12 Month Well Baby Check-up

Yesterday we paid a visit to our pediatrician for Thomas' one year appointment.  The result?  Everything looks great!  Here are some highlights:

• Thomas weighed in at 21 pounds - this number shocks me based on how much this kid can eat.  I am in awe of his metabolism (and  little bit jealous too!).
• He is 30 inches long.
• He can "say" these words: cheese, Jesus, dada, Cheerio
• He's clapping, waving, pointing - completely endearing.
• He can self-feed...still working on coordinating that spoon a little bit better, but he's getting there!
• He crawls, pulls up, cruises...I think a little more confidence and practice will have him walking all over the place.

He can start eating berries now and even can try seafood (just in time for Lent!).  We might venture into watching Baby Einstein or the like sometime soon.  Up to this point, we haven't once turned on the TV for him, and we're really in no hurry to do so.  But I think those types of videos can be learning experiences as long as a parent is there to interact with the baby by pointing out shapes, colors, characters, etc.  I know there will be times that I need to sit Thomas in front of the TV with a 30 minute video or something...but for now, I'm hoping to make any TV time just like any other parent-child activity.

Looking forward to this next year of growth and development!   

Milestone Obsession

Ever notice how parents tend to speak in milestones?  It's as if there's a trigger in our (I'm guilty of this too) brains that instantly makes a connection between a child's age and pending milestone.  "Oh yes, my son is 8 months old."  "Oh!  Is he crawling?"  or "This is Thomas, and he's 11 months old." "Well, he must be walking all over the place!"

Thomas has been on the "later" end of the spectrum for meeting some of his milestones, and that's likely why I'm hyper-aware of this conversation tactic.  Sometimes it takes multiple daily reminders that Thomas is right on target for his adjusted age (aka subtracting 6 weeks from his February 17 arrival).  But that's not something I'm going to talk about with complete strangers that I meet at the library or in the check-out line.  I simply cannot allow another person's comment to belittle my parenting in any way, particularly someone whom I do not know and who does not know Thomas.  That gives other people way too much power and takes glory away from God, who, should be glorified in all things.  And regardless of all that, Thomas is a beautiful, healthy, joyful baby who never ceases to amaze me.  So that's reason to rejoice enough whether he takes his first steps at 12 months or 15 months. 

From now on, I vow to only ask what a parent's child has been doing lately rather than formulating my question based on Everything You Need to Know About the First Year.  It all too easily leads to parents feeling inadequate, anxiety-ridden, and discouraged.  And why is it that parents love to compare their children to other children?  Forgive me if I'm wrong, but that's not what parents need.  They need support, love, and encouragement for taking on one of the greatest and most humbling vocations - raising a child.  I, for one, could not be prouder of my firstborn and am overwhelmed with thanksgiving for this precious gift.  Seems that the miracle of life is something parents should celebrate, emphasizing milestones less and beauty more.

Thanks be to God for the gift of life!

Thomas: Milestones

Here are a few of Thomas' latest feats (in no particular order):

• Crawling.  Everywhere.
• Pulling up to his feet when given the opportunity (aka whenever he happens upon a somewhat sturdy place to grab above his head).
• Drinking water from a sippy cup.  Heck, it's even a pretty coordinated effort!
• Still eating fruits and vegetables like a champ.  His love for cantaloupe and broccoli is second to none.
• Sleeping through the night...this has been an on-going struggle since day one, but lately it's pretty consistent...Drake and I are quite pleased.
• Loves being read to - sometimes reading time can last for almost 20 minutes!  
• Reaches for crucifixes/Mary statues constantly - I guess you wouldn't find this in What to Expect the First Year, but it sure is sweet.  Sometimes hanging out near our Holy Family water font is a favorite activity.  And we swear he's trying to say "Jesus."  
• Manipulates toys/games.
• Knows his name, mommy, daddy, several different animals, animal sounds.

Seems that there's something new everyday at this age - amazing!

Introspective

Sometimes I find myself worrying.  Worrying that Thomas might be behind developmentally for the first few years because of his early entry into the world.  Worrying that I'm not doing things right as a parent.  Worrying about the fact that decisions I make might affect Thomas negatively.  Parenting is an incredible gift and a terrifying adventure.  And of course I know that this isn't just "I."  It's Drake and I, but it's also the Heavenly Host and I...and being a parent has taught me to rely more fully on the angels and saints, particularly in times of difficulty, frustration, and confusion.

When Thomas was born, an occupational therapist did some tests and found that Thomas was actually right on track despite missing out on 6 weeks of womb time.  But in the same breath she mentioned that he might be behind for the first two years of his life.  Up to this point, I've felt that Thomas was pretty much on target...he's been hitting milestones as he should be.  But as he approaches 9 months of age, I'm worried that he's not crawling.  He pushes up on his arms with no problem, but he seems to drag his butt on the ground instead of lifting it in the air.  I also feel like he's sometimes quick to give up when he's frustrated or can't get to where he'd like to go.  It's really hard as a parent...hard not only to see my son struggle but also hard to know exactly how to help him in a way that will enable him to thrive versus depend on things to be done for him, such as my moving a toy closer so that he doesn't need to reach or scoot toward it.  It's also humbling to see some 6 month olds at the library crawling around.  Sometimes it doesn't seem fair because I, like every parent, want the best for my child.  We parents all want our children to be ahead of the curve or at least be keeping up.

I've talked to many parents who have said their children were late crawlers...not crawling until 9 or 10 months, and some not really even ever getting up onto their knees at all.  One friend has a husband in medical school who recently learned that babies are hard-wired to reach milestones at a certain time so there's not a lot that parents can do to encourage it to happen any earlier.  I take some consolation in that.  But it admittedly doesn't make it any easier.  I don't want to fall back on the "excuse" that he's a preemie, though that is the reality of the situation.  Gestationally, Thomas is 7 1/2 months old with his chronological age being nearly 9 months.  And I realize that he's still within the "normal" limits for crawling.  And you know, maybe I need to worry much less about what other people think and focus more on areas in which Thomas is excelling.  With that said, I'm going to list some of the many incredible things about my son:

• He is learning sign language really well - his face lights up when he sees signs for milk, eat, more, up, bath, all done, cereal, cracker, change, etc.  It's amazing to be able to communicate with him like this.
• He sits up beautifully and plays independently.  He's starting to be able to interact a lot more with Drake and I.
• This kid has the best belly laughs I've ever heard...it warms my heart to hear him crack up over silly things Drake and I do, not to mention the excitement that ensues over tickle time.
  
• He's been wanting to put the spoon in his mouth by himself, and he has excellent aim!  He's been loving all sorts of different foods and has a new love for graham crackers.
• He loves playing in his Jumperoo and Exersaucer.
• He does a great job locating sounds and is very curious and alert.
• He has an insanely cute reaction upon seeing a picture of himself...you have to see it to believe it.
• He is cooing and babbling all the time...and buzzing his lips is a new favorite activity.
• He's quite the little swimmer!
  
• He recognizes the first few words to some of his favorite songs, including Wheels on the Bus, Patty Cake, and Itsy Bitsy Spider.
• He easily transfers toys from one hand to the other and will even use both hands to support heavier toys.
  
• He's recently started giving kisses...I love it so much that I typically leave the sloppy spot on my cheek until it dries instead of wiping it off.
• His joyful personality is second to none.  

One of the biggest lessons I've learned as a parent is the importance of embracing the present moment and taking life one day at a time.  Time to relish in the now instead of worrying about the future.