After nearly a year of fighting incessant ear infections, we finally scheduled your 1st surgery to get ear tubes as well as to remove your adenoids (which is supposed to help clear up all the congestion problems). After the surgery was postponed once due to another virus, you were well enough to get the surgery on Sept. 6. I wasn’t all that nervous about it because I had heard so many times how common the procedure is and how much of a difference we would notice in the reduced number of illnesses you would catch in the future.
We took you to the Cy-Fair Surgery Center at 6:30 a.m. They called us back to get you dressed for the procedure, and I was surprised to see a little toddler-sized hospital gown set aside for you. It was just like the adult ones with the ties in the back, but it was purple and had little dinosaurs on it. Once I put it on you, it was precious! Your little diaper and chubby thighs were poking through the backside as you waddled around to check out the waiting area. So cute! And of course, the nurses were quite charmed by you with your blond curls and angelic face. When they took you away to the operating room, you just happily sucked on your pacifier and never uttered a sound. You were the model patient!
Dr. Lui, the ENT specialist, came out about 25 minutes later and told us you did great with the procedure. Another 10 minutes went by, and they finally came to let us sit with you in recovery. When we went back there, you were trying to wake up but were still feeling the effects of the anesthesia. It made me cry to see you because you looked so out of it – you were a bit combative and were making these funny sounds from your throat like a seal (caused by the breathing tube from the surgery). I held you and gave you your pacifier, which instantly calmed you down. You drank a little Pedialyte but you didn’t want to wake up fully. It reminded me of when you were born; you didn’t want to cry, you just wanted to sleep!
After another 30 minutes, you had your eyes open and we departed for home. When I pulled into the garage at home, you were fully awake and even uttering some sounds. But I knew you needed to rest, so I carried you upstairs to put you in your crib. By the time we made it upstairs you were asleep already! You ended up sleeping for 3 hours that morning and another 2 hours in the afternoon. But by the time your Dad returned from work that evening, you were back to your normal self.
The next day, your Dad stayed home with you to make sure you were recovering well. That morning, you went to the hardware store and the grocery store. At the grocery store, your Dad put you in one of those racecar-shopping carts. He said you loved it so much that you were shrieking in laughter the whole time! I was so glad to hear this because of all your previous whiny behavior and temper tantrums. Could it be that the surgery would help you feel so much better that your former self (laid-back, mellow, and happy) would return? Only time would tell…
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Friday, August 3, 2007
3 Months
Connor is now 3 months old and still off the charts for babies his age! Since the last monthly update, Connor started daycare and seems to enjoy his teachers and surroundings. He can now roll over and delights us with a hearty laugh once in a while.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Rough Patch
I already mentioned your early onset of Terrible Twos. But it seemed to escalate quickly once you turned 15 months old. In late August, we hit a rough patch that made me actually consider offering you up on the black market. (OK, not really, but I sure felt like it at the time!)
One evening in August, I noticed some strange spots on your hands that looked like water blisters. You had them on both hands, and I had no idea what caused them. Your dad and I guessed that you had gotten into some ants at daycare. The next morning, I asked the Director Brenda about your spots. She immediately knew the cause: Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease. Say what? Apparently it’s a virus that is common among young children. (You know it’s bad when your child catches things you’ve never even heard of before.)
Unfortunately, this was 2 days before you were scheduled for surgery to get ear tubes to stop the incessant ear infections you’d been battling since you were 6 months old. The doctor postponed your surgery and we hoped to reschedule the following month. The next day, you came down with a fever of 102, so it was back to the doctor. This time you were diagnosed with double ear infections, AGAIN. The doctor stressed that we needed to schedule your surgery soon, because you just weren’t responding to antibiotics. Duh.
After missing almost an entire week of daycare, you were recovering but not quickly enough. Your brothers came over that weekend, and Collin had to visit the doctor for possible strep throat or mono. By the time I got home from work that evening, I was feeling miserable with some kind of sinus infection. Your Dad was also feeling sick with a stomach virus of some sort. So between the 5 of us, we were in pretty bad shape. We spent the following Saturday doing nothing but sleeping, taking shifts to watch you, and lounging around the house. By Saturday evening, Collin had developed blisters on his hands, so he likely caught the Hand, Foot, and Mouth virus, too!
Right around this time, your Dad and I noticed a significant shift in your behavior. Despite your periodic temper tantrum once you reached age 1, you were still a fairly happy, go-lucky toddler. But all of a sudden, we started to notice relentless whining during the day and increased tantrums when you didn’t get your way. Another change was that you began to have difficulty taking your naps during the day, which had never been a problem before. There were several days toward the end of the month when you cried for up to 2 whole hours when we put you down for your nap. At first we thought you were just not feeling well from all the illnesses going around. But it continued to worsen.
