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

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

Adjustments

Dear Conor,

When you were born your Daddy and I promised that we would do everything that we could to make sure that you grew up to be a strong and healthy man.  So when Mommy noticed that the back of your head was looking flatter than what she considered 'normal' she began looking for ways to help fix it.

One thing that can be done is to get a helmet.  We talked to your doctor about this and she wanted to follow-up with you at your 6 month (really 7 month) appointment to see if we needed to go that route.  Mommy did some research and learned that there is a 2-3 month wait here in Maine to see a specialist and that by that time the helmet would do little good.  So, Mommy did some more research and learned that chiropractors can use adjustments and manipulations to massage the muscles of the scalp to relax them which allows your plates to shift back into a more circular (round) head shape.

Well, wouldn't you know - Neve's mom is a chiropractor and she has worked on many infants with flat heads so we went to see her for the first time on May 24, 2012.

checking your alignment and making little adjustments

You loved getting straightened!

At our first visit we learned that your jaw was very tense on one side (likely due to your tongue tie) and that your right hip was misaligned causing your leg to over rotate.  So, Miss Erika said she would continue to observe and make adjustments to those areas as well (while we love your crooked little smile I don't want you having jaw problems)! Your head was flat and you had little bulges behind each ear.

We have now seen Ms. Erika 4 times and your head is coming along nicely.  So nicely that you have graduated to biweekly visits.  Your leg/hip is also making improvements that we notice when you practice walking.  While you still occasionally step with your right foot over your left or you attempt to do two left steps before a right - when you do use your right foot it is most often going straight.

You have your next pediatric appointment in about a month so you will have had 2-3 more visits with Ms. Erika and it is my hope that we will have made enough progress that your Doctor will feel that a referral to the helmet doctor is not necessary!!!

xoxo
Mom

4 Month Well-Baby Visit

Dear Conor,

Today you had your 4 month well-baby visit with your pediatrician.  You did really well when all your stats were being taken.  Here is the run down:

Weight: 16.8lbs (77%)   [2 months - 12.9lbs; 75%]
Height: 24.5 inches (27%) [2 months - 23.5 inches; 75%]
Head Cir.: 42.75cm (60%) [2 months - 41cm; 75%]

We are not yet concerned about any of your measurements because babies often grow out before they grow up.  However, your current imbalance does create a clothing predicament because you need 6 months size clothing for your little bum and shoulders but your cute little legs and arms are too short! 

Your next visit is in July so we shall see how you measure up then!

Today you were also scheduled for 2 shots and the roto-virus drink.  However, they were out of the combination shot which meant that you had to get 4 shots (2 in each thigh) and the drink.  The office took a long time getting your shots together so between visiting with the Doc and the shots you had nursed and fallen asleep.  We had to wake you up which is something we NEVER do.  You did well during your shots (or as well as can be expected) and you nursed right after which did help you.

But, today you have been a bit 'off' and both your Daddy and I believe its due to the fact that we had to wake you up.  When you sleep we have learned that it means you really need sleep (you crash hard) and we do everything in our power to not wake you up (you had even missed playdates because I won't wake you up).

You fell asleep tonight at 7:30pm and it is my hope that you sleep long and hard tonight to give your body the best chance at making up for what you missed today and help you recover from the stress of inoculations!

Thankfully at your 6 month visit you don't get any shots (so we were told).

xoxo
Mom

Day 6: 12/20/2011

Dear Conor,

Today was a day filled with firsts. 

We started the morning out early (about 6am) with me taking a shower while you slowly woke up.  Then I fed you and we backed your diaper bag, I grabbed some breakfast (fed you again) and made sure we were both ready and out the door by 9am because our class started at 10am.

We were headed to breast feeding class to ensure that you and I were doing this new job correctly and to talk to other mommies and visit with other babies.  You had a great time at class.  You slept the first 30 minutes but when you woke up you were the star of the show - they could not believe you were just 6 days old and already out and about!  We learned how to weigh you (you weighed 8lbs 6.60z) and safely give you tummy time (which you did really well for about 30 minutes in class). 

Linda, the lactation consultant (who is also a nurse) checked your bottom as I was concerned about your diaper rash and she said that I should take you to the pediatrician TODAY.  This made both me and your Dad a little nervous but we made the appointment right away.

A picture of you resting in class.

And later that day before heading out to the pediatrician

I got home in time to feed you and get something to eat myself before we had to head out to the pediatrician.  You did really well at the doctor's office and the doctor determined that it wasn't a regular diaper rash but that you likely had a yeast and bacterial infection.  So, she gave us a prescription for both.  We attempted to fill the prescription at our local pharmacy (I went to get it and you had your first car ride alone with Dad) but they didn't have it so your Dad decided that we had to have Wal-mart fill it so that we could get started on treating your bottom right away.

We all decided to go as a family to Wal-mart but as we were driving there we got a call from Grandma Janet that GG Irene had fallen at some point and was being taken to the hospital.  We dropped Dad off with Grandma Janet and you and I went to Wal-mart and then to the hospital.  We couldn't do into the hospital but your Dad came out and told us that GG Irene had fallen and that it was a pretty good fall and she was a little confused and disoriented.  They were going to admit her for observations because her blood work also showed that she had suffered a heart attack at some point.  Dad got home pretty late but we were still up feeding so we were able to find out that she was stable and would be re-evaluated that next day.

Overall it was a very busy day and one that ended on a sad note but you were able to handle everything in stride and for that you get the GOOD BABY of the year award!!

xoxo
Mom

Here are your "STATS" according to the pediatrician's office
Head Circum: 37cm - 75%
Height: 20 in - 50%
Weight: 8.5 lbs. - 50%
Clothing Size: Newborn
Diaper Size: Newborn