6 Month Check-up

Miles Man,

You've been here almost 7 months, but somehow each month I get later at scheduling your doctor's appointment.  We went last week, right on your dad's 27th birthday. Like usual, the doctor said you were doing everything right on track.  He encouraged us to give you some soft solids so you could start learning to chew. So far you've attempted: kiwi, banana, avocado, sweet potato.  You also eat pureed veggies, basically everything but green beans. You think it's better to spit those out. But, I'm not giving up on them! You tolerate fruits.  You always make a sour face when you eat them. We my give you fruits 1/4 the time. I'm fine with you mostly eating veggies. For protein, you mostly eat egg yolk. Oh and breast milk, you still nurse 5-6 times a day.

 

Here you are a the doctor. You loved the crinkly paper. You weighed 17.4 lbs and were 27 inches long.  Your head finally evened out at 47cm.  You are in the 50th percentile.  I love this picture show the sheer fatness of your little feet. They are so thick! You also don't really have wrists...just little pudgy rings around your hand. :)

 

You still love to make lots of noise. You say something that sounds a lot like "hi" and you love to say "ahhhh" I know these probably mean nothing, but it's the easiest way to type your sounds. You smile constantly and are fixated on your feet and lips. You love to suck your lips in, so it looks like your an old man who lost his dentures.

 

 

You still bring joy to our lives daily. We couldn't love you more!



Things Miles will never know....

Today, I read that by the end of the year that all the rest of the Blockbuster stores will be closing.  This lead to me to think about what Miles will never know existed.  The things he will tilt his head and give me the "huh look?" when I talk about.

Renting movies- you know, circling the store with your friends, deciding which movie your parents won't be mad if you rent. Debating who's rental card it will be rented with, and where you will watch it.  One of your friends may have had to call and check with his parents if the movie was okay, on his Nokia phone.

Hear a busy signal- Miles won't get to experience that nail biting, 2-second pause before the phone rings or goes to the busy signal when he calls his best friend to see if he wants to run over and play. He won't experience the joy of calling back 10 seconds later. Or,  discovering the redial feature.

He will never sit in front of a boom box waiting for just the right moment when his favorite version of (My Heart Will Go On --compete with movie clips) comes on the radio, just so he can press record on the tape player portion. He won't know the excitement that goes with recording all but two seconds of his favorite song. He won't feel the frustrating of the tape running out, just before the song is over.

Miles will never see an unedited/bad photo of himself.  He will never flip through the family album and think 'why is there only half of my arm in this picture". His mom will have deleted those. He will never have red eyes. His pictures will be carefully cropped, blurred, and brightened. He will also never wait at the one-hour Wal-Mart to see what treasures await him in a roll of film fresh from the latest church camp-- where there is sure to be one of your favorite guy pal's eye ball.

Miles will never get to lick the stamp when we mail our electricity bill. Or 50, for the Christmas cards.

Miles will never wait as he listens to dial-up internet sounds, praying for a quick collection and fast stars shooting across the Netscape logo. He won't go to MapQuest, and print of directions to the weekend's canoe trip.  He won't get to ride shotgun and try to follow those written directions and accompanying map.

Miles won't know the agony of missing his favorite TV show. He won't understand the frustration when his parents aren't sympathetic to fact that it's Jonathon Taylor Thomas' last episode of Home Improvement and he doesn't want to go see his Great Aunt. It will simply be waiting back at home for his viewing convenience and he can skip the commercials.

Miles may not know a time when marriage was between just a man and woman, he may always remember marijuana being as legal as cigarettes.  He won't know a time before information about everything is literally at his finger tips. He's going to grow up in a great and scary (for me) time I'm sure. I can't wait to see what developments his lifetimes holds.

