More health concerns for Mr. Ben

Ben had his year-old pediatrician visit today (almost one whole month late), ending with a referral for hin to go see a speech therapist. Just what we needed-- another medical specialist for the little guy!

HUGS!

at Landa Park

His new stats are as follows: head circumference = 19.25 inches (95th percentile--still baby "big-head!"), height = 31 inches (75th percentile--quite tall, no surprises there), weight = 22 lb, 1 oz (25th percentile-- pretty low). His low weight wasn't too concerning to the doctor (since he's walking now and burning more calories). However, he has only gained one ounce since he was there over a month ago.

I also explained to the pediatrician that I have concerns about Ben's eating abilities; he loves putting food in his mouth, but seems to actually swallow almost none of if. Cleaning out his bib pocket at the end of a meal is a super gross and disappointing chore; it's full of pretty much every bit of everything that went into his mouth, just smooshed into slightly smaller, soggy pieces. 

All of the other babies I know (who mostly have fewer teeth than Ben) completely ingest most of what goes into their mouth. Given Ben's lack of weight gain and trouble eating, the doctor told me not to push forward with the weaning process until we get his eating figured out.

The pediatrician and I also discussed how Ben doesn't say any words that seem to have a specific meaning, & the only sounds he consistently makes is a motorboat/car noise, "roaring", and sometimes it seems like he's trying to "meow" like our cats. By the age of one babies are usually saying at least two words consistently and make more sounds with specific meaning. 

The pediatrician wasn't really worried about his lack of speech yet, but that combined with his apparent trouble swallowing, and lack of weight gain all added up to her giving us a referral to go see the speech therapist at the hospital. ) Apparently speech therapists deal with anything to do with eating and swallowing as well as speaking. We also may need to get a different "swallow study"/medical test done at the hospital... so disheartening (especially since we just switched insurance companies so will have to meet a whole new deductible-- the third one we've had to meet since he was born!).

Anyway, other than trouble with eating, Ben is a delightful, happy little boy.

GOOOOOOD kitty!

going exploring in the backyard

first (slightly) scraped knee

Benito getting a haircut this morning

Onward and Upward

already trying "trick riding" (shudder)

Today Ben enjoyed his very first experience "swimming"/being carted around in a real swimming pool. We had refrained from taking him to the pool at our gym all summer (since his pulmonologist had told us to try to keep Ben illness free all summer--which we did!). Sadly the pool closes after Labor Day, so today was one of our last good chances. The weather was actually a bit cooler than usual, and cloudy, so it was the perfect day for it.

I had been apprehensive of Ben to the pool all by myself (in case he got scared and started crying, like he does in the bath sometimes), but Clay didn't have to work today, so we could make it a family adventure. The only time Ben got really scared was when he toppled over (head first) a couple of times in the shallow end, but even then he shook it off very quickly.

enjoying his new beanbag chair

Ben's newest skill on land is trying to climb. So far he's just attempting small things mostly, like shallow stairs. He successfully climbed the steps at the zoo the other day (see video below), but was not at all interested in trying to go down them. Sadly, he still sometimes attempts to get off the couch by diving head-first towards the floor. Today at Landa Park he climbed up the little kids' play equipment all by himself (with me hovering behind and Clay underneath). It's pretty fantastic to be able to take my son to the park and watch him explore. NOT so fantastic a climbing feat was when I looked up to see him standing on top of his little scooter a few days ago (see picture below).

Speaking of climbing, this week I bought Ben a beanbag chair for him to practice clambering up and down. That chair has been doubly-great because it also gives me somewhere comfy to sit when I read him "That's Not My Pirate" or "Curious George Goes to the Zoo" for the millionth time.

This Thursday Ben is going to have his 12-month pediatrician visit (almost a month late because our health insurance was having issues). I'm both looking forward to that (I want to talk to the doctor about the weaning process), and dreading all the shots. In any case, it'll be good to have it over with. And who knows, maybe then we can stay OUT of doctor's offices for a few weeks... or dare I say, a few months???

Benito the StairMASTER

"painting" on dad's kindle

Ben = 1/3 Clay

Humus is NOT for babies.... humus is NOT for babies

MaCaulay Culkin/Home Alone impression (actually the precursor to a sneeze!)

