Pedi Visit

P and E both saw the pediatrician today. Ethan got his 4 month check-up and immunizations and P got her ears checked out again. Ethan is doing really well and growing well.

Ethan 4 months:
17 lbs 8 ounces
26 inches
HC 17 inches
90th percentile for height and weight

It cracks me up that P and E are night and day. She was only in the 50th % for height and the 10th for weight. ha! Long and lean and E is long and strong. :) We've requested that he gets only one live virus vaccination at a time and I ask everytime to be sure the shots are themerisol-free. The MMR is going to be tricky. If hubby doesn't want that given as a trio, I am going to have to go to the health department and get the shots individually and have the nurse administer them. Sounds like a big hassle...I'll have to see how strongly hubby feels about this. I spoke with the doc and he had some great information about it, but hubby has a friend whose two kids suffer from some degree of autism and his friend believes it was from immunizations and live virus immunizations. So, hubby is on his friends bandwagon. But, hubby is just looking out for our children, and for that I give him major kudos and will support him as much as I can.

I feel good about canceling our trip to Oregon. The doctor recommended we do not fly. He said P's ears still look pretty bad and that it wouldn't be good for her to deal with the pressure change and everything that goes along with plane travel. We got a doc's note for the airline - hopefully we can get a full refund.

Ethan's sleep habits are perfectly normal for a 4 month old. He said that I need to work a bit more on letting him fall asleep on his own, but how often he gets up and his short naps are no concern...they are normal. He also said that the way he sleeps at night will get better, but I have to not feed him each time he gets up. I am both happy and disappointed about this information. I was hoping to hear that I had a huge fix on my hands so I was in control of the situation. Seems it is not my situation to control, Ethan has to get there on his own (for the most part). Oh, I hate not being in control! I think that is the hardest part about having kids for me. They get sick, grow-up, eat what they like, etc. and I can only help when needed or guide when needed, but I can't make the choice of when everything happens. arrrgh. :) ha! I am reading Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child and it has some great pointers. Much of the advice I have already been doing (from previous experience with P), but many things he suggests I had NO idea about. Such as naps - I need to be better with Ethan's tired cues and getting him to nap. Sad thing is, morning activities will have to change or I need to get him up earlier so he can nap before we go out and about. I guess the morning nap should be in the crib - not in a car seat or in a stroller. This puts a little damper on things for a while, but I suspect going to one thing a week during his naptime won't be too detrimental. We'll see.

I am feeling much better about everything. Just hearing that what I am doing is good and that my kids are fine is more than I can ask for. Now the guy the drives through my neighborhood everyday blaring his radio during my kids' naptime, well, that can stop anytime...and that just may be in my control.

I really need to loosen up. I am so high strung most of the the time and worry a ton. I need to chill out a bit - this is where my doc suggested working out at least three times a week. I haven't been diligent about any type of exercise since E was born...and really am dying to get back to something. I haven't saved for the Rec Center, and that was the biggest life saver for me. I have the cash now, so I need to go join again. I have to do it for my body and mental health. I need to get this weight off!!!!!