Playing

Moose and Munkey play together more and more every day.  I was hoping there would not be very much competition between them as far as toys but there seems to be.  Sara does not like him touching her things and she always wants to be playing with what he's playing with.  Once he starts complaining about her taking away his toys, we're in for it.

I tried to get a video of him showing how fast he crawls now, it's lightening fast.  I also wanted to get a vid of the playing and I got one that kind of shows how they play together.

Then I tried to get a photo shoot of the two of them together, just so I can have periodic photos showing how big Brennan is getting.  They were both being silly and then when they both started to cry it was time to be done.

10 Months

Brennan just recently turned 10 months old!!  Wow, it seems like he was just 9 months old yesterday.  He is growing up so fast.  I'm really happy that he's growing up so fast because little babies cause me anxiety, especially when they're sick or when they hit their heads, both of which he did a lot. It makes me sad he's getting so big so fast too because he'll likely be my last child and he's just so cute as he is.  I wish I could freeze frame him.

He seems to be picking back up on his weight or at least not losing any.  He was on some iron drops and that seemed to help give him some more energy as well as he hasn't been sick for a while and he's eating about twice as much now.

I've been really into making beans so he's been eating lots of beans and cheese. I usually make him a bean mash including cheddar, quinoa, and broccoli tops.  He loves it and I eat if for dinner sometimes too, it tastes really good.   This week I'm making a big pot of kidney beans and then some cornbread to go with it.  He's never had corn bread before so I'm excited for him to try that.

He's pretty much a finger food eater now and sometimes he does not like to be spoon fed.  He eats steamed peas, bread, grapes, cheese cubes, raisins, and pears all chopped up into smaller pieces.  He does not seem to like bananas all that much.

He still likes shakes too.  Today he had a banana, orange, strawberry shake with fresh mint leaves.  Also, he will eat my green shakes.  Earlier this week he at a parsley and pear shake.  He seems to really like parsley, I had put a lot in the shake and when he plays in the yard he almost always works his way over to my parsley plant and starts eating it. 

He has his top two teeth in now too and Sara likes to go around telling everyone about his teeth.  She likes to look in his mouth a lot and count his teeth.  Also Sara and Brennan really like rolling around on the floor together wrestling.  Brennan is so tolerant of Sara rolling him around and man-handling him, it amazes me.  He hardly ever complains about it and when he does, that means he's done but he really puts up with a lot.

He hasn't been puking as much so we got the carpets cleaned finally!!  Such a relief!  Also, he still falls from time to time and hits his head but not quite as much as before.  Also, he's been letting go of whatever he's standing up on and standing by himself for a few seconds.  He did it in the bathtub the other night and that was kind of scary, but he stood there by himself for a few seconds.   I still don't know how close he is to walking but I think it will definitely be by his 1st birthday.

He seems to have a very serious nature about him.  He likes things the way he likes them and food when he wants it.  He is easy going and likes to have fun too though and likes to be going places.

He had a quick bought with not wanting people to hold him but I'm wondering if that's over now because he's let lots of people hold him recently without complaining.

We are really getting excited for his 1st birthday.  I was thinking of having it at the splash pad but we haven't decided yet.  Also, we'll be really excited if Nanna can come out for a visit and the party.

Brennan couldn't be any cuter, his cheeks are rosy and he's got a really bright clear face and eyes.  Dan and I both stare at him a lot and we think he's adorable.   Also, everyone always remarks on how big his hands and feet are.  His Aunt Lisa says he has, "Toddler Hands" already.

I tried to upload more pics but the website is not working.  Maybe this video of him walking with  Dan will work at some point too.

Brennan had his 9 month check up appointment today.  It was a little late because he turned 9 months on our trip to Bama.  Also it was a good day to go to the doctor because he woke up with a fever and not feeling well at all.

They weighed him and measured his head and length.  He was in the 65th percentile for his head growth and 75th for his height.  His weight (19lb) had dropped him down into the 25th percentile though, which really surprised me.  The doctor said he does not look underweight and that his other growth indications are still good, so he's not too worried.  He thinks it'ss because Brennan had RSV last month and an ear infection.  He said just to feed him a little extra this next month, which shouldn't be a problem, he eats like a horse.

The doctor checked out his ears, which I was really worried about.  I was prepared to ask for a ENT referral today if his ears looked bad.  Luckily his ears were normal, not even any fluid.  That is a really good sign.  I am so hopeful that he just had his last ear infection and that he will outgrown them now.

They checked his iron level and he was a bit anemic, so he will take iron supplement drops and we will keep giving him orange shakes to help him absorb it better.

He had a 100.1 fever and a runny nose and is just crying a lot today.  The doctor said he might have picked up a cold but it didn't look serious and his throat looked OK.  Brennan was glad he didn't have to get any shots today, only the finger poke for his iron check.  Both the doctor and nurse noted how friendly he was with them even though he was feeling bad.  The nurses said that usually kids are really afraid of the doctor and staff by this age.

goings on

Moose is finally better!! Yay and just in time for our trip.  He made it all the way through the last two nights and we have not noticed any coughing fits. I am declaring we are done being sick for the whole summer!  Or at least until after he turns one.

I hope the antibiotic is working on his ear.  He seems to feel better.  He has been pretty happy to go on long walks and play.

I've been meaning to upload these videos for a while.
Dan thinks Brennan crawls really funny.  He thinks Brennan looks like a little chimpanzee.  I think he walks like a turtle.  This is how he walks everywhere, he does not like to crawl on his knees.

Sara likes to play peek-a-boo with him in his high chair among other games.  Sometimes she gets a bit rough.

