Good News/Bad News Check-up

Evan had his 12 month well baby check up yesterday. Since we don't own a scale, I've only been guessing that Evan was close to the all important 20 pound mark. Turns out the boy weighs a whopping 21 pounds....no wonder I feel like my arm is about to fall off after holding him for more than ten minutes! He gained four pounds in three months and is a good three pounds heavier than Liam was at his 12 month check up. Big boy!!

I was so excited about the prospects of turning him around in the car (with the standard "Twenty pounds AND one year old" requirement) until the pediatrician informed me that the AAP now recommends that a child weigh 20 pounds and be TWO years old before being turned around. What?!?

Did anyone else know this?

We haven't decided what to do. The other kids did fine being turned around at one and frankly, I think the poor kid is pretty tired of staring at the back of the seat. Wouldn't you be tired of not being able to see anything in the car?

Anyway, the poor guy got four shots and had to have his blood drawn to check his iron and lead levels. There is nothing worse than trying to hold a screaming, writhing one year old while a cruel phlebotomist pokes around for and then inserts a needle into a vein. Just for kicks, the pediatrician had them draw an extra vial of blood (hurray - even more screaming) to check him for nut allergies. I gave him his first taste of peanut butter last week and he got a huge rash around his mouth so she wants to check for an allergy. I don't know what we'll do if he's allergic to peanut butter....we go through a jar a week around here.

The best news of all, though, has to do with his speech. The pediatrician (who is a tad anal when it comes to speech) seemed disappointed when I told her that he wasn't saying any words. Assuring her that I just have late talking kids, she gave me the standard, "Be sure to talk slowly, repeat things and read to him every day" speech. Umm, duh.

But then, as she was leaving, Liam (who had been cowering in the corner afraid that he was going to be next in the poking and prodding torture), dropped his toy and clear as day, Evan said, "Uh-oh." The pediatrician looked at me and said, "He just said uh-oh! That counts as a word....I'm writing it in his chart right now." Evan went on to repeat it all day (in appropriate situations most of the time).

AND after I pointed to a picture of a dog on the wall and said, "Doggy says 'Woof, woof'", Evan repeated, "Oof, oof." So my baby said his first TWO words yesterday. Hurray!

He may be allergic to peanuts, but he's talking. So that's something!