In the first week of September, we had the worst day yet. We rescheduled your ear surgery for Thursday, Sept. 6. So on the 4th, I picked you up from daycare for your pre-op visit and drove straight to the doctor’s office, which was about an hour’s drive up north. Right around that time, a bad thunderstorm swept through the area causing heavy rain and street flooding. I was inching my way north on the HOV lane, and the entire time you were in the backseat screaming and crying. By the time we arrived at the doctor, my nerves were shot. You were cleared for surgery, and then we headed back home. Only I couldn’t get you into your car seat. I realize that you are 1 and I am 31, but honestly I was using all my strength to push you down into the seat and you were STILL overpowering me. Tough little booger. By the time I got you into your seat, you were MAD and I was soaked from all the rain. You reached out and slapped me hard with your little hand. And I admit, I grabbed it and slapped it right back. For the first time during your tantrum, you actually cried real tears. I hated the way it made me feel to hit you, despite how frustrated I was. (Right then I vowed not to do that again. It wouldn’t teach you anything productive, anyway.)
You cried and screamed the entire way home as we stopped at the pharmacy and then stopped to get dinner. When we got home, I gave you some food thinking it would calm you down, but you continued to fuss and fight, even throwing down the food I gave you. It truly seemed NOTHING would placate you at this point.
At the same time that you were pitching a fit at home, I began to receive urgent calls from the office about some work I needed to do. I tried to conduct conversations by phone, but you were crying and screaming so loud that no one could hear me or talk to me. At one point, I was so distraught that I put you in time out and I went and shut myself in the Laundry room just so I could finish my phone calls. But before I could finish, you came and started banging on the door for me to get out.
That was it. I had reached my breaking point. I decided that you needed a true time out in your crib. I went upstairs, changed your diaper (you were wiggling and fighting so much that you almost fell off the ottoman/changing area several times), and put you in the crib. You were extremely angry with this and continued to scream and cry. But finally, you fell asleep after 10 minutes or so. You must have worn yourself out with all the screaming and fighting, because you continued sleeping from that point (5:30 p.m.) until we woke you for school the next morning.
The interesting thing about your behavior during this time is that you only acted this way for us, Mom and Dad. At daycare, the ladies said you were happy all day and never cried. I spoke to everyone I knew and tried to figure out what was causing your screaming fits and what I could do to prevent them. The daycare Director Brenda alluded to the old myth that toddlers start throwing tantrums when there is a pregnancy in the family. Thank goodness she was wrong!
One evening in August, I noticed some strange spots on your hands that looked like water blisters. You had them on both hands, and I had no idea what caused them. Your dad and I guessed that you had gotten into some ants at daycare. The next morning, I asked the Director Brenda about your spots. She immediately knew the cause: Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease. Say what? Apparently it’s a virus that is common among young children. (You know it’s bad when your child catches things you’ve never even heard of before.)
Unfortunately, this was 2 days before you were scheduled for surgery to get ear tubes to stop the incessant ear infections you’d been battling since you were 6 months old. The doctor postponed your surgery and we hoped to reschedule the following month. The next day, you came down with a fever of 102, so it was back to the doctor. This time you were diagnosed with double ear infections, AGAIN. The doctor stressed that we needed to schedule your surgery soon, because you just weren’t responding to antibiotics. Duh.
After missing almost an entire week of daycare, you were recovering but not quickly enough. Your brothers came over that weekend, and Collin had to visit the doctor for possible strep throat or mono. By the time I got home from work that evening, I was feeling miserable with some kind of sinus infection. Your Dad was also feeling sick with a stomach virus of some sort. So between the 5 of us, we were in pretty bad shape. We spent the following Saturday doing nothing but sleeping, taking shifts to watch you, and lounging around the house. By Saturday evening, Collin had developed blisters on his hands, so he likely caught the Hand, Foot, and Mouth virus, too!
Right around this time, your Dad and I noticed a significant shift in your behavior. Despite your periodic temper tantrum once you reached age 1, you were still a fairly happy, go-lucky toddler. But all of a sudden, we started to notice relentless whining during the day and increased tantrums when you didn’t get your way. Another change was that you began to have difficulty taking your naps during the day, which had never been a problem before. There were several days toward the end of the month when you cried for up to 2 whole hours when we put you down for your nap. At first we thought you were just not feeling well from all the illnesses going around. But it continued to worsen.
In the first week of September, we had the worst day yet. We rescheduled your ear surgery for Thursday, Sept. 6. So on the 4th, I picked you up from daycare for your pre-op visit and drove straight to the doctor’s office, which was about an hour’s drive up north. Right around that time, a bad thunderstorm swept through the area causing heavy rain and street flooding. I was inching my way north on the HOV lane, and the entire time you were in the backseat screaming and crying. By the time we arrived at the doctor, my nerves were shot. You were cleared for surgery, and then we headed back home. Only I couldn’t get you into your car seat. I realize that you are 1 and I am 31, but honestly I was using all my strength to push you down into the seat and you were STILL overpowering me. Tough little booger. By the time I got you into your seat, you were MAD and I was soaked from all the rain. You reached out and slapped me hard with your little hand. And I admit, I grabbed it and slapped it right back. For the first time during your tantrum, you actually cried real tears. I hated the way it made me feel to hit you, despite how frustrated I was. (Right then I vowed not to do that again. It wouldn’t teach you anything productive, anyway.)
