Oh, wow, I knew I missed posting in April but hadn't realized I missed March as well! There is so much to share! I hope this post doesn't ramble too much.
I'll start with today. Our little man is 18 months old! Happy birthday, N! We had his portraits done yesterday in his baseball jersey. A baseball and bat were two of the poses. That was fun. He kept throwing and running after! We did manage a few good shots. I told the photographer she could stop with less than 10. There were some cute ones and honestly, the more they take the harder time I have deciding.
I guess the big news for April was he had a little surgery. We drove to Albany, NY, to see Dr. Kotlow for N's lip and tongue tie revisions. We knew he was tongue tied shortly after birth but we didn't know much about it. All the medical professionals told us since he was nursing well, we could just take a wait-and-see approach. Poor little guy had been through so much already I agreed. If only I knew then what I know now. He did breastfeed fine and he gained weight rapidly. But then at his nine-month well baby check his doctor felt he wasn't eating enough solids. She sent us to see a pediatric ENT who agreed he had a tongue tie and said we could wait, he could clip it in the office but might not do a great job (due to his having teeth already) or we could book the procedure for the OR. I knew I didn't want the OR thing. So we left and figured we'd decide later. Fast forward to February I am a La Leche League meeting and a woman there had just driven to Albany to have her two sons revised. She showed me pictures of her older son's lip tie and I thought N didn't have that. I lifted his lip and was shocked to see he did! His front top two teeth came in with a gap. So after much thought, discussion, and research, I decided I wanted N's fixed as well. Yes, he was old enough nursing was essential anymore but I read about the consequences of unresolved ties. We booked the procedure and the hotel and drove up to Albany on a Sunday. (The reason so many people go to Albany is Dr. Kotlow revises with NO anesthesia and he uses a laser instead of scissors.) He had the surgery on a Monday morning. The doctor talked to us for a bit, put on a video for us, and when he came back in, N just held out hsi arms to him! I was amazed; he doesn't usually do that. So the doctor said, "We'll be back." I didn't realize it was time! But he was only gone six minutes. He came back red-faced, sweaty, and crying. I held him for a bit and he nursed and then he was just fine! In fact, he was all smiles when the doctor came back, even gave him a smile and a high five. The ride home was pretty long but he did well.
So that was not even three weeks ago and he has started saying new words now. In addition to mama and dada which he was already saying, he now says thank you (heard it only once), uh-oh (says over and over and over), poop, bye-bye, mine (occasionally), and I think hi as well. So he had six words by 18 months. Woo hoo!
We had to do stretches so the tongue and lip wouldn't reattach. The tongue was nearly impossible as he had nine teeth already (just got his tenth a few days ago). The lip was easier. For the tongue he said to put peanut butter on top teeth. He is allergic to peanut butter so we used sunflower seed butter (which he loves). It has a similar consistency to PB so I think it had the same effect. He really had to work that tongue to get it off his front teeth. As of today, I saw NO reattachment so that is good.
He had a new teacher at school from 1/21-5/10. I was sad to see her go. He is now with one of the college students; she is great and I really like her. He moved from Toddler A to Toddler B in March (the 18th I believe). He is doing well! He is starting gymnastics now (Junior Gym Nest). He went Friday for his first class (a free trial to see how he likes it) but he did not participate just watched (which is normal for a first time) so they sent a note saying he can continue to watch for free. Once he starts joining in then we will pay. I'm excited. I never was involved in any of that so I want that for him.
He just loves to help. He helps put stuff away. Whenever I'm in the kitchen and open the fridge, he is right there filling it with bottled drinks. He is getting independent. For the past few weeks he has tried dressing and undressing himself. He gets his coat and runs to the door and wants to walk to the car by himself when he sees I am ready to leave. He is getting to be a better eater too. He was anti-meat for awhile but today he ate maybe one-third of a hot dog at a baseball game and then he ate chicken for dinner but wouldn't touch mac 'n cheese. Yay!
He had his first ER visit in March. It wound up being a not-so-big deal but it was scary at the time. He and I were sick with a virus. We went to urgent care on Sunday but there wasn't much they could do for us. I stayed home Monday and Tuesday with him and as he napped Tuesday I figured we were well enough to go back to work and school Wednesday. (He had also stayed home with S on Friday so it had already been awhile.) When he woke up from his nap he was covered in hives. Big, ugly, nasty hives. Welts really. I was alarmed. He has food allergies and very sensitive skin. We had recently been having issues with detergent but not a detergent I had used on his stuff. I didn't know what to think. I gave him Benadryl, and called the doctor. They said to bring him in. She thought it was an allergic reaction and prescribed steroids (oral). I gave him him his first dose and he got even worse later that night. It was terrible. I called her and she called back and I was crying. She said to go to the ER. I mean, he was just covered in welts and he was clawing at them. He was so miserable and I could see why! At the ER they said it was the virus coming out of his body. They gave him a steroid shot. We stayed home Wednesday and he was still no better Wednesday night. I called the doctor and they said to come in. she still felt it was an allergic reaction and said to get in to see the allergist. So I called first thing in the morning and got an appointment. He and I went back to work and school Thursday afternoon. And Friday was his last breakout. it was so horrible. Poor little guy was just miserable.
So I think that is a good update for now!
