James goes to the ocean

Stuart rarely has a weekend off, but in September he ended up on call on a Thursday night, followed by a golden weekend.  So, he was "off" (post-call) all day Friday, then off all weekend until Monday morning!  We were able to go on a mini-vacation to Emerald Isle, where some good friends have a house that we could use.  And those good friends came along, which made our time away all the more sweet.

On the way to Wake Med to pick up dad after his 24 hour call.  Stuart was such a good sport to just hop in the car and try to nap on the way to the beach (post-call, he usually crashes as soon as he gets home and sleeps for 6-8 hours).

First order of business upon arrival: nap time!

Second order of business: see the ocean!

Casey (with baby pea pod Reagan in her belly!), Wen, Stuart with Baby James, Chris & Jill all the way down there on the end.  I wish we would have thought to get a group photo!

Sand-buried for the first time (by his dad, of course).

Aaaaaand tasting sand for the first time.

Sweetest beach baby had a great time.  He was not entirely sure about the waves, though we did play right at the edge of the sea and let James sit as the waves came up.  He obviously didn't mind the sand (as evidenced above).  But he mostly enjoyed getting attention from some of his very favorite people all weekend.  We were so grateful for this weekend away with OUR favorite people, and came home feeling refreshed.

Baby's first (and second) Benadryl

I started writing this post a few weeks ago after James had an encounter with a dog that belongs to one of my dear friends.  Toward the end of our visit at her house, I wanted him to play with her dog, mostly because he LOVES dogs, and also because the most recent research suggests that earlier exposure to common allergens reduces baby's risk of developing allergies.  So, I let him rub the dog's fur all over and let the dog get into James' face a good bit.  After leaving her house, we stopped by the library to turn in some books.  On the way there, James was pretty fussy in the back seat.  I figured he was just getting sleepy.  Once we arrived and I went around to get James out of his car seat, I found this:

The photos don't really do it justice - his face was bright red and his little eyes were almost swollen shut.  He also had some hives around his eyes.  He was not having any trouble breathing, so I called his pediatrician (from the library parking lot!).  They told me to go ahead and give him a baby dose of Benadryl.  They had to calculate based on his weight over the phone with me - mg/kg - because he is less than 1 year old.  The bottle actually says to not give to any children less than 4 years old.  No wonder Dr. Z wanted us to wait to try peanuts...

This photo was taken at home, about 10 minutes after taking the Benadryl.  Eyes wide open!  The funny thing is that the Benadryl didn't seem to make James sleepy at all.  He only took a 1 hour nap after this (which is shorter than his normal, non-Benadryl naps).  I'm still baffled as to why he had this reaction.  He has been around lots of different dogs, lots of different times, and never had any problem. The only thing different is this time, I let the dog lick James in the face.  I suppose it could be an allergy to the saliva (which is what Stuart has, so it makes sense).  We'll just need to be careful around dogs from here on out!

Fast forward a few weeks to this morning - I finally got my hands on some good quality, organic eggs, and James was getting tired of oatmeal every morning for breakfast, so we decided today was the day to try something new!  I scrambled him a little egg and put it on his tray.  He took a few bites, then started fussing.  I figured he just didn't like it, so I added some fruit and O's so he would have something for breakfast.  A few minutes later, I noticed some redness around his little mouth:

When I looked closer, I noticed his hands were red, swollen and covered in hives!  Poor baby!  I waited a few minutes to see what would happen.  He was breathing fine, and wasn't fussy, happily eating the other food I gave him for breakfast (I did clean off his tray and wash his hands and face right away, though).

A few minutes later, James started crying and crying and wouldn't stop.  He was scratching himself all over and was acting quite miserable.  I went ahead and gave him a dose of Benadryl (thankfully we knew the dose from the dog encounter a few weeks ago, and that it was recent enough that his weight likely hasn't changed that much).  I should have given it to him earlier, like as soon as I noticed the hives, because he was miserable for the next 20 minutes while we waited for the Benadryl to kick in!  It's interesting, because this time the Benadryl made him very drowsy, and so I rocked him to sleep (which we never do!) and now he's upstairs snoozing.  I keep checking to make sure he is breathing and has no wheezing.  So far, he's fine :)

I was thinking about why he had a reaction like this the first time that he had egg - usually you don't see a reaction until the 2nd or 3rd exposure to an allergen.  I realized that he got the first dose of his flu shot a few weeks ago, which has some egg protein in it from the way the vaccine is manufactured.  It's important to us that James gets vaccinated, so I ended up calling and talking to a nurse at the pediatrician's office about all of this (I realize I should have called them anyways, because she mentioned that Dr. Zimmerman wants to do some allergy testing since he's had two too many reactions now in her opinion, and for my peace of mind).  We go back in a week or so to get the 2nd round of the flu vaccine, and we will have to wait 30 minutes after he gets the shot to make sure he doesn't have an allergic reaction.

