9 month check up

On December 10th, which was the actual date of Lakelyn turning 9 months old, we had her 9 month check up! We got to see Dr. Benji Rodgers this time thankfully! We absolutely LOVE him! I can't say that enough. Not only did we get to see him, but daddy got to go with us! The only other appointment he has been able to go to is a few weeks ago when she got her flu shot. We didn't see a doctor though. We just ran in and got the shot and were out of there within 10 minutes.

We didn't really have many concerns this time. The only thing we had questions about were about a month ago she had really bad diarrhea for about 2 weeks. She was acting normal, eating, playing and sleeping normal and no fever so we figured it was just teething. He said that it most likely was because they start to produce more saliva which they swallow more of which makes that happen. Anyway, she got a really bad diaper rash from that obviously since we were changing her like 10 times a day. We let it air out, used diaper rash cream, tried to not wipe her much and she basically lived in the bath tub for those 2 weeks. which she was perfectly fine with. The rash got better quickly, but we noticed there were and still are a few little red bumps down there. We thought it was the rash not going away, but he said it was some kind of medical word that I cant remember, but basically its not diaper rash, and its not any kind of yeast thing either. Its basically an irritation from the little fine hairs. He said it shouldn't bother her (which it doesn't) and to put some 1% hydrocortisone on it and some diaper rash cream on top and also continue letting it air out and it should go away.

The other thing not only we were wondering about, but Dr. Rodgers brought it up as well was her sleeping at night. She has gotten a lot better since the last time I posted with her sleep regression, but she still wakes up about 2 or 3 times a night. I told him that last time I was there the dr. I saw said to not go in there and basically let her cry it out and she will eventually sleep through the night. He knew I was not really ok with that and I explained I started in small increments of like 5 minutes than 10 and one morning while getting ready I did not go in there for an hour. (keep in mind she does do a real cry, its just a whine with her eyes closed while rolling all around her crib otherwise I would NEVER let her cry that long) I told him that I tried it once and it didn't work and i wasn't doing that more than that one time. He said absolutely not. He said that didn't work and all its doing is causing heartbreak for you. He said I don't recommend that.

He asked what times she wakes up. We told him she usually wakes between 1-2 and then 5-6. He said the waking up between 5-6 is most likely her thinking its time to get up for the day, but we can just go in there, let her know its ok, maybe cuddle her for a minute and then lay her back down and she should go back to sleep for a little longer. Which this is what she does pretty much anyway. Although, normally we'd give her some juice at that time we have now cut that out and just give her a paci and she goes back to sleep if she even wakes at all.
The 1-2 oclock wake is what he said we are going to work on getting her past and sleeping through. He said she's not waking because she is hungry and its her waking out of habit. She is wanting to see the last thing she saw before she went to sleep that night (which is me holding and rocking her with a bottle) and she is crying until she has me nursing her back to sleep. He said when putting her to bed at night to make sure she isn't sleeping before i lay her down. I already do this during her naps and she does great, so i don't know why i didn't start doing this at night too. I guess i just loved that cuddle time with her since we don't get to cuddle her while she sleeps anymore :(. But to lay her down drowsy so she will soothe herself to sleep. Then when she wakes up at 1-2 to go in there and do not make it a big deal, do not pick her up, but to sing to her, rub her head or back, give her a paci, let her know its ok until she falls back to sleep. He said if she is still wanting to nurse or have a bottle give her a bottle of water. She will realize its not milk or juice and its just plain water and she will throw it down and go to sleep. He said she may wake up quite often for the first 3-4 nights of doing this, but it will train her and within a week she should be passed that wake up time.

