Long Overdue Update

I'm finally getting around to reporting our almost 10-month-old's 9 month check-up results! At Caden's 9 month check-up, his statistics were as follows:
* 31.5 inches long (110%) - the average height of an 18-month-old; and by-the-way, pretty much HALF way to my adult height
* 22 lbs., 7 ozs. (77%) - basically, a long and lean machine
* Fluid in his ears and another round of antibiotics...interesting given I had taken him to the doctor TWICE the week before and the P.A.'s we saw wouldn't give him anything...we are headed back to check his ears next week, and if there is still fluid, we're going forward with tubes!
* Between Caden's 6 month and 9 month check-ups, we had been to the doctor's office NINE times. Did I mention we are considering ear tubes?
* no shots (yay!)...a simple finger prick and Caden never batted an eye - tough guy


Although Caden wasn't able to hunt for his own Easter eggs this year, he kept a watchful eye on his cousin, Evan, filling up his own bucket. Next year, Caden will provide a little competition!




We had a nice Mother's Day and enjoyed a yummy buffet at Chances R restaurant. Caden was great and sat in a high chair for over an hour...playing with some toys, but mostly just people watching (like mother, like son).



We enjoyed a visit from Grandpa Ron and Grandma Nancy and Great-grandma Sally the weekend between Easter and Mother's Day. Caden loved all the extra attention.

An evening with Miss America..and other more important happenings

A few weeks ago, Mike and I enjoyed an evening out, thanks to Grandma Donna taking care of Caden. I had to put on a dress, hoisery and lipstick - all items that I haven't worn since B.C. (i.e. before Caden). Before heading out the door, Caden couldn't take his eyes off me. It was as if to say "what have you done with my Mamma - she doesn't normally look like this!?!?".
Our evening included a photo opportunity with the current Miss America. (Fun Factoid: She's the first Miss Nebraska to ever win the title.) By the way, she's the one on the left.


Although Caden has had another two ear infections since my last post, he CURRENTLY is infection-free. Ahhhh, it's wonderful. For everyone.

As he approaches his nine-month milestone, he is learning how to sit up (a bit more steadily) and how to army crawl. If he doesn't feel like army crawling, he's mastered rolling so well that it's sometimes easier and faster.

He's loves his baby foods - especially fruits, and even tolerates vegetables a bit better. What really gets him going - melted frozen yogurt!



His two bottom teeth are coming in nicely. Now if only another tooth would surface? We seem to be stuck on "pause" when it comes to teething progress!



Caden is an excellent typist. He enjoys helping Dadda check his fantasy baseball team's statistics on ESPN.com.



Have a great week! Happy Spring!

Giggle Monster

Here's our own little "Giggle Monster". It all started when we first pulled off his socks to change him into his PJs. He couldn't get enough of it so we kept repeating. These are the moments that warm your heart!

What's Caden up to?

For the first time in a month, Caden is not on medicine, whether it be inhaled through the nebulizer or swallowed by syringe. He might actually be disappointed as he's yet to meet a medicine that he hasn't enjoyed the taste!

Some of his recent antics include:

* He loves to say da-da-da-da and repeat, repeat! This could be the result of someone in this house prompting him to say this for the past 7 months.

* He loves to roll and wiggle to cover all surfaces of his crib. He reached through the slats and got ahold of the video monitor cord today. We discovered this when Mike took a look at the monitor and realized he was watching the ceiling! Note to self - tape cord to wall to secure from little fingers.

* Speaking of fingers and hands, he loves to clap your hand (High 5!) because he loves the noise it makes. He'll do either hand - right or left.

* His favorite "toys" have become the magnets on the refrigerator, my People magazine and a nearly empty Diet Coke bottle. Who needs Toys 'R Us anyway?

* He popped his first tooth this week. It's no longer an option to let him chew on our fingers!

* He strongly dislikes vegetables. Give him any type of fruit and he inhales it. Try to sneak in a bite of peas and he's done eating. He might even spit at you. Apparently, he likes peas as much as his Aunt Marcia and Aunt Cindy.

