Dexter's Official 2-Year Stats

Weight: 30.6 pounds (79th %ile)
Height: 36.5 inches (93rd %ile)
Head Circumference: 20 inches (93rd %ile)

So, compared to a year ago, he is now 4 pounds heavier and 2.5 inches taller (except they really measured wrong a year ago, since his 18m height was 2" shorter than his 12m height). An extra 1.25" of head circumference isn't too bad, either.

Somehow, he's still able to wear some of the same clothes.  His waist seems to be the same size, but the pants we were rolling up last year are now just a little bit too short. (Desmond is glad. Otherwise he'd be naked!)

Otherwise, all is well.  He's doing great on all of his developmental milestones (even verbal ones!).  So yeah. We're pretty proud. :)

Dexter's 18 month Stats

Another great visit to the pediatrician today.  Dexter got a (mostly) clean bill of health.  He does have an ear infection and is back on amoxicillin for it.  We'll get it licked one of these days.

Weight: 28 pounds, 12.8 ounces (83rd %ile)
Height: 34.5" (94th %ile)
Head Circumference: 19.25" (79th %ile)

Among the developmental questions we were asked:
Does he take off his clothes, including diaper or socks? (um, yeah. Just try to keep a sock on this kid.)
Can he stack blocks at least 3 high? (Those stacking blocks are his favorite toy, and he only stops when he can't reach that high anymore.)
Does he climb stairs with assistance? (To quote his father, "Well, he hasn't lately. Mostly he does it all by himself.")
And, the best one - Does he have at least six words?  (HA!  And here I was frantically counting them up before the appointment because I was sure they'd ask how many.  FORTY-TWO!  So yeah. More than six.)


He also got two shots today - chicken pox and pneumococcus vaccines.  We were on the fence about doing the chicken pox vaccine, but in the end, we're scientists, you know?  Hopefully they'll have a great booster in 10 years or so when he needs it.  I think the nurse hit a really bad spot with the shots. Dexter was VERY unhappy and actually had to be pinned down.  Then later tonight, he got up on my lap, rubbed his thigh, and said (in his sweetest little voice) "owwww."  Broke my heart.  So that damned chicken pox vaccine had better work and it had better work for a LONG time.

Dexter's First ER Visit

Dexter made his first visit to the Emergency Room (or, as it was called at Children's Hospital in St. Louis, the Emergency Unit) today.  I am as surprised as anyone that it was not a result of blunt trauma, self-inflicted knife wound, fall from the roof, etc.  As it happened, Dexter was enjoying a leisurely breakfast of grapes and strawberries when I noticed his lips were turning kindof blue.  He was still pretty happy, though, so we let it go for a while.

I decided after breakfast that yes, his lips were definitely blue.  He shouldn't have been cold, walking around a 71 degree house in adorable fleece footie pajamas, but I figured we'd try a warm bath anyway.  In said warm bath, the blueness spread to his nose and cheeks and was also present on his hands and feet.

He also had some seriously explosive toddler diarrhea after breakfast.

Since the pediatrician has office hours on Saturday morning, we called anyway.  An hour later, they called back and said "even one episode of turning blue is serious. Go to the emergency room, and don't go locally. Either go to Children's or Cardinal Glennon."  Um, ok.

So Desmond got to spend an extra afternoon with Grandma and Granddad while we went to Children's with Dexter.  Since he wasn't really sick (thankfully - there was some sad stuff in that room, like teeny tiny ambu bag masks for infants), we were able to focus on how cute he looked in his little hospital gown.

See the biohazard trash can next to him?  Yeah. Perfect toddler-height toy.  Perhaps the only oversight in a room otherwise well-outfitted for kids.

They had a fun car toy thingie attached to the wall that kept him distracted for a little while, at least.

While we were waiting, Dr. Choudhury gave him his very first ever popsicle!  He did a great job with it and only  made a little mess.

The prevailing possibility for a while was cardiac issues, so Dexter got a chest x-ray.  He was very good about being still for it.

 

And, said x-ray looks good!  Look at his cute little teeth up there!

 

He also got an EKG.  We thought he stayed awfully still, playing with that little toy.  But apparently there was a LOT of movement on the (normal) EKG.

By the end of our visit, Dexter was wiped out.  He fell asleep on my shoulder for the last 30 minutes or so, and that was his nap for the day.  