Moose eats really good.  Tonight Daddy made him sweet potato pie with various spices and regular mashed potatoes with broccoli tops.  I made him a tangerine and lime shake with mint sprigs and a dash of maple syrup and plain yogurt.  I make him a shake every day.  He likes watermelon shakes and pineapple strawberry too.  I usually put his probiotics in them so that he gets that too.  He gulps them down and you can't pry the cup away. 

Almost 9 months

Brennan is still suffering a little from the RSV cough but he does not seem to be getting worse at this point.  Sara coughed for 4-6 weeks, so I'm sure that's what were in for, maybe 1 or 2 more weeks if we're lucky.  I hope he does not develop asthma, he has a raspy chest still.

He seems really happy though despite the lack of sleep from coughing fits and two top teeth coming in that look really painful.

Here is a spring photo shoot of him.  I like to get pics of him in his high chair because I've done that since he was about 2 months old and it's nice to have the photos for comparison.  Also, it's a place he can't move much and is upright.  The photo shoot in the yard with the tulips was difficult.  He kept wanting to eat the tulips and plants.  I think he's still super handsome though!

We Like to move it move it

Brennan has been sitting outside a lot with me even though he has been sick.  It's been relatively warm here and he likes to go outside as long as it's not windy.  I usually can get some yard work done or water my plants while he plays.

He likes to sit in his exersaucer out there so we've just been leaving it out in the yard.  It's better than him eating leaves and sticks and rocks.  I hope he outgrows that soon.  Here is a video of him rocking his exersaucer.

Last week found out Brennan has had RSV for the previous 6 days or so.  He's been having heavy coughing fits, like Sara had, especially at night.  A couple of nights were particularly miserable.  He would always start coughing at 2 a.m. and would wake up crying, I would go in to hold him and put him  back to bed and Sara would wake up complaining that Brennan woke her up, then I would put her back to bed and it would start over again at 4 a.m. and then again at 6 a.m.  Luckily we only had 2 or 3 nights like that.  It was enough for me.  I finally took him to the doctor to make sure he wasn't getting pneumonia.  

On top of my anxiety about him being sick, I was having anxiety over the fact that we still don't have a pediatrician we like or trust.  The one I sort of like the best we can never get appts with.  He never works Fridays and he's always out of town.  So we tried the last of the 4 doctors in the practice.  This last doctor works down in Payson so it was a bit of a drive down to the office by the hospital there.  Really though I'd still prefer a million times over than getting on the freeway and driving into downtown Provo and the scenery is nice driving through the country.   The office is brand new, nice, quiet and really clean.  There is never anyone there.  So different from the Provo waiting room with 40 kids in it all coughing and crying, utter chaos and you don't want to breath or touch anything while you're there.  So we met the doctor and I finally LOVE this one! 

His body language was very engaged with us, he listened closely to everything I said, never rushed us, sat on the edge of his chair, and he got bonus points for telling me that Brennan was a pretty baby.  I also talked to him about our Pediatrician that died and he started to tear up.  He says he's sad about it every day and that he was good friends with Dr. Nelison.  I told him that Dr. Neilson played French Horn and he told me he plays viola.  I took that as a sign that he's the right doctor for us.  

 He is wicked smart and he was very engaged and seemed very concerned with the well being of my kids from every angle even mentally.  He asked me what I told Sara about Dr. Neilson dying and then gave me some helpful things to tell her about it.  He also took time to give me helpful tips for flying on a plane with Brennan and his ear trouble and even what to tell other passengers if they complain that Brennan is crying.  I look forward to seeing him again and hopefully building a lasting relationship with the kids and having him as our doctor. 

Anyway, after listening to brennan's chest he knew right away that he had RSV and I told him that Brennan has been sick for 6 days and he said that's usually the peak of RSV when it's worse and then it gradually tapers off.  He said his chest did sound bad but antibiotics won't help and it's best to just wait it out.  

It's been about 5 days since the appointment now and he is getting better.  We've been doing steam baths a few times a day and that really helps him.  Also we keep a warm mist humidifier in his room going all the time.  Dan and I have experienced ourselves how much the humidifier helps when you're sick in this dry climate.  Luckily I have a humidifier for every bedroom.  I spend a lot of time cleaning humidifiers several times a week.  Summer will be here soon though and we'll put them away for the season.  I'm just glad that if Brennan had to get RSV this season that he waited until he was bigger and he wasn't 2 months old.  Sara didn't get RSV until she was 3 years old,  somehow we were lucky there.

 I've read that after they have had RSV, sometimes their colds and flus are worse and some develop Asthma.  Sara is really a cougher when she gets sick, I don't know if that has anything to do with it, she's had RSV 2 or 3 times now.  I would call her Asthmatic by any stretch yet though.  I hope Brennan doesn't cough a lot after this.

I'm starting to think ahead now to our trip to Bama in about 13 days.  I hope we can survive the plane ride without a major melt down from either kid.  Also I need them to be well, we're not doing anything or seeing anyone in the next few days that we could catch anything from. 

Once we get to Bama i hope we can just relax and have fun, at the beach too!

Sick but happy

Brennan has been really sick this past week. He's got a terrible cold and his nose is running away from his face.  His cough has been really bad and he just can't catch a break.  Still, he's tried to be a trooper and be happy as much as possible.  We've been dragging him around everywhere when he would have probably been better off in bed.

He is still causing lots of mischief and trouble too.  We've had to clean off all the table tops because he can reach everything and pull it down.  I tried pushing stuff to the backs of tables but his arms are long :(

He always looks cute in his high chair.

He's always drooling,  his first ride on Daddy's shoulders.

His first ride in the Home Depot cart.  By the end of it, he got the hang of turning the steering wheel.