Whew. On the road to recovery. Finally.

Well, his fever finally disappeared yesterday and hasn't returned since (thank goodness!)

Today, we had his 15 month "well" check-up.  (I use the term "well" loosely, as he is still not 100% - still has a super runny nose and a cough, but "well enough for daycare, where he finally returned today after a 9 day absence.)

Anyway, this was a LONG stint of a cold/virus and I'm so glad it is on the way out.  I lost my patience with it about three days ago.

His check-up went well today:

• He is now 23 lbs 8 oz (in between the 25th and 50th percentiles)
• 31.5" (in between the 50th and 75th percentiles)
• head circumference is 18.5" (50th percentile)

He's still not really talking much, and the ped isn't worried yet, but wants us to keep naming things as he points (which he does ALL the time.)

Other news and tricks:

• He has learned to walk a few steps backward and he thinks it is funny (although it isn't quite "moonwalking", it's close)
• He is getting more and more picky about food and clearly knows that shaking his head means "no".  He uses this frequently when we try to give him food.  (What in the world happened to my good eater???)
• He knows the sign for "all done", but only uses it when I try to give him medicine and he doesn't want it...he hasn't really used it to signal "all done" with his meal.  :)
• He is stacking some blocks now...but still mostly destroying the stacks that you make instead.
• He still loves books - especially the truck book that Grandpa Mickey got him for Christmas. Thanks, Dad!
• A few weeks ago he gave me my first slobbery toddler kiss.  It was pretty cute. I look forward to more - less slobbery ones - in the future.

Sick

The poor boy is sick.

He was sent home from daycare on Monday morning, showing "symptoms of pink eye".

He felt fine and acted fine...and his eyes weren't even that goopy.  So, we played a little here and there and had some fun.  Then his eyes looked a little better on Tuesday, so I thought for sure he'd go to daycare on Wednesday.  And then his eyes got worse.  And then, this morning, he woke up with a 102.4 fever.

He slept on my lap for an hour while I caught up on a few DVR-ed shows.  That's the only good thing about a sick boy...he is WAY super cuddly.

He definitely feels badly though.  You can see it. 

He's all loaded up with acetamenophin and ibuprofen (yes, both) and I'm hoping he feels better tomorrow.

It's a good thing that I had a light work week, so I was able to give him lots of love and attention.

William - 1 year old

The boy is one year old.

Whew.  What a year.

Here is a snapshot of who William is at 1 year old:

• William is 23 lbs and 6 oz.  He is 31 inches "tall".
• He is still not walking, but does a good job standing - unsupported - for 30 seconds or so at a time.  He has taken a stumbling step or so, but that's not walking...that's just momentum driving him forward.
• Having been a superior eater, William is now showing signs of independence and, well, will.  He is more picky (although still a good eater).
• He still loves fruit most of all - especially blueberries.
• He has moved past formula and is on to whole milk, which was no big deal for him.  He is still taking bottles, and I need to start getting him off those and on to exclusively using sippy cups relatively soon.
• He's turned into a great nighttime sleeper - usually sleeping a full 12 hours.  (He naps okay - some days are great and others aren't...but if that is the tradeoff I make for a good nightime guy, I'll totally take that trade.)
• He is very much a mama's boy right now, but he sure is happy to see daddy, too.
• No talking yet...we thought for a while he was saying "book", but now we're not so sure...as apparently EVERYTHING is "oo. ook."  He doesn't really say "mama" or "dada" either.  He makes those sounds...just not directed at us.
• He still loves books and being read to.  He turns pages and even "reads to himself" by talking to himself as he plays with books.
• He has started interacting (nicely!) with Beaux.  He "throws" tennis balls to him and hands him toys as well.  Beaux remains unconvinced that this little guy is a good thing (an issue that will probably be an even bigger concern once W starts walking).

And, while we may not necessarily be happier than we were in our child-free life, we are certainly more fulfilled.  :)

Daylight Savings

Daylight savings time SUCKS for moms and babies.

That is all.

His First Halloween and First Birthday

We celebrated BIG recently:

• 3 years of marriage
• 1 year of baby William
• William's first Halloween

We combined the celebration of our anniversary and W's birthday in a brunch this past Sunday.  I haven't uploaded my pictures yet, but will do so very soon.

The next day was Halloween and William got to be the "turnip" that he's always been in our minds!  (It has been his nickname since he was 17 weeks in utero!)  Thanks, Linda, for creating such an amazing costume!

Here is a quick picture of W in the turnip costume with daddy.  Birthday photos to follow later.

Happy, happy camper

William has been having some super happy days lately.  He is really fun to be around recently.  This weekend we've taken a stroller ride each morning - the photo above is when we went to Ellwood Thompson's grocery to pick up some pear juice for a drink I was making for a friend's baby shower.  And this morning we went to the art museum sculpture garden so he could crawl around outside. 

In other baby-related news...

• He has rediscovered clapping after some odd weeks of completely doing none at all, he does it all the time now.
• He has also discovered stairs and LOVES to climb stairs.  He is super fast at them now which means it is time to put the baby gates UP.
• He has gotten his 8th tooth.  All front teeth on the top and bottom are now accounted for.

Sleeping In

That boy has started sleeping in!  And by sleeping in, I mean he is sleeping over 13 hours straight now....from around 7pm to 8:30am or so.