15 months 12.12.11

Thanksgiving 2011-preThanksgiving meal

Keeping this blog has heightened my awareness of Tillman's age...in months, of course.  I don't think the 12th of the month can go by for years to come with out thinking "It's Tillman's birthday today!" Well, Tillman turned 15 months on Monday!  He has a 15 month check up at the doctor later this month, so more to come on his stats.

Tillman continues to recover from tubes.  He has had tons of drainage, so the tubes are doing their job.  We actually go for a follow up appointment with Dr. White on Monday and a hearing test.  We continue to put drops in his ears morning and before bed to help the drainage.

Tillman isn't in to the "mommy and me" pic
at the Charleston City Christmas parade

On other health related news, Tillman hasn't been to the doctor in December!  This has been huge for us.  We're excited that he has been well!  He did manage to bypass the stomach virus Nick and I got last weekend, which was a miracle.  I'm so glad because taking care of ourselves was more than enough!

Drinking water and eating Goldfish to get
through the parade a happy boy!

With the holiday's in full swing, we did Christmas with my family last weekend.  Tillman got a tunnel from his cousins.  We have been crawling through it, and Tillman is a hoot when we play.  He gets so tickled when he's being "chased" as he crawls through the tunnel.  He just loves it.  They have them at the daycare, and I picked him up one day when they were playing with it.  He pretty much looked at me, and was like "Mom, I'm not ready to go home." I watched them play for a long time.  He was giggling and squealing...he simply loved it!  After that day, I added it to his Christmas list, and boy, am I'm glad I did!

Notice the tree is only decorated up top

With the holiday's has come some holiday parties.  We actually had our first babysitter experience last weekend at the house.  His daycare teacher lives near us, and she kept him on Saturday night.  It worked out perfectly.  We had to explain more about Graham than Tillman.  It made me feel very comfortable, as we knew he was in good hands.  Also this month, Tillman did his first sleep over as well.  My brother's family kept him for a night while Nick and I when to the College of Charleston basketball game and had "date night." I think Tillman thought it was a slumber party, as he woke up at 1AM and they didn't go back to bed until 3AM.  He took a long nap the next day!

Tillman's Elf on a Shelf!

Besides "terrorizing" Graham and the Christmas tree, Tiny T has been very interested in books lately.  He doesn't sit very long for you to read to him, but he loves to flip the pages, tote them around the house, and occasionally throw them!  Nick has been reading the books while Tillman plays.  I'm hoping he will enjoy reading as much as his daddy does, so we're excited to see he will at least touch a book (more than what I'll do!).

At 15 months, I will say that Tillman is very set in his ways.  Two things that have came about this month have been breaking him from the bottle and trying to put him to sleep without a sleep sack.  Neither of these things went over very well.  Tillman will ONLY drink milk from a bottle (drinks all other things in a sippy cup...we've tried all types of sippy cups...daycare has too), and will ONLY go to bed at night in a sleep sack.  The other night, he woke up at 1AM, and he had spit-up and had a bad diaper, so we changed him, the sheets, and all.  We gave him some milk to calm him and that normally puts him to sleep.  Well, since we didn't have a sleep sack on him, he stood up in his crib and cried for 30 mins.  I couldn't take it any more.  I got a sleep sack out the dirty clothes and put it on him.  He rolled over and went straight to sleep!  After all those shenanigans, I was thinking, dang--if I would have only done that to start with!

Tillman's Tubes

Tillman got ear tubes the day before Thanksgiving.  He had just finished antibiotics over the weekend, and by Tuesday he was running a fever.  We did our best to avoid getting tubes and tried every herbal remedy we knew, but it just wasn't in the cards.  He woke on Tuesday, and Nick said "I think we're going to have to schedule the tubes."  I got to work and emailed Dr. White, and he had an opening the next day, so we took it.  It worked out great since we were off the rest of the week, and Tillman had 5 day at home. 

 The procedure was super fast (15 minutes tops).  In fact, Dr. White came out to the waiting area to get me, and said "I would have been done sooner, but all the nurses had to hold Tillman."  That made me feel good and hearing that, I knew that Tillman was well taken care of the short time we were a part.

