Nathaniel's Tick

 Bugs that bite seem to like Nathaniel more than the rest of us. It is a rare sight to see him bite free, regardless of the season.
The spring and summer months are torture for him. Well, torture for his skin.
Well at some point, my best guess would be last Sunday as we were in the country, a tick decided that Nathaniel would make a great host.
I checked him for ticks a bunch of times when we got back home. He had been playing around water and in long grass. I checked, and re checked and re checked.
On Thursday morning, when I was checking a bunch of old bites that had gotten infected and blistered I noticed the beast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Tick

I immediately called Adam at work and he came home. We sent Alex to school and went straight to the COPC. The amount of flack I took for "over reacting" astounds me. Last time I checked, tick bites can be fatal (assuming the tick is a Lyme carrier)
We got right in, almost no wait time (less than 5 minutes) and the Dr removed the tick. She let him hold it in a plastic cup. He kept shaking the cup and we totally encouraged it. They cleaned the bite and made sure all the bits were removed.
They told us that they do not do blood testing for a tick bite but they will send the tick to the health unit and have it tested there. The Dr wrote us a script for a super heavy dose of amoxicillin that he is to take three times a day for the next 14 days.
Nathaniel was given a popcycle (green of course!) and we were sent on our way.
Nathaniel is fine, no fever or headaches or other signs of Lyme Disease. He says the bite feels fine. All is great news.

One dose

(I have since learned that the normal treatment for tick bites is a heavy dose of antibiotics for 30 days, not 14. I will be seeing if I can get a follow up appointment for this week with our family doctor. Aimed with more information. Hopefully we can get another script)

Super Baby

Someone decided to take a step yesterday... a step without holing on to anything.
I think we are doomed.
Hopefully he chooses to wait a few months before taking any more steps.

9 Months!

Mr Zed is 9 months old! (Okay, he was 9 months on the 9th, but I have been lazy and have been trying to do a family update/rant blog and kinda felt obligated to finish that before starting this one. Naturally that one is only 1/2 way done... )
Zacharey is changing so much day to day, he so clever- too clever. He crawls, walks around furniture, can stand without support. He climbs and can crawl up stairs. He looks for hidden objects, he eats EVERYTHING he can get his hands on (and stuff in his gob before I catch him). He also has three teeth! His third popped through the day after his first two!
Although we were avoiding grains, he is now getting them. I figured after he had already helped himself to some spilled floor cheerios, the damage was done. No sense avoiding something he has already had.
 He has two different laughs, a mocking/amused 'heh heh heh' and his Klingon belly laughs, you really have to work for.
He loves his stroller rides but definitely prefers his Ergo (I would honestly die without the Ergo).
We have started a parent and tot swimming lesson and he LOVES it. It is so great to have an activity *just* for him. Yes, we do other things, but let's be honest. Mother Circle? For me. Friday playgroup? For me. Friday Walking Group? Also for me!
It makes for a busy weekly schedule, but getting out of the house (and forcing other moms to coffee-yes, I am using the word coffee as a verb, instead of a noun. Coffee should always be a verb, to coffee is an action. A beautiful, beautiful action.) is good for everyone.
Unfortunately because Zacharey is so active and mobile, our days at Mother Circle are seriously numbered. This is both happy and sad. Mostly sad.  It is great that Zacharey is growing and learning, but it sucks that we will be given the boot in one of my most favourite activities. I will really miss my social time and the coffee dates after. Zacharey has met a lot of friends, and so have I.
He had his 9th month well baby with the Pediatrician. At 9 months old, Zacharey is 17lbs 6oz exactly one whole pound up form his 8th month weigh in. He has jumped up to *just* under the 15th percentile!  His head had no growth and he lost more height, which is impossible so I am going on his previous measurements.
Weight 17lbs 6oz
Length 72cm (28.35 inches)
Head 45cm  (17.72 inches)
We are still  breastfeeding and have zero plans to stop any time soon. He is starting to irritate me when he nurses though. Pinching, slapping and his nursing gymnastics get really old fast. We are working on introducing nursing manners.
As for sleep, some nights are better than others, but he is still a lousy sleeper. I frequently need to remind myself that this is normal behaviour and that it wont last forever. We are letting him figure out his own schedule. He is usually 'down for the night' at 8pm and will wake between 11pm and 1am (1am being super rare) for a feeding. After that initial stretch it is not uncommon for him to wake once an hour to eat. He usually goes back to sleep right away which is nice. We try for two naps a day, again going on his schedule. He is usually up around 7am and is ready for his first nap around 10am. If I am lucky he will sleep for an hour. He usually takes his second nap around 1:30pm and sometimes needs waking at 3pm so we can leave to pick up his brothers. Once he figures out this whole sleep thing and realizes he really doesn't need to nurse like a newborn all night I will be less grumpy and will probably be able to survive on less coffee.