6 1/2 Months

I wanted to write down some of the things you are doing recently so I don't forget:
1. You love to smack your lips. I have tried to record it a few times, but you always stop!
2. Your dad taught you how to high-five
3. You can stand while you hold on to the couch
4. You like to 'play the piano' on my phone
5. You love reading books and will hold the pages while we read.
6. You know how to stick your tongue out
7. You love eating veggies but could care less about fruit. You especially don't like peaches.
8. You've started sometimes lifting your hands to be picked up.
9. You hang on while you are being carried.
10. You've kinda had a rough week with naps and sleeping. I hope you get this sorted out soon
11. You've gotten over your first cold!
12. When you wave you flat your entire arm up and down

Miles first Halloween (and a cousin visit)

Miles has a very successful first Halloween. I am not one of the people who take their baby house to house to secure mountains of candy. (although I do not judge you if you do) But I wanted him to trick or treat, purely for the pictures and because it was his first Halloween. 

Miles went as the ever popular Ninja Turtle, Michelangelo.  When  Trevor and I decided this would be his first Halloween costume, we had no idea that apparently the Ninja Turtles had made a comeback! We picked it because we both enjoyed the cartoon growing up, and mainly because we had everything we needed to make the costume for free! Except a pair of nunchucks, which we got on amazon for a whopping $.87! Score!

(costume before 'renovations'

 

Am I the type of mom who would reuse an old dog turtle costume? Yes!

 

 

So we prearranged with some great friends to go trick-or-treating at their houses.  What amazing friends we have. Miles didn't receive one bit of candy. Instead he got a new book, some awesome socks, and a variety of baby food in fun flavors that mean ol' mom just doesn't buy. What a great first Halloween!

 

As if that wasn't enough fun the weekend was capped off by his cousins coming to visit!

 

 

I can't wait until Miles is old enough to join in the shenanigans! Overall, a great end to October/beginning of November! What a good time to be a 6 month old!





More things I don't care about

When Miles was brand new, I posted about things I didn't care about, and what I do. You can find that first post here.

Since I've had 6 more months of parenting experiences, here are a few more current areas of which I don't bother.

1. Miles never slept in pajamas until just recently when it got cooler. Before I put him to bed in exactly what he was currently wearing. Why in the world would I create more work for myself by making more dirty clothes?

2. Miles loves water and baths, but he only gets them about once a week, sometimes he goes longer. He's not exactly romping around in the dirt. I love his baby soft skin and don't want to dry it out or slather it with lotion. I do make sure his face is clean though, I can't stand a dirty face on a baby. Gross!

3. I don't think I have ever washed a baby sock. Why in the world would you wash a baby sock? Fair warning, these socks have been in use for 6 months with no signs of being retired or washed. He doesn't wear them even a whole day, only out when it's chilly. He doesn't spit-up/poop/spill food on them. They are just fine.

4. When Miles and I are home in the day, I never have the TV on. But, he does see the computer screen occasionally. When Trevor's gets home, the TV turns on and Miles is mesmerized. Okay, I did let him watch 15 minutes of Mickey Mouse Club House because I NEEDED a shower.

5. I try not to let the dogs lick him, really I do.

6. Miles just recently started eating veggies. I didn't bother with rice cereal and he's had a few bites of fruits and clearly enjoys veggies more.  I walked out of the restroom at Chick-fil-a one day and saw Miles with a French fry full of honey mustard in his mouth. Grandparents (smile). You win some, you lose some. 

7. I really enjoy a schedule but when grandparents are involved I've realized it's better for everyone if we just go with the flow. I'm a firm believer in 'babies don't keep'. Snuggle away Gramma!

8. Miles has tummy time daily, but I think he will make progress as he is meant to. I didn't practice sitting with him from an early age. One day about 3 weeks ago, I sat him on the bed and he wobbled. Two days later he was sitting on the ground unassisted for a photo shoot. He will crawl and walk when he's meant to. I will enjoy him while he's still wobbly and cuddly.

9. Miles loves reading books. He has no idea what toys that make noise are. I'm holding out as long as possible. Down with batteries!

10. I really wish I could think of a number 10....but I can't. I'm okay with that.

6 Months and a Trip to the Beach

So at last we spoke, Trevor had just had an appendectomy. Approximately four days later, Miles and I set out on our extended fall break.  This included an elaborate plan of spending a few days in Missouri before we flew to Florida with Trevor's parents. 