We started his advice that very night and its working great! We continue her routine of dinner, bath, lotion, pjs, some cuddles and then instead of feeding her her last bottle in her room we give it to her in the living room with us for some last cuddles. Then I take her in her room, turn her fan on like always, sing to her, rub her head and give her kisses goodnight and then lay her down and give her a paci and rub her head/side of her cheek for a few seconds and then walk out of her room quietly. She goes right to sleep and doesn't put up a fuss (which before she never really put up a fuss even if i laid her down without being asleep). The first night she woke up like clock work at 1:30, i gave her the paci, rubbed her head and did not pick her up. She still cried. I gave her some water she took a few sips, threw it down and took her paci and fell asleep not long after. She woke up not long later and i went in there gave her a paci, rubbed her head and she went back to sleep until about 5-6 and Tyler did his normal cuddle routine with her without a bottle and she went back to sleep. The next night was kind of the same except she woke around 1-2 and  only took a few sips of water, took the paci and went to sleep and didn't wake back up until she woke her at 7 to leave the house. The next night she woke only once (if i remember correctly) and went right back to sleep and then last night she woke up once at 5:30 and went right to sleep with a paci.

So we are making progress!! We are hoping his advice continues to work!

He said she looks great, she is healthy, her hemoglobin was good at 11.1and that was to check her iron to make sure she isn't anemic. Also to just to make sure when Tyler comes home from work if he has done any soldering to change and shower before cuddling her just to make sure of the lead intake. He said our house should be good since its only 5 years old.

She was 16 pounds 1 ounce which is the 10-25th%
She was 28 inches long which was about 75% (he said taller than 6 out of 10 girls her age)
Head circumference was 17.4 which is 50th%

She is growing perfectly and he has no concerns with her weight. He said her growth curve is still right on track like it has been although her height one has actually took a little spike which is ok. She is just tall! Must get that from Tyler because I am NOT tall.

She did not get any shots this time just the bloodwork. He was happy she had already gotten her flu shot (I'm an pro flu shot anyway). He said she's doing perfect and on track with clapping hands together, waving, standing and eating. He said to start giving her a sippy up (which we've done, but not really well) so we will up our game there.  He said he will see her back at her 12 month check up!

8 months old!

I cannot believe my little baby is already 8 months old! I haven't been able to post as much on here lately because she keeps me busy! She is a crawling expert now and standing up every chance she gets! She is the most precious little thing I have ever seen in my life <3

At 8 months old Lakelyn is doing everything a baby her age should be able to do including:

• bear some weight on her legs when held upright
• feed self a cracker
• rake with fingers an object and pick it up in fist
• turn in direction of a voice
• look for a dropped object

 

She is also doing all the things a baby her age will probably be able to do including:

• pass a cube or other object from one hand to the other
• stand holding onto someone or something
• object if you try to take a toy away
• work to get a toy that's out of reach
• play peekaboo
• get into a sitting position from stomach

 

Lakelyn does all things that a baby her age may possible be able to do including:

•  creep or crawl
• pick up a tiny object with thumb and finger
• pull up to standing position from sitting
• say "mama" or "dada" indiscriminately

 

Lakelyn can some of the things that a baby her age may possibly be able to do including:

• play patty-cake (clap hands) or wave bye-bye (she knows how to wave bye-bye but usually chooses to smile and laugh instead, she also claps her hands together unless you want her to do it)
• understand "no" even if she doesn't always obey it. 
• stand alone momentarily

 

she cannot walk holding onto furniture/cruising (I am posting this 8 days after she has turned 8 months old and she has started doing this, but I will include it in her next month post)

 

• She still loves to take baths and will go crawling straight to the bathroom when she hears the water running
• we have officially taken her baby seat out of the tub
• She loves standing up
• she smiles constantly
• She loves looking at herself in the mirror or phone or anyway she can see herself
• She is super photogenic
• She still does not have teeth
• She still does not like to get dressed
• She does not like putting a diaper on

We celebrated her First Halloween. She dressed as a witch in a little witch hat headband, black onesie and black pants. We pulled her around the neighborhood in her wagon.

 

 

She also went to the pumpkin patch and picked out her first pumpkins and we carved them. She loved playing in the mess and tried to eat it. She carved a Minnie mouse!

 

 

 

This little girl makes our world go around! She's the most amazing thing I've ever laid eyes on. I'm not sure how we ever lived life without her!