Getting him to hold still long enough to get a decent picture is proving to be quite the challenge

Eating yogurt baby lead weaning style- pre loaded spoons!

Zacharey really loves oatmeal- almost as much as cheerios

Going for a walk (swimming I think)

7 Days

7 days shy of 9 months and Zacharey has TWO teeth!
I thought for sure he would end up with a top one in first as it is so close to breaking through his gums.
Let the biting begin! (Because my nipples clearly don't take enough abuse haha)

<3

The 8th Month

My beautiful, smart, active, serious baby boy is 8 months old!
He still isn't crawling in the traditional sense but can go backwards like nobody's business. He is happier pulling himself up and walking along whatever he is near. Crazy baby, when are you going to act your age? He claps now, which is adorable and squeals showing happiness and pleasure.
He says Mama and Dada and knows what they mean. He also signs (ASL) for milk. He has started to waive, but it is still random.
Zacharey enjoys eggs,  pear and strawberries. He also likes lentils and beans. Bananas end up thrown on the floor so we have taken a break from them. He also enjoys red peppers and broccoli. We pretty much give him whatever. We are delaying dairy until he is 9 months minus cows milk, which we will not get until he weans from the breast. As humans do not have the enzymes to digest grains until 2 years, we are not giving grains until at least 12 months. Peanuts will be avoided until he is tested (Alex has a severe peanut allergy) and I am unsure where I sit on fish and shellfish.
Van rides are no longer a nightmare, he is much happier in his big boy seat. I often miss his infant carrier though. Especially when he falls asleep and I am forced to wake him up. I hate having to wake him up.
Zacharey still (yes, still) wakes frequently for night time feeds and to be honest, I am not sure I am or will ever be comfortable with him sleeping through as I know he is not big, especially in the weight category. When I say wakes frequently, I really mean that he nurses like a newborn- up every two or so hours. I do not believe in scheduling a baby, or night training, as I know he will eventually figure it out on his own and work in his own routine to best suit his personal needs. I nurse him on demand, regardless of the time of day or night. Even if it has only been 30 minutes since his last feed.
He goes down for bed at 9:00pm and will sleep (usually) until 12 am. When he first goes down, I start him awake in his crib. He is able to fall asleep on his own (no crying, and we certainly do not believe in cry it out, not even for a few minutes.) When he awakes for his first night feed, I pull him in bed with us and we complete our night bed sharing.
His crib is in our room for the mean time, which makes life a lot easier for me plus it helps to regulate his breathing, which greatly reduces his risk of SIDS (as does frequent night waking).  I have been having a debate in my head, and sometimes with other friends or Adam about the possibility of trying him back in his crib after feeds, to see if he may sleep longer. But then the lazy factor wins... getting out my bed that many times sucks. Perhaps in the next little while, I will try it. After all, we have nothing to lose.
Zacharey had his 8th month weight check yesterday, I was super anxious about it, as his 7th month went so poorly. It was scheduled with his doctor and not with nurse formula. I came armed with his breastfed growth chart that my friend had done for him (I had added the last few months).
We stripped him naked, reminded him NOT to pee on me and sat him on the scale. I held my breath.
8 months old
Weight 7.34 kg (16lbs 2oz) up 13oz
Length 72cm (28.35 inches)
Head 45cm  (17.72 inches)
A very good gain and growth!
Although, Zacharey has yet to double his birth weight, even at 8 months old, his doctor was pleased with his gain and thinks that his lack of gain and lack of growth last month was because he was so sick. She asked me when his pediatrician appointment was, and I told her it was scheduled for the 10th (today). She said to schedule an appointment with her for consistency sake at 12 months. I am totally okay with that. The reason she doesn't want to see us until he is a year old is because she wants the pediatrician to take over his care until then.