Official diagnosis?  "Random fluke cyanosis."  Uh-huh.  I'd be more worried if he'd shown any other signs of illness during the whole thing, but he was laughing and playing just like normal the whole time.  Naturally, we failed to get a photo of Blue Dexter, but everyone seemed to believe us, at least.  And even if we'd had a photo, it's not like they would have been able to diagnose anything from it. 

In any case, here's hoping we don't have any more episodes of cyanosis, "random fluke" or otherwise.  Dexter did a pretty good job of staying pink for the rest of the weekend (except for a brief period during swimming lessons on Sunday, when I can guess he was a little bit cold), but we are keeping an eye on him.

Dexter is 15 Months Old! (with official stats)

Height: 33.5 inches (96th %ile - this is actually shorter than he measured at his 12m appointment. So much for this measuring system, I guess.)
Weight: 27 pounds, 9.6 ounces (85th %ile)
Head circumference: 18.75 inches (62nd %ile)

He got 2 shots today and only cried (OK, screamed) for about 30 seconds afterwards.  He's such a good little disease-fighter.

The pediatrician isn't concerned that Dexter toes in when he walks. (His legs/ankles/feet are anatomically correct, so it should fix itself.)  She also isn't concerned about his language development, since he is making progress (went from 0 to 3 words since his 12 month appointment).

Let's see.... Otherwise, Dexter is still our Dexter.  He's definitely communicating a lot more, though sadly not nearly enough to avoid frustration tantrums.  He seems a lot happier lately - downright giddy, even. 

Signs: "more," 'eat," "bath," "please," and, officially as of yesterday, "banana!"

Words: "shoes," "mop," "uh-oh" (really "uh-mmm").  Maybe "duck," too. (Still no "Mom" or "Dad.")

Teeth: Still just the 10, though we're seeing a little more of 9 and 10 all the time.

Sleep: Usually, Dexter is a good sleeper. About 12 hours/night.  The holidays messed up his routine a little, and he was going to bed later, waking during the night, then sleeping until 9:30 or even 10:30 in the morning.

Food: Dexter is still eating anywhere from 1-3 bananas every day.  He loves, loves, LOVES clementines, too.  And grapes.  Also likes yogurt and cinnamon bread and scrambled eggs.  And gumbo. He's great about drinking his milk.  Overall, he eats a ton and a fairly wide variety of foods. 

Dexter is also learning the parts of the body. He definitely knows "tummy" (and has for a couple of months, really).  He also knows "feet," "ear," and, we think possibly "hair." 

Playing Chase is still probably his favorite thing, although playing in the sink (or the washing machine or a drinking fountain or any source of running water, really) is fighting for the top spot as well.  The frigid temperatures haven't kept him from always wanting to go outside, either.  And he's always up for dancing. As Dennis told me the other day when I was trying to get Dexter's attention, "You can't compete with the beat!"

Finally, his newest trick seems to be climbing.  He can't quite get onto the sofa yet, but he can get onto the ottoman and then LEAP onto the sofa from there.  It's really quite funny.  And he is really quite good at it, though he usually has a bruise or two to show for his climbing efforts.

Dexter's Official ONE YEAR Stats

Dexter is a very healthy baby. Er, toddler. Or something.

Weight: 26.6 pounds (91st %ile)
Height: 34 inches (99th %ile - actually WAY above the curves on the graphs)
Head circumference: 18.75 inches (83rd %ile)

He got his MMR vaccine today, and another dose of the Polio vaccine. The MMR is a pretty nasty shot, as these go, and he certainly let us know he did NOT approve. Our worst shot experience yet, but he still only cried (ok, screamed) for 2-3 minutes. His mom cried a little longer than that. He also got a little finger stick to test his iron and lead levels (great on both counts).

No big shocks otherwise. Gross motor development is excellent. Fine motor is right on track. Verbal is slightly behind the curve, but nothing to be concerned about yet, since he's still making progress (increasingly sophisticated babbling, understands us, follows directions, tries to communicate, mimics actions, etc.).

Dexter's Official 9-month Stats

Weight: 24 pounds (90th %ile)
Height: 31.25 inches (99th %ile)
Head circumference: 18.25 inches (76th %ile)

He seems to finally be over his ear infection, and overall, he got a clean bill of health. His biggest issue is excessive earwax, which is to the point of preventing the doctors from being able to get a good look at his ears. We are to administer hydrogen peroxide 3 nights/week as regular maintenance. Dexter, of course, HATES this, which means the bath/bedtime routine - already a study in baby wrestling - will become even more fun. If it helps, though, it'll definitely be worth it.