You cried and screamed the entire way home as we stopped at the pharmacy and then stopped to get dinner. When we got home, I gave you some food thinking it would calm you down, but you continued to fuss and fight, even throwing down the food I gave you. It truly seemed NOTHING would placate you at this point.
At the same time that you were pitching a fit at home, I began to receive urgent calls from the office about some work I needed to do. I tried to conduct conversations by phone, but you were crying and screaming so loud that no one could hear me or talk to me. At one point, I was so distraught that I put you in time out and I went and shut myself in the Laundry room just so I could finish my phone calls. But before I could finish, you came and started banging on the door for me to get out.
That was it. I had reached my breaking point. I decided that you needed a true time out in your crib. I went upstairs, changed your diaper (you were wiggling and fighting so much that you almost fell off the ottoman/changing area several times), and put you in the crib. You were extremely angry with this and continued to scream and cry. But finally, you fell asleep after 10 minutes or so. You must have worn yourself out with all the screaming and fighting, because you continued sleeping from that point (5:30 p.m.) until we woke you for school the next morning.
The interesting thing about your behavior during this time is that you only acted this way for us, Mom and Dad. At daycare, the ladies said you were happy all day and never cried. I spoke to everyone I knew and tried to figure out what was causing your screaming fits and what I could do to prevent them. The daycare Director Brenda alluded to the old myth that toddlers start throwing tantrums when there is a pregnancy in the family. Thank goodness she was wrong!
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
2 Months
At 2 months old, Connor hit a major growth spurt recently. He weighs about 18 lbs now, which is average for a 5-6 month old! He is doing great and often rewards us with smiles and coos. Photos this round include Connor's first Astros game, lots of smiles, fun with big brothers Collin and Kevin, and first family vacation to Lake Travis in Austin.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
1st Visit to the Emergency Room
I was about to start a project meeting at work when I got a call from your daycare that you had a fever of 102 and needed to be picked up. I knew immediately that it must be another ear infection since you had been suffering from them since you were six months old. Your dad and I kept trying to hold off on the surgery for ear tubes, hoping that you would outgrow the infections and rendering the surgery unnecessary. But it seemed like every time you finished your antibiotics for one ear infection, a week later you would come down with another.
I picked you up from Crème and we headed straight for the doctor’s office. Surprisingly, however, the doctor said you didn’t have an ear infection. You had some fluid in one ear, but she suspected you had a virus that was causing the fever. So I took you home, knowing that I would probably be back to the doctor with a full-blown infection within a day or two.
That evening, I noticed that your fever got worse. I put you to bed as normal, but I went up to check on you before going to bed myself. Your Dad was working late that night and on his way home. I used the ear thermometer and took your temperature, and I was shocked when I saw that your fever was 103.8! I got a little scared since I had given you Motrin just an hour earlier, so your fever shouldn’t have been that high.
I called your Dad and he suggested we give you Tylenol, but I was worried about over-medicating you. So I called your MeMe and she sounded worried that you might start seizing from the high temperature. Each time I checked on you in your crib, you were lying there so lethargic just staring up at the ceiling. I decided to call the doctor’s office, and I communicated your symptoms to the on-call nurse. By this time, your Dad was home and he noticed that you were breathing rapidly, almost 1 beat per second. So the nurse called the on-call doctor who promptly ordered us to take you to the Emergency Room. Hearing the urgency in her voice made me start crying, and I asked your Dad to give me a hug to comfort me. I knew you would be OK, but I was still worried.
We arrived at the Emergency Room around 10:45 P.M. They checked you in quickly and immediately gave you some Tylenol (your Dad was gloating since he had suggested that in the first place). But they were concerned about your rapid heart rate, so they did a chest x-ray and also administered an I.V. to take your blood. That was NOT a fun experience for you OR for me. They wrapped you up in a sheet like a mummy except for your right arm. Then I caressed you and sang to you while they held down your arm and took two vials of blood. Poor baby, you just cried and cried until they withdrew the needle.
When your tests came back, they revealed everything was normal. But the ER doctor gave us a stern look when we told her how many ear infections you had been struggling with. She checked your ears and sure enough, you had already developed another one. Right then and there, your Dad and I decided to schedule the ear tube surgery for you. We just felt so bad that you continued to be sick.
We were sent home with a prescription for another round of antibiotics. It was a relatively low-stress visit to the ER when you consider that there could be many more trips worse than that in our future (you are a boy, after all!)
I picked you up from Crème and we headed straight for the doctor’s office. Surprisingly, however, the doctor said you didn’t have an ear infection. You had some fluid in one ear, but she suspected you had a virus that was causing the fever. So I took you home, knowing that I would probably be back to the doctor with a full-blown infection within a day or two.