We saw the pediatrician today, the same one another friend of mine uses for her little guy. I had heard some not so great things and was expecting the worst. A non breast feeding friendly doctor was the LAST thing we needed, and I was unsure if I had the patience to dig in my heels and fight for what is best. Of course I will ALWAYS fight for what any of my boys need. It just gets exhausting after a while.
We sign in and I nurse Zacharey as we were waiting. Adam had to work, and even though I really wanted him to come to this appointment, I know that working to support our family is so much more important.
We get called back and he is undressed and weighed again. Every scale is different, I didn't know what to expect.
Today he weighed in at
16lbs 6oz (wow!) but was only 27 inches long. Babies don't shrink.
They sent in a resident first, she asked me for a basic history and asked why we were referred (seriously? Does anyone read paper work anymore?) She also asked me if I have his weight readings from birth... uh... shouldn't that have been faxed over with the referral? Thankfully I am neurotic and had all that information one me, including the chart.
When we were waiting for the resident and the pediatrician to come back/come in general, I eavesdropped on the nurses and resident at the nurses desk. Asking about growth charts and if there actually was a separate chart for breast fed babies and formula fed babies. I chuckled to myself.
After ten or so minutes, both doctors came back into the room. The ped introduced herself and asked if it was okay to give Zacharey the once over. She asked about a million and a half questions and did her assessment. She said that even though he is obviously a small baby, he has followed his own growth curve with the exception of last month and that it was really not necessary to do a bunch of invasive tests as they more than likely will not show anything. Some babies are just small. She said that Zacharey was obviously advanced for his age and that he is perfect just the way he is *beams*. She said to keep doing everything that we are doing. The only thing she suggested (pushy) was iron supplements, which I would rather he get his vitamins from me or from food, not artificial supplements.
She has no problem doing follow ups until his 12th month appointment or for as long as needed. I am so glad that we have had a great experience for once, this is the first time a doctor has called my boy perfect. Only my midwives had ever called him perfect.
A positive experience was sooooo needed.

His 8th month pictures were quite the challenge, he didn't want to hold still so I could take them. This is what I got...

8 months of breastfeeding! <3

He got upset that I kept putting him back to try again... I gave up lol

What a boy!
<3

Big Boy Seat!

Although Zacharey had not outgrown his infant seat (Graco Snug ride 35) we decided to switch him over to a bigger, more comfortable seat.
We purchased a Diono Radian RXT for him about a month and a half ago, but were waiting for the weather to warm before installing it in the van (and switching him over).

I was expecting installation to be a royal pain in the ass. Surprisingly not so much. The only pain in the ass is the strap adjustment on this seat. I wish it ether had different strap pads or was allowed to be used without the strap pads. I just find it is really hard to get snug as a hug tight enough when the strap covers are so thick and bulky. Clearly they are designed that way for optimal safety, but it is hard to adjust. Perhaps once the seat gets worked in a bit more, it will be easier to adjust. Or maybe once Zacharey is bigger.
All in good time I guess...
 

Avoidance

To those 5 people who actually read my blog. (Okay, I know there are more than 5 of you, I look at my stats religiously. Shout out to Germany, China, France, Finland, Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, the UK, Ireland and of course Canada and the US) I  know you have been anxiously anticipating an update on Zacharey's weight. Sorry for leaving you hanging. I have been avoiding blogging about this.

