Eight Months

So, Jack crossed the eight month threshold over the weekend.  He seems to be getting bigger literally by the minute.  So, to celebrate, Jeff and I had a family day on Saturday.  We wanted to take Jack swimming, but the thought of braving Lifetime Fitness was a bit daunting - especially since that place is crawling with people and it's difficult to find a chair, let alone one in the shade.  Jeff did some research and found a man-made lake not too far from our house.  So, we packed up our beach stuff and headed out for a little adventure.  The lake was just beautiful.  There was a lot of shallow water for Jack to tool around in and a really nice beach to boot.  Plus, we found a really nice place to sit under a giant umbrella.  And, as an added bonus, it was relatively quiet, so we didn't have to deal with splashing and deflecting Nerf footballs.  In any case, Jack loved the beach.  He loved the sand too.  We were sitting on our blankets during a "safety break" and he kept running the sand through his fingers.  Jeff and I just sat there, watching him, and laughing at how fascinated he was with the sand.  While we had planned on getting rid of the sandbox in our backyard, Jeff thought that maybe we should clean it up instead.  Then, Jeff commented that he was surprised Jack wasn't putting the sand in his mouth...a statement made prematurely because, no sooner had that gotten out of his mouth, Jack picked up a fistful of sand and tried to eat it. 

He also really loved being in the water.  It was shallow enough so he could sit in his little floaty and walk around in the water, just like he does in his Beep Beep.  Then, we took him out of the floaty for a while, laid him down in the water, and he crawled around and even put his face in the water a few times.  All in all, the day at the beach was a complete success, evidenced by the fact that half the beach came back in Jack's swimsuit.   

On Friday night, Uncle Alec came over to baby sit while Jeff and I headed down to Rochester for a friend's wedding.  Again, I'm pleased to report that both Alec and Jack survived, although there may have been a "code yellow" involved.  But, it got Jeff and I talking about the fact that we really need to find a babysitter so we don't have to keep calling in favors from our family members.  We got a flyer from a young girl in the neighborhood, but I think she's about eleven years old.  Jack is a big kid, and sometimes even I have problems carrying him.  And I don't know if a girl that young could even stay out until 11:00 at night. 

 

 

So, on Sunday, the drama began...again.  Jack woke up in the morning and his right eye was all red and watering quite a bit.  Pink eye, duh.  So, I got a prescription for eye drops called in.  As the day went on, Jack just seemed to go downhill.  He developed a high fever and became increasingly clingy and just wouldn't stop crying.  He wasn't really pulling on his ears, so I thought he might have picked something up at daycare.  I gave him Tylenol and Ibuprofen but that didn't really seem to help.  He had a terrible time taking naps and didn't really sleep well on Sunday night.  So, we kept him home from school on Monday.  Jeff stayed home with him in the morning and I worked a half day.  I got home in time to put him down for a rather fitful nap and when he woke up, he was miserable.  He was crying non-stop, didn't want to play at all, and just wanted to lay on the couch.  His fever had spiked, so we made another trip to our favorite place....Urgent Care. 

When we got there, the ushered us into a room and the doctor immediately diagnosed yet another ear infection.  Seriously.  This time, however, we made it six days without antibiotics.  The doctor asked about any vomiting, and I may have answered that question too quickly.  As they were running his blood work, Jack threw up.  All over me.  I had always wondered if I would know whether Jack was actually "throwing up" as opposed to "spitting up" which he still does frequently.  However, after yesterday, I no longer wonder about the difference.  And then he did it again.  So, I can cross "getting puked on" off my Mom List.  So, I was sitting in the examination room with a crying child, covered in puke, and at a complete loss.  At the end of the day, he was diagnosed with pink eye, an ear infection, and some sort of GI virus.  My poor pumpkin.  We got some antibiotics that will last us until his surgery next Thursday.  He also got a shot of antibiotics, which he disliked immensely.  When we got home, he was pretty upset, which was understandable.  He still didn't feel well, had just gotten a shot, and hadn't slept.  He finally passed out around 5:00, again on the couch and I only let him sleep for about an hour before I had to wake him up. 

