Six month check-up

We had our 6 month check up today and everything went well. It was so nice to go to the doctor for a well baby checkup and not for him being sick. Our first few months we were there all the time it seemed like. Here’s the stats: 15 lbs 14 oz (25th percentile), 26 1/4 inches (50th percentile), 44 cm head circumference (50th percentile). That’s up from 14 lbs, 25 1/2 inches and 42 cm at his 4 month check-up.  Lungs, ears, nose, and eyes all looked good. I told the doctor about what the orthopedic surgeon had told us (since they hadn’t informed the doctor). The doctor said he could give us a referral for CHOC for the geneticist. So it looks like as long as we can get the medical records sent over in time, we’ll have our December appointment. He got his vaccinations and only cried when they first gave them to him. By the time the Band-aids were on, he was all better. He also got his flu shot and some shiny metallic band-aids. I love my little trooper!

First Time!!

Friday was a big day in our household. It was the first time we fed JJ solids. I decided to try oatmeal as a first food because I have had to eat it so much since we found out he was dairy intolerant I figured it would be safe. We sat him in our little Bumbo chair, put a bib on him, and started feeding him. We got a video of the whole thing. He loved it! It’s like he’s been waiting for it for a long time. He would take the spoon from my hand and put it in his mouth. He kept leaning forward like he wanted more. He loved it. I did notice on Saturday that he had a bright red rash on his booty, so of course I was all worried about allergies. However, the rash was gone the next morning and we have tried oatmeal twice since then and no more rash so I probably don’t have anything to be worried about. On Saturday I made some more baby food. I baked a sweet potatoe and steamed some carrots and then pureed and froze them. I can’t wait to try them later on. There’s a video of his first time eating on my MySpace page. It can be found at www.myspace.com/ucirvine2001 Enjoy!

Baby Love

I got the most wonderful welcome home today. Normally my little guy will smile at me when he sees me at the end of a long day, but today, I got a huge smile as well as a giggle. It was so precious. He’s into kisses now too and will kiss me whole mouth open. It’s really cute. Oh yeah, HUGE news…..he’s crawling. He was actually picking up his arms as he was moving today and he can get himself up into a half sitting position. He’s doing so much. I can’t believe my little guy is crawling 2 days before he’s 6 months. I love that little man so much!

A Big Week—Post 100!!!

So my husband is excited because this is my one hundredth post. Yep, I’ve been blogging since June and I have reached the 100th mark. At first I was doing it every day, but then as I went back to work I’ve found it harder and harder to keep up, but I am managing to get 2 or 3 posts a week. There are so many things going on these days that I’m finding very little time to do anything.

We are having an exciting week. This Friday is Solids Day. That’s right. We are starting JJ on solids on Friday. We went shopping yesterday at Whole Foods and bought a few organic veggies so that I can puree up some yummy goodness for him. We bought a yam, carrots, and peas. I’ll probably start him on oatmeal though. I’m sure he’ll do great with it as I eat 3 or 4 times a week myself and he doesn’t seem to have any reaction to it.

Another major milestone that is happening this week is JJ is turning 6 months old. I can’t believe he’s been with us for that long already. He has brought so much joy to our lives. He’s such an amazingly happy little baby. God has definitely blessed us with him.

It’s a big week for me too as I’ll be starting my kindergarten long term sub position at Adams this week. The teacher I am subbing for does not plan on returning, so there’s a good chance that I could get hired for her position. It won’t become available until at least January, but as long as there are no contracted employees without positions, I’ll most likely get it.

Who knows what else this eventful week will bring? Crawling might be happening this week as he’s been on the verge for about 2 weeks now. Today he also halfway got up to a sitting position on his own, so that might also be in our near future. Whatever it brings, I’ll welcome it. Each day brings with it its own adventures!

Model Material?

So I’ve decided JJ is model material. Everywhere he goes, no matter who he goes with, he gets complimented. “Oh your baby’s so cute.” “Oh your baby’s so good.” “You’ve got the perfect Gerber baby.” “Look at that smile.” “I just can’t help playing with his feet.” He is just a people person. People love him. So we’ve tried to submit his pictures to the cutest baby contests online, but you have to pay to submit photos. Bummer. For sure, he’d win or at least get an honorable mention. I’ve thought about submitting his picture to our local TV station, Fox 11 because each morning they feature a “Baby Face” online. Lots of Riversidians (I guess that’s what you’d call someone from Riverside.” already are in love with our baby. I think he would be a great baby model. The world could see him and fall in love with him like we already are. Unfortunately modeling agencies all charge money. Bummer. Maybe one day we’ll submit some pictures and see what they think of him. I’m sure he’s got a few more cute years on him.

A fairly uneventful 2 months

So with all the medical drama we’ve had in JJ’s first few months, I’m happy to say that we haven’t been to the doctor in almost 6 weeks! Well, not counting the specialist appointment last month. We’ve had no issues requiring us to go see the doctor or have tests run or go to the hospital. Granted, little man has been congested for a couple of weeks and he had a bad diaper rash for about a week, but nothing requiring medical intervention thank God! He’s been doing so well and learning so many new things. He can now pretty much sit on his own. He can also get up on all fours and rock back and forth. Occassionally, he will move his legs in this position, but hasn’t quite figured out how to move his arms. He also gets up on his hands and toes and sticks his little booty up in the air. It’s quite cute. He’s quite the hit at parties. All the ladies love him and want to take him home. Today at Olive Garden, every time a waitress passed by our table, she would smile at him, talk to him, or play with his feet. He’s such a ladies man and getting cuter every day. Here’s a picture of him taken yesterday.