That evening, I noticed that your fever got worse. I put you to bed as normal, but I went up to check on you before going to bed myself. Your Dad was working late that night and on his way home. I used the ear thermometer and took your temperature, and I was shocked when I saw that your fever was 103.8! I got a little scared since I had given you Motrin just an hour earlier, so your fever shouldn’t have been that high.
I called your Dad and he suggested we give you Tylenol, but I was worried about over-medicating you. So I called your MeMe and she sounded worried that you might start seizing from the high temperature. Each time I checked on you in your crib, you were lying there so lethargic just staring up at the ceiling. I decided to call the doctor’s office, and I communicated your symptoms to the on-call nurse. By this time, your Dad was home and he noticed that you were breathing rapidly, almost 1 beat per second. So the nurse called the on-call doctor who promptly ordered us to take you to the Emergency Room. Hearing the urgency in her voice made me start crying, and I asked your Dad to give me a hug to comfort me. I knew you would be OK, but I was still worried.
We arrived at the Emergency Room around 10:45 P.M. They checked you in quickly and immediately gave you some Tylenol (your Dad was gloating since he had suggested that in the first place). But they were concerned about your rapid heart rate, so they did a chest x-ray and also administered an I.V. to take your blood. That was NOT a fun experience for you OR for me. They wrapped you up in a sheet like a mummy except for your right arm. Then I caressed you and sang to you while they held down your arm and took two vials of blood. Poor baby, you just cried and cried until they withdrew the needle.
When your tests came back, they revealed everything was normal. But the ER doctor gave us a stern look when we told her how many ear infections you had been struggling with. She checked your ears and sure enough, you had already developed another one. Right then and there, your Dad and I decided to schedule the ear tube surgery for you. We just felt so bad that you continued to be sick.
We were sent home with a prescription for another round of antibiotics. It was a relatively low-stress visit to the ER when you consider that there could be many more trips worse than that in our future (you are a boy, after all!)
Monday, June 25, 2007
Curls Curls Curls
You were born with a head full of hair (much to my surprise – although I don’t know why I was surprised since both Dad and I had hair at birth) that was brown and extremely soft. I was thrilled with your hair because I have always loved the feel of soft, new hair on a baby. In the beginning your hair was brown, and although you didn’t have much new hair growth for many months, we all noticed how it began to lighten up significantly over time. By Christmas time (when you were 8 months old) your hair was light blond just like your cousin Makenna’s.
Around age 10 months or so, your hair really started growing in at a rapid rate. It was still light blond, and we noticed that it began to look wavy as it grew thicker. By the time you turned 1, your hair was looking so curly! Of course, I thought it was so cute and refused to cut off your precious curls. When you would go outside during the summer humidity, your cheeks would get so pink and your hair became so curly that it looked kinky like a perm! (I guess you inherited my hair, because mine still does that all the time.) Your dad and brothers, and especially your MeMe, couldn’t believe how curly it was. The comments made by strangers that noticed you in public places went from “Look at those beautiful blue eyes!” or “What a happy baby he is!” to “Wow, he’s got such gorgeous curls!”
Around age 14 months, your Dad (and Grand Daddy) was getting frustrated that I wouldn’t cut your hair. They thought you looked a little girly. I finally decided I would be OK with getting your haircut. But the night before we were going to get it cut, you and I went to your buddy Jack’s birthday party (son of Kevin and Jennifer Ward). We were visiting with some of the partygoers outside, and sure enough, your hair started to curl from the humidity. Jack’s dad, Kevin, noticed your curls and began to exclaim how precious they were. He along with many others were shocked that we would consider cutting off the curls. So, of course, that made up my mind – I again refused to cut your hair.
I admit even now (you are 15 months) that your hair looks a little unkempt on most days, especially when it flies out over your ears. But as long as it’s not in your eyes, we can always comb it over and keep those lovely curls at the end. Who knows when I’ll take the plunge and agree to a haircut? Your Dad says that you’ll grow up and see pictures and resent me for not cutting it sooner. Your Uncle Ben says that you’ll be a “double threat” with those big blue eyes and curly hair. Your MeMe says that you’ll never look the same after your first haircut. But I’ve realized that the honest truth is your haircut will make you look like the big boy and toddler that you’ve become, and you’ll no longer be my baby.
Around age 10 months or so, your hair really started growing in at a rapid rate. It was still light blond, and we noticed that it began to look wavy as it grew thicker. By the time you turned 1, your hair was looking so curly! Of course, I thought it was so cute and refused to cut off your precious curls. When you would go outside during the summer humidity, your cheeks would get so pink and your hair became so curly that it looked kinky like a perm! (I guess you inherited my hair, because mine still does that all the time.) Your dad and brothers, and especially your MeMe, couldn’t believe how curly it was. The comments made by strangers that noticed you in public places went from “Look at those beautiful blue eyes!” or “What a happy baby he is!” to “Wow, he’s got such gorgeous curls!”