Fortunately, I can report that he's much improved today.  His fever broke about 10:00 last night, he slept through the night, and has been eating and playing this morning.  He seems up to his old tricks again.  But, we still kept him home from school again today since he can't go back to school until he's been fever-free for at least twenty-four hours.  I can't wait until next Thursday.  These ear infections are just killing me, and I'm sure Jack doesn't appreciate them either. 

So, in any case, Jack is eight months old.  On to happier things, right?  He's moving all over the place, loves playing with his toys, exploring everything he can get his hands on, and keeps up a constant stream of chatter.  This morning, I had put him in his Bumbo with his toys while I went to fold some laundry.  When I peeked into the family room, he had somehow extricated himself from his Bumbo (don't ask me how - I usually have to wedge him into it) and had started crawling towards the laundry room - where I was.  Super.  Here's his "official" eight month picture:

One of the things I've realized is that I am obsessed with things to "stick" Jack in.  We've got a Bumbo, a Jump Jump, a Beep Beep, and now, Jack has a Johnny Jump Up.  I think I believe I need things to put him in because he is such an active baby and needs constant stimulation...plus, he's really on the move until he passes out for nap or bed time.  So, I took a little video of him in the Johnny Jump Up...

  

He's really into it and mostly twists himself up so he can untwist.  He also tries to get Maverick as he he walks by.  Since he's been sick, he's not really into it, and mostly just cries when I put him in it, but I think that will change soon as he continues to improve. 

Finally, one of the best things about Jack is that he is so happy all the time.  He is happy when he wakes up in the morning and is all smiles from the minute I walk into his room.  I always sing him the "Good Morning" song as I start opening up the curtains in his room.  Now, he can lift himself up so he can watch me move around his room and he smiles and squawks until I pick him up. 

And, in terms of new skills, he's learned how to give "kisses."  This makes me laugh all the time because he focuses so hard on what he's doing.  Usually, he likes to give kisses when we're dancing.  He leans forward with his mouth wide open and really tries to get your mouth.  He doesn't really get the whole concept of "pucker" just yet, so the kisses are usually just slobbery and mouth wide-open.  Now that he's got two teeth, they tend to scrape against your face, but that's okay.  It's still one of the best things and never fails to make me exceedingly happy.   

And I think that's about it for the week!  Jack is down for his morning nap right now, so I think I'm going to use the time to get some work done.  So, next week, we've got some big things going on...Jack will have his presurgical physical on Monday and then his surgery on Thursday.  We'll need lots of good thoughts to get us through, but I'm hopeful that this last bout of illness is the last for a while. 

Tubes

So, we had Jack's appointment with the pediatric ENT this morning.  When we first got there, Jack had a hearing test, which was difficult without any stretch of the imagination.  But, I suppose his doctors are comfortable working around babies and actually know what they're looking for.  Besides, by the end of the test, I could start to see what they were looking for simply by watching my son's reaction.  As a bonus, my hearing seems to be just fine.  At the end of the day, Jack has some mild hearing loss caused by a chronic build-up of fluid in his ears.  The hearing loss will be reversed when the tubes are placed and the fluid can drain out.  Which made my decision-making process fairly simple.  The ear infections and fluid have to go, so bring on the tubes!  As with any surgery, there are some risks, primarily associated with anesthesia and the procedure itself.  But, barring those short-term concerns, the risks are actually much greater and more realistic if he doesn't have the procedure done.  He's been on antibiotics almost constantly since the beginning of May.  This is a problem, in and of itself, as it can lead to the development of antibiotic-resistant infections.  Moreover, he has a greater risk of getting a serious ear infection that may rupture his ear drum.  Um, where do I sign? 