Miscellaneous Updates

So this is like a hodgepodge post since it’s been almost a week since I last posted. I didn’t get any of the jobs that I interviewed for, but I do have applications in right now with Alvord and also with Colton School district. In the meantime, I’m going to be doing a long term sub position in Kindergarten at Adams. It should be very eventful with me having to do report cards and parent conferences within the first month of being there. It will last until at least Christmas break, though many of the teachers there have said the lady I will be subbing for has no plans to return. So, it could turn into a full time position for me–however, they may keep the job secured for her until the end of the school year which means I would have to do the whole year on sub pay. Or it could open up earlier and I would be first pick for it unless there are some district teachers who are already on contract that don’t have positions. In that case, it would go to them which would suck. Either way, I’ll get good experience and I may get a letter of recommendation from a principal which would make my resume look way better.

This is baby shower season. I have been to three baby showers this summer; Between these 3 showers, a donation, and my soon-to-be new niece, I’ve finally gotten down to getting rid of most of my surplus stuff. I’m glad I was able to do that because otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to give it back because of no reciepts and Target’s stupid return policy. JJ was given a Bumbo chair yesterday and he loves hanging out in it.

Bible study has also started back up again. It’s a good thing because John and I needed to get back to fellowshipping. We’re meeting in a new place this year, but not much else has changed. The food is still great, the company is wonderful and everyone loves the baby.

The Incredible Edible Udder!

Our little one has a bad habit; can you guess what it is?

Every night daddy and I give into little JJ’s cravings for one more bed time snack… and one more after that… oh and another one after that!

I’ve read that at six months of age that he should only be eating roughly six times each day but I swear my son must have been paying attention to TV commercials in the womb where the actor / actress suggests eating many more smaller meals a day to help lose weight.  Unfortunately that means 9 - 10 feedings a day for our little guy!

The reason daddy and I give in is because he makes us feel bad for him right before bed.  It is as if he knows he is going to be going to bed and won’t get fed again until morning… accept that never happens that way because he certainly wakes up for a midnight snack or two! Anyways, the water works and the crying starts up and does not stop until he gets his way.

I long for the days when our little one will be breast feeding and eating other foods.  I can FINALLY have my husband get up in the middle of the night and feed him!  My husband on the other hand often has conversations with me about why I think he should wake up in the middle of the night with me.

Anyways, one bad habit we will have to break little John of sooner or later.

Lord give us the strength!

Opthamologist Follow-up

So today we went for the opthamologist follow-up. I was fully expecting to be there a good 4 hours or so as that’s how it went last time. However, something weird happened. I parked right in front of the office. Then, I walked in and hardly anybody was there. Three patients to be exact. Last time we were there the waiting room was packed. Standing room only. Maybe this would be a decent visit after all. So we checked in, paid our co-pay and waited. The other 3 people went in quickly and so did we. We were darn near done with our visit by 20 minutes after our appointment was scheduled. Hey, I wondered, maybe they finally got things under control instead of wasting everyone’s day at the office. Anyhow, they dilated his eyes and said they’d call us back in 30 minutes. No big deal. That would still be a full 3 hours quicker than our last visit. Meanwhile, the office starts filling up. Uh-oh. Forty-five minutes later I ask the receptionist why we haven’t been called back. They’re waiting on a room for you, she says. Well, that can’t be. I’ve seen numerous people go in there so I know there’s rooms. Anyways, fifteen minutes after that, I’m starting to get fed up and when the door opens to call another patient in, I ask that girl and get the same response. This time I actually say out loud what I was thinking before. Funny, we were the next ones in. Everything looks good. His Ptosis (droopy eye) is better, it’s not affecting his vision and there is no neurological damage or issues to be concerned with. We’ll be coming back in 9 months for a follow-up. So two hours after we got there, we’re leaving. Finally. Could’ve had a 20 minute visit without the dilation. I should’ve known better though. Oh well. At least I have a healthy boy to show for it.

The Incredible Non-Dairy Brownie?

A non-dairy brownie you say? It can’t be. But it is. And for the breastfeeding mom who has to spend months on end searching for some sort of yummy chocolately goodness, it is a godsend. After more than a month (probably 6 weeks or so now) of not being able to have dessert, of not being able to have chocolate of any kind, of having to sit there and watch in painstaking jealousy while others devour cookies and cakes, I’ve found it. It must be some kind of off brand you say. Surely a brand name must include milk in the recipe for brownies. After all, chocolate is made from milk, isn’t it? Well, it’s at the 99 cent store and it is Duncan Heinz Fudge Brownie Mix and it is dairy-free and incredibly yummy. It makes me realize just how much I’ve missed my chocolate. All of that fudgie goodness….mmm, mmm, good. I’ll be making a few more trips over there in the next few months I bet. How can I turn that down?