Waking from the anesthesia was a little rough for him.  They said to expect crankiness since he would be disoriented.  He was pretty cranky for 10 minutes, but once he got his bottle, he fell back to sleep.  We were able to leave shorty after, and were on the road back home at 7:30AM (yes, we had to be there at 4:45AM.) 

If I was a smart momma, I should have gone to the grocery store to get what we needed for Thanksgiving since he was fast a sleep until noon, but we just went home and snuggled. 

I'm bias as I work at MUSC Children's Hospital, but I know that Dr. White is the BEST for pediatric ENT.  He is specifically trained in peds ENT.  Also, Dr. Wallace, our anesthesiologist, is specifically trained in peds anesthesia.  The combo of those two as well as pediatric specific staff made MUSC Children's Hospital the only choice for Tillman's tubes.  Sure, there are ADULT ENTs in the community that will place ear tubes in kids, but their training is for adults.  Wouldn't you rather have a specifically trained ENT and more importantly and anesthesiologist that is specifically trained for your child's care? We are so lucky in the lowcountry to have a children's hospital, that I just can't image having my child treated anywhere but there.  Plus, do you think they blow bubbles, have fun toys, and let your child drive a power wheels to the OR (to make it less scary for the child) anywhere else in Charleston....but they do at MUSC Children's Hospital! (Why settle for second when first/best is available?...stepping down off the soap box...)

*My soap box comes from comments I've received about taking my child to MUSC. When I mention that Tillman goes to MUSC Children's Hospital, I get comments like "OH....well, that make sense for you to take him there since you work there, but you know I've always heard Dr. X is the best."  Dr. X is an adult doc who does tubes at an ADULT hospital. I'm sure he does great work, but he is trained for ADULT care, and more over, did you get the qualification on the anesthesiologist that will put your child under?  It's frustrating to me because I know that MUSC Children's Hospital is the BEST for all children, but other have an opinion that I only take my child here because I work here....when they don't realize it is the BEST!  (this is just an explanation of one comment, but we get many others)

Hip Hop Star

Tillman and I were in daddy's truck trying to figure out what his XM radio number was, as the XM trial ran out.  We got out the house, so daddy could take a nap.  However, once we got to the truck the XM was magically working. Tillman was enjoying the music, the change in the cup holder, and being in the front seat.  (*Of course we weren't driving)  Tillman loves to stand up in the seat and be in the car.

These videos of Tillman listening to his Hip Hop.  Most parents have their children listening to Barney and Wheels on the Bus, but Tillman is grooving to LMFAO (don't judge!).

First Hair Cut

On a whim Saturday, we went and got Tillman's first hair cut. He's been long over due for a "real" hair cut.  We knew it was getting bad when people would ask "did you cut the back of his hair?"  I guess it looked like I did if they asked.  I'll keep my day job since cutting hair is not my forte.

Nick called Amber (she cuts our hair) and left a message, and she called us back while we were in Target, and said she could do it in 15 minutes. We checked out at Target and headed over.

Tillman checking out the booster seat

Tillman and Amber getting read for the cut

T ditched to booster and opted to stand

Check out how long that hair is on the top!

Tillman being really still...he's a smart boy
to be still around a woman with SCISSORS!

Loved playing with the comb

Here's his baby locks.

14 months 11.12.11

Tillman at the Pumpkin Patch

Mr. T was 14 months old on Saturday.  Nick and I were actually away for this "birthday."  This was our first time away without one of us being with Tillman.  Nick and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary on 11.10.11, and we headed to Chicago and the Purdue vs OSU game (Purdue BEAT OSU in overtime...wonderful game).  Tillman was in great hands.  Cici, my mom, and Aunt Sylvia came down to keep Tillman Friday through Sunday.  

Nick and Me at Purdue Game 11.12.11

PURDUE WINS! 

