9 Month Check-Up/"Sick" Visit

On Tuesday, June 23, I took Brody to the doctor because he had been sick all weekend (starting the Friday before.....) and I wanted to make sure it wasn't an ear infection or something he needed medication for. That Friday his fever was 102.6 degrees at it's highest, but steadily went down and he was very lethargic ALL DAY (VERY unlike Brody....he wouldn't crawl AT ALL! All he would do was just lay there....). I held him a LOT (which was a rare treat, despite the circumstances), and he slept a lot that day. He also hardly ate anything (either bottle or solids). By Saturday he was getting his energy back and his fever was like 99. He was still pretty fussy, hardly drinking from a bottle, and took his naps easily, but getting better. Sunday he cried a lot at church (both morning and evening) so I guess he was still feeling a little under the weather. Monday he seemed fine most of the day, but not totally himself. Since he was still a little fussy/not eating from bottle/pulling at his ear (this is totally normal for him as he does it everyday when he's tired, but I guess it's a sign of an ear infection, too....), Dave said I should take him in just in case. (On a side note, I was SO HAPPY that we were the ONLY patients in the sick child side of the office!! "Short" wait, and no one to worry about getting him sicker! It's usually packed on that side!) I WANT TO MENTION THAT THIS WAS BRODY'S FIRST REAL SICKNESS SINCE HE WAS BORN.....YAY!! PRAISE GOD THAT BRODY HASN'T BEEN A SICKLY BABY!!!! =) WE ARE SO FORTUNATE THUS FAR!!!

While I was there I mentioned that he was about to be 9 months and his appointment was in like a week. They said this could also be his 9 month "well baby" check-up (even though he wasn't a "well baby"), so they took his measurements. He weighed 20 lbs. 7 oz (50th %tile), was 28 inches long (50th %tile), and his head measured 18 1/2 inches around (90th %tile). Dr. Pace (we had never seen him before but Dr. Cockrell wasn't there that day...he was really nice and thorough) said that he was growing at a PERFECT rate.... YAY! =) When Dr. Pace checked everything, he said his ears looked fine, his tummy felt ok, his throat seemed to be ok (but may have been a little sore), and his heart murmur was so soft he could barely even hear it (EVEN BIGGER PRAISE! We were told at the cardiologist that it would never go away, but it is apparently getting closer to doing just that. Usually they hear it right away....). To make sure teething wasn't the reason for his "sickness" and not eating all weekend, they did a blood test to check his blood levels. Apparently he was fighting an infection or virus because his counts were low...they were in the 5,000's and should be 10,000, according to Dr. Pace. He said it wasn't anything to worry about and just to give him some pain relievers the next couple days and it should be gone by the end of the week. It was. =) He's finally back to eating from his bottle, though there are days he still doesn't eat what he should. This is always an on-going battle here at our house. Unfortunately he never is consistent about the amounts of formula he eats, so we waste a lot... =( It has been a test for my patience levels, that's for sure! =)

While we were there, I did ask about the reason Brody may not be eating his 3rd foods, and Dr. Pace said I was probably giving it to him too early. He said I could wait til later in the 10th month or at 11 months. That made me feel a little better because he HATES them right now!!! I hope it gets better! =)

Here are just a few pictures from our appointment. I love to see the new things he can do each time we go back for an appointment. This time, he was WILD! It was hard to keep him on the table by myself, as well as keep him from putting his head through the mirror! He kept banging his head on it...though he never cried about it. He was crawling all over the place and kept pulling up on the wall to stand and look around. I have a couple pictures (that apparently didn't make it on here) of him looking at the mural on the wall and trying to grab at it. Last time he wasn't really noticing things like that around him enough to really interact with them (even though he has always been very curious about his surroundings). That was neat to see this time.

Sitting up like he's been doing it for years! =) Such a BIG BOY!

He LOVED the huge mirror....he kept "kissing" his reflection (and these weren't little pecks, either!). I was laughing SO HARD!!! =)

Standing up now....last time he DEFINITELY couldn't do this!

He kept looking at and sucking on the band-aid from his blood being drawn.

That baby in the mirror is SO FUNNY!

I love this one...it looks like he is showing his reflection how to check his throat.

My sweet boy!!!!! =) No real smiles last time...though he was able to.

So many cute moments! He LOVES his reflection! =)

Waiting for Mommy to get ready...I think he looks so cute in his outfit! So grown up!

Usual "Brody and Mommy" shot (Daddy couldn't be there because he had to work).