Dexter's First (Really High) Fever

I got a call from daycare Monday afternoon (July 6) that Dexter had spiked a fever of 103.5! This is one day after finishing his antibiotics for that double ear infection - I can't imagine that is a coincidence.

I admit to panicking a little bit, even though I know high fevers are not unusual in babies and aren't as serious in babies as it would be in older children or adults. I took him home and retook his temp - "only" 102.6. I gave him some Tylenol and stripped him down to his diaper, and he eagerly went into his crib for a cool-down nap.

We did get him in to see the pediatrician later that afternoon (temp was down to 101). After a NINETY MINUTE wait (you can imagine how that went, given Dexter's love of waiting), we saw the pediatrician, who said Dexter's ears, throat, and chest looked and sounded fine, and that if he didn't know about the fever and ear infection, he'd say that Dexter looked like a perfectly healthy child. We got some additional antibiotic just in case the ear infection hadn't quite cleared up.

We continued to alternate Tylenol and Motrin, but he was still running a slight fever the next day, so we started the antibiotic (only 5 days for this one, at least). He appeared to be on the mend on Wednesday, though, and was back at daycare on Thursday, playing with his buddies and the cool toys there.

Dexter's First Ear Infection :(

And it's a two-fer!

He's generally not been well since he started day care. Lots of congestion, coughs that would come and go. This week and last, he was just sleeping very poorly and not really his usual HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY self. Although he never did have fever, I decided it was time to at least check in with the pediatrician and make sure we were doing everything for him that made sense.

Sure enough, ear infections in both ears. (Apparently eye discharge is a big clue - that's a symptom that's really just popped up in the last couple of days.) The pediatrician said they're maybe a 5 or 6 on a scale of 1-10, so not too bad, and they haven't been infected for weeks and weeks or anything. We got some of the famous pink liquid antibiotic, one teaspoon of which Dexter will take twice/day for 10 days. His first dose went down tonight with no problems (thanks in part to Target's fine pharmacy, which added grape flavoring for no extra charge).

I guess we were lucky he made it this long in daycare (about 8 weeks) without any major illnesses. He's still pretty happy, and I am looking forward to having him back to 100% after his 10 days are up.

Dexter's Official 6-month Stats

As anticipated, Dexter got a clean bill of health today at his 6 month checkup. He was pretty good and showed Dr. Johnston how he rocks on his hands and knees. She was appropriately impressed.

On to the numbers...
Weight: 21.4 pounds, 94th %ile
Height: 29.25 inches, 98th %ile
Head circumference: 17.75 inches, 81st %ile

It's nice to see that his head is catching up with his body (last time, that was 53rd %ile). And he's only gained 3.4 pounds in 2 months, which is consistent with his increased level of activity and makes me feel better about his probability of ending up as an 80 pound first grader.

He got 2 immunizations today (Rotavirus - oral, and DTaP - shot) and handled them like a champ.

All in all, a great checkup. :)

Dexter's Official 4-month Stats

18 pounds (92nd %ile)
27.5 inches (98th %ile)
16.75 inch head circumference (53rd %ile)

Yep. He's a big guy. More of him to love and all of that. :)

He got 2 more vaccinations - one oral and one injection. Apparently the oral stuff tasted gross, because he fought it pretty hard. He did great with the shot, though.

The pediatrician says he is doing great and that it's OK to start solids. (Good thing, since we started solids last Thursday. He was more than ready for it.)

Giant Dexter Update

The "giant" may refer to the update OR to the kid (or maybe both). Decide for yourself:

He had his 3 month doctor visit/shots last Thursday (January 8). He weighed 15 pounds, 6 ounces! He did have a diaper on, but it was a fresh one, so it probably only added a couple of ounces. So yes, he is a giant and will surely double his birth weight by 4 months. He's also wearing 6 and 9 month clothes. (Some 3 month clothes still fit, but not too many.) Remember when we used to worry about his lack of weight gain? Pssh.

Since he hit the 15 pound mark, we're moving forward with our planned switch to cloth diapers. So far, so good, although we only have 9 diapers total (4 different varieties), and I'm not sure which brand/style to dive headfirst into. The long-term savings are pretty awesome (they'll pay for themselves in less than 6 months), but the initial expense is kindof hefty. (If any of you have insights into cloth diapering, I'd love to hear them. Please email me.)

He's babbling and cooing more than ever and often is quite clearly trying to tell me something and sometimes gets frustrated when I don't understand him. He laughs at just about anything these days (as long as he isn't too hungry or too sleepy), and that is really awesome. I'm glad I get to see all of those laughs instead of hearing about them from his daycare teachers. (YAY for layoffs?)

