And he's off!

At 9 months, 1 week, 5 days old, Milo is walking! He's been taking single steps for the last week, but in the past 24 hours, he's strung those steps together--his current record is 7. All he does now is a seemingly endless cycle of up, walk, then down. We can't believe our littlest boy is already walking. It seems like just yesterday that brother was taking his first steps, too.



This development gives me hope that we'll soon see the end of the pick-up-every-single-thing-on-the-ground-that's-a potential-choking-hazard-and-put-it-in-my-mouth stage. Seriously. I've never seen anything like it. Moses could've cared less for anything inedible, but Milo--Milo's a sucker for any small rock or dirt clod or pecan. It's made any time spent outside a chore!

Up, up, up!

For two weeks now, Milo's been standing solo, solo I say! Not only that, but he can now stand on his own, no props needed. He just pushes his little tush up in the air and voila!, he stands. He gets so tickled by his standing--he just flaps his arms and claps and giggles. Such a cutie.

We always thought Moses' mobility came early, but brother's milestones are coming even sooner. A little sibling rivalry perhaps? I think he just wants to pal around with his brother more.

We don't have too great a video of him standing, but you can kind of see his skills here, from last weekend:

(Did you hear Moses say "Mi -Lo?" He's been practicing his Ls lately and accentuates them nonstop. Mi-Lo. Ye-LLow. He-LLo.)

Anybody out there?

My poor little blog, how I've forgotten you. Not forgotten so much as neglected in favor of other things like school, sleep, cooking, cleaning, and other crucial needs.

We're on the other side of Chicken Pox for both boys now. Milo didn't actually come down with it until 21 days after Moses. Milo's fever that we wrote off as a Chicken Pox symptom was actually a double ear infection, poor boy. When he eventually came down with the pox, I was hugely surprised because our pediatrician said that we were out of the woods if he didn't have them 8 days after Moses since the exposure was so intimate. Wrong! He had very few pox though and seemed to weather the virus well. Now, we won't need that vaccination for either boy!

Milo's been crawling for several weeks now and two weeks ago he started pulling up on everything. It's a lost cause to hope he'll just sit in one place anymore. He's cruising our furniture, too, but with lots of supervision since he's still pretty unsteady.

Moses is doing really well too. He's still obsessed with trains, construction vehicles, and sports. I bought a great Tonka truck coloring book from the dollar store, but he doesn't color in it: he just carries it all over the house and we read it like a book. We've also discovered "Mighty Machines." I thought they looked ridiculous initially, but the shows are really pretty great. The DVDs talk about a variety of vehicles and explain what each does and why they do it. It's pretty crazy how much Moses talks while watching those. Boys.

By the way, Moses is most assuredly a lefty! Dave's already planning Moses' sports career. Too bad they don't make sports toys for lefties at this age.

Poxed-in

We're still quarantined over here. Yesterday, I questioned the chicken pox diagnosis I made when Moses woke with the same six pox he went to bed with. I'm not sure if it's just a mild case or if he's one of the lucky ones, but Moses isn't covered in a gazillion pox like I expected. I've only counted 32 so far (mainly on his chest and back), but I might be writing too soon since he developed more today than in the last two days combined. The pock marks range from teeny tiny dots to pencil eraser in size. He's been in good spirits except that every once in a while he gets fussy or clingy. The below pictures were taken after he climbed onto the couch with Milo's blanket to watch Super Why this morning. You wouldn't know it, but that's strange behavior for him. I typically have to wrangle him for breakfast and a change of clothes! My poor boy is still all smiles though.

The pox

Moses has the chicken pox!

A couple of hours ago I noticed a blister-looking bump on his back and thought it strange. I drug Moses into the bathroom and stood him on the toilet so I could better inspect him. I found 5 more pocks so I'm going to go out on a limb and saying he has the chicken pox. I knew it was going around because the nurse mentioned it at his last appointment when I politely declined the vaccine for it, again.

On one hand, I'm kind of excited that he's got them now because I didn't think it'd happen this soon, and now we'll have that virus checked off his childhood illness list (figuratively speaking of course--I'm not that organized). On the other hand, I feel sorry for him because I know the next week won't be too much fun. I'm really hoping that he won't even notice what's going on since he's such an active boy and illnesses don't typically phase his activity level.

No news on Milo yet. He doesn't have any pock marks at the moment, but I'm keeping an eye out for them. I really don't understand the incubation period of viruses and don't know what to expect when. I think the fact that I'm still breastfeeding him protects him some so we'll have to see what happens.

Growing boys

The boys had their checkups last Friday: a late two-year checkup for Moses and a six-month one for Milo. The boys' checkups were done at the same time, which I usually try to avoid since it's chaos, but it was unavoidable this time and we all needed a good nap afterward.

Moses is doing well and growing like he should. Our skinny boy is 29 pounds and 37.25 inches tall, which puts him in the 93rd percentile for height and 50th for weight. His 2T pants started falling off recently, and I credit his non-stop movement for his weight loss (and mine, too). He has nearly all of his teeth: his eye teeth just broke the surface. His speech is still delayed, but it is picking up. If it hasn't improved much more by April, we're taking him in for a re-evaluation with the speech therapist. We know he'll talk in his own time, but we can't wait for those funny toddler-genius moments.


Some fun things he enjoys:

• Catching balls! He caught his first ball a month ago, to our surprise, and requests we play catch nightly now.
  
• Playing football and using his bike helmet as a football helmet.
  
• He adores baseball and football and cranes his next to see anything related to the sports.
• He shouts "go, go, go" at any sport we watch--we aren't sure where he picked that up since neither Dave nor I shout at the TV.
  
• Playing "backpack" or piggybacking on us as we run around the house.
• Showing more interest in the clothes he's wearing--preferring anything with a football or a baseball or jersey-like numbers. He also likes hats and headbands (think exercise).
• Brushing his teeth. I'm not sure whether it's the dot of toothpaste or the car toothbrush, but I have to restrict his brushing these days.
• Shoulder shrugging, just because.
  
• Making vehicle sounds for his cars, trains, plains, etc. His goldfish crackers also making swimming noises before they're eaten.
• TRAINS!
  

Milo's doing great, too. I can't believe he's already six-months old and sometimes worry I'm not challenging him enough because I still think of him as my baby! He is 18 pounds 9 ounces (50th percentile) and 27.25 inches (75th percentile). He doesn't have any teeth yet but he's chewing on everything. We're curious if we'll have to wait for those teeth as long as we did with Moses.

Milo enjoys:

• Sitting and playing on the floor, especially with brother's toys.
• Getting tickled or "eaten."
• Watching, watching, watching--he has to be in on all the action even if he's just a spectator.
• Belly scooting. I love watching him move around on his tummy, but he's getting a little too good at getting in to things.

Well, that's my long overdue update. I'd like to start posting more again soon, but time is short these days so I'm not going to make any promises.

Congested (but still cute)

(yes, that is a dimple--there are dimples. Plural!)

I took Milo into the doctor this morning because his spit up looked as if he'd drank raw egg and he was incredibly upset yesterday. Our regular doctor was out so we saw a nurse practitioner we've seen once before. She said Milo is very congested and has mucus running down his throat, which causes him to gag and spit up more and aggravates any reflux he already has. All the congestion is upsetting his stomach, too, which is causing all the more discomfort. Poor kid. He's still too young for any meds so we're trying some more homeopathic methods she suggested. I'm hoping this isn't a sign of another ear infection prone kid. I blame Dave and I's horrible allergies for all ours sons' congestion issues. Grr...

On the plus side, the nurse was amazed at Milo's level of head control and repeatedly mentioned how impressed she was. As we were leaving she said he's at least 3 weeks ahead developmentally! It is crazy how much difference those 3 additional weeks gestating has made for Milo versus Moses: it seems Milo's already leaps and bounds of Moses in certain areas. There's nothing like a little sibling rivalry. Sigh.

Hair today, gone tomorrow

Last Friday night, Dave and I decided it was time for Moses' first hair cut. . .by me (thank goodness curly hair is forgiving). It wasn't a real hair cut so much as a trim since we only cut the craziness (read: matted mullet) at the base of his neck. He can finally ride in his car seat without his hair becoming a tangled mess.