Around age 14 months, your Dad (and Grand Daddy) was getting frustrated that I wouldn’t cut your hair. They thought you looked a little girly. I finally decided I would be OK with getting your haircut. But the night before we were going to get it cut, you and I went to your buddy Jack’s birthday party (son of Kevin and Jennifer Ward). We were visiting with some of the partygoers outside, and sure enough, your hair started to curl from the humidity. Jack’s dad, Kevin, noticed your curls and began to exclaim how precious they were. He along with many others were shocked that we would consider cutting off the curls. So, of course, that made up my mind – I again refused to cut your hair.
I admit even now (you are 15 months) that your hair looks a little unkempt on most days, especially when it flies out over your ears. But as long as it’s not in your eyes, we can always comb it over and keep those lovely curls at the end. Who knows when I’ll take the plunge and agree to a haircut? Your Dad says that you’ll grow up and see pictures and resent me for not cutting it sooner. Your Uncle Ben says that you’ll be a “double threat” with those big blue eyes and curly hair. Your MeMe says that you’ll never look the same after your first haircut. But I’ve realized that the honest truth is your haircut will make you look like the big boy and toddler that you’ve become, and you’ll no longer be my baby.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Terrible Twos...At Age One
I was so blessed to have you, Connor, because you were SUCH an easy baby. Most people, especially your MeMe, couldn’t believe that a rotten kid like me would grow up and give birth to a happy, easy-going child. Like a “textbook” baby (according to The Baby Whisperer), you only cried when you were hungry or hurt. Everyone who met you was amazed by your laidback nature. You never experienced stranger anxiety (everyone was your buddy!) and you always took everything in stride.
So imagine my surprise when you turned 1 and all of a sudden you were becoming whiny, fussy, and strong-willed! (Ah, so maybe you’re the child my mother said I deserved after all!) I couldn’t figure out if it was the pain from your molars (they started coming in around that time), ear trouble, or just pure frustration on your part. We tried to help you learn sign language to ease the communication barrier. But even during a June 2007 visit from your MeMe and Grandaddy, they noticed that you seemed to be entering the “Terrible Twos” a little early!
With the transition to your sippy cup, you seemed to get pretty ticked off easily. One of your favorite toys was the computer mouse, and we often had to take it away from you because you would bang it so hard that it might break. But as soon as we admonished you or took something away from you, you were a mad little boy!
One of the funniest things to see was “precious, laidback Connor” throwing his little temper tantrums! You started doing this soon after you turned 1. When you got mad, you would throw yourself down on your butt and whip your head forward towards the floor as you cried and screamed. Every once in a while you would throw your head forward so forcefully that you would actually hit your head on the floor! One day I got a call from the daycare that you had thrown your temper tantrum and gotten a carpet burn on your head – ha! I hope one of these days that I’m lucky enough to catch it on video!
Through all of this, the phrase “Terrible Twos” struck me as odd when in reality, the “Terrible Twos” start so much sooner than age 2. But a co-worker of mine made it all clear for me when he said, “No, the phrase ‘Terrible Twos’ really refers to a terrible two year period that begins at age 1 and continues until age 3.” Ah-ha! Now THAT makes sense!
So imagine my surprise when you turned 1 and all of a sudden you were becoming whiny, fussy, and strong-willed! (Ah, so maybe you’re the child my mother said I deserved after all!) I couldn’t figure out if it was the pain from your molars (they started coming in around that time), ear trouble, or just pure frustration on your part. We tried to help you learn sign language to ease the communication barrier. But even during a June 2007 visit from your MeMe and Grandaddy, they noticed that you seemed to be entering the “Terrible Twos” a little early!
With the transition to your sippy cup, you seemed to get pretty ticked off easily. One of your favorite toys was the computer mouse, and we often had to take it away from you because you would bang it so hard that it might break. But as soon as we admonished you or took something away from you, you were a mad little boy!
One of the funniest things to see was “precious, laidback Connor” throwing his little temper tantrums! You started doing this soon after you turned 1. When you got mad, you would throw yourself down on your butt and whip your head forward towards the floor as you cried and screamed. Every once in a while you would throw your head forward so forcefully that you would actually hit your head on the floor! One day I got a call from the daycare that you had thrown your temper tantrum and gotten a carpet burn on your head – ha! I hope one of these days that I’m lucky enough to catch it on video!
Through all of this, the phrase “Terrible Twos” struck me as odd when in reality, the “Terrible Twos” start so much sooner than age 2. But a co-worker of mine made it all clear for me when he said, “No, the phrase ‘Terrible Twos’ really refers to a terrible two year period that begins at age 1 and continues until age 3.” Ah-ha! Now THAT makes sense!
No More Bah-Bah
Dr. Pope told us at your 1-year checkup that you needed to be off your bottles and formula by 15 months. Well, by that time, you LOVED your bottles and you were a pro at saying “bah bah” as soon as you spotted your bottle or if you ever wanted one.