I have done some reading about the increase in food allergies in the past few decades, and it is really scary stuff.  So far, I have tried to do everything to give James a fighting chance against food allergies.  He only eats organic (and mostly local), has exposure to lots of new foods with the appropriate amount of time in between introducing new foods. Though, breast feeding is the one thing that we just couldn't do - this is still the one thing that plagues me, because using infant formula, particularly soy-based, vastly increases a child's risk for developing food allergies.  But in the end, I just have to accept that there is likely a genetic predisposition involved, considering Stuart's allergies and other family members that have allergies as well.

Eating food and exploring the world shouldn't be a fearful thing, but it seems to become that when it seems that at any new exposure, my baby boy could break out in hives or later develop an anaphylactic reaction!  Praying that I don't become an overly protective mama because of these things.

Photo bomb

Lots of cuteness lately...

9 month stats & thoughts

Weight: 17 lbs 10 oz (10th percentile)

Length: 27.5 inches (15th percentile)

Head: 45cm (45th percentile)

Our appointment with Dr. Zimmerman went well.  We got the go ahead to try eggs, yogurt and nut butters - except peanut, due to Stuart's severe allergy and the relative difficulty of dosing resuscitation meds prior to 1 year old, not because she's afraid that earlier exposure would place James at risk for developing an allergy, because she says the most current evidence demonstrates that earlier exposure may, in fact, decrease allergy risks.  However, if an allergic reaction occurs, it is less safe to give the required supportive medications in a babe less than one year old.

So, I'm hoping to get my hands on some good, local eggs soon for baby James.  Here's to hoping for a little variety in his breakfasts.  I'm sure he's getting tired of oatmeal.

Otherwise, he just got his flu shot, which is important since both Stuart and I are in healthcare, and the likelihood that we will be exposed to the virus is very high.  And it can be so dangerous for a little one to get the flu, so it wasn't worth the risk of us bringing it home to him and him not be protected against it.

He's only one week in to 9 months, but I need to add another thing that he has been doing a lot lately: pointing!  Sometimes instead of waving hello, he will just point.  And I just love his tiny, little, chubby fingers!

He has also started clapping for "yay," and especially "yay, dad!"  This is what we cheer whenever Stuart gets home from work, and James has started clapping for it.  It's cute.  Though, sometimes it is hard to distinguish between him cheering "yay" and him wanting "more."

He is getting cuter and sweeter and more wonderful every day.

James: 9 months

Three quarters of a year!  My tiny boy is growing into a big man.  I told our cashier at Trader Joe's the other day that James is basically an adult these days.  He joked that I will come home and find him working with the checkbook or something.  But really, he has such a strong personality (with strong opinions) these days.  I'm loving it.  Our 9 month check up with Dr. Zimmerman is tomorrow, so I'll follow up then with his stats.  In the meantime, happy 9 month birthday to my sweetest tiny boy today!

[Starting to get around!]

[Playing at the pet store with Aunt Katie]

Daily routine

6:30-7am: wake, say hello to birdies (his mobile) and snuggle with mama in her bed for a few minutes (so mama can wake up and get going...)

7am: 8 oz bottle (organic low-lactose dairy formula), followed by breakfast of oatmeal with fruit and cinnamon (prunes, pears, apples, banana) and/or sometimes finger fruits (cantaloupe, grapes, banana, pear) or O's cereal

9am: 1st nap, goes down quite easily after having breakfast, then playing and reading a few books

10:30-ish am: Wake from 1st nap, stroller ride (exercise for mama) or an outing of some sort (Bible study, coffee with friends, errands)

11am: 2nd bottle, 6-8 oz, plus some finger foods (depends on the day... avocado, chicken/beans/lentils/fish, veggies plus some spices)

1-ish pm: 2nd nap, goes down easily, though sometimes he will fall asleep in the car if we are out running errands

?: Wake from 2nd nap - he naps anywhere from 1 to 2.5 hours for his second nap, so sometimes he sleeps 12:30-1:15, and other days he sleeps from 1-3pm

3pm: 3rd bottle, 6-8 oz, maybe some finger foods

Until bedtime:  Play around the house or outside, run errands or visit with friends, visit Stuart at work

6:15-6:30ish pm: Start bedtime routine, which has not changed in several months - some evenings he gets a bath, but only a few times a week due to eczema, then lotion

6:45pm: 4th bottle 8 oz, then snuggles and maybe a book

7pm (at the latest - sometimes even a bit earlier): lay down for bed and say goodnight!

[Snuggles with mama]

[Coffee date with mama at Foster's Market]

[Snuggles with dad]

Loves: food!, watching the clothes go around in the washing machine, chewing on and tasting everything, riding in the stroller, sitting outside, playing in the tupperware cabinet, playing in the water (his bath tub or his baby pool, or even the big pool), watching animals (especially dogs/cats that will let him touch them or that lick him, but also the ducks at the lake or birds in the backyard), playing on the floor and rolling around/slithering everywhere, sneezing, playing with people, playing on his own, just playing!, reading books, listening to music and singing, walking to the mailbox and checking the mail, library story time, sitting on the front porch and watching cars, dogs and people go by

Favorite foods:  oatmeal with cinnamon (always eats it right up!), avocado, black beans, banana, cantaloupe, broccoli (I think - he picks it out and eats it first, but maybe that's just to get it out of the way!)

