9 months 6.12.11

I can't believe we made Tillman's one year check up appointment yesterday.  Tillman has been busy between 8 and 9 months...especially on his 9 month birthday weekend.  Last weekend he learned to crawl on his knees, stand up in his crib, and learned we have steps...tried to go up them too! 

Nick had to get out the instructions to the crib to lower it.  Now when Tillman stands, 1/2 of his body isn't coming out the top of the crib!  Tillman still has his beloved bumper in the crib, so he pulls on that to get up.  I've heard recommendations of taking it out, but we're leaving it in since he can't seem to hurt himself.

We've got to get out the baby gates to "corral" the child.  I've also started closing doors...especially to the bathroom. 

We try to keep a pretty good eye on Tillman, but he still manages to get to things fast.  This weekend, He scurried over to Graham's bowls, pulled himself up, and started splashing in Graham's water bowl.  After picking him up from the mess, I looked back at the bowl, and one of his toys was floating in it.

Tillman's toys have all been switched out...no-more-swing (sigh...)!  Yes, the swing stop being used in May.  Tillman has a toy box he likes to get into now.  He really enjoys balls.  He likes to see them roll, and then chases after them.  He has a favorite toy at daycare, a ball, that he hangs onto all day long.  Nick had to pry it out of his fingers when he picked him up the other day.  He didn't get upset about leaving it, which was good (we don't need drama, kid).

For his well check, the doctor said he looked great--growing and development is right on track.  I have been discouraged about him not crawling, but the doctor assured me he was normal and that an army crawl is a crawl.  Crawling on knees is a very intuitive skill since children can't mimic adults doing the act.  This made me feel better, and plus seeing Tillman get on his knees and crawl on Sunday helped too!  Although he knows how to do the knee crawl, if he wants to get somewhere fast, he drops to his belly and army crawls.

Also at the well check we discussed his allergies.  He is to continue taking his Zyrtec once a day.  When looking into his ear, it was a little infected, so Tillman has a sinus/ear infection.  He was given an antibiotic and NOSE SPRAY...really!  We were "trained" on how to give him the spray.  The doctor said it is a two man job.  One of us will have to hold him down while the other put the spray up his nose.  This should be interesting when we try it tonight.  I'm pretty sure Tillman is going to be mad as a hornet when this goes down!

I also asked about a red spot that Tillman sometimes gets on his cheek, we've discovered that this is some what of a birthmark.  In doctor talk, the capillaries in that area are either closer to the surface or are more concentrated in that area.  Oddly enough, Nick has the same thing on his face in the exact same spot.  The doctor told Nick that there is no way he can deny Tillman...ever!

See my red spot?

Tillman's Stats
Weight-18 lbs 13 oz (22nd percentile) He is very slim through his trunk, but his cute little legs are as chuncky as they can be! 
Height-27.8 inches (35th percentile) The doctor assured us that the low percentiles were ok. If he is a grown male at the 35th percentile he will be 5'8" or 5'9". 
Head Circumference-17.3 inches (15th percentile) I could only imagine if he had a 50th percentile head.  We struggle to get shirts over the head now.  I feel like I am always "yanking" them to get over his head. 
Diaper Size-3 (Little Movers)
Clothing Size-6-9 months (starting to pull out 12 months)
Shoe Size- 1 (He doesn't wear shoes a lot. Doctor said bare feet are better than the best Stride Rite)
Food-Momma milk and three meals a day-2 vegetables and 1 fruit or yogurt
Sleeping-through the night in his crib
Teeth-two three (one of his incisors is coming in up top)
Naps-usually only 30 minutes twice a day (Starting to throw a fit when he is put down for a naps on the weekend)
Sounds-DaDa, BaBa, Bye Bye, and MaMa.  I do think that he is starting to learn what DaDa means.  He will look at Nick when he says it.
Play-pulling up, tickling/giggling, army crawling on the floor, crawling on knees, giggling at people to get attention
Things we're working on-exploring the sippy cup, some finger foods and perfecting crawling on knees
Things mommy's working on-baby proofing the house, and thinking of other words beside "no" to everything. I thought of the word "danger" for harmful things, but my reaction is always just to say "no!"

Just plan silly!