15 Months Accomplished

Well, another three months have passed, meaning another visit to the pediatrician!

The poor boy had to get shots.  Again.  :(  But he was a real trooper - no crying!

And check back on his previous measurements here.

And now, without further adieu, here's the rundown on Lucas' measurements this time around.

Weight: 21lb 11.5oz - just shy of 22lb!  (36%)
Length: 31 1/2 inches (61%)
Head: 46.5cm (42%)

Still not packing the pounds on.  I mean, he looks like he is - he's just not showing it on the charts.  But he's definitely a little taller.

As far as changes since his birthday.  Hmm...  He's definitely more active and chatty.  He is OFF the walls!  ALL the time.  He has just started really walking around three weeks before his first birthday, so imagine another three months - he's a Pro.

We've definitely noticed how bright he is.  He understands us very well.  Listening, well, that's debatable.  Ha.  He tests Hubby and I on a regular basis.  He can tell what's right and wrong, but still feels the need to see how far he can push us.  Dada may be able to get pushed around, but Mama fights back with Tough Love.   His personality is blooming.  He's definitely still the "Happy Baby" he's always been.

Still has only seven teeth; which I believe is where we were at around his birthday.  He's possibly working on a back molar now.  But definitely teething.

His appetite still fluctuates though.  Just when I think we've made it over the hurdle with a new food the next time around he just doesn't want it.  Chicken nuggets, for example.  One night he managed to eat three of them {quite the accomplishment, believe me}.  The next time around he just played with 'em.  :(  This mama gets easily discouraged too.  I can't believe I have a picky eater...  But Hubby can be picky sometimes too.

The one thing I can count on {although briefly there he refused them as well} are the Beech-Nut Fruities.  Self-feeding is the best!  And he loves 'em.  If nothing else I know he'll get his fruits and veggies.  I just want him to get more protein, ya know?

The past three months we've got to celebrate the holidays, both Thanksgiving and Christmas.  He definitely got the hang of present unwrapping this year {considering he was only two months old his first Christmas}.

He's also played in the snow for the first time!!  Didn't last too long.  He didn't know quite how to walk in that stuff.

The 1-1

 

 

Eleven months old. Queue the countdown.

 

I can't wait for his next check up so we can see how big he's gotten.

 

This month was pretty eventful. I'll let Lucas explain that to you...

 

Milestones

 

I now have four teeth! Yeppers, that's the bottom two plus two up top. Not the very two front top teeth but the two teeth right next to them. Mama says I have fangs now and she should dress me as a Vampire for Halloween. I have been working on the top two center teeth as well for a very long time. They look so close but they just haven't cut through yet. Maybe this month!

 

Do I make a good Vampire???

 

I had my first school pictures taken. Mama says if I weren't so darn photogenic then they wouldn't have to spend so much money on me. :)

 

 

 

 

I've been crawling around super fast as usual. And been scaling all the furniture and walking along the walls as usual. The other week I was doing my usual and got distracted and got a boo-boo. I hadn't been to the doctor in two months so we made a special trip this time. But I could tell how worried Mama and Dada were. I got extra kisses and hugs and snuggles. And I also found out how to climb onto the couch now. And I do it just to irritate Mama knowing that she'll chase me. I climb into my little blue chair that sits up against the couch and then I crawl up from there. It's a fun game!

 

 

 

We went to a place called the Melting Pot the other weekend to celebrate how Mama and Dada have been together for ten years. I was a third wheel they said and it was fun!

 

This past week I've been doing my usual moving about. Mama would shout out at me, "HANDS!" and wave her hands in the air like a crazy woman. Or sometimes she would try to make me clap, "CLAP CLAP CLAP!" she would say. So I figured I was supposed to play along and raise my hands or clap my hands. A few times her and Dada would get excited when I did it. I just didn't understand why, but I was happy they were happy. We played this game again this weekend with my Nana and Grandpa too. I would walk along with my Dino and when I stopped they would yell at me, so I would raise my hands and they would all get excited again. What a bunch of weirdos. I finally figured out what the excitement was about though. Mama said I stood with my hands up for a whole six seconds. And then when we would walk around I would let go and step a few steps before down I went. Apparently that was a big deal too. Those old people really get happy over the strangest things.

 

On another note, we also learned that I don't like bubbles in my bath. 

 

WAAAHHHHH!

 

Mama says this next month is special for me. I can't wait to see why!

 

And the countdown begins...

 

Lucas' First ER Visit

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Yes, you read that right.  Actually, I sure hope it's not his "first" - I sure hope it's his only.

And to think I haven't posted in awhile because I haven't had the time or a topic to blog about.  Guess this is newsworthy.