My first task was to switch you from formula to whole milk. I did this gradually by mixing them in your bottles. After a few weeks, maybe a month, you were on 100% whole milk and you even drank it straight from the fridge.
In mid-June (you were approx. 14 months old) we decided to attempt the switch to the sippy cup. By then, you were drinking other liquids out of the sippy cup, but not your milk. Dr. Pope had warned us that you would probably resist but that we should go “cold turkey” and you would drink it when you got thirsty enough.
So we sent you to daycare without your bottles and started the process. Sure enough, you refused to drink your milk. By the time I picked you up that evening, you were MAD about the whole thing! When I tried to give you the sippy cup of milk that night before bedtime, you lost it. You screamed and cried, the whole time saying “Bah Bah!” with a pitiful look on your face. But we wouldn’t give in.
Over the next couple of days, you started taking your sippy cup every once in a while. But each time, you wanted to let us know that you mad about it! Many times you would take the sippy cup and forcefully throw it down, but eventually you would yank it back and start drinking. It’s almost like I could hear your thoughts, “Fine! I’ll take the sippy cup, but I am NOT happy about it!”
It took you a good 2-3 weeks before you were willing to consistently take your milk in a sippy cup. Even 1-2 weeks after we first made the switch, you were still crying and whining about it. Poor little guy, you just hate change so much.
My first task was to switch you from formula to whole milk. I did this gradually by mixing them in your bottles. After a few weeks, maybe a month, you were on 100% whole milk and you even drank it straight from the fridge.
In mid-June (you were approx. 14 months old) we decided to attempt the switch to the sippy cup. By then, you were drinking other liquids out of the sippy cup, but not your milk. Dr. Pope had warned us that you would probably resist but that we should go “cold turkey” and you would drink it when you got thirsty enough.
So we sent you to daycare without your bottles and started the process. Sure enough, you refused to drink your milk. By the time I picked you up that evening, you were MAD about the whole thing! When I tried to give you the sippy cup of milk that night before bedtime, you lost it. You screamed and cried, the whole time saying “Bah Bah!” with a pitiful look on your face. But we wouldn’t give in.
Over the next couple of days, you started taking your sippy cup every once in a while. But each time, you wanted to let us know that you mad about it! Many times you would take the sippy cup and forcefully throw it down, but eventually you would yank it back and start drinking. It’s almost like I could hear your thoughts, “Fine! I’ll take the sippy cup, but I am NOT happy about it!”
It took you a good 2-3 weeks before you were willing to consistently take your milk in a sippy cup. Even 1-2 weeks after we first made the switch, you were still crying and whining about it. Poor little guy, you just hate change so much.
Friday, June 1, 2007
Itsy Bitsy Spider
With all your signing, it was sometimes hard to keep up with the signs you knew (as well as your “interpretation” of the signs!) Around May or June, we started noticing that you would make an unfamiliar sign with both your hands, where one hand was forming the letter “L” and your other arm was outstretched and pointing in the opposite direction. We had no idea what you were saying.
Then one day I visited you during lunch at daycare and I noticed the DVD that was playing on the monitor. It was a video of kids singing and signing the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” song. I finally realized that the unfamiliar sign you’d been doing was your version of trying to make the spider crawl up the waterspout!
But the funniest thing about it is that you truly LOVE that song. You started getting more temperamental around age 13 months where you would whine and throw temper tantrums, but all we had to do (which is still true) is start singing the Itsy Bitsy Spider song and immediately you become quiet and start doing the signs. I was actually visiting you at daycare on another instance, and the DVD was playing at a different point where they show pictures of animals. When I tried to leave, you got upset and started crying loudly on the floor. But before I walked away, I noticed that the DVD had switched to the Itsy Bitsy Spider song. Sure enough, you bounced right up and walked to the computer screen and joined in with the song! It was like you had completely forgotten that I was there!
Then one day I visited you during lunch at daycare and I noticed the DVD that was playing on the monitor. It was a video of kids singing and signing the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” song. I finally realized that the unfamiliar sign you’d been doing was your version of trying to make the spider crawl up the waterspout!
But the funniest thing about it is that you truly LOVE that song. You started getting more temperamental around age 13 months where you would whine and throw temper tantrums, but all we had to do (which is still true) is start singing the Itsy Bitsy Spider song and immediately you become quiet and start doing the signs. I was actually visiting you at daycare on another instance, and the DVD was playing at a different point where they show pictures of animals. When I tried to leave, you got upset and started crying loudly on the floor. But before I walked away, I noticed that the DVD had switched to the Itsy Bitsy Spider song. Sure enough, you bounced right up and walked to the computer screen and joined in with the song! It was like you had completely forgotten that I was there!
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Connor's First Steps
Dad got tickets for us to the Astros game in the Diamond section (with the private clubhouse and indoor buffet area) about a week after you turned 1. By this time, you were walking well as long as we held both your hands. During the game, I was walking with you in the clubhouse, and I noticed that I let go of your hands and you kept going another few steps! I thought it was a fluke, so I tried it again and again. By the third time, I realized that you were officially taking your first steps!