Before going out of town, I was giving my mom the run down of Tillman's routine.  I realized after explaining everything,  A LOT has to be done for this child! 
Here it goes:

• Tillman gets an 8oz bottle (8oz milk, 20 drops of Echinacea) and his first round of antibotics when he wakes.
• 8:30AM, Tillman should be ready for breakfast (grits, waffles, yogert, cereal, oatmeal, etc are options)
• 10AM is snack time-water in sippy cup with gold fish or some type cracker
• 11:30AM is lunch time-we had things in the frig he could eat.
• 11:45AM is nap time-8oz bottle.  When at home to set the "nap time" tone, put him in his sleep sack and go into the bedroom to give him his bottle.  Once he finishes bottle, he should know that it is "nap time."
• Sleeps from then until 1:30 or 2PM usually
• 2PM snack time-water in sippy cup with gold fish or some type cracker
• 6PM dinner time
• 7PM bed time routine (bath, diaper, brush teeth, nose spray, dress in sleep sack, etc) and then 8oz bottle (8oz milk, 20 drops of Echinacea, and Zyrtec) and his second round of antibotics before bed.
• Sleeps 7PM - ~6:30AM

So, as you can tell by the routine, this child gets a lot of meds and herbs (we didn't even put herbal ear drops on the list), he has been fighting ear infections left and right.  We are trying every remedy out there before going to ear tubes.  We'll evaluate ear tubes at the end of the year once we've given these things a chance to work.
Also, you can tell by his schedule that he really does love his bottle.  No, we haven't given up the bottle yet.  Tillman LOVES it.  He doesn't use a pacifier or have a blanket, so I guess if he is stuck on the bottle, then that is his thing. We have transitioned to sippy cup for snack times, but will not drink milk from a sippy cup.  He really doesn't like to drink anything but water and milk (juices have so far been a "no thanks!").

Funny story from the weekend:

Tillman was put down for a nap.  He wasn't ready to go to bed, so he played around in the crib for a while.  When mom went to check on him, he took off his socks and pants and threw them out of the crib.  I guess he was hot?

Tillman is developing his little personality.  Independent would certainly rise to the top as one of his strongest characteristics.  He doesn't like to be tied down-doesn't enjoy the carseat or stroller.  We've gone to the wagon for walks and for the car....well...we just wrangle him into the carseat (yes, I've been kicked in the face by this child getting him into the carseat).  Mr. Independent *hates* getting his diaper changed as well.  As soon as we lift him to the changing table, he knows what is coming.  It is pretty much a war while we get the diaper changed each time.  Unsure why this is....maybe potty training will happen faster with his independent personality?
His independence has also been shown in his social skills.  He can now point to things he wants and go get things in reach that he'd like (ex: gold fish sitting by the high chair...he stands on his tippy toes to get them...not always a good thing).  He uses pointing a lot...not just for food.  When he is "talking" to us, of course we don't understand what he's talking about, but he often points to things, so now we can communicate better.  An example of him pointing while playing is, he will come over to you if you are sitting near the couch, he'll point at the couch, which means he wants to climb up you to get to the couch (once on the couch he loves to jump and do all things children shouldn't be allowed.)

14 month old Tillman has also brought the love of "rough housing."  He likes to wrestle, jump on furniture, slide down the slide head-first...this kids has no fear. 

Tillman and Nick checking out the farm animals
at Legare Farms after visiting the pumkin patch

This Independent, Rough-housing, 14 month old's stats:
Weight: ~22lbs
Diaper size: 3-Little Movers during the day and size 4 at night
Clothing size: 12-18 month, but it varies by brand
Shoe size: 4.5 (or 12-18 mo size)
Food: Drinking whole milk and eating more table food. Drinking water from a sippy cup and gets bottle at night and early morning.
Naps:1.5-2 hour naps
Sounds: Chatter box...loves to talk!
Playing: Walking, playing outside, wagon rides, dirt, climbing/jumping on couch, loves these tunnels they play with at daycare, and drawing/coloring with crayons

This is how we roll...