First, I should say that I've been telling Hubby for months that I wanted to replace our living room furniture...  The side of the arms are wooden and the recliner itself is mostly wooden with just the seat and back cushions.  I told Hubby that all that wood could be a problem when he starts getting around.  Hmm, guess maybe he'll listen to me now?

So, Lucas was doing his usual walking around along all the furniture and I guess Miley was nearby and distracted him, he lost his balance and fell into the recliner's corner.  {Bad Miley!  Bad Furniture! ...gotta blame something.}  A lot of crying from the fall but he's been falling down a lot lately because of how active he's become.  Hubby picked him up to calm him down.  A minute or two later he notices the big lump on his forehead.  Big is really an understatement.  That thing swelled up Fast!

The Recliner {Hi Auntie Kenda!}

We both panicked.  It was a big lump that looked bruised, so you could tell the blood was coming to the surface, without there being an actual cut so no actual blood loss.  And then you could see a line/indention across the lump where he actually hit the edge of the recliner.

:(

So I'm running around trying to figure out what we need to bring with us because we had to run to the doctor.  I was already in PJ's so I changed super quick, grabbed our HSA card and his diaper bag and we got into the car.  It was about 7:30pm.  We really wanted to avoid the ER so I Google-mapped on my phone "urgent care" and we headed for it.  I double-checked their website to see how late they were open and it said 8:00pm.  We had twenty minutes to make it there and we only live maybe four miles away.

We get there and THEY ARE CLOSED.  The stupid place closes at 6:00pm!  Update your freaking website! Ugh.  Well, the hospital is just around the corner so we head to the ER.  It was pretty busy.  But an infant with a head injury gets you rushed through.  I think we waited maybe three minutes before the triage nurse called us back.  Kinda felt guilty about all the people who had obviously been there awhile.  But really...an infant with a head injury...

By then Lucas was doing well, he hadn't cried anymore since right after he fell.  Hubby and I had gone in thinking we need to be prepared to answer A LOT of questions.  I mean, I repeat...an infant with a head injury.  Fortunately we weren't Social Services-worthy.  {And we shouldn't be!  I mean remember how often I've told you we hear how he's "the happiest baby"?  We take real good care of him!} 

Some of the questions asked:
How far did he fall?  He was standing up and fell into the recliner.
Did he lose consciousness at all?  No.

I've heard plenty from Lucas' teachers and his doctor that they get plenty of bumps and bruises at this age.  They are so active and learning how to get around.  Definitely the truth.

I have to say that we were in and out of the ER within thirty minutes.  Our concerns were a concussion but they said we shouldn't be worried and that it will be fine if he sleeps.  An ice pack would be best but good luck trying to get that near him at this age.  I tried to use it this past weekend when he was feverish for 3-4 days and it was a no-go.  Only other thing they said to worry about was if he acted strangely and if he vomited more than once.  So far so good.

The Bump - about half the size it was at its most swollen. 

Photo just doesn't do it justice.



We were also told that it was a very good thing that it swelled up like it did because it meant the injury wouldn't be internal, his eyes and ears checked out, and he will most likely have a black eye!  The blood pulled at the lump site will likely settle and because of the location right above his eye it will probably bruise there causing a shiner.  Lucas' first shiner!

 

All in all, I have to say that I'm just glad that Hubby was home.  If this had happened while he was away at work I would have panicked much much more!

A night of many firsts for my boy.  Poor thing.  But I tell ya, he's a trooper.  I actually said that earlier this week after his feverish weekend because he was still on the go the whole time.  He really is a trooper.  But also a klutz.  :)  Just like his Dada.

Stock photo of Hubby after his last ER visit; stitches and a black eye after getting hit by a softball during league practice.  :)

On Cloud Nine

Well, my dear Lucas, you are now Nine months old.  So much has happened this past month and I just can't believe all the accomplishments.

Finally had another check up (no shots this time - Yay!) and here are your numbers.

Weight: 18lb 5oz (28%)

Length/Height: 28.5" (56.5%)

Head: 45cm (50%)

These are all slight improvements since our last unofficial measurements.  Our doctor thinks Lucas is doing really well!

And now a word from the boy himself.  :)

Milestones

This month we celebrated the Fourth of July!  A few days before we went to Mama's friends' house where they had a cookout and fireworks.  Boy were those loud.  On the actual Fourth we had Dada'd family over to our house and cooked out some too.  And we went swimming!

And on the Fifth of July my two toothies finally cut through.

Then Mama and Dada went away for the weekend to celebrate their anniversary and I got to spend the weekend with Nana and Grandpa.  I sure gave them a run for their money.  As active as I have become just this past month I don't think they were ready for me.  Hehe.

Not much longer and I really started pulling myself up on everything.

