Brendan is 27w1d- or about a week past 6 months! He is quick to holler when we leave his sight now. He is so intelligent- he will turn a toy with beads in it back and forth and watch the beads tumble through it! He eats about 5 oz of cereal and fruit in the morning and 1 ½ stage 2 jars of veggies/pasta (about 6 oz) at night. He still drinks roughly 30 oz a day and wears mostly 12 month clothes. He is such a joy. He loves to be held high in the air. I love to make him laugh. He is getting to be a daddy’s boy too! Darrell had to work late a couple of nights ago so Brendan went to bed without seeing him that day. The next morning, he woke up as Darrell was leaving for work and Darrell only had time to scoop him up and lay him in bed beside me. Boy, was Brendan upset when he left!! He hollered for 20 minutes!
Timeline:
9/11 Bren was in his high chair eating a Zwieback toast and DH came up to him and said, “Can I have a bite?” and Brendan held it out to him!!! So he calls me over to watch and he did it again!
9/12 Mommy, Daddy & Brendan share a brownie sundae from TGI Fridays. He LOVED it!
9/13 Bren loves his bath boat toy- he loves to let it float and then rake it in and scoop it up!
9/15 Happy Birthday Daddy!! Brendan got him a Care Bears card and I signed it “Dadadadadadadadadada!” Brought tears to his eyes!
9/17 We leave for our annual Louisiana trip. Brendan learns on the big hotel bed that if he doesn’t support himself when sitting, he falls over. By the end of the night he can support himself for 10-15 seconds.
9/18 Brendan sits unassisted for up to 2 minutes!!! A milestone!!!
9/20 We bought a Johnny Jump Up for bouncing in the doorways at MIL’s house. He seems to like it!!
9/22 We meet Jana, Scott & Ella in Austin from my Born in March 03 board- we had a blast!
9/23 6 month Dr appt & ultrasound of your birthmark and head- He weighs 19 lbs 1 oz, are 27 ¾ inches tall & your head is 18 ¼ inches around. He got 4 shots. (See details below)
9/24 Brendan demonstrates that he can manipulate a toy with control- turning a toy while watching beads flow inside it
What’s it like to be six months old? Filled out today, 9/26
How I Grow:
I turn and twist in all directions. Yes
I roll from my back to my stomach. Yes
I sometimes sit up for as long as half an hour. No, just a few minutes so far
I creep backwards and forwards with my stomach on the floor. Not yet.
I hold onto an object with one hand and then put it in the other hand. For a long time now.
I hold one building block, reach for a second one, and look for a third one right away. Don’t think so.
I grab for an object when it drops. Nah, you like to watch it drop!
How I Talk:
I make sounds like f, v, th, s, sh, sz, m, and n. Lots of sounds! Can’t remember f, v or th but add h.
I still babble a lot, but I have more control of sounds. Yes
I’m beginning to understand some words by the tone of voice you use. Yes
How I Respond:
I pick up things, shake them and listen to the sound they make when I drop them. Yes
I play games with people I know. Yes- loves to bounce on my knee “asking” to play “This is the Way the Cowboy Rides”
I get upset when I’m around grown-up strangers, but I’m friendly to children I don’t know. No, loves most people still.
I coo, hum or stop crying sometimes when I hear music. Yes
I keep very busy doing something all the time. YES!
How I Understand:
I know that I have to use my hands to pick up something. Yes
I look at and study things for a long time. Yes
I turn objects upside down just to get another view of them. Yes
I turn when I hear my name. Yes, but you answer to “Poppy” better than “Brendan”
How I Feel:
I haven’t learned how to control my feelings yet. Yes
I complain and howl when I don’t get my way. Oh, yes
I giggle, coo, and squeal with joy when I am happy. Oh, yes
I have very strong likes and dislikes about food. Yes
Sept 23rd: Dr appointment and trip to hospital details (as posted on board)
Our trip went great!!! On our first night away, Brendan learned to sit unassisted on the hotel’s bed and by the next night he could sit for as long as 2 minutes!!! I think it was the fact that we hardly ever let him “fall” that was holding him back. But on the huge soft hotel bed, we let him see what happened when he plopped over and he seemed to realize he needed to support himself.
