Happy Halloween!!

Ear Infections Continue

So, apparently you can get ear infections even after you get tubes. Little Will was feeling bad yesterday and then threw up a couple times at day care, so we whisked him off to his pediatrician. Lo and behold, the kid has an ear infection again. I guess I did know he could get ear infections after tubes because he had a lot of drainage late August and the ENT told us it was because he had an ear infection and the tubes were doing what they were supposed to. The difference this time is that Will has a little fever, a very bad cold, and all the drainage is upsetting his tummy. So, Will and I are at home today, and I'm hoping the extra TLC will get him better quicker and without the need for antibiotics. (If he isn't better by tomorrow morning, the pediatrician will call in some oral antibiotics.)

I hope he is well enough to knock on a few doors on Halloween. Poor guy!

Carseat Woes

Will has outgrown his little infant car seat since he now is just under 22 pounds and right at 29 inches. I did some research the end of last week and thought I knew what we would get. After a grueling hour (maybe more) at Babies R Us (thankfully, Grandma and Grandpa watched Will for the afternoon), I am still not fully satified with our choice. We have 30 days to return it, so I have some thinking time and thought I'd turn to my fellow bloggers for some help! (Plus, still have to get another one for my car.)

We bought the Britax Boulevard. I have always heard Britax is the best and worth the price. But I can't find ANYwhere online that confirms that. Consumer Reports rates only a handful of car seats and ranks the Britax Roundabout even with the Evenflo Triumph. The BAbiesRUs guy seemed to know his stuff and told us the Evenflo is now ranked just as well as the Britax, but is half the price. The Boulevard has these side things, that resemble blinders on a horse, that I am not too keen on. And if the Evenflo is so fantastic, why do I feel like I must get a Britax to get the "best" for my baby? I'm willing to shell out the cash to get the absolute safest, best car seat for Will that he will be in until he is like 4. But I'm concerned I am now paying for the name Britax, rather than the actual safety features. And why can't I find anything to give me definitive advice? The whole "what fits your child and your car best" slogan just isn't working for me.

Please post a comment or shoot me an email if you have any thoughts on this. I'd love some practical advice on what has worked for you. And if anyone knows a website that really tells how these car seats are testing, please share!

Zoo and Pumpkins

This weekend, we took Will to the zoo. We had not been there with him since last May when he was only 5 months old. What a difference about 4 1/2 months make! Last time, he pretty much fussed and slept the whole time. This time, he was sitting forward in his stroller, looking at everything and having a wonderful time. He especially liked the fish and birds -- but his favorite animal at the zoo? People!! The boy loves to people-watch. :-)

Afterwards, we went to a pumpkin patch, picked out a couple pumpkins and got pictures of Will in his Halloween costume.

Having fun in the pumpkin patch

Getting the "little monkey" dressed for pictures ...

Fall is Here

(Here he is standing on his own ...)

The State Fair

We took Will to the State Fair Friday afternoon, and we all had tons of fun. Will just loved all the sounds and people - so much to see! We first took Will to see all the animals. The big animals didn't interest him much - he could care less when the elephant was standing about 10 feet from him. But he loved the poultry barn. I guess he loved hearing all the clucking and rooster calling.

After that, we all had some fair food and ate it in a tent that had some fairly loud, live music. Will just loved it, danced a little in his stroller, and drank his juice. I was going to let him try his first fry, but he was much more intent on drinking his juice and watching the people clapping, dancing, singing, and whatnot.

Then, we all went for a stroll around the games and adult rides.

I can tell Will is going to be a bit of a thrill seeker -- he was enthralled by the big rides, especially the ones that looped around and/or hung upside down. He sat forward in his stroller and just stared with him mouth open. If he could talk, I swear he'd say he wanted to ride! :-)

9 Month Stats

Will went for his 9 month check-up on Monday and got a glowing report. His tubes are doing beautifully, and the doctor was most impressed by his almost-walking capabilities. It was funny - the sheet they give us at each check-up that gives you a kind of guide on what your child will start to do over the next 3 months ... Will already does almost all of it! :-) Yes, I am a very proud mother.