After a 6 hour car ride with a 6-month that loves having attention, and doesn't love being in a car seat with no entertainment, we arrived in Missouri.  We spent Saturday looking around with Angela (and Miles' newest friend in-utero) at second hand baby stores.

Sunday we went to church. I could write a whole post no how wonderful it was to be at our church, but I will save that for another time. We met up with friends that I've literally known all my life. It's such a blessing to be around those who you know so well, you can admit to them you don't bathe your baby more than weekly. (judge away) Don't worry, I gave him a bath right before church.

Monday off we jetted to Florida with Grammy and Papa!

Miles spent the next few days sleeping by the ocean,

 

going for walks on the beach,

 

 playing in the condo,

 



napping in Grammy's arms,

 

And enjoying sunsets.

 

Three days into our vacation, Trevor joined us! It was nice to share a few baby-free moments.

 

 

It was a nice recharge for what has been an epic third year of pharmacy school. And I dare you to tell me that Miles and I aren't in pharmacy school too...

 

 

 

When we returned to Missouri, on the most awful plane ride ever, we met up with my favorite cousin, VRum. After taking pictures of Miles in-utero, it was only fitting that she work her magic on his 6-month self.

 

 

If you want to see more of Miles' 6 month session click here

 

In short, my family is the best. Thank you Grammy and Papa for taking us along on the Florida adventure and Valeri for doing the (one thing) you are better than me at. :)

 

 

 

 



Appendectomy Adventure

On Monday morning at 3AM, Trevor woke me up telling me his stomach hurt. This isn't an unusual thing for him to wake me up about, but this pain was different than normal. It hurt when moved, when he touched his stomach, when laid on his side. I have seen him in way more pain then he was currently in, but something was nagging at me that we needed to get him checked out. So off the 3 of us when to the Emergency Room. We were the only people there and saw the doctor right away. He ordered a CT scan after he examined Trevor.

 

 

Trevor went off for the CT scan and returned about 20 minutes later. By 5 am we were told he had appendicitis.  They started an IV and fluids. Here is Trevor right after he got his IV in.

 

 

By this point, I figured I should call his parents and let them know what was up. I was on the phone with his mom when he started having an allergic reaction to the antibiotic. He started turning beet red, getting hives, and swelling. Mostly on his face, neck, arm pits, and palms. This started a downward spiral.

 





I ran to get the nurse, because I didn't know where the call button was. They gave him some Benadryl and a steroid shot. He got shaky, cold, nauseated it just piled on. They came back and gave him a warm blanket and a shot of Zofran for his nausea.

That put him right to sleep.  Miles and I hung out while we waited to talk to the surgeon. Miles was such a trooper, having been there since 3 AM and in his baby car seat so I was free to help Trevor with what he needed.

 

After we met with the surgeon they took us back to the waiting area, where Trevor signed the papers to have his appendix out. We waited there for about an hour while they took a lady's gallbladder out.

 

 

 

They gave Trevor some Versed and prepped him for surgery.  He was feeling good and just a bit apprehensive about he recovery.

 

 

Miles and I waited in the waiting room while Trevor was in surgery, about 40 minutes. The doctor came and told me that everything went well and that Trevor would be waking up and they would come get me in 15 minutes or so.

 

45 MINUTES LATER, they came to tell me he was starting to wake up. He was a pretty slow waker-uper. His oxygen levels weren't staying up very well. Miles had his only melt-down of the day while I was trying to get Trevor dressed and ready to leave. It was a bit hectic.  We left the hospital about 1:30 Monday afternoon.

 

Trevor slept the rest of Monday away and most of Tuesday, only waking up to eat and practice deep breaths and fake coughs. He struggled with being light-headed until about 4:00pm on Tuesday. We got a little bit of studying in, despite his recent operation.

 

 

This morning he headed off to class for the 2nd day since he had surgery. Pharmacy school isn't very forgiving when you get behind. Besides walking slow and not being able to lift more than a gallon of milk for two weeks, I think he's gonna be good as new.

 

I'm very thankful this all happened before I head to Missouri tomorrow, that it happened to be the one day the surgeon was in our town, and that we caught it before it ruptured. Times like these make me thankful for the supportive friends we have here, and miss having our families close.