Bren had his 6 month well baby visit today. He got 4 shots, weighs 19 lb 1 oz, is 27 3/4 inches tall & his head circumference is 18 1/4 inches. Yup 18 1/4 inches around his noggin! ::shocked::
He is allowed fruits now and can have baby meats and size 3 jars at 8 months.
Well, the Dr was concerned over his head size (could possibly indicate fluid in the brain, or hydrocephalus) and that his strawberry birthmark has a blueish tinge around it and continues to grow. Apparently, since it is located right over his soft spot, there is also concern that it is growing into his brain instead of being blocked by his skull. So, he sent us over to the children’s hospital to have a ultrasound taken of his head.
So we spent our evening in the hospital. Unprepared me had to beg formula- and had a nostalgic moment feeding him those teensy 3 oz Enfamil bottles. Brendan napped for a bit while we waited. Apparently they were way behind. But we finally went into the U/S room and the tech was really nice. His brains looked like spaghetti and she remarked that we were lucky his soft spot hadn’t closed yet because had the skull covered that spot up, they would have has to sedate him for a CAT scan. She sent for the head radiologist (a scary moment when higher-ups are called in) but he was soothing and said:
1) His hemangioma (strawberry mark) was NOT growing into his brain tissue
2) His skull had apparently had a growth spurt that his brain didn’t. His brain is of normal size and there is a pocket of fluid between his brain and skull but NOT in his brain- so that is okay. When his brain catches up to his skull, it’ll go away.
So, as far as I know, he is fine. I have yet to hear what his Dr has to say about it though.
The tech lady gave him a stuffed fish and called him Jelly-Head. He was a doll for her, but played Houdini with his hospital ankle bracelet and we had to back-track rooms to retrieve it several times. He’s had a rough day- we all have.
Monthly Archives: September 2003
24 weeks old & mouth trick
Brendan is 24w5d or a little more than 5 ½ months old. He is growing up sooo fast it makes my head spin. He eats about 30 oz of formula a day plus about 3 oz rice, oatmeal or barley cereal mixed with 1 oz of fruit for breakfast and 4 oz of veggies or veggies and pasta for dinner. He eats countless crackers, Gerber veggie wagon wheels and Zwieback toast too. He is on the verge of branching out soon- I pureed our chicken and dumplings one night and he adored it! He also loves pureed Spaghetti Os mixed with carrots! He gets a bottle of juice for constipation and sometimes drinks some practice diluted juice in his sippy cup too. He can even hold his own bottle, if a bit sloppily. He’s still a pacifier boy too. This is the messy stage, lol, we often have to vacuum his seat and the floor before we wipe it down!
I think Brendan is really a smart boy. We sometimes tap on his mouth when he is chattering or fussy to hear the funny “buh-buh-buh” sounds it makes. Well, now he does it on his own! He puts the back of his hand to his mouth and bends his wrist back and forth. It is soooo cute! :o) He will also say “Baba” when he wants a bottle and holds his hands out when he wants to be picked up! He rolls in all directions, but doesn’t travel too far yet (thank goodness). Last night, he and I took a bubble bath together. Darrell was holding him beside the tub while I got the water and bubbles ready. When there were bubbles in reaching distance, he stood him next to the tub so he could reach them- and he stood by himself! We were amazed. He also laughed hysterically every time I said “Bub-bles!” It was cute.
We met Waynell, Gene and Anthony in Waco again last weekend. Boy, they sure missed him! He loved going swimming in the big indoor pool at our hotel and just getting out in general. We took lots of pictures. We’re going to go on our annual casino trip in about 10 days. Sure will be fun! Brendan will celebrate his 6 month birthday while up there visiting the grandparents.
Brendan’s next doctors appointment is on the 23rd. I am so curious about his height and weight since he fits in several 18 month outfits already! I am a bit worried about his head circumference too.
Brendan has been congested lately. He hates the booger-sucker too. Makes me feel bad to use it but I feel worse hearing him struggle to breathe and drink a bottle at the same time. I’ve been giving him ¼ dropper of Little Colds decongestant several times per day. He also has a small diaper rash that is being stubborn and loose stools (for once). We’ve been having fun with applesauce since right now he can have it! But, he has no fever, so maybe he is just reacting to the high mold count right now.