I went outside to our seats and exclaimed to your Dad that you were taking your first steps. He promptly followed us back inside where you started stepping back and forth between us. It was so exciting for all of us, and of course, you were enjoying all of the attention and cheering! And wouldn’t you know, it was the one time we didn’t have either our camera OR camcorder for the event!
The next day we captured some video of you walking to Collin and Kevin at home. From that point forward, you took walking at your own pace. Until about a month later, you would still switch between crawling and walking at will (unlike your cousin Makenna who took her first steps and never looked back!) You were still pretty wobbly and didn’t become a great walker until around 14 months.
I went outside to our seats and exclaimed to your Dad that you were taking your first steps. He promptly followed us back inside where you started stepping back and forth between us. It was so exciting for all of us, and of course, you were enjoying all of the attention and cheering! And wouldn’t you know, it was the one time we didn’t have either our camera OR camcorder for the event!
The next day we captured some video of you walking to Collin and Kevin at home. From that point forward, you took walking at your own pace. Until about a month later, you would still switch between crawling and walking at will (unlike your cousin Makenna who took her first steps and never looked back!) You were still pretty wobbly and didn’t become a great walker until around 14 months.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Signing Times
We started teaching you sign language early on to see if it would help you communicate better with us. It was amazing to me how quickly you picked it up. Your first sign that I can remember clearly was “airplane”. We’d take you outside and you would hear the airplane, but it was hard for you to spot them at first. When Dad would show you the airplane sign, he would also make the noise “Sshhh”, so soon thereafter you were making the sign while saying “Sshhh” when you would spot an airplane in the sky.
Another one of your first signs was “Dog” (the “dog” sign is patting your thigh and sometimes snapping after you pat.) We would see dogs in the neighborhood or at friends’ homes and you loved them! One day I noticed that you saw a dog and started patting your belly and saying “Daw”. It was so cute! No matter how much we tried to get you to pat your thigh, you always patted your belly instead. Soon thereafter, you were so good at saying “Daw” (for dog) that you stopped signing it altogether.
Another sign you learned was “Bird” but it took you several weeks to get that one down since you didn’t quite have your pinchers working yet! Around age 1, you also learned “milk”, “eat”, “more”, “all done”, “fish”, and “banana”.
You learned “banana” almost instantaneously when we were in the grocery store one evening. Of course, bananas were one of your favorite foods. So I stopped in the produce section and picked up some bananas while showing you the “banana” sign. Right then and there you started doing the sign back to me! I was so impressed with your signing skills.
Around 14 months, I noticed that you started putting 2 signs together. You would sign “more banana”, “eat milk”, or “eat banana”. Very impressive.
Another one of your first signs was “Dog” (the “dog” sign is patting your thigh and sometimes snapping after you pat.) We would see dogs in the neighborhood or at friends’ homes and you loved them! One day I noticed that you saw a dog and started patting your belly and saying “Daw”. It was so cute! No matter how much we tried to get you to pat your thigh, you always patted your belly instead. Soon thereafter, you were so good at saying “Daw” (for dog) that you stopped signing it altogether.
Another sign you learned was “Bird” but it took you several weeks to get that one down since you didn’t quite have your pinchers working yet! Around age 1, you also learned “milk”, “eat”, “more”, “all done”, “fish”, and “banana”.
You learned “banana” almost instantaneously when we were in the grocery store one evening. Of course, bananas were one of your favorite foods. So I stopped in the produce section and picked up some bananas while showing you the “banana” sign. Right then and there you started doing the sign back to me! I was so impressed with your signing skills.
Around 14 months, I noticed that you started putting 2 signs together. You would sign “more banana”, “eat milk”, or “eat banana”. Very impressive.
Big Scare
Soon after you turned 1, there was a time that we were both sick (you had an ear infection and pink eye, and I had a sinus infection and pink eye) and had to stay at home for a few days. On the 1st sick day, I was feeling miserable but Dad wasn’t able to miss work due to a deadline. So I tried my best to keep up with you (even though you were sick, you were still active and busy) even though I was far less than 100%.
At one point in the early afternoon, I was sitting on the couch surfing the Internet while you were playing with your toiletry bag (where I kept your diaper cream, medicines, comb, and all other little items to keep you groomed and healthy). I noticed you playing with a 2-3 ounce liquid bottle of Tylenol with Codeine (it was prescribed for you a few months earlier for the long plane ride to Hawaii in case you experienced ear trouble). I didn’t think twice about it because the cap was childproof and you enjoyed shaking the bottle for the noise effect.
After a few minutes, I looked up again and saw that you were sucking on the cap of the medicine bottle. Something about this struck me as odd, so I got up to look at the bottle. When I pulled it out of your mouth, I noticed that, OH MY GOSH, the cap was OFF and the bottle was completely EMPTY! I paused for a moment as the realization sunk in that you could have drank the entire contents of the bottle (it was previously near full). How could this happen – the cap was childproof!
