1 Year

1 Year

 

 

Date

December 16, 2012

 

The official 1 Year picture

Weight/Size

We had an appointment with Dr. Miloh on November 20th.  Elliott was just over 23 pounds (85th percentile) and just over 28 inches (15th percentile).  His head was in the 95th percentile.  So, basically, Elliott is short, fat and has a big head.  And we wouldn't have him any other way.  It's better than being diagnosed with failure to thrive and threatened with a feeding tube.

 

He is wearing 12 month and 18 month clothes and a size 4 diaper. 

Sleep

Elliott is mostly taking 1 nap a day now.  There are still 1-2 times a week where he will take a short morning nap and a longer afternoon nap, but more often than not he takes 1 longer mid-day nap.  He goes to bed easily every night and sleeps in the co-sleeper, but he is almost always in our bed by the time we go to bed.  He nurses between 5 and 6 and then is in bed with us until around 8.  He has never once tried to crawl out of the co-sleeper or tried to flip himself over the side which is why we have continued to use it.  We're debating bringing the crib into our room soon.  We think he's waking up because our bed is more comfortable than the co-sleeper and while the crib mattress is far from soft, it is softer than the co-sleeper mattress. 

Movement

Elliott finally figured out how to crawl forward and he is a crawling machine.  He is all over this house. He will also pull up on anything and everything.  He is a danger to self and others.  I have found him at Ginger's water bowl, sticking his hands through the doggy door, eating paper off of the floor, pulling the end of the door stop off and putting it towards his mouth, at the fireplace, pulling on the curtains and a whole host of other precarious situations.

Communication

I'm going to go ahead and say that Elliott has a true word.  It started out that he would just repeat us when we said "uh-o", but now when he drops something or knocks something over he says it unprompted and without a model. So uh-o is his first word.  I can't wait to hear his sweet voice more.  He babbles all the time and I'm sure he is close to having more words.  Sometimes I think he is using dada and mama correctly, but other times I am not sure.  He will sometimes sit on the floor playing while I am making food or doing dishes and he'll yell "moooooooooom" just like Spencer does.  About 50% of the time I really think he is calling me. 

Sweet Remembrances

1. Spending time with Aunt Kendra and Uncle Nathan when they were here for Thanksgiving.

2. Having a good appointment with Dr. Miloh, even though Elliott wasn't released from his care.

3. Elliott's first Thanksgiving.

4. Discovering a park in our new neighborhood and spending a lot of time there.

5. Going to Flagstaff to go on the Polar Express.

6. Participating in a special walk for Phoenix Children's Hospital.

7. Elliott's awesome 1st birthday party. 

Food

I kind of gave up the 4 days in-between new foods and tracking all new foods thing when we moved.  Elliott was 11 months, so I'm trying not to beat myself up about it.  I know he's had whole eggs in baked things. He had pizza for the first time last week, which means tomato sauce.  He had blackberries this past week too.  We also started giving him whole milk to drink a few days ago.  He loves it. 

 

Elliott is nursing at 5ish in the morning, before his naps (mostly 1 nap a day, sometimes 2 naps) and at night.  Getting to this point is what makes all of the newborn nursing worth while and why I fought the nutritionists that wanted me to "quit nursing and just pump" with such a fierceness. 

Mood

When we are out and about people comment all the time about what a happy baby Elliott is.  It's so true.  He is almost always happy.  When he is sad or mad it doesn't last long. 

Medicine

Teeth

I am happy to report that the medicine heading is being replaced.  Elliott has been taking only Vitamin D drops for months now.  There is no need to keep discussing that.  It's pretty amazing, really, considering how many medications he was on in his 1st and 2nd months.

 

Elliott's fourth tooth cut through this morning.  His first was the bottom right central incisor on October 29th.  His second was the bottom left central incisor on November 13th.  His third was the upper right central incisor on December 2nd.  His latest, the fourth, is the upper right lateral incisor today.

 

Elliott seems to be taking after his brother in that teething doesn't seem to bother him very much.  He is not drooling any more than usual, he is not extra fussy, no fevers, no sleep disturbances, no extra chewing on things.  I never knew when Spencer was getting new teeth because there were no clues other than a tooth popping out.  Elliott seems to be the same.

 

Look at those chompers.

Likes- eating, crawling, going in the swings at the park, opening and closing doors, eating paper, petting Ginger, interacting with people, sleeping in mom and dad's bed.

 

Dislikes- when mean people (aka mommy and daddy) take paper out of his mouth, when he brother yanks toys out of his hand with no prior warning, being left in the pack n play for too long while parents are in the shower.

 

Dear Elliott,

 

You will not understand until you have children of your own just how much we love you.  We almost lost you before your life really even started and we will never forget the fear we felt in those early days.  Even after you survived sepsis we worried that liver disease and a liver transplant would greatly reduce the quality of your life.  We, along with so many others, prayed for you every day and looking at you on your first birthday tells us that our prayers were answered. We are already so proud of you.  You are a fighter.  You are brave.  You have a tenacious spirit.  We can't wait to watch you grow up. 

 

Love,

 

Mommy and Daddy