Thursday, January 31, 2008

18-month check-up at 19-months

This well-baby visit was a month tardy because I put off calling to make the appointment too long.

But anyway it went very well!
John is now 32 and a half inches tall. I can really tell how tall he is when I pick him up.
He is in about the 50th percentile for head circumference and height. Right on his normal curve.
He is still gaining weight, and is now at to 21 pounds. This is indeed a milestone, because he had been at 20 pounds for a very long time. Feiste assures me that he is fine. And believe it or not, I'm not worried about this any longer. There's no denying that he looks and acts healthy, so I know he's getting enough food.

John got one shot, but the worst was just having the nurse and Feiste enter the room. It's a lesson in dread making things worse than they are. Here's Dr. Feiste's metaphor for kids at the doctor. When you are inside the house in the winter, and it seems cold to you, if you go outside to where it's REALLY cold, you come back in and feel very warm. He says that toddlers hate seeing the doctor the most, then they start to like the doctor. He says that he and John are at the coldest now and the hugs will mean even more when they come later.

Feiste let me look at John's ear tube. They look exactly like the ones Tony posted on the blog earlier. I didn't get a long look because, of course, we were pinning John down while he cried...

Anyway, our next check-up is at age 2, which is approaching each day! Then barring sickness (yeah, right) we only go once a year!

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Quotes for my "no-longer-a-baby" boy

Your toddler will be “good” if he feels like doing what you happen to want him to do and does not happen to feel like doing anything you would dislike. With a little cleverness you can organize life as a whole, and issues in particular, so that you both want the same thing most of the time.
~Penelope Leach

As he walks away on his own two feet—the toddler’s body-mind has reached its moment of perfection. The world is his and he the mighty conqueror of all he beholds.... As long as mother sticks around in the wings, the mighty acrobat confidently performs his trick of twirling in circles, walking on tiptoe, jumping, climbing, staring, naming. He is joyous, filled with his grandeur and wondrous omnipotence.
~Louise J. Kaplan

Few misfortunes can befall a boy which bring worse consequences than to have a really affectionate mother.
~W. Somerset Maugham

I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it.
~Harry S. Truman

Of all the animals, the boy is the most unmanageable.
~Plato

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

ScreaminJohn's Blog Hits the Big Time!

Yesterday at John's 18-month well-toddler visit Dr. Feiste told me that HIS MOM reads our blog!!!!
So a special "shout out"* to the Feiste Mominator! We love your son!

*I LOVE using language that is a generation too young for me!

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Post-Christmas Trip, part 3

Sunday-Tuesday
Tuscaloosa
We stayed near University of Alabama with our friends Nicholas and Christine and their dog Ringo. We love them and miss them very much!








Tuesday
On our way home we stopped at Bob and Millie's house in Athens, GA. They are Tony's great aunt and uncle. (Tony's Grandmother's sister and her husband).
The best picture we took of them is on their camera! We'll post it as soon as we get it!

Post-Christmas Trip, part 2

More Aquarium




Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Good night and get out

I know that you are all panting for pictures of John, but I am having computer keyboard issues that are complicating my life.
So anyway, to tide you over, here is a small anecdote.

John has got the concepts of hi and bye down pat.
The last thing in the bedtime ritual is rubbing John's back by Tony or me or both of us. The past couple of nights it has been me by myself. After a couple of minutes of rubbing, John rolls over and waves at me and says "Hi." So I say "Hi" back. He then continues to wave and says "Bye." Who knew that you could be dismissed by a toddler?

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Post-Christmas Trip, part 1

Friday
We went to the drive through Christmas light show in Lake Lanier, Georgia. It was very fun, and there was a small carnival at the end.



Saturday
Yellow River Game Ranch offered an amazing super-petting zoo type of experience. Keats was sad that he had to stay in the car.





Georgia Aquarium
Very crowded but very cool. I couldn't believe John lasted for the 2.5 hours we were there. We saw several people being attended by EMS, dehydration probably.