Single White Male...

...looking for someone fun to play with and ideally having similar interests, including bottles, musical toys, stuffed animals, soft blankets and fruit-flavored baby food! Isn't this the cutest ElIGIBLE BACHELOR you've ever seen?! We sure think so!

RSV

As you will recall from the not so distant past, Caden had his 6 month WELL baby check-up. Including that visit, we've been to the pediatrician's office four times in less than two weeks, with 3 of the 4 visits due to a not-so-well baby.

After a sleepless night, ear infection was diagnosed and amoxicillin prescribed. We thought we were on the road to recovery! A week into the medicine, Caden developed a cough and was again running a fever, so this worried mama insisted we go back to see the doctor over the weekend. We were assured his ear looked better and he was just fighting another cold.

His cough continued, but we sent Caden to day-care on Monday and Tuesday anyway. When I picked him up on Tuesday afternoon, I was advised of a confirmed case of RSV in one of the other infants in Caden's room. While feeding and playing with Caden last night, I was certain I heard him wheezing as he breathed. Mike initially thought I was being a hypochondriac until he listened for himself. Sure enough, he began to share in my concern. Luckily, Caden made it through the night okay.

As soon as the pediatrician's office opened this morning, we were back on their door step. We spent nearly 2 hours in the exam room while the doctor was very thorough in evaluating Caden's condition and he confirmed that, yes, Caden also has RSV. Boo!!!!!!

Caden was given a nebulizer breathing treatment before we left and a nebulizer machine was sent home with us to continue the treatments for the next two weeks (or until he is cough-free for 24 hours). The breathing treatments must make Caden's lungs feel better as he sits surprisingly still for 10 minutes each treatment.

Thank goodness Daddy is able to use some sick time from work to take care of Caden for the next week while he's banned from day-care!

Here are a few pictures of our sick, yet still adorable, Caden:

January Re-cap

While we've been away...

January has been a busy month - some good busy and some not so good.

For the not so good...
After battling 10 days of back/leg pain that had me unable to walk, I had microdisectomy surgery on January 17th to remove a herniated disc. Yep, it was the same disc as last time (18 months ago for those of you wondering). My surgeon said it was the largest herniated disc that he's operated on in over a year. Not a title I'm thrilled to hold. Luckily, I'm now on the mend. And luckily, Mike and Caden were great buddies while Mommy's mobility was quite limited.

Now, for the more pleasant, GOOD stuff...
Caden had his 6 month check-up this past week and his stats confirm that he continues to grow like a weed! He is 18 lbs. 9.5 ozs. (67%) and 29.5 inches long (110% - basically "off the chart"). No wonder this 6 month-old "baby" is wearing 12 month clothes! With Daddy's soothing hand to hold, Caden survived three shots with ease (while Mommy looked away and swooped in with the bottle when it was over).

Caden's pediatrican mentioned (warned) that Caden would become more and more mobile in the near future. We didn't realize he meant this might occur over night, or rather, after a visit to Target. You see, we went to Target this afternoon - not so much because we had things we needed to buy (although how can you leave that store empty-handed?), but more so because Caden needed a nap. He's a stinker for sleeping on the weekends and Target tends to invoke sleepiness. After a little cat-nap and a sizable charge to the credit card, we came home. Caden broke free from the carseat and was a rolling machine, easily getting from one end of the room to the other. So much for the blanket in the middle of the room that he's been contently confined to for the past 6 months. We're having fun watching him grow and discover new things, even if it does keep us on our toes!

Mike had to stay late at work one night this past week and since I can't carry Caden and his carseat yet, Mike went to day-care to pick him up early and I met them at his office to entertain Caden while Mike was overseeing a photo shoot of a cancer survivor. Before the "official" photo shoot began, the photographer offered to take a few impromptu pictures of Caden. We had NO idea this was going to happen, so he was in day-care attire with some wild hair. She was kind enough to share the photos with us and they are pretty darn cute. Here are a few of them: