Most of the blogs have been about Ethan so I thought we'd focus on Alex this time. I've discussed before how Alex is completely rotten and Alex thinks everything is funny. But let's get a little more background.
Most of you know that when Alex was 3 months old, he was diagnosed with Acid Reflux after spitting up blood all over me - he immediately laughed and smiled at me even then. Throughout our hospital observation stay (overnight) to make sure there wasn't something more serious going on, he was happy as can be (except when they tried unsuccessfully to get an IV going). He laughed and smiled for everyone about everything. He was just happy - it's his nature.
He has been to the doctor many times in his 19 month life. If not for the acid reflux and follow-ups or for standard check-ups, it was for numerous ear infections. We often know he has an ear infection before he has a fever or a runny nose or anything. How? Because his normal sunny disposition is replaced with a clingy little boy. He's still happy & smiling but he is much less independent and just wants to cuddle. Don't get me wrong, I love to cuddle with this little guy - he's so cuddly I could eat him up; I just wish he didn't have to be sick to get in the mood. He takes his medicine well and after a day or two of meds, he's generally a happy boy, ready to take on the world again. Until the last time that is. The last time he had an ear infection and took Augmentin (the wonder drug for ear infections), he got horrible, horrible diaper rash. His poor hiney was severely red and hot constantly and there was no ointment good enough to help it. I felt like the worst mother in the world that I couldn't do anything to make it stop hurting and make it go away. Poor guy has never cried like that consistently before and it was heart breaking. That was 2 months ago and he's been in fairly good health ever since. However, we know that if he gets another ear infection he'll get another round of Augmentin which will suck again due to diaper rash but he'll also be going to the specialist to get tubes which I've heard aren't that bad but still, it's surgery for my baby - not something I'm looking forward to.
That brings us to today and the best news I've ever heard at the doctor's office. Today was Alex's 18 month check up (yes, at 19 months - but we're a little behind). He is in the 97th percentile for his height at 36.25" and in the 90th for weight at 30lbs 9.4ozs. He's definitely a sturdy little boy. But the best part was when she checked his ears. We actually think he had a slight ear infection about a month ago but it cleared up on it's own. Had it lasted longer, we'd have taken him to the doctor but he never got a fever and we've been told sometimes they do go away on their own so waited it out and after a few days, he seemed happy as a lark again. The doctor looked first in his left ear and said, "oh, that's pretty" and then checked the right ear (which is typically the one Alex doesn't like touched which makes me always wonder if it's bothering him) and said, "oh, wow! that's beautiful." I heaved a major sigh of relief and Steve & I both cheered for Alex. Yeah - that's the first check up in a long time where he's been completely healthy. What was his prize? Shots....poor guy, can't catch a break.
Steve took Ethan out to the lobby to watch TV - we always have him leave so he doesn't even realize that Alex gets the shots; we don't want him to be afraid of going to the doctor after all. Alex and I played peek-a-boo in the mirror and then turned the lights off and on while we waited. Finally the nurse came in and I braced myself and Alex. The thing is, while Ethan doesn't realize Alex is getting shots, Alex definitely does. He's had more than his share - one of the ear infections was stubborn and required two separate sets of two shots of antibiots to cure. When he sees a new person enter the doctor's office that isn't the doctor after he's already seen the doctor - he knows. He immediately looked at her with a look that was definitely not a dimpled-smile and started squirming on the table. I gave him his paci & blanket and leaned over him blocking his view of the nurse and told him it would be ok. Then the first shot came and the scream with it. I talked sweetly to him telling him how sorry I was as she gave him the second shot. He started screaming with the first shot but only the initial sound came out as he built up the rest. About 30 seconds after the second shot concluded and the bandaids were applied, and as I started to pick him up, telling him to breathe, the rest of it came out. I consoled him for a minute or two as I carried him out to the lobby. By the time we got to the lobby, he'd almost stopped crying completely though the tears were still streaming down his face. I gave him to his daddy who helped me put his shoes & shorts back on (he had a onesie already on but had to leave shorts off till after shots). By the time shorts & shoes were on, he had pulled himself together. He even held my hand and walked out with me rather that being carried. Such a trooper. Steve says he was basically his normal self the rest of the day.
Flash to this evening after work - my little munchkin was all smiles when he saw me. He & his brother went outside to play as Steve fixed dinner. I took their big wagon out back and Alex immediately started asking for help getting in it. When the wagon was inside, he could hold the wall and get in - he didn't have anything to hold on to so needed the extra help. I held his hand and he climbed in and big brother Ethan pulled him around the yard as he smiled and laughed and babbled cutely. When that got boring, he wanted to swing. I'm trying hard to make him say swing and some other things that he chooses to just grunt about. I was again, unsuccessful. I helped him into the swing while Ethan climbed on the tire swing and both boys were in their element enjoying the evening. Then Alex's swing stopped and Mama was mean and made him do more than grunt to get another push. I won out and he finally said, "weeeee" which is a step above "uh uh" so he got more pushes. When that was no longer enough excitement (it wasn't as much fun I guess when he had to remember to say "weee" to get a push), he put his arms up signaling "I'm done" and I let him out and he and Ethan took turns trying to hit balls with the bats they have. With me as the pitcher, the fact that they weren't successful can most assuredly not be blamed on them.
Finally, it was time for dinner. Ethan ran immediately inside. Alex, however, was focused on the ball and the bat. As soon as I got his attention and mentioned that it was time to eat when he could actually hear me over the focus of ball & bat, he looked at me like "oh yeah, food, that sounds good." Food is really the only thing better than balls in the eyes of Alex. Unfortunately, dinner wasn't quite on the table when the boys had their hands washed and Alex wasn't keen on sitting there with nothing. He was quite vocal in his grunts and "num-num"s requesting food until finally he got his plate. Tonight was something new - a taco like dinner on a tostada so it's a big flat taco basically. Alex checked out Mama & Daddy & then put down his fork and picked up the tostada and started chowing down. It was really cute but the poor kid could only get a little bit in his tiny mouth at once. Mama broke it into a few pieces for him and he was all over it.
He's gotten much better at eating these days but we're thrilled to realize there are few things he won't eat. Steve had salsa on his dinner and Alex thought he wanted some of that, too. Steve gave him a little bit which he did NOT like but that didn't stop him from going back to his original food and eating it now that he was content in the knowledge that Daddy didn't have something better to eat after all. It's funny to watch him. He will completely focus on his own food until he gets a few bites in then he looks around to see what else there might be. After he tries that out, he'll either demand your food (if it was, in fact, better than what he had) or go back to his own. One thing is certain though, he will eat his dinner. Unless, of course, he starts throwing his food and then Mama declares he is done. If he's eaten enough that he thinks it's playtime, he's done eating. That, to Alex, is punishment - removing his food. Oh well, I'll guess he'll learn soon enough not to play and/or throw food at the table.
So that's the update on Alex. A very happy boy almost all of the time and a very healthy 19 month old boy with a very healthy appetite for food as well as play.
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