Favorite books:  Where the Wild Things Are, Don't Wake the Bear, When You Were Born, Babycakes, ABC Menagerie, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

Hates: putting lotion on, being held down for diaper changes, when he drops his spoon one too many times and mama won't pick it up anymore, when a toy gets stuck under a piece of furniture and he can't reach it, when you put down his favorite books after reading them 5 times in a row, sudden loud noises (like the coffee grinder or weed eater - he doesn't cry, he yells at it!)

[Hanging out in the stroller while mama does yard work]

[Riding in the cart at Target like a big boy]

[So excited to visit dad at work]

Milestones/Development

He is not truly crawling, but he does easily roll and slither to wherever he wants to go.  He's developed a sort of modified army crawl where he reaches with one arm and throws his head and pushes with his toes, then does the other side to move forward, and rolls to move side to side.

He's totally rocking the pincer grasp these days and is happy to pick up things like that, though he often still shoves whole handfuls of food into his mouth after raking it with his fingers, instead of one thing at a time.

5 teeth!  2 in the middle on the bottom, 2 in the middle on the top and 1 to the left of middle on top.  I suspect the 1 to the right of middle on top will be popping through soon...

Still sleeping quite well, able to put himself to sleep easily, and back to sleep if he wakes up (though this is rare).  Sleeps 11-12.5 hours at night, with two naps during the day (typically 1-2 hours each).

Talking all the time: fffff, ba, da and ug are his most common sounds.  He also likes clicking his tongue a lot, I think because his teeth are pretty fascinating and he's trying to figure out what they are!

He likes to snuggle and give little hugs, and recently has started giving kisses on demand.  If his face is close enough, and he's not otherwise distracted, I can say "Give me a big kiss!" and he will turn and plant his open mouth on my cheek.  It's sweet, and a little gross ;)

He waves hello and goodbye (usually) and gives 5s (though not just one - more like 15s, I guess).

He signs "more" when he's eating.  We're also working on "all done," but I know that one is harder.  That is so helpful to know when he is full so I don't over- (or under-) feed him.

[Bowling!]

[Smartest tiny boy]

[Bulldog cheeks]

Separation anxiety?

James still seems to be okay when another adult takes over his care and I leave (such as my mom when I go to work, nursery at church, or even friends coming over and I leave the room), though sometimes he cries a little.  A friend watched him a few hours the other day so I could meet with our pastor, and James did not cry when I left, but she said he kept looking up at the doorway for quite a while, waiting for me to come back in.

He is also happy to sit by himself with his back to me and play for several minutes without me interacting with him at all.  Usually, he doesn't seem to care if I'm in another room for a few minutes (he plays in the Pack'N'Play in the living room, and I can be in the kitchen within eyesight, but he can't see me easily).  He always smiles when he does see me again, or if I speak to him, so I know it's not because he doesn't like me :)

I know separation anxiety is supposed to kick in full force right around 9 months, but I will enjoy how easy he is right now in the meantime!

[playing in the kitchen floor]

[learning to get around is hard work]

[Trying to figure out the sippy cup]

Favorite products:

- Cloth diapers: still love these and feel like the tiny bit of extra work is totally worth it.  Also, he gets a terrible rash whenever he is in a disposable these days (chemical burn?), so we might have had to do cloth anyways.

- BOB stroller: we use it every day.  This has been the only way for me to stay active and lose the baby weight, and I am THAKFUL for it!  Also, James loves riding in it.

- Booster seat high chair: I don't even know what brand it is, it was just the cheapest one at Buy Buy Baby.  It's quite easy to clean, and I can even take the straps off and wash them in the washing machine.

- Moby wrap:  We are still using this!  James is still happy to be carried in it, and lately on some of the harder teething days, I have wrapped him in that and gone on with my day, and he was able to cope a little easier.

- Gripe water:  Speaking of teething, I have to mention this.  We aren't afraid to use meds in this house (we are a doctor and a nurse, ya know...), so Infant Tylenol and Advil have been stocked appropriately for use on bad teething days, but I feel like what made more a difference lately was the Gripe Water.  I know there aren't any studies demonstrating it's effectiveness, but it worked for us.

- Earth's Best low-lactose dairy formula:  Since I am unable to breast feed, and since James had issues with straight up dairy formula, and since soy formula just didn't seem right, I am thankful that there is an affordable (relatively), low-lactose option for my sweet baby.  It's working wonderfully (i.e. James will drink it, it does not cause any tummy upset or rash for him, and his eczema has calmed a bit since getting him off of soy).

- Baby Gap jeans: they just fit great!  My mom finds them on sale at the outlet, so they don't cost an arm and a leg, either.  And he's quite dapper in them.

[mama's laundry helper]

Mexican food

... is absolutely my favorite ethnic food. Not that I don't look sushi or Greek (I do!), but there is just something about veggies, meat, beans and cheese wrapped in a tortilla that makes my stomach happy.  James is learning to love his mama's favorite, too.  He is enjoying black beans and avocado quite a bit these days!