Update: LO's 18 mo appointment

Smudges*Mom · February 2011

We survived! And, ultimately, did just fine! The pedi was not concerned about anything and was pleased with his continuation of his "little bird growth curve". LO dropped out of the mid-40's percentile wise nine months ago, but, since then has continued just fine where he is.

He weighs just over 23 pounds (16th percentile), he is 31 inches tall (14th percentile) and his giant melon went from the 83rd percentile up to the 90th percentile! I think he is gunning to be president of the big headed baby club. Seriously, everything else is mid teens, percentile-wise, except form his noggin!

I love our pedi. He pointed out wonderful things about LO, and stressed how well he is developing. He gave me some tips on how to start training LO to potty train. He also suggested that we consider transitioning him into a toddler bed. I'm not ready for that one yet though. He was also veer pleased to hear that LO is still rear facing in the car. We chuckled over how LO needed to remain rear facing as long as possible given his head size--the physics of a crash are NOT on his side. (I know it's not a laughing matter, it was much more of a shared laugh over LO's big head.)

So, thanks to all who helped to calm my concerns last night, or just read the post and thought good thoughts for us!

Mouseygail · February 2011

Glad to hear it all went well!! aww...his big head is adorable!

i love your siggy pic so much..i keep meaning to tell you! you guys are a beautiful family!

charmcitygirl · February 2011

Whew! What a relief! It sounds like you have a very practical and reliable pedi who knows when something is wrong and knows when something needs time. Grant's language is going to explode over the next few months. Its going to be to your delight and amazement that he'll be chatting your ear off!

SeaSoul · February 2011

That's great! Sounds like he's doing A-OK!

oct11bride03 · February 2011

I missed your post last night but I'm glad he's doing well. I love pedi's who point out how awesome your kid is instead of focusing only on the negatives.

I just saw your response to the post below about redoing the early days. I knew you had pretty bad PPD...mine was pretty severe, at least as far as I can tell. I wasn't "allowed" to care for K because I was just so depressed and out of it. It was the lowest point of my life.

roaringrock · February 2011

your pedi sounds awesome! I'm glad you left the appt. feeling good.

Smudges*Mom · February 2011

Mouseygail:
Glad to hear it all went well!! aww...his big head is adorable! i love your siggy pic so much..i keep meaning to tell you! you guys are a beautiful family!

Awww, thanks! I have to confess to being a fan of Jones! He is an expressive and adorable little guy!

Smudges*Mom · February 2011

charmcitygirl:
Whew! What a relief! It sounds like you have a very practical and reliable pedi who knows when something is wrong and knows when something needs time. Grant's language is going to explode over the next few months. Its going to be to your delight and amazement that he'll be chatting your ear off!

I look forward to when Grant talks as much as Jacob! I always enjoy seeing him because he gives me a glimpse into what my future has in store! I enjoy seeing you, too!

lnle · February 2011

so glad! his head looks perfectly in proportion to me.

are you coming to visit me on the 14th or 15th??

Smudges*Mom · February 2011

SeaSoul:
That's great! Sounds like he's doing A-OK!

Thank you!

mrsolsenk12 · February 2011

It sounds like everything went really well which is great!!

Smudges*Mom · February 2011

oct11bride03:
I missed your post last night but I'm glad he's doing well. I love pedi's who point out how awesome your kid is instead of focusing only on the negatives.

I just saw your response to the post below about redoing the early days. I knew you had pretty bad PPD...mine was pretty severe, at least as far as I can tell. I wasn't "allowed" to care for K because I was just so depressed and out of it. It was the lowest point of my life.

His pedi really enjoys kids and is great at what he does. I am very thankful for him. With military healthcare, it can sometimes be a crap shoot. A friend's son goes to him as well, so I hear about how well our pedi cares for her little guy too. Its nice to have someone so knowledgeable with a fabulous bedside manor!

PPD can be awful, but, it sounds like you did what was best for you and your family. I struggled with tremendous guilt for not being able to care for LO like I felt I should. My parents took care of us for, I'd say, a good month or more, before I was able to take on most of the day to day care of LO. For the first week home from the hospital, my MIL was with us too, thankfully. My mom stayed over night with me for the first two months because I needed that much help. Granted, DH would have provided support if he had not been deployed, but he was not there. I am so thankful for my family. What kind of help did you have? I am so glad life gets better and our LO's have no memory of that time. . . But it is hard on us as mamas.

Waiting4baby08 · February 2011

Oh, good! Glad to hear it went well.

Smudges*Mom · February 2011

roaringrock:
your pedi sounds awesome! I'm glad you left the appt. feeling good.

He is awesome AND, his examination tables are cool. Today we were in the dinosaur room! LOL!

Smudges*Mom · February 2011

lnle:
so glad! his head looks perfectly in proportion to me.

are you coming to visit me on the 14th or 15th??

Then you must be a fan of the big headed baby club! LOL!

May we come celebrate part of Valentine's Day with you and your crew??? I'm thinking of getting an early start in the AM and get to you before nine am. Would that work?

Smudges*Mom · February 2011

mrsolsenk12:
It sounds like everything went really well which is great!!

