My Journal - Week 40 (24May10)

Tale of the tape for the 9 month checkup....

Last Thursday (the 20th of May) Hunter had his 9 month checkup.  I swear the nurse who measures him has some serious measuring issues!  When ever she lists his official measurements, it's always off.  Each time she measures him (including the first time around), he loses at least an inch every time, so I had to ask her to remeasure.  This "first" time she got 26 inches.  I laughed.  I told her he can't continuously be shrinking every visit!  So she re-did it and he gained an inch from the first measurement.  But, in the end, he was still an inch shorter than what we get when we measure him at home!  So, officially he is 27 inches, but at home he is still 28 inches.  He weighed in at 17 lbs, 10 ozs., and his head circumference was 18 1/2 inches.  He had his final Menjugate vaccination, to which he momentarily yelped and then laughed.  He didn't even shed a tear this time.  Such a good baby boy, as always.  So it goes, he is healthy.  I did however tell Dr. Mark I had a concern with his legs, as they seem to bow in at the short bones (tibia/fibula).  The doctor did notice this and also that his left foot seems to be less bulky then his right.  Upon going home we did then happen to notice that in his Jumperoo and Exersaucer he tends to stand on his right food only, and literally hikes up his left.  No wonder the left is bulkier than his right.  Dr. Mark ordered an X-ray for his legs.  I am not overly worried since it isn't like he isn't able to stand on or use his left foot, but it is kind of strange that if he has the choice, he doesn't like to put weight on it unless you force him to.  In any case, hopefully we will get to the bottom of it. 

Otherwise, he seems to be in great shape, developing wonderfully and is an extremely happy baby!  He is also noticeably hungrier these days, and I have decided to up his food intake to a complete jar of baby food over lunch and dinner, with half a jar of dessert later on - plus all his (five) bottles of milk.  I guess he will start to add on the pounds now!  Dr. Mark also advised that we could start him on Homo milk if we wanted to, as he seems to be ready for it.  I think I will wait a bit on that, since both Daddy and I have milk allergies, and I don't want to rush it and create an allergy if avoidable.  When I feel he's ready, I will gradually mix the 3% milk (homo) with his formula, in hopes that this time the transition wont be as painful as the breast to formula....

Pregnancy update:

As far as the pregnancy goes, there isn't a whole lot to update.  For my first ultrasound, we were not able to detect the heartbeat because the embryo size was just too tiny to see anything (2-3mm).  For the gestational dating, I am supposed to be 7 weeks and 3 days along, but I know this can't be correct simply because I tend to ovulate later than the typical day 14.  And having several (actually six) positive ovulation predictor kit sticks, tells me that I am likely at least six days behind what my actual gestational date should be.  That would mean that the measurements I was told for my ultrasound would be correct if I were between five and six weeks along instead of seven.  Normally a first ultrasound should be between 6-8 weeks, but when I was newly pregnant with Hunter, it was exactly the same way.  On his first ultrasound at 5-6 weeks, they detected nothing but a gestational sac.  It was simply too early.  It wasn't until nine weeks along that we were able to see a good sized embryo and a heartbeat.  Knowing this, I am staying positive and trying my best not to worry.  I have had excellent rising beta hCG (pregnancy hormone) numbers, and gawd awful nausea, moodiness and other crazy pregnancy symptoms (none of which I had with Hunter...).  At the end of the day, all are encouraging signs. 

Of course, I will continue to keep you all posted!  Tomorrow Hunter and I have a play date with my girlfriend Nikki and her son Chase!  I am sure we will be taking lots of pictures of the boys playing together, so take a peek at the blog for the new upcoming photos!