So, we've got the surgery scheduled for August 9th.  He'll have to stay home from daycare for the rest of that week, and take it easy over the weekend, but he should be back on his feet (or should I say arms and legs?) by Monday.  Other than that, he'll have no other restrictions on his activities - he can swim, bounce, crawl and drool as much as he wants.  I'm feeling pretty good about the decision, although I'm sure my anxiety will increase as the date gets closer, but overall, I know that this is the best decision for my little man. 

Now, on to better things...I believe that I can declare, officially, that we have the busiest, most active baby on the planet.  The kid does not sit still.  Seriously.  We had a funeral on Saturday and I held my nephew through most of the service and marveled at the fact that he was simply content to sit on my lap.  Jack wouldn't last five seconds - let alone an hour - in that position, which is why Jeff took over the baby wrangling, and occupied the little man with Cheerios and toys.  Afterwards, we went over to one of Jeff's co-workers' homes for a pool party.  Jack spent a little time splashing around in the pool and seemed to really enjoy himself. 

I am actually surprised that little floaty device can support the weight of those cheeks!  After swimming, we went home and I ran up to the grocery store and we spent a quiet night at home.  Yesterday was more of the same, hanging out at home and trying to stay cool. 

In terms of Jack's new skills, it would seem that he's picking up something new every single day.  He has perfected his army crawl and scoots himself all over the place.  He's also getting more adept in the Beep Beep and you've really got to watch out for your toes because he'll run them right over.  Currently, Jack's most favorite thing in the entire universe, besides his mom, is Maverick.  Yesterday morning, after we were all changed and ready for the day, I was carrying Jack down the stairs and Maverick was waiting patiently for us on the rug in the front entry  When Jack saw Maverick, he started squealing and kicking his little legs to get to the dog.  And this happens every time Jack sees Maverick - he tries to grab onto him, pet him, or bite his tail.  And as for Maverick, I am so proud of that little puggle.  I think that his little doggy brain has comprehended the fact that Jack isn't going anywhere and if he's mean, he will be.  So, Maverick is begrudgingly patient with Jack and on a few occasions, actually "plays" with Jack and lets him touch his paws or beat on his belly.  Which, of course, earns him endless praise and treats.  I took this picture this morning...Maverick has discovered and learned that if he wants to avoid Jack, his best course of action is to hide in his crate.  This displeases Jack, who will repeatedly ram his Beep Beep into poor Maverick's crate to try and get to him...

Jack's latest skill is pulling himself up to a standing position.  This was, of course, discovered by accident.  A few days ago, I was filling the bathtub up with water.  Jack loves to watch this process.  I had set him down on the bathmat while I was getting the tub ready and I turned to look at him, and he'd grabbed on to the edge of the bathtub and pulled himself up to watch the water stream into the tub.  Uh oh.  This new skill was repeated a few days later.  I put him down in his Pack 'n Play in our bedroom while I put the laundry away and when I turned around, he'd pulled himself up on the edge of that as well.  And then yesterday, I stuck him in his crib while I was cleaning up his room and again, he had pulled himself up to a standing position in there as well!  So, yet another thing to be watchful of...I don't need this kid doing another nosedive from great heights.  I know he's getting close to crawling on all fours, but I think he'll be walking before then...I attached a little video I took last week of Jack doing his "yoga" in an attempt to get to Mom...he incorporates a nice downward dog, plank, upward facing dog, and cobra...

Finally, Jack is quite a Mommy's boy.  And I saw this with great pride.  For the most part, where Jack is concerned, it's out of sight, out of mind...but when Mom is in sight - oh boy!  Yesterday, Jeff stayed home and lounged around the house with Jack while I ran a few errands.  I went to pick up a new pair of shoes for Jack as well as some outlet covers and bumpers for our fireplace.  When I returned, Jack was crawling around on the floor, happy as a clam.  However, the moment he saw me, he started whining and whimpering for me to come and pick him up.  After Jeff left to go running, I put Jack in his Jump Jump so I could go to the bathroom.  I wasn't gone for more than thirty seconds, but he just kept wailing until he saw me again.  And, as long as I was in the room, he was perfectly content to entertain himself.  Go figure. 