It feels good to have another well baby visit in the books!

oct11bride03 · February 2011

Smudges*Mom:

PPD can be awful, but, it sounds like you did what was best for you and your family. I struggled with tremendous guilt for not being able to care for LO like I felt I should. My parents took care of us for, I'd say, a good month or more, before I was able to take on most of the day to day care of LO. For the first week home from the hospital, my MIL was with us too, thankfully. My mom stayed over night with me for the first two months because I needed that much help. Granted, DH would have provided support if he had not been deployed, but he was not there. I am so thankful for my family. What kind of help did you have? I am so glad life gets better and our LO's have no memory of that time. . . But it is hard on us as mamas.

I'm glad you had the help you needed, especially with your husband being deployed. That must have been so difficult!

We relied heavily on family. Since my husband had to go back to work eventually and couldn't really be a single parent, my mom, his mom, my aunt and other family members took turns staying over, just coming over to make dinner or help out, etc. It took me a long time to get better so this went on for at least 3 months, probably more. It's all a little hazy.

We also had to hire a nanny to care for K during the day. I couldn't even get out of bed most days. I wasn't eating, wasn't sleeping or was sleeping all the time, anxious 24/7, I developed hives on my legs, arms, back and stomach...it was truly horrific. I've got tears in my eyes just thinking about it.

Smudges*Mom · February 2011

Waiting4baby08:
Oh, good! Glad to hear it went well.

Thanks!

If you ever want to change your sig picture, I request that you add an additional picture and leave the current pic, too! I love that picture of your DD!

jenber77 · February 2011

Yay! Sounds like he's doing wonderfully!

I love it when doctors are reassuring.

MonkeysGirl05 · February 2011

So glad to hear it went well. Henry's 18 month well visit is coming up soon too, and I am a little concerned with his speach development as well (similar to what you mentioned for Grant). So to hear your pedi wasn't concerned is a relief for me.

Smudges*Mom · February 2011

oct11bride03:
Smudges*Mom:

PPD can be awful, but, it sounds like you did what was best for you and your family. I struggled with tremendous guilt for not being able to care for LO like I felt I should. My parents took care of us for, I'd say, a good month or more, before I was able to take on most of the day to day care of LO. For the first week home from the hospital, my MIL was with us too, thankfully. My mom stayed over night with me for the first two months because I needed that much help. Granted, DH would have provided support if he had not been deployed, but he was not there. I am so thankful for my family. What kind of help did you have? I am so glad life gets better and our LO's have no memory of that time. . . But it is hard on us as mamas.

I'm glad you had the help you needed, especially with your husband being deployed. That must have been so difficult!

We relied heavily on family. Since my husband had to go back to work eventually and couldn't really be a single parent, my mom, his mom, my aunt and other family members took turns staying over, just coming over to make dinner or help out, etc. It took me a long time to get better so this went on for at least 3 months, probably more. It's all a little hazy.

We also had to hire a nanny to care for K during the day. I couldn't even get out of bed most days. I wasn't eating, wasn't sleeping or was sleeping all the time, anxious 24/7, I developed hives on my legs, arms, back and stomach...it was truly horrific. I've got tears in my eyes just thinking about it.

I want to reach through my iPad and give you a hug! Three months is a very long time, BUT, you are better now. It doesn't give you back those three months though. I'm glad that you had family and the resources to care for your LO and you. I could not have done it without my family. It was hard without DH's support and physical presence, but, we can't change that. I honestly don't think he fully understands how sick I was, between the pre-e/HELLP and then PPD. But, I don't think it serves any good to share the brutal details with him now, 18 months later.

Are you still receiving treatment? I am still on my antidepressant, in addition to my ADD meds. I am seeing a great psychiatrist. Our goal is to get my ADD meds squared away, then taper off the antidepressant. We shall see. I have no problem taking necessary meds, but, I don't want to take more than I need, either. YWIM?

oct11bride03 · February 2011

Smudges*Mom:

I want to reach through my iPad and give you a hug! Three months is a very long time, BUT, you are better now. It doesn't give you back those three months though. I'm glad that you had family and the resources to care for your LO and you. I could not have done it without my family. It was hard without DH's support and physical presence, but, we can't change that. I honestly don't think he fully understands how sick I was, between the pre-e/HELLP and then PPD. But, I don't think it serves any good to share the brutal details with him now, 18 months later.

Are you still receiving treatment? I am still on my antidepressant, in addition to my ADD meds. I am seeing a great psychiatrist. Our goal is to get my ADD meds squared away, then taper off the antidepressant. We shall see. I have no problem taking necessary meds, but, I don't want to take more than I need, either. YWIM?

Even though you hear about PPD, I feel like no one has a really good understanding of how sick it can make you unless they've either been through it themselves or seen someone go through it. My husband was totally shell-shocked from it. Still is. It's amazing to think your hormones can wreck such havoc.

Yup. I'm still on antidepressants, although I'd love to get off someday soon. Like you said, I'm fine taking necessary meds and I wouldn't be where I am today without them, but I don't like having to take them indefinitely. Thank God for good psychiatrists. I love mine and I don't see her as much now that I'm in remission (her term), but it's good to know she's there for support.

((HUGS)) to you. And if we're both at the GTG I plan to give you a big hug in person.

leslies75 · February 2011

So happy to hear it went well. Grant's big noggin is going to be his claim to fame one day....can't you just hear it now: "Did you meet the new big headed CEO?" or "What a natural talent that guy with the big noggin has!"

Big Smile