We also went on my second trip to Florida.  {My first trip was when I was only four weeks old to visit my Great-Grandma at Thanksgiving time.}  We went this time to go to a wedding for Dada's cousin.  We stayed in a great big house where I got to swim every day.  And they also had stairs for me to climb!

And then most recently, this past weekend, we went to my first circle track race.  We went to Orange County Speedway to watch the stock cars race.  Boy it sure is louder than Dada's drag races.

So much more growing to do!!

Itchy and Scratchy

I brought the kitties back to the Vet yesterday on my day off.  One of many appointments. 

First, both of their ears were still dirty but not as bad.  And I have to clarify because previously I think I said they had ear mites.  But that was negative.  They do however have both a bacterial and yeast infections.  Double ouchy. 

Both of their right ears are the worst, but this time Oliver's was worse than Elijah's.  They are both super itchy.  It is extremely difficult to clean their ears mostly because they won't stay still.  Oliver is the worst; he is way difficult to handle and wriggles out of the hold.  Hubby has to help.  And I can't get deep down enough into the ear canal.  Did you know that a cat's ear is L-shaped? 

They also need to get their medicine ear drops twice a day, morning and night.  It's even more difficult in the mornings because I have to find them and they just know why I'm looking for them.  They avoid me like the plague.  And I don't have much time in the mornings to track them down.  So this morning I couldn't get them, like most mornings.

I can't get their ears clean and cleared up if I can't administer their medicine regularly!  It's frustrating.  And if their ears don't get better I have to keep taking them into the Vet.  So I have another follow up appointment in two weeks.  I am pretty tired of spending 1-1.5 hours a visit there having them both looked at.  So the Vet gave us a more powerful cleaner that should fight the infection rather than just clean the ears normally.

In addition, Elijah's bloodwork came back negative for Hyperthyroidism.  But we had to do some additional bloodwork and part of the last test was still pending.  But if he doesn't have a thyroid problem then the Vet is at a loss about his coarse fur. 

The next step would be further testing for his heart murmur.  We could either do nothing since Eli hasn't had any problems, the murmur hasn't had any affect on him.  Otherwise we can spend the big money for chest x-rays and an ultrasound for his lungs to further investigate it.  Sad to say I just don't have the money right now.  Especially since he was terribly ill last Fall and we spent the big money on radiology tests then.  His eating and potty habits don't appear affected so we will wait it out.

My poor kitties.

Elijah's Heart

I recently took my two kitties, Eli and Oli, back to the vet for a follow up visit due to their ear mites (and Oliver was due for another vaccine).  It was Eli that was worse off.  And I have to admit that shortly after the initial visit we went off to our Easter weekend trip and Eli didn't get his ear treatment.  I cleaned them up real good the first few days but since we've been back home I've forgotten about it.  He's not exactly an enthusiastic patient either!

So needless to say Eli failed his follow up ear swab and still has very dirty ears.  Bad Mama.  

But this particular Vet, actually took more time with my kitties looking them over.  She took an awfully long time listening to Eli's heart and lungs.  She then asked me, "Did you know Elijah had a heart murmur?"  Uh, no.  And then she went on to tell me that she thinks he may have Hyperthyroidism and went on to explain that to me.  Now I have Hypothyroidism so I know what both are.  But she basically opened my eyes that that could be the reason why Eli's coat is so coarse.  It would be one of the symptoms.

You see, I adopted both my kitties when they were about six months old.  Eli, as long as I've had him, has had coarse hair rather than nice fluffy fur.  So he's not the cutest guy, but he was drawn to Hubby and I when we went shopping around.  I always just assumed he was some sort of special breed of cat.

After saying that, I've had my kitties for over three years now and been diligent about taking them for their check-ups.  Not one of those other vets ever took the time to look Eli over enough to notice this heart murmur (assuming he didn't recently acquire it).  And as I've said, he's always had a coarse coat of hair.  So all these other vets must have been ignorant or apathetic, because none of them ever explored why his hair was the way it was.

So I asked the Vet, "So if we get it treated successfully, you mean he could have nice fluffy fur like Oliver?"  And by that I meant, "be beautiful?"  Harsh, I know.  But I really want my kitties to be healthy.  That's what is most important.

So the Vet is doing some blood work on Eli to confirm her suspicions of Hyperthyroidism and his heart murmur.  Once this initial set of tests comes back hopefully we can work on treatments.  I already know that part of the treatment will require a special diet.  Do you know how difficult it will be to have to feed both kitties separately?  And to make sure they eat up all their food, then put it away so that Oliver doesn't eat Elijah's and Elijah doesn't eat Oliver's?  It's already difficult enough keeping Miley away from their food.  But I'll figure that out when it comes to it.

Oliver and Elijah