I also bought some art supplies and I think we'll try doing some art projects this week.  He does them all the time at day care, so I'm hoping to replicate the process at home.  I bought some water color paints and Play-Doh.  We tried the Play-Doh yesterday, but Jack really didn't get it and tried to eat it, mostly.  So, I was thinking we'd try some painting tonight.  I'll post some pictures of his masterpieces if I can actually get through the process. 

The never-ending story...

We have an appointment on Monday next week to visit with an ENT to discuss getting tubes in Jack's ears.  At first, I was somewhat hesitant, given the fact that I don't love the thought of my very young son undergoing any kind of surgical procedure, but after this past week, July 23rd can't come fast enough! 

On Wednesday, Jack's daycare called to tell me he had a very high fever and I needed to come and get him.  I went and picked him up, called his pediatrician and was told to go straight to the hospital.  We weren't there that long, unbelievably, and he was diagnosed with an ear infection, although the doctor couldn't explain the high fever and attributed it to just a virus - medical lingo for "I have no clue what's wrong with him."  So, we got some antibiotics for the ear infection and headed home.  Jack woke up on Thursday with a really high fever - again - so we kept him home from day care.  Jeff took him back to the doctor again on Thursday afternoon because his fever wasn't responding to Tylenol or Ibuprofen.  So, they switched up his antibiotics and told us to bring Jack back in if we saw any other unusual symptoms. 

So, on Saturday, Jack woke up from his afternoon nap with a rash all over his body.  He didn't have a fever, but I called his pediatrician who asked me to bring him into urgent care.  Long story short, he was diagnosed with something called "Sixth Disease" which is a lot worse sounding than it actually is.  It's just a viral infection, coupled with a high fever and a rash appearing after the fever goes away.  So, they gave us NEW medication AGAIN in the event Jack was having an allergic reaction to his second antibiotic.  Here he is, on the move while waiting for the doctor in Urgent Care:

He woke up this morning no worse for the wear and went to school.  Granted, Sixth Disease was likely just another bug he picked up at day care, but I think this is his fourth or fifth ear infection since he started day care in February.  So, I'm really crossing my fingers that they'll find Jack to be a good candidate for the placement of tubes.  Again, while I'm not wild about the surgical procedure, everyone I've talked to said it's one of the best things they could have done for their children.  It takes up a lot of time and money to deal with these ear infections - we have to take off work so Jack can go to the doctor.  Then there's a co-pay at the doctor's office, not to mention the prescription co-pay and more time off work until his fever goes down. 

While I've always said that Jack is a pretty happy-go-lucky kid, this last illness has really amped up the "crab" in him.  Not that I blame him.  Who can say they feel chipper when they're sick?  I stayed home on Thursday with Jack and tried to keep him as calm as possible.  I put his bunny chair in front of the television downstairs and put on some Elmo and Sesame Street.  While he was content to watch television and relax, he wasn't completely content if I wasn't by his side, watching with him.  So, I was hardly able to get anything done - I couldn't even get up to go to the bathroom without him crying and shrieking for me.  I knew he was still really under the weather because all he wanted was to be held and coddled, which I had no problem with, of course, since he never cuddles with me.  Still, I should have known what I was getting myself into because I woke up this morning feeling terribly.   

So, all in all, it was a long couple of days.  However, Jack was much improved yesterday, so we risked a little family outing.  We hit up the club for brunch and afterwards went to the zoo.  I think it's amazing how much more perceptive Jack is now than he was two and a half months ago.  When we were at the zoo yesterday, he was actually looking at all the animals and was quite interested in a few.  He really liked watching the fish swim around in their tanks and he really liked the otters.  We were able to see them getting fed, and he was pretty mesmerized for a few minutes...until he was distracted by a kid's hat just underneath his feet, which resulted in several blocked attempts on his part to either reach out and take the cap or kick it off the kid's head.  We also went to see the dinosaur exhibit at the zoo, and I thought it might have been a little scary for Jack, so I carried him through most of the exhibit, but he ended up doing just fine.  Not that perceptive just yet, I guess...some of those dinosaurs were pretty scary! 

