Next Week (plus furry babies)

Next week is going to be AWFUL.  Here is my schedule:

Monday: Semmes is getting an x-ray of his skull.  Last weekend, I could feel this odd ridge at the front of his head.  Brad, my pediatrician husband, said, "Huh, that's weird" when I showed it to him.  Not comforting.  We ran him in to see Dr. B, our pediatrician, on Wednesday.  She thought it was something that needed to be looked at, but didn't know what tests a neurosurgeon would want to run, if any.  So we contacted a neurosurgeon who wants to get a head x-ray and see what that shows.  The concern is that his metopic suture has fused a little too early.  Luckily, this is not a suture that interferes with brain growth, but it can cause a really funny shaped head.  So we'll see.

Tuesday:  Cooper has an appointment at the dental clinic at Children's.  We had been taking him to see the lovely Dr. Robin, but it just isn't working anymore.  The last time we went, he screamed and threw such a big fit that all they were able to do was brush his teeth really well.  I'm pretty nervous about how this is going to go.  All the Dental Clinic sees, though, is patients with developmental delays and medical conditions, so they should definitely be used to handling kids like Cooper.

Wednesday: Cooper has a habilitation appointment.  Since he doesn't walk and stand like a typical three year old, we have to see these guys once a year.  They make sure his bones and joints are still forming correctly.  Yep.

Thursday:  The one day we don't have anything.

Friday:  Cooper sees Dr. Watson, the feeding specialist.  He is NOT doing well with eating solid food.  At all.  He refuses to even open his mouth.  I mean, he just clenches his mouth shut and REFUSES to open it.  Even if you present him with an empty spoon.  He's figured out the game and decided he wants no part of it.  We'll see what her strategies for that are.

And now for something completely unrelated.  Sicily:

Leffe:

10 months

Semmes is ten months old!  Hard to believe, but at the same time, I can't remember what life was like before him.  I guess life/memory is funny that way.

He's still not walking, but he gets closer every day. He's pretty brave while transferring from one thing to another while cruising; he's just not interested in standing on his own.  He'll get there.

He is into EVERYTHING.  The other day, he broke out of our living room.  I found him standing over the toilet in the bathroom, soaking wet, holding an empty toothpaste box that he had pulled out of the trash and thrown in the toilet.  Yay for boys.

He also has no separation anxiety to speak of.  We go to story time every week.  He's the kid that just wanders off by himself.  He could care less if I'm there or not.  When I find him though, he smiles so big at me.  But seriously, no fear.  Also, he's finally gotten to the point at Mother's Day Out that when I put him down there, he immediately starts playing.  There's no crying, not even a whimper anymore.  I mean, I know that's good, but I'm a little sad that he is no longer sad to be without me all day.

Finally, he is funny.  And he loves to laugh.  If someone else is laughing, even laughing silently, he will laugh with them.  And he is ridiculously ticklish.  It's the cutest thing ever.

Pictures!!

He's a little ham.

He's become a great eater.  He nurses four times a day and eats three meals of solid food plus snacks.

His ten month shoot:

9 months

Semmes was nine months old the day after Christmas.  And he is hell on wheels.  If there is something he isn't supposed to have, he will find a way to get to it.  And put it in his mouth.  He is pulling up and cruising like a pro.  He'll take steps if you hold his hands while in a standing position, but he's not a big fan of it.  I think we've got another month or two before walking starts.  He's in 9 month and 12 month clothes, size 4 diapers.  He's still obsessed with all things dog, but Leffe is his favorite.

He's 22 pounds and 27.5 inches.  His head circumference is in the 95th percentile.  He is the happiest baby ever.  When we take him to a store, he looks around at everything and just laughs.  He smiles at everyone.  He doesn't have too much stranger anxiety.  He is getting better about going to MDO.  He eats and sleeps there most times that he goes.  I'm just in love with him.  He's great.

2103 Review

2013 was a big year.  Cooper was only in the hospital...twice.  That's right!  Once back in February for the flu and not again until November for croup/pneumonia.  He did have a double surgery (hands and eyes) in June, but wasn't hospitalized.  It has been amazing to watch his progress this year.  When he is healthy, he does so well.  He has been a little restless this last week; I'm pretty sure he is just ready to go back to school!  I think he's now bored of being at home.

Also this year, we added Semmes to our family.  Man, I truly can't remember what life was like before him.  He's such a blessing.  He loves Cooper so much (I just wish Cooper felt the same way).  In some ways, the past nine months have flown by, but in others, I feel like Semmes has been around a lot longer than nine months.  I guess having babies is like that...

Brad had a HUGE year.  He finished his residency, he started his Pediatric ER Fellowship, and he passed the Boards and became a Board Certified Pediatrician.  What a whirlwind!

I'm still tutoring at Huntington Learning Center.  Plus, I have a job writing articles about the South for a website that goes live later in the year. Ideas for articles are always welcome.

All-in-all, it was an exciting year.  I'm ready to see what 2014 has in store for us!