The time change is killing me!  We get home in the 5 o'clock hour, and it's already dark.  I know, I've only had 30 years to get used to it, but it just gets me every year. 
Tillman went to the MUSC Children's After Hours Care last night, so we got home past dark.  He had another double ear infection and weighed in at 22.5 lbs.  Poor guy, he can't catch a break on the ears. 
When we got home, I was looking at all the stuff I had to tote into the house from the car...clearly it was two or three trips-worth.  For those of you who don't know, we're country folks (live on 6 acres in a small town (one stoplight) outside of Charleston, SC).  Our garage is not attached to our house, and you have to walk a good ways (especially seems like a long way in the rain). 
So, this is how we roll...

My purse, two jackets, lunch box,
bag of junk, the mail, carseat, and T

P.S. Yes, Tillman is still in an infant seat.  This one last until 35 pounds. He'll be in it as long as possible, and will stay rear facing as long as possible.  Just had to put that out there, as I've received several "looks" when people see an almost 14 month old in an infant seat.

Wordless Wednesday: Tillman's Art

baby Picasso?

Free Style

Coloring outside the lines is a fine art.
~Kim Nance

Happy Halloween 10.31.2011

Trying on his costume before the big day!

Tillman was a puppy for Halloween!  Although this was his second Halloween, it was really the first one since he was such a little one last year (His first Halloween will always be special because this was the first time he smiled!).  

His little tail wagged as he walked...too cute!

10.31.11 was a big day for Tillman. It started off with a ENT appointment at MUSC Children's Hospital.  Tillman was evaluated for tubes.  Dr. White thinks he is a good candidate for them, so we are evaluating the procedure to make sure it is the right decision for us.
After the doctor appointment, he headed to daycare.  They had a Halloween parade, a fall festival/ party, and went Trick or Treating room to room.  Tillman came home with a sack full of candy (for mommy and daddy!).

Woof Woof!

After daycare, we headed to our old neighborhood, Summertrees, on Johns Island to go Trick or Treating. The neighborhood was packed with kids, and the streets were crazy with mini vans, golf carts, and kiddos in costumes!

The only way all three boys would stop for the picture.
"Ok..everyone hold on to the noodle!"

Tillman was along for the ride in the wagon, but we enjoyed tagging along with the "big" boys-the pirate and Woody while they went door to door!

Hey... I'm surfing.
Check out Tillman's Trick or Treat sack...
it glows in the dark too (thanks CiCi)

Tillman enjoys riding in his wagon, but sadly he didn't make it out the front yard in his wagon, as he did a back flip out the back because he loves to STAND while he's being pulled (I see an ER visit in our future). The flip didn't phase him since his costume had so much padding.

Trick or Treat

We opted for the safer wagon with SEAT BELTS.  He road along with Graham (the monkey). 

Yippy...I'm up way past my bed time!

After Trick or Treating, we headed to Seabrook for a Halloween/Birthday party.  Tillman stayed up way past his bed time, 9PM! He got a King Size candy bar at the Seabrook stop which filled up his Trick or Treat sack that Cici made!  When we got in the car to come home, Tillman was literally DOG-TIRED!

Family Beach Pictures (Sept 2011)

Cherry Grove Beach
Labor Day Weekend 2011

Tillman LOVED the beach chair

Laughing at everyone behind the camera
singing and dancing to "if you're happy
and you know it!"

Cousins

Cici and JRS's clan

Me, Nick & T

Cici and JRS with the grand-boys

Who's been in my closet?

Caught Red-Handed!

Tillman has a love for this one particular purse!  He has a ton of things to pick from in the closet, but he always comes out with this purse.  Before leaving the closet, he does manage to take everything off the shelves (he can reach) and makes of mess of the shoes.  I find this purse in the living room, bedroom, bathroom.... After finding it I return it to the closet, but it always come back out!
Oh yes, and the make up brush he likes too.  He picked that out from the bathroom drawer.

13 Months 10.12.11

Wow, what a month!