Will was a little "fatter" than longer this time, which the doctor said means he is probably getting ready for another growth spurt:

Weight: 20lb, 6oz (50%)
Heigth: 28 3/4 in (75%)
Head Circumference: 17 3/4 in (50%)

We also got the "all clear" on table food. The doctor said we could go ahead and start introducing just about any food to him. We got burgers that night and I gave Will a few pieces of the hamburger - which he loved! And he loves his Cheerios in the morning. We also go the "all clear" to try out just about any dairy foods with Will. He had some yogurt in the mornings, and I'm watching him for any extra fussiness to see if he has gotten over that milk protein intolerance issue. So far, so good ... keeping my fingers crossed that we've grown out of that!

9 months and growing!

Wow! - Will has changed so much in the last 3 months. The biggest change, by far, has been his huge leaps in mobility. He went from finding out that he could roll over and sit up on his to now where he is able to stand on his own. His standing ability lasts for about 5 seconds or so, but I must say it is pretty impressive to see a little guy like him do it when he does.

I find that doing a list is the best way to "update" on where Will is nowadays so....without further ado ....

1) Playtime. Playing with Will has become lots more fun. He can interact with toys more. He has even started to dance to music - he'll sort of bop back and forth with his body and smile. Its too cute.

Daddy is working hard to teach him to "play ball," and he is getting the hand of it.

The boy loves to dress-up too. (Grandpa brought this little hat back from China. Will thinks its hilarious to wear it.)

2) Trouble! Will can definitely get into things more and more with his increased mobility. You better not leave anything on the edge of a low table, or he will grab it and put it in his mouth (especially the remote control!).

3) Bathtime. Will still just loves water. He gets so excited about bathtime, which we do almost every night before he goes to sleep. As soon as I run the water in his tub, he'll come crawling from the nursery into the bathroom, pull himself up, and stare into the tub. That is where I strip off his clothes to see this cute little butt ...

(This is Will's "formula" gut - after he has had a big meal!)

"Splashy, splashy" is still Will's favorite thing to do in the tub.

Well, that and eating his foam letters and numbers.

4) Sleeping. Although Will is still not a big nap taker - and I don't think he ever will be, he is great about sleeping at night. He usually is asleep by 7:30 (with bedtime routine starting at 7) and sleeps until about 6:30 or 7.

Will likes to have his teeth brushed right before bedtime and when he wakes up! (Wonder how long that will last...)

5) Finger food. Will is slowly getting introduced to finger food. He loves his little Gerber puffs and eats those pretty regularly. He has eaten some peas and carrots from a can and did pretty well with him. He's had pea-size servings of Daddy's strawberry ice-cream - he made the funniest face when the cold hit his tongue, but then he smacked his lips and smiled. He's had a taste of Mommy's yogurt, which he loved and once we get the okay from the pediatrician on trying dairy again, I'll definitely be giving him more of that.

6) Salt. Yes, my child loves salt. He doesn't want sweets - he wants salty things. The other day I was eating a pickle and let him lick it to see what he thought. I have never seen him so excited about food! He just grinned and made these excited noises. I let him suck on the pickle for a little bit - I could tell he just wanted to eat the whole thing. He has had "tastes" of an olive and a salty chip too - and loved them too!

7) Favorite Song. If you sing "When You're Happy and You Know It," it makes him stop crying and smile just about any time!

8) Big kids. Will loves to watch the bigger kids play, especially in the gym at his day care. I can tell that he is just dying to run around and bounce the balls too!

9) Strangers. Will used to not care who I passed him to or if I put him down on the floor to play in a strange place - but not anymore. He gets very intimdated when we go somewhere new - but just give him about 10 minutes and he will play everywhere and let you pick him up as much as you want! He now will crawl after me sometimes and cling to my legs until I pick him up (very sweet, unless I'm exhausted from lifting the little 20 pounder!)

10) Rolling things on the floor. Will loves to move things along the floor, particularly his bottle or a book. I think he is fascinated that he can "take things with him" on his own. I can already picture him zooming little toy cars around the room one day.

11) Do not wipe my face or I will scream. That is Will's mantra. Try to wipe his nose or get food off his face and he will scream bloody murder. You'd think you were wiping his face with sandpaper, the way he reacts. :-)

Welcome to the world, Brynn Elizabeth!

Congratulations to Marie, John, and Anna on their new family member who was born on Tuesday! Brynn is a healthy, beautiful little girl!

The Bye-Bye Buggy

Will had a blast last Friday riding in the "bye-bye buggy" at his day care. (And of course he got front seat!) How cute is this? I am so thankful that he loves day care and that they love him!!!