He's rolling over front-to-back more and more, and he's threatening to go back-to-front. I think (and hope) we have a few more weeks until that happens, though. I've enjoyed this time where he stayed where I put him and was physically incapable of too much resistance during diaper changes. :)

Nose/chin/ears is still a fun game, but "nom nom nom" is SO much better! Basically, you give yourself a gravely monster voice and say "nom nom nom" while you wiggle something (a toy, a blanket, his feet, whatever) right in his face. He loves it. "Baby in the mirror" is also more fun than ever before. He also loves just about anything rough. Of course, he's still only 3 months old, but as rough as you can play, that's what he wants to do. (At least until he throws up. Then he isn't into the roughhousing too much anymore.)

Finally, he's gotten his first cold and his first boo-boo, both in the same week, and both inflicted by his Mom, who feels awful. Dad is nice enough to at least suggest the possibility that he was the one who originally introduced the cold into the house. I'm not sure. Anyway, he's a little stuffy but doesn't seem too upset about the cold. The boo-boo was when I accidentally clamped the pacifier clip onto his skin. Yes, it left a mark, mostly because I couldn't figure out what he was screaming about for, oh, 60 or 90 very long seconds. (When can it be Dennis's turn to screw up?)

Anyway, that's just about it for Dexter updates. He's a ton of fun, but I do miss my sweet itty bitty tiny baby. I'm doing my best to soak up every minute I have with him, and I nibble his toes every day. (I'm sure the idea will really gross me out when he's 14.)

Here are some videos from the last couple of days. I also finally trimmed and uploaded the video of him rolling over on January 6. It's still pretty long (3+ minutes), but it's pretty funny.

Here, we see Dexter enjoying a game of peek-a-boo. Unfortunately, the camera is apparently a big turn-off for him, because he really likes peek-a-boo a lot more than this. but it's cute anyway. (Also, it was getting to be bottle/nap time, so he wasn't quite as energetic as usual.) He actually laughed at the still camera today, though, so our camera-shy hero might be coming out of his shell. :)


And here we see him playing with one of the toys on his new chair. (Santa brought it a few days after Christmas. He looks like such a big kid sitting up in there!


Finally, here's Dexter grunting his way through some tummy time. Hey, it's tough work holding your head up that high and trying to roll over! I love that he tries really really hard and doesn't give up! (He gets that from his Dad.)

Dexter's 2 Month Checkup

Dexter excelled (again) at his checkup today. He weighs 12 pounds, 13 ounces (67th %ile) and is 24.25" long (85th %ile). His head circumference is 15.75" (44th %ile).

He got 2 immunizations. The Rotavirus vaccine is oral, and he took the whole thing without any fuss at all. The other (DTaP) was an actual shot. He screamed for about 5 seconds and that was that. I was very proud and relieved.

I'm also hoping that the immunizations don't impact his super-amazing sleep schedule! He's now slept through the night for SIX nights in a row!
Tuesday 02 Dec: 9:30 PM - 5:15AM (7.5 hours)
Wednesday 03 Dec: 10:00PM - 7:00AM (9 hours)
Thursday 04 Dec: 11:00PM - 6:00AM (7 hours)
Friday 05 Dec: 10:30 PM - 6:30AM (8 hours)
Saturday 06 Dec: 10:30PM - 8:30AM (10 hours)
Sunday 07 Dec: 9:30PM - 4:30AM (7 hours)

In other news, it turns out that the baby in the mirror is camera-shy! Ever since Dexter laughed himself into hiccups at that adorable baby, we've been trying to catch it on video. Alas, all we have is about 20 cumulative minutes of footage (over several days) of Dexter's parents acting like goofballs trying to get him to laugh at the baby in the mirror. Thus, no video updates yet. If we have anything exciting to show, rest assured you'll see it here first.

Dexter's One Month Checkup

It was no surprise to learn this morning that Dexter is a very healthy baby. Yay!

Apparently compensating (or maybe overcompensating) for his initial weight gain issues, Dexter weighed in today at 10 pounds even (a considerable rise from 8 pounds, 9.6 ounces just 2 weeks ago). He is 22 inches long (up from 21.5 or 20.5, depnding on whether you believe the hospital or the pediatrician) and has a 15 cm head (up from 13.5 at birth).

Everything else is looking good, too, except we apparently aren't giving (er, forcing him into) enough tummy time. Poor kid - we'll be rectifying that directly. I guess this is the part where he starts to hate us.