-Lindsey

Avoca-dose and more

Moses fell asleep while eating his afternoon snack of avocado. I didn't realize avocados were on the list of sleep-friendly foods. I must keep them in mind for bed time (insert scheming-mom laugh here).


Later in the evening, we had Mexican casserole and rice for dinner. Notice Moses' excellent use of the spoon--I think he's upped his food-to-mouth ratio to 50%. I can hear utensil mastery coming round the bend. Next, chopsticks...



-Lindsey

My good eater

Since things are slowly settling around here and returning to normal, we're able to back on some semblance of a routine. I love preparing good lunches for Moses and I and hated that the last few weeks consisted solely of takeout, fast food, or, at the very least, odds and ends we had around the kitchen.

We don't shy away from giving Moses junk food but don't make it a habit either. I tend to think that restricting junk food makes it more "valuable" in children's eyes so we just permit it in moderation for the sake of him knowing what it is and curbing his interest. He's had fries, sipped on soda, and eaten a donut or two, but that's not what he loves. He's a sucker for veggies! Nothing can keep him from devouring green beans, carrots, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, squash, and edamame.

Today for lunch, he had chicken breast with BBQ sauce (I think of it more as finger paint) and Brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts! We enjoyed our yummy food while listening to Peter Frampton, and Moses hammed it up for the camera. We're sitting on the floor because our once clear dining room table is now covered in things I need to find a place for in the house.




Awhile back I bought the Bird's Eye Brussels sprouts packaged for individuals thinking I'd be the only one in the house who'd enjoy them, but I was wrong. Moses (my little beggar bird) ate the first ones I prepared, and I had to make another package. Since then, they've been a regular part of our diet and even Dave is a fan. Who knew Brussels sprouts were making a come back?

On another dining note, Moses is hugely interest in eating with silverware. He's not so great at it, but 1 out of 5 attempts is successful. It's so adorable to watch him concentrate so keenly on scooping his food and then making it into his mouth. When he succeeds, you can really see him beam!

-Lindsey

P.S. Doesn't he also look a bit tanner in those pictures? I think he does have Dave's coloring afterall--he just needed a bit of sun. Hooray!

Tuckered Out

For the last three days, Moses has put himself down for a nap--something I've long dreamt about.

His naps at home are great (one nap, 3 hours long) but still usually involve a bottle of milk , and recently, the PDO naps inexplicably shortened to only 15 minutes a day so we'd have a very cranky toddler on our hands from 6 p.m. until bed time.

This all changed last Wednesday. In the early evening, Moses decided to lie down on a couch pillow that had fallen on the floor and Dave rubbed his back for a little bit. Well, Moses conked out for 3 hours! I was tempted to wake him since I thought it would mess with his sleep schedule but decided to let him sleep since he'd just gotten over a cold and he probably needed the sleep. When he woke, he had dinner, a bath, and then went to bed at 10. Not bad. Not bad at all.

He's since repeated this twice but earlier in the day and without a back rub. Hooray, little man!

-Lindsey

All the makings of a boating-enthusiast

Moses is getting closer and closer to saying real words, but it's still a lot of gobbledygook. He says "da" to refer to Dave and Doggy Bella, but that's really been the only sound with meaning.

Moses learned to point recently, and while he is pointing, he clearly says, "Yacht." We think it's "that," but we aren't entirely sure. He also says it when he gets excited and isn't pointing so we don't know what to make of it. Considering his love of water and this new knack for naming a watercraft, we're certain he's got sailing in his future.

-The Skipper

Like a mule.

As most of you know, Moses has never sat. By sat, I mean he has never ever sat in the traditional way--on his behind with his legs out front. If we try to sit him that way, he arches his back so we are forced to let him stand or lay flat on his back. Even in the bath, he reclines himself or stands, but he won't sit up. I brought this up to his pediatrician at Moses' last appointment, and he said that as long as he can physically sit up (which he does in his stroller or a shopping cart) then there's nothing to worry about and he's just showing preference.