I'm hoping for a relatively quiet week.  Jeff will head to Wisconsin for a few days on Thursday and stay there through the weekend.  Jack and I have a funeral to attend on Saturday morning.  My mom will be coming in from Oregon for the funeral, so it will be nice to see her for a few days, even though she only left five or six days ago!  I'm also hoping for some good news to report next week...

A Lot of Ground to Cover...

I wasn't able to post last week since we were running around and trying to get ready for our big trip out east, so I've got to try and remember what we did two weeks ago!  First off, Jack turned seven months, which is a big deal.  He's started developing all kinds of new skills - while he's been crawling backwards for a while, he's finally started going forward in tiny bursts...and it's not "up on all fours" crawling just yet - he army crawls around on the carpeting.  We're probably torturing him because we put a toy out in front for him to crawl towards.  Once he gets there, we move it back so he has to crawl some more.  Terrible parents.  He started doing the army crawl when we were out in New Jersey, so I'm glad Grandma got to see that milestone!  He's also started doing this weird "downward dog" pose.  I don't know what that's about. 

And of course, here is his seven month picture with his stuffed puppy:

Pretty soon, he's going to overtake that stuffed animal and you won't be able to see it at all!  He's getting quite heavy and I bet he weighs over twenty pounds.  He's growing so quickly and outfits that fit him last week now won't stretch over his little Buddah belly! 

 

So, the big news of the week is our trip to New Jersey.  Jack was spoiled rotten when we were out there.  He got no fewer than EIGHT Yankee onesies, and I think he's going to have to wear one every day in order to make sure he wears them all.  He also got a really cute outfit from his Aunt Shirley and another one from his Cousin Debbie.  Cousin Billy gave him "The Velveteen Rabbit."  We read it last night and I forgot how good it is - sad, but good.  His Unkie (that's Jeff's brother, Chris) and Auntie Kate also spoiled him rotten - he had his very own play mat out there, a Grover stuffed animal, a bouncy ball, and all the Yankee attire, of course!  Grandma and Uncle John got him some more Yankee onesies, an outfit, some toys and this remote control - I could devote an entire paragraph to this remote control - Jack loves it.  But I finally know why some parents want to throw their kids' toys away.  It plays this song, "Well, I've got a remote and I'm ready to roll!  It's fun to make things happen when I'm in control!"  By the end of our trip, that song was stuck in all our heads!

He's finally getting more hair...and it's fine and blond like mine.  He's definitely developing Jeff's eye color...when we were out in New Jersey, all Jeff's family kept commenting about how much Jack looked like me - and most of my family thinks Jack is the spitting image of Jeff!  He grabs onto everything - last night I had him in the Bumbo out in the back yard when I was picking raspberries and he was pulling up grass by the handfuls and laughing hysterically.  He loves flashing lights, music, and anything else he can get his hands on.  He loves drawer handles.  Don't ask me what it is about those.  Jack also really likes swimming, which surprised me.  We went to Cousin Debbie's pool a few times on our trip and he loved swimming with Grandma.  He would put his face in the water, kick and splash, and he even went under the water a few times!  Grandma bought him a little swimming/floating device and he liked sitting in that, floating around the pool, kicking his legs, and being doted on by all his second cousins.   