Zacharey had his 7th month weigh in on the 19th of February. Only he was technically 7.5 months, it was the earliest they could get us in for a weight check. He also needed a check up to see how his lungs were doing.
We finally get called in, almost 30 minutes after our scheduled appointment time, and to my horror we are with nurse formula. If it weren't for the fact that we really needed his lungs checked I would have turned around and walked out the door. No check. Nothing.
But no. So I bite my tongue so hard I can nearly taste blood. Suck up my own personal feelings and apprehensions and follow her into the office of doom. I was very short with her, almost rude. I answered every question I could with short one or two word answers.
She leaves the room to go get the scale. The 'other scale' the one that he is not weighed on. Thus meaning, it is not an accurate measurement. I asked if it were possible to have the scale that he is normally weighed on. With an eye roll she said it was being used.
Okay.
I undress the bean down to the diaper and wait for her to get the scale ready. She made a comment on all the self inflicted scratches on Zacharey's legs, back and belly. (he has a thing for grabbing exposed skin, my skin is included in this). I told her that he has a thing for skin and we make an effort to always have clothing on him.
Zacharey was weighed. 15lbs 5oz. Shit. No gain. Nothing. Naturally it has to be nurse formula when we have no gain. I am not sure what I was expecting. Zacharey had been really sick. He was throwing up almost every feed. Yet, when weighed at the hospital he was 7.74kg (17lbs .5oz). Yes, it was fully clothed. So let's say an oz for the diaper- maybe two it is cloth. 2oz for the diaper, an ounce per booty, an oz for his jeans, an oz for the diaper shirt, an oz for the socks, and oz for the sweater. Brings us to 8oz. Which would put his weight roughly at 16lbs 10.5oz. Could the hospital scale be off by a whole lb? Yes. It really could. I guess I was just expecting SOME weight gain.
Off to the measurements now.
Head? 43cm (16.9 inches) no change. Fuck!
Length? 68cm (26.8 inches) He shrunk? Impossible! Babies don't shrink! (last month he was 27.6 inches long)
Don't say anything, bite tongue. Grit teeth.
Well, I said, he was really sick. She just looks at me. I told her we needed a check up for his lungs. I know full well she is not qualified to do it. She does it anyways.
She said he sounds clear. I can hear him rattling without a stethoscope.
She asked if I was allowing him to have real food yet.
Yep.
She asked how he liked real food.
He hates it.
She said that the Doc will be calling me with feeding instructions
I dress him and leave the office.

The Doc did eventually call, she said she was very concerned with his 'serious weight loss."
I explained to her that he didn't lose weight. He just didn't gain anything. I said I think the most likely explanation was his recent illness. She agreed but then went on to say that she was very concerned about his lack of growth and his very slow weight gain (over the course of his life). That even though her own children were long and skinny, and always in the 5-10th percentile for weight, that Zacharey's second drop in percentile was very concerning for her and that she would really like to refer him to a pediatrician for testing. Just to rule out any serious illness that would cause slow to no weight gain. She said that she knows I am a competent parent, and that perhaps she is just a fussy old doctor. But she she would feel more comfortable having a second look and some testing. I agreed to the referral and and admitted that I am becoming increasingly neurotic about his weight, but stated that developmentally he is well above where he should be. (He just learned to pull himself up and walk around things. AT 7.5 MONTHS?!) I explained that I would love for him to gain better, to beef up, to not have to work so hard for every oz of gain. I explained that I just don't think that Zacharey will ever beef, regardless of what he is being fed. That formula has less calories than breast milk, less fat. That he eats well and frequently gorges himself.
I asked what chart he was being looked at, a formula fed chart or a breast fed chart. She admitted it was a formula fed chart, but that it doesn't make a difference in the long run as all babies even out. WHAT?! It makes a HUGE difference! Yes, Zacharey is small, YES he hasn't had great weight gains. But how can you compare him to much bigger over fed formula babies?!?! No wonder he never fared well. How was he supposed to?
In the mean time? I get all butt hurt over friend's status updates over how well their breastfed babies are gaining, how chubby and chunky they are and I force feed Zacharey bottles of pumped milk after feeds. 1-1.5 oz and he hates it (hates the bottle, hates begin forced to drink more after he is all full and sloshy.) He hates a bottle being shoved in his face so much that he is now refusing a sucky. Which means bedtime just became hell.
Nurse, force feed pump. Nurse, force feed pump. Nurse, force feed, pump.