Kitty troubles

We had an unhappy surprise last night with our older cat, Luc. He had been acting a bit off for the last week (wanting to be picked up instead of jumping over our numerous baby gates), then last night I noticed some small bloody puddles on the bathroom floor. After a bit of unpleasant investigation, we found Luc's rear end was matted with blood. 

poor Luc in his double-decker gated new "home"

sad kitty on the way to the vet's last night

Two hours later (at the emergency vet's office) and $500 poorer, we had gotten him treated for an "anal gland abcess" (yes, super gross!). He now has to live in the bathroom until he and Oz (our other cat) are no longer in danger of licking the area (7-10 days). Ick.

Our AC system doesn't blow very hard in the bathroom, though, so I didn't want him to simmer for a week. Instead I rigged up a double decker system with two baby gates (Oz kept trying to jump over the gate to get to Luc with only one gate up). So now it's quite an acrobatic feat to get into our bathroom. Poor Luc-y boy, and poor us! At least Ben isn't already potty trained and needing to get in there, I guess!

Speaking of Ben, he's doing very well. He's getting even better at signing "eat" and "milk", and is a lovely little boy to be around at least 80% of the time, I'd say.

Benito & Auden enjoying the zoo's riverbank

Ben fast asleep at dinner

the king of Chick-fil-A!

bathtime is a bit more fun these days

Ben and daddy at Grady's birthday party yesterday

ROOOar

How much for that baby in the window?

While I still wouldn't officially say Ben has said his first, unmistakable, definite, no-question-about-it word, his newest verbalization is pretty awesome: he "roars" when we roar, when the cats meow, and when he just plain feels like it. It's pretty awesome (see video below).

Ben has also has a new hankering for sitting on our laps for an extended period to be read to (repeatedly). After we finish reading a book, he will frantically make the sign for "more," and after the book has been read a second time, he will demand a third. I flatly refuse to re-read any book more than three times in a row, so after a bit of a fuss he'll go choose a different book and we'll repeat the procedure. It's very endearing and wonderful.... except that I've had a sore throat for a week and re-re-reading has become closer to "croaking" after a while. Perhaps that's why he's "roaring"...

Speaking of signing, Ben uses the "more" sign hundreds of times a day, in many different situations. That one sign has been an amazing way to communicate with him and keep him from screaming needlessly. He also does the signs for "milk" and "eat" and I think he was trying to do "music" the other day. The other weekend, we had an exciting moment when Ben was fussing and Clay signed "what" (what do you want), and without any prompting from us, Ben signed "eat". We were so excited I ran to the kitchen and fed him cheese (he new favorite food) right there on the couch.

Why, YES, that is guacamole (note the tomato chunk on his eyebrow)

In other Ben news, a little over a week ago he had a check-up with his pulmonologist. Everything looks good, breathing-wise. It looks so good, in fact, that in a few months we may be able to stop taking the daily inhaler altogether (which would be extra good because the new meds he just got on is $70 a month!)

The doctor even cleared him to occasionally go back to the day care at the gym (hurray for an hour or two of Me-time). Since cold season is about to start up, the doctor wants to see how Ben's body will react to getting a cold, now that he's been on strengthening-medications all summer.

my two handsome boys

@zoo: Ben's new (no more running away from Mama) harness/baby leash... that he hates

Ben and pal, Grady. asleep on the way home from Ikea

first taste of no-pasta spaghetti (spaghetti squash)

enjoying some of his birthday toys

and sometimes bags are more fun than toys

loves his birthday scoot

Ben's first computer art (on Clay's Kindle)

Ben's BEST birthday

Ben celebrated his first year of life with a pond-themed birthday party today. He is so lucky to have so many incredible friends and family (both here and "here in spirit").

splish splash!

Grady: "sitting down in the pool is for suckas!"

Eli and Auden enjoy the pool

And he also got his first taste of real sugar/dessert.....

froggie cupcakes

pre-cupcake anticipation

Um... fire!

a little unsure at first...

 getting a taste of sweet, sweet icing

chowing down with Daddy

show me your REAL cupcake face!

definitely decided it was delicious

and now it's in his ears...

Grady helps Ben to finish opening his present

presents!

best birthday EVER

Man Cub Turns One

A year ago today at approximately 1:15 in the afternoon the ground shook, the skies were torn asunder, and the Earth spun backwards.... by which I mean Benjamin Michael Hackett was born.

Happy birthday, little Ben!

Below: Luc trying really hard to be the best cat ever...

Below: Ben signing "more" for "more music" from his new birthday toy