Ben's 15 month check up

We had a pediatrician appointment on Friday.

Ben's stats:
Weight: 31 lbs, which I believe to be inaccurate. Just 4 days before that, he weighed 33 lbs. So we'll just say that he's holding steady at 32 lbs. He hasn't gained any weight for about 4 months but he's still way over the curve and still in the 100th percentile.
Height: 32 1/2 inches (87th percentile....slacker)

Ben had been to the doctor a few days prior and was diagnosed with an ear infection and bronchiolitis. His ear looked like it was getting better and Dr. C. didn't hear any wheezing indicating bronchiolitis. Ben got his 4th round of DTaP and Hib vaccines. He barely whimpered when he got poked, but his DTaP site was very red (softball size in diameter), warm, and hard over the weekend.

While we were there, I had Dr. C. look in Colin's ears and he had an ear infection too, but since it doesn't seem to bother him, we decided not to get antibiotics.

Nothing else to report. Next time we go in June it's a double appointment...Ben's 18 month and Colin's 4 year! Don't tell Colin that he's probably going to get shots. He plugs his ears when Ben gets his, and I'll put $100 on Colin crying more than Ben when he gets his shots.

Colin's haps

I talk a lot about Ben because he changes so fast, but you know...there's Colin around these parts too. I thought I'd give you a little update on him with some pictures.


Colin wrote his name about a month ago and I was quite impressed. I didn't help him write this. I traced my finger on the paper, and then he wrote it with a pen.

Dude loves smoothies. Here we were at Target and shared a strawberries and cream from Starbucks.

He came to school with me so I could do something really quickly and listened to a book on CD. Seriously. He looks huge here.

He loves playing Starfall on my laptop and using Kevin's iPad to watch PBS and Disney Jr. shows. I wish he liked playing games a little more than watching shows, but it does provide for some good consequences ("stop yelling or no iPad tonight.").

 I forget what he was talking about here, but he looks huge in this picture too.

His current favorites:
TV Shows: Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Phineas and Ferb, Little Einsteins
Foods: Mac & Cheese, hot dogs, pears, clementines
Toys: Legos and other building things, anything that can me made into a rocketship/airplane
Games: "Spiderman," Chutes and Ladders

He's a great shopping buddy. Most Sundays he comes with me to Target and Aldi. We were at Target yesterday and I was trying on some t-shirts (I got 5 shirts for $20!) and he said they looked pretty on me. I mean...how can I not buy them if they look pretty on me? :)

Colin continues to prove that he's an excellent builder. It's amazing what he can create with Legos, Tinker Toys, etc. He drew a stage on the whiteboard at daycare. What 3 year old draws a stage? I love his creative mind :)

Colin is SO ready for spring. He doesn't want to wear his boots anymore. He is anxiously awaiting the snow to melt so he can get his Gator out of the shed. Every time it rains and the sun shines, he gets super excited that the snow is melting, and he groans when it snows. Can't say I blame him :)

We open enrolled in the school district I work in for Jr. Kindergarten (4K/preschool) next year. It's a half day every day, and then he'll be able to still go to Sandy's for the other half of the day. We won't find out if we got accepted until June. Then we have to figure out transportation between Sandy's and school since the bus can't stop at Sandy's.

We're gearing up for his 4th birthday. 4TH BIRTHDAY. ::jaw drop:: So far it's Jake and the Neverland Pirates themed. Kevin and I are taking the day after his birthday off to do something fun with him. Not sure what yet...waterpark, Skyzone, zoo...we'll see what he picks.

Ben: 15 months

Holy moly. The biggest "new" thing that Ben does is communicate more. You've seen my lists. I love documenting first words/signs. It's fun to see what's most important in a little life. Like...

Words: Mama, Didi (daddy), mopmopmop (mop), ball,  there/this/that, uh oh, hello, hi, and "baa" = what a sheep says.
Signs: nodding head for yes, shaking head for no, waving goodbye, milk, daddy,
"please"

"water"

He gets into a bit of mischief, too. He's always opening the refrigerator and getting clementines, pears, hot dogs...whatever he can find. He knows how to get the step stool and set it next to the couch to climb up on it, he climbs on it and turns the light switches on and off, and tries to reach things he shouldn't be reaching. It's tough keeping up with him. :)

Benny is drinking out of one of the Tupperware cups with the sippy spout really well. He also has is own Camelbak for water just like big brother. He's working on his last 1 year molar. The others came through the last few weeks.

Ben LOVES to color.

 

and brush is hair 

 teeth.

He weighs 32.4 lbs, so he hasn't gained weight in a few months. He has a pediatrician appointment next Friday.

Ben is still nursing. Mostly in the morning when he wakes up, and before he goes to bed, sometimes when we get home from daycare, and sometimes once at night too. When he nurses he signs "milk please" over and over. :) I do refuse to nurse him at times now and distract him instead. He's usually okay with that. I love nursing, and I want to follow his lead to wean, but I would also like to be done by May or June.

Please forgive me for future posts that document more words. :)

Words, Signs, and Andectodal Accounts

Just thought I'd jot down a few words and signs Ben does/says for my own record. It's so fun to see him acquiring language :)
Words:
Uh-oh
Mama
Hi
Bye
"Duh"-This/that/there
Didi (Daddy)

Signs:
Milk
More
Please
Ball--just learning this one
All done--sometimes
No (shakes his head)
Yes (nods his head)
Daddy--as of today!
Waves his hand for hi and bye
 *We're currently working on help, book, and thank you

It's also quite fun to see his relationship with Colin growing. They're becoming buddies, which I love. This evening, Colin told Ben to sit in the laundry basket, so (with help) Ben got in. Colin took his claw grabber toy and closed it around the laundry basket handle and pulled Ben around the house. When Colin decided he was done playing, Ben climbed out, found the claw grabber, put it in the basket, climbed into the basket, handed the grabber to me, and signed "more please." So silly.