One of the best things about Jack is that he truly loves everyone.  I was a little afraid that he had developed "stranger danger" and was nervous as to how that would play out with all the New Jersey relatives.  Well, I couldn't be more proud of my little man.  He loved everyone alike.  He was perfectly content to sit with Aunt Fran, Aunt Shirley, and Cousin Billy, swim with the girls in the pool, and he was quite liberal with the hugs and kisses.  He also developed a very strong attachment to his Unkie and I've never seen him as content as he was to sit in his Grandma's lap.  He thought his Auntie Kate was a riot and loved chasing after her in his Beep Beep (yes, he had one out there too!).  He was absolutely affectionate with everyone.  I had thought all that attention and stimulation would have caused more than one melt down, but he was perfect.  Seriously, I couldn't have been more proud of how well behaved he was.  It's a great peace of mind to know that I can leave him with a relative, go and do something, and know my kid is going to be happy and not screaming for his mama.  Even at the end of the day, he was easy to put down for bed, despite the unfamiliar surroundings.  Jeff and I had a night out in New York City on Friday night and he stayed with his Unkie and Grandma.  They took him out to dinner with the family and everyone kept telling me the next day how well behaved he was.  Apparently, strangers, particularly old men, kept coming up to him at the club and cooing over him.  And Jack obliged with a smile and a giggle.  He was patient while the girls put bows on his head and let everyone hold him during dinner.    

I'm also pleased to report that Jack was an excellent flier.  I had done extensive research on how to travel with an infant and Jeff and I were prepped with a game plan when we got to the airport on Tuesday morning.  But it was absolutely a breeze.  The airport was practically empty and we sailed through security.  We had so much time to kill we actually had a nice breakfast.  Jack fell asleep as soon as we took off and slept for about an hour.  When he got up, he was happy to play with his new toy and be entertained by his mom and dad.  He did really well on the flight back yesterday and it was even easy to get through security at LaGuardia.  He slept for most of the flight yesterday, which allowed both Jeff and I to doze.  I was really happy we weren't "those people" - the ones with the screaming baby. 

When we landed on Tuesday, Unkie picked us up and we went home.  I went for a short walk while Jack napped and we spent the rest of the day bumming around the house and getting ready for the Fourth of July.  Auntie Kate came home from work and Grandma came over, so we ordered some pizza and played with Jack. 

On Wednesday, the entire family came over for a cook out.  We spent the morning getting ready, making food, getting ice, and setting up the table and tents.  Everyone came over in the afternoon and we grilled, relaxed, and watched fireworks.  Jack sat on a blanket in the shade, playing with toys, and entertaining all his relatives alike.  He didn't quite make it to the fireworks show, and he was so tired, he didn't even wake up to the big booming noises. 

On Thursday, Auntie Kate had to work again, so Grandma, Unkie, Jeff, Jack and I went over to Cousin Debbie's house and swam in the pool.  We ended up spending a long time there and the water felt amazing.  Afterwards, we went home, and Grandma babysat while Chris, Kate, Jeff and I went out to dinner.  I had two beers and just about passed out.  My tolerance is not what it used to be! 

In any case, on Friday, Jeff and Chris went golfing and Kate went to Philadelphia with her brother and sister.  Jack and I bummed around the house and then Grandma came over and took him to the pool again.  Jeff and I went to meet one of his old high school friends in New York City for dinner.  He'd just gotten engaged, so we headed into the City to celebrate.  So, Unkie and Grandma took a turn with the monster.  I didn't realize it until we were in the City that no one had ever put Jack to bed other than Jeff or me.  But Unkie did well.  He also laughed because Jack was on the move up until the minute he passed out. 

Finally, on Saturday, we spent some time in the morning getting our things together.  Chris and I ran some errands while Jeff and Jack napped.  Then, we went over to Cousin Debbie's again for swimming.  We only stayed for a while and then headed down to see a few of Jeff's old friends.  We had dinner there and drove back up.  Grandma came over again on Sunday morning to bring us bagels and see us off. 

And now it's back to the grind.  Jack is back at Grammy Camp this morning, so we're getting back into our routine again.  My parents are leaving for Oregon this week, so Camp will be suspended for about two months. 

And that's it!  I'm hoping for a relatively calm week.  It always seems that the minute you come back from vacation, you need another one...granted, we really didn't have any downtime this trip, but I'm missing Jack today after being with him for nine whole days...tough to get back in the swing of things.  Plus, I'm missing our Jersey clan like crazy right now...