Tillman has certainly been busy this month.  I texted Nick last night "T is dragging my curling iron all over the room and is busy playing!! It is funny how busy he is doing nothing!" Nick responded "like you say, he has his work to do too."  Tillman is more independent this month.  He will play by himself and keep himself busy.  Of course, he still needs to be watched (like a hawk) because he tends to get in things...well EVERYTHING!  His favorite toys are electrical cords, computers, trash cans, and the bathtub faucet (just to name a few)!

Tillman is at the phase of life of he is either on or off!  There is no in between these days.  He plays and goes 90 miles an hour, and then bam....he's asleep.  Tillman has adjusted to the new daycare room (rough month with that), and now takes a 1 to 2 hour nap during the day (no longer sleeps on the car ride home).  His bed time is still 7pm, and he generally wakes between 6-6:30am.  He's been a really good sleeper, and for that, we are very thankful!

This month brought lots of chatter.  He his constantly "talking."  Lots of new sounds and squealing have been heard this month, as before it was just "momma", "dada", and "bye bye". He's really dropped those words (except dada) and had just been rambling. 

With all that "talky" comes lots of "walky."  He is certainly a walky talky!  We've been playing outside a lot in the nice weather.  He enjoys walking outside and getting his hand dirty!  If there is dirt, Tillman will find it.   I think a sandbox is needed at our house.  He also enjoys his play set.  The slide and the steering wheel are his favorite!
Tillman has also had his fair share of doctor visits this month...4 visits!  He's had fever, stomach virus (and all the yuck that comes with that), rash/fever, and pink eye.  He even has to go back on Friday to get his second half of the flu shot. 

Tillman's 13 month stats
Weight: 9.5 kilograms (at the MUSC Children's After Hours Care...everything is in kilos)
Diaper size: 3-Little Movers during the day and size 4 at night
Clothing size: 12-18 month, but it varies by brand
Shoe size: 4.5-had him measured this month, and found his shoes were too small!
Food: Drinking whole milk and eating more table food. Drinking from a sippy cup and gets bottle at night and early morning.
Naps: In the new classroom, he's taking a 2 hour nap.
Sounds: Chatter box...loves to talk!
Playing: Walking, playing outside, not enjoying stroller rides as much, as he wants to get down, dirt, and enjoys exploring big boy toys (computers, daddy's road bike, power cords, etc)

Injury Report

Apparently medicated chest rub on a "goose egg" causes
the swelling to go down along with witch hazel...who knew?

I grew up around sayings...I think it is a Southern thing because Nick isn't used to all the sayings that come out of my mouth.  One saying my mother would always says is "hard heads make soft behinds."  We'll Tillman certainly has a hard head, and so we found out on 9-28-11.  The injury report doesn't tell the whole story.

As soon as I arrive at daycare, the director said, you'll have to forgive me, but I forgot to call you.  I'm thinking "ok....uhhh....for what?" She further said that Tillman broke a glass door today when he couldn't catch himself from a fall.  WHAT?  He broke a door? She further tells me that the glass repairman couldn't believe that a baby broke the door.  He said Tillman must have hit it just right.  In the back of my mind, I'm thinking "you called the repairman, but forgot to call me....??"

Of course he was fine, he had three nice size bruises on his forehead where he went head first into the door.  Fortunately, it was safety glass, so no cuts.

I guess Tillman has redefined the saying to "hard head make (for) broken glass!"

Party Pics-Tillman's 1st Birthday Party

Tillman's birthday shirt
made by Cici

Tillman's "stage" all set up and ready for T & his CAKE!

Tillman's 1st birthday was a duck theme.
This punch was labled "duck bath"

A few of the horderves: duckling dip, quacktastic veges
and fruit (see the duck tracks on the table?)

Tillman's SMASH CAKE
Made with love by Daddy
(mommy wrote on it)

Adult cake with Tillman's engraved knife to be used for all his
birthdays and one day wedding!



Right before diving in....

Tillman just tasted it, but was more interested
in getting his hands dirty!

Love opening wrapped gifts

Tillman taking matter into his own hands with his
Boilermaker hat on!

Mr. Independent opening his Cars toy!

Mommy and Tillman!