take at least one decent nap a day (about an hour) but you still don't require a lot of sleep.  You go to bed between 7 and 9 and get up once around 3:30am and are back to sleep until 6:30am.  You typically fall asleep pretty quickly after a snack at 3:30 but some mornings you have wanted to play and Mommy has to let you crawl around on te big bed until you are sleepy enough to go back to sleep in your crib.  We still co-sleep a few nights a week when we feel like it but for the most part you are sleeping in your crib in your own room.

You have started to become nervous around other people - you tend to only want to be with me when I am around.  We know this is just a phase that all babies go through so I am cherishing your longing for me as much as I can because I know that in time, it too will change.

You have started ehibiting a fear of animals that aren't Hunter - specifically Grandma Janet's dogs.  You scream when they come to the door and you pull your legs up into a tucked position.  I used to be afraid of dogs so I know how scary it can feel to have them coming at you when you are afraid so we are accepting this fear and ensuring that you feel safe and secure whenever we visit.  Perhaps one day your feelings about them will change but for now all we can do is continue to show you that we can keep you safe.

You didn't go to the doctor this month so I don't have exact measurements for you but you are close to 20 pounds (I'm guessing just shy of 20) - I can't wait to see how much you have grown at your next appointment.  But your hair is coming in fast and its very thin and wispy and has tints of red and brown depending on whether you are in the sun or not.....so only time will tell!

So, that's about all there is Conor....8 months down and only 4 more until your first birthday.....I love cheering you on with each new skill learned but time is slipping away day by day and my baby is becoming more and more like a little boy.

You make us all so happy little man ..... thank you for letting me by your Mommy!

xoxo
Mommy

PS.  My how you have grown!

Chiro Visits

Dear Conor,

Even though your 6 months check-up shows that your head circumference is back on track we are still taking you to see Dr. Erika because I want to ensure that as you continue to grow it doesn't revert back to flat.  She also continues to work on your right hip area and right neck area where you appear to be "out of whack" as Mommy likes to call it.  Since you have begun inching across the floor both Daddy and I notice that your right leg doesn't do any of the heavy lifting.  So, we continue the cross training every night for you in hopes that we can help train your little body to stay in line!  But, now instead of every week we are going every third and will be moving to once a month shortly!

Daddy has also started seeing Dr. Erika to work on his knees/ankles and so while he gets worked on you and Baby N get to play! The two of you play really nicely together and her extra mobility pushes you to keep trying to crawl!

Playing with Baby N. on 7/17/12

xoxo
Mommy

6 Month Check Up

Dear Conor,

On July 9th we went to the doctor's office for your 6 month check-up.  You were scheduled to receive 3 shots and to have your 'stats' taken.  Our doctor had just gotten back, that day in fact, from maternity leave so you saw Dr. Brooks instead.  She is very nice and we have actually seen her once before when you went in for an emergency visit.

We started the visit with your measurements.  I put all your measurement stickers in the back of your baby book so that we can compare as you grow.  This visit your head circumference went back to the track that it had been on when you were born which told us (and your doctor) that your work with Dr. Erika was a success and well worth it!  Your weight has slowed down considerably.  Instead of gaining about a pound a week or every two weeks you are not gaining a pound a month based on this month's weigh check vs. your 4month check.  And even though you have grown a lot taller - you are still pretty compact.  But, there are no worries - you have plenty of time to grow :)

You wore your owl diapers to the doctor's office and she said that your skin looked great as did your ears and eyes!  We visited in the sports room.


Waiting on the Doctor.

After you visited with Dr. Brooks we were told to get you dressed and ready for your shots.  Mommy always plans ahead and I had you wear a romper and Baby Legs so that you could be fully dressed but the nurse could have access to your legs for those horrible shots.  You were scheduled to get 3 and because another child there was having a difficult time with her shots we had to wait a while for the nurse to come in.  We kept you entertained by reading and you decided to busy yourself with ripping up the paper liner on the bench!

You did pretty well with your shots - though you moved your leg very fast and the needle grazed your skin on the last shot causing you to bleed.  The nurse was very upset but we weren't too worried about it.  Next time Mommy will just have to hold your leg a little tighter.  You recovered with a little nursing and some love before getting in the car.  You continued to do well at home.  Shots do not seem to phase you too much though this time you were a little extra fussy the following day but I can't say it was 100% due to shots because you didn't take your naps.....

Our next appointment is in October - I wonder what room we will visit in!

xoxo
Mommy

SEVEN MONTHS & Doctor Check-up

Dear Conor,

I truly can't believe it - seven months!  You are now closer to being ONE than being a newborn!  Mommy has some great ideas for your first birthday and since the days are now flying by I better get started on the planning!

While physically you haven't grown that much in the last month developmentally you have blossomed.  You have become so much more mobile.  You use your arms to reach for things to grab and then you pull yourself towards those items.  When you can't reach something you use your toes to push off the floor or any object behind you to give you some momentum.  You are also pulling yourself up onto your hands and knees and rocking back and forth.  You also now LOVE to stand and walk!  Taking you to see Erika the Chiropractor has really made a difference in your gait and stability.  You are walking much straighter now and you are using both legs equally.  While you right step is still shorter than your left we are very happy with your progress.

You love to observe things.  You take them into your hands and you turn them around and around or you drop them and pick them back up.  You explore your toys in this manner - sometimes shaking them so much that we watch you bop yourself in the head!

You are very aware of your surroundings.  You look for us when we come down the stairs if you hear the creaking of the steps.  You cry/whine when someone you want to play with leaves the room, you turn to the voice of both Daddy and I when you hear us somewhere in the house call your name.  You are such a smart little boy already!

We took you for your 6 month check-up (which was really at 7 months) and here are your stats:  weight 18obs 14oz (58%); height 26 inches (20%); head 45cm (72%). You were such a good boy at the doctor's office until the final shot.  Once it was in your leg you gave a swift kick and the needle tracked down your thigh.  The nurse felt terrible because she wounded you.  I felt terrible because I hadn't held you tightly enough and Daddy felt bad because the nurse felt bad.  We all laughed and said next time we were going to put you in a straight jacket but on your legs!

While we waited for the doctor you had a great time ripping up the paper on the exam table!

Of course, as soon as we got home I had to check and see how your stats compared to your old ones - here they are (in order):

As you can see, your weight gain has slowed down and instead of gaining 2lbs a month you are gained 2 pounds in almost 3 months.  Your head circumference is back up which is a good thing because it means you will not be evaluated for further treatment on your flat spot (more on that later).  You are still a little shorty but you have plenty of time to grow so no one is worried since you are still growing.  They would only be worried if you had stopped!

I don't know what else to say Conor except you are wonderful in every way!

Happy 7 month birthday!

xoxo
Mom

PS.  Look how you have grown!  As each month passes its getting harder and harder to remember you as the little red faced baby in the first picture!