Immediately I began to panic. I think I screamed “Oh my God!” It scared you to see my reaction, like you did something wrong, and you started crying. I was freaking out but also trying to console you. In my head I was thinking, “This is it. This is the moment I have dreaded – when Connor’s life is at risk. This is what it feels like to be one of those parents with a child whose life is in danger.”
Without a doubt, I knew I needed to make a phone call. My first instinct was to dial 911. I hit the numbers in the phone, 9-1-1, but then I paused and wondered if I should really do that (will they question my abilities as a mother?). Instead I dialed Jeff at work. Fortunately he answered right away. At this point, I was near hyperventilating. But I still had some wits about me, because I was searching the rug for stains of medicine that may have spilled. I also noticed that you had some spots on your clothes, but not enough to account for 2-3 ounces, and the rug was patterned which made it hard to spot spills.
Between loud breaths, I told Jeff that I thought you drank the entire bottle of Tylenol with Codeine. He was very calm and asked how much spilled versus was swallowed. I still couldn’t find any spill spots on the rug, so Jeff stated that we should call the doctor. The doctor referred us to Poison Control. We called Poison Control and a nice man started asking all the right questions (how old/big you were, how much was in the bottle, how much was spilled on the floor, etc.). By this time, I was very unsettled because the man told us that Codeine was very dangerous for little kids. I started balling, and you were upset to see me crying, so you would come to me and give me hugs and kisses (my sweet Conman!).
Somewhere around this time, I finally noticed two distinct areas on the rug where the medicine had spilled. It was 2 spots, each about the size of a baseball in diameter. When I told Jeff and the Poison Control man this, they both breathed a huge sigh of relief. The spots were big enough to indicate that you had not consumed much of the medicine and therefore you would be fine.
This was one of the scarier moments of being a Mom so far. The thought of something happening to you, especially when it could’ve been prevented (by me), made me feel incredibly irresponsible and guilty. I told all my friends with kids about my lesson learned: Childproof is not necessarily childproof!
At one point in the early afternoon, I was sitting on the couch surfing the Internet while you were playing with your toiletry bag (where I kept your diaper cream, medicines, comb, and all other little items to keep you groomed and healthy). I noticed you playing with a 2-3 ounce liquid bottle of Tylenol with Codeine (it was prescribed for you a few months earlier for the long plane ride to Hawaii in case you experienced ear trouble). I didn’t think twice about it because the cap was childproof and you enjoyed shaking the bottle for the noise effect.
After a few minutes, I looked up again and saw that you were sucking on the cap of the medicine bottle. Something about this struck me as odd, so I got up to look at the bottle. When I pulled it out of your mouth, I noticed that, OH MY GOSH, the cap was OFF and the bottle was completely EMPTY! I paused for a moment as the realization sunk in that you could have drank the entire contents of the bottle (it was previously near full). How could this happen – the cap was childproof!
Immediately I began to panic. I think I screamed “Oh my God!” It scared you to see my reaction, like you did something wrong, and you started crying. I was freaking out but also trying to console you. In my head I was thinking, “This is it. This is the moment I have dreaded – when Connor’s life is at risk. This is what it feels like to be one of those parents with a child whose life is in danger.”
Without a doubt, I knew I needed to make a phone call. My first instinct was to dial 911. I hit the numbers in the phone, 9-1-1, but then I paused and wondered if I should really do that (will they question my abilities as a mother?). Instead I dialed Jeff at work. Fortunately he answered right away. At this point, I was near hyperventilating. But I still had some wits about me, because I was searching the rug for stains of medicine that may have spilled. I also noticed that you had some spots on your clothes, but not enough to account for 2-3 ounces, and the rug was patterned which made it hard to spot spills.
Between loud breaths, I told Jeff that I thought you drank the entire bottle of Tylenol with Codeine. He was very calm and asked how much spilled versus was swallowed. I still couldn’t find any spill spots on the rug, so Jeff stated that we should call the doctor. The doctor referred us to Poison Control. We called Poison Control and a nice man started asking all the right questions (how old/big you were, how much was in the bottle, how much was spilled on the floor, etc.). By this time, I was very unsettled because the man told us that Codeine was very dangerous for little kids. I started balling, and you were upset to see me crying, so you would come to me and give me hugs and kisses (my sweet Conman!).
Somewhere around this time, I finally noticed two distinct areas on the rug where the medicine had spilled. It was 2 spots, each about the size of a baseball in diameter. When I told Jeff and the Poison Control man this, they both breathed a huge sigh of relief. The spots were big enough to indicate that you had not consumed much of the medicine and therefore you would be fine.
This was one of the scarier moments of being a Mom so far. The thought of something happening to you, especially when it could’ve been prevented (by me), made me feel incredibly irresponsible and guilty. I told all my friends with kids about my lesson learned: Childproof is not necessarily childproof!
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