In the past month, Moses has perfected his own version of sitting and does it all the time now. I think it's downright adorable.

Now, I can finally get some professional pictures done.

-Lindsey

Figuring it all out

Last night Moses started to stand solo, and he even took some steps by himself--several times! He's been practicing all this for awhile by cruising then falling towards furniture that is too far away. It's hard to capture his successful moments, but we got a snippet on camera. Do these count as first steps? He's 10 months old today!

-Lindsey

Parent's Day Out!

On August 27th, Moses attended his first day of Parent's Day Out at Trinity Church.

On September 12th, Moses attended his last day of Parent's Day Out at Trinity Church.

Originally, Moses was to attend Monday and Wednesday from 8-3:15, but he wasn't too fond of being away from his mama so he would cry hysterically for most of the day, refusing to eat or sleep, so I picked him up when around lunch time after I'd finished class. We kept expecting him to improve, and on Monday, September 10th, we thought we'd crossed that bridge. However, shortly after dropping him on on the 12th, I received a call that they didn't have the staff to attend to Moses' needs and that I needed to pick him up. I understand their decision, but it's frustrating that they gave up after only 4.5 days (roughly 26 hours) and now he has to start over again.

We've found another PDO that seems more laid back and we hope that Moses has an easier transition there. Keep us in your prayers--I need this time in order to get my school work done.

-Lindsey

Hittin' the Bottle

For months now, we've tried to get Moses to take a bottle. Although he's never been fond of them (I blame our infrequent use of them in his early months), he stopped taking them back in March after my kidney stone required he use them for two days. But with the need for Moses to attend a Parent's Day Out in the fall so I can attend on-campus classes fast approaching, I was desperate for him to use one. We tried this bottle and this one too. Nothing worked.

That is until last Saturday, July 14, 2007.

I was cleaning his room, looking for items to stow away in the garage when I spotted the Avent bottles we attempted to use when Moses was teeny tiny but ended up storing because they flowed too fast for him. Could they work? NO! Maybe?

Ready for one more attempt, I filled a small bottle with 3 parts warm water, 1 part white grape juice. Voila! He latched on immediately and drank a whole ounce. ONE OUNCE! And yesterday, 3 ounces. THREE OUNCES! Today, a whole 4 ounce bottle! A WHOLE BOTTLE! He's definitely making progress with his bottle aversion, and when he's 100% cool with juice bottles, we'll begin experimenting with breast milk ones.


My fall semester, and his first attempt at socialization, is safe. Good boy.

-Lindsey

Crawl-ish.

Moses hadn't shown much interest in mobility until the Journeys catalog arrived. Is it his well-known love for paper that lit his auto-mobility fire? Or does yet another member of this household have a shoe fetish? You decide.


-Lindsey

False Alarm

Well, we've tried our hardest to catch a glimpse of "THE TOOTH," but we don't see anything resembling a gnasher. I don't know what I saw yesterday, but whatever it was (a curd of spitup?) is gone. Oh well. He's still the best thing ever:


-Lindsey

TOOTH!

I'm proud to announce that Moses' first tooth, his top left, is breaking through his gum!
I was feeding him bananas when I noticed a white dot on his upper gum. At first, I thought it was a spot of missed banana, but then I realized A) pureed banana isn't exactly known for it's durability b) bananas aren't that white.
I'm trying to get a picture of it, but it's in a very difficult spot to photograph. When Dave gets home from work, we'll put our best smile-provoking skills to the test and get a shot of his pearly white.

-Lindsey

So close!

In the past two weeks, Moses has developed a love for the push-up. He does this anytime he's on his belly and doesn't tire of it easily. He'll hold himself in this position, and as soon as his arms fatigue, he belly flops to the floor with a "thud."



It's only natural that his push-up would progress into the crawling form. It has. He can now get on his knees and rock gently. He hasn't figured out how to move his legs, and he's obviously frustrated by the lack of know-how. Hopefully, his crawl will develop sooner than his teeth---which we still haven't seen despite some very irritable days.


-Lindsey