9 Months Already!

Micah is nine months old. This is by far the fastest year of my life. There have been so many changes and so many adjustments. It really is miraculous how far humans come in their first year!
We got lots of news (most good, but some a little scary) at our 9-month check up today. Micah's measurments are holding steady at the 50th percentile in his weight (20 lbs, 4 oz) and the 52nd percentile in his length (28.5 in.).

I undressed him to be weighed and noticed a new bruise right in the middle of his chest. Micah gets bruises all the time, but they're usually on his face or arms. I was embarrassed that he had one in such an odd place. Sure enough, the pediatrician did some poking around in that area. I felt compelled to tell her how active he is at home and how it's all I can do to keep him from breaking limbs all day. I can't avoid the bumps and bruises!

We opted to have a flu shot even though our pediatrician only requires them for daycare babies. The shot requires two rounds. He had the first one today and will have the next in a month. I was dreading the shot because he's old enough now to not just feel the pain, but be scared of the pain and the nurse giving it. I distracted him with my cellphone while the nurse pricked his little thigh and all he did was make a face and then it was done! The pediatrician noticed that he didn't cry which gave me an opportunity to remind her how "tough" he is because of all the bruises he gets on a nearly-daily basis. (Micah is pretty tough- the last few times I've pulled out the vaccum, he's been scared of the noise. The first time he ran and buried his head at the sound, the second time he cried, but followed it at a safe distance. The third time he whimpered while touching it. Most babies would be scared and run off- not Micah, he's scared but still has to satisfy his curiosity!)

We talked about how Micah's taking only 20 oz of milk a day and how it's a struggle to get him to take that. 20 oz is the least amount she wants him to get, so we'll have to watch that. She said it looks as though he's weaning himself from the bottle in the same way he weaned himself off the breast.

He's had a little bit of constipation, and that lead to a long discussion. We're supposed to give him juice for it, but if I give him juice, he turns down a bottle, and that's a big deal since he's barely meeting his requirement of milk as it is. So, she wrote down an over-the-counter medication to try. She also wrote down the new dosages of his regular acid reflux medications.

Then we discussed Micah's problems with milk products, including milk-based formula. (He still can't keep it down.) I'm supposed to try to give him yogurt and see if he can handle it. If he does- that's a great sign. If he doesn't, that may mean his lactose-intolerance will be more than just a temporary thing and last at least through toddler-hood. She also recommended a brand new formula. It's supposed to help with the acid reflux and lactose issue. Unfortunately it's so new she said I may have trouble finding it (she was right, Kroger and Walgreen's don't carry it yet, so I have to get it at Babies R Us). But thw worst part is that it only comes as a brand-name liquid. I've been buying generic powder. I was shocked today when I realized that the new stuff will cost me $6 for an amount that will last 1.5 days, while I've been paying $12 for an 8-9 day amount! Yikes! I'm supposed to try it for 5 days and if I notice a difference, we'll stick with it, if there's no difference (or if he throws it up, since it IS lactose based) we'll discontinue its use.

The pediatrician was about to leave the room when I remembered one more question. I mentioned to her that he isn't making consanant sounds yet. No ba, ga, goo, or mama. I was expecting to hear, hoping to hear, that is wasn't a big deal. Instead she frowned and put her clipboard down. Uh-oh.

We talked about his hearing. Yes, I assured her, he CAN hear. He responds to his name, and breaks out in a run if you open the door to our bedroom where he knows he's not allowed. He also turns to the front door at the first slight noise of keys in the lock. He knows that means Daddy's home! She told me that under no circumstances am I to look up "late talking" online because it will lead me to autism. My heart dropped when she said the word. She went on to assure me that he has no other signs of autism, but that it is one of the biggest signs of the syndrome. She said that by the time he is a year he should be making many consonant sounds. I'm supposed to listen closely for any kind of improvement in his language, and bring it up at our next appointment (in 1 month for the rest of the flu shot). She said if by a year he's still struggling he'll need to see a speech therapist. In the meantime, she said to let him watch animated movies for babies, continue to sing to him. and play music, and to not give Autism another thought.

There's no doubt that this is incredibly scary. It will take all of my will power to not look it up online. I keep trying to remember what it is that Jenny McCarthy kept saying in the news about a month ago about autism. I'm happily laying this down at the Lord's feet and praising God for blessing us with Micah. And I can't help but think that this is just another way that he's like his daddy... Keeping his words to himself. Until we have more to go on, please pray for Micah. I think Terry and I will be 4 thousand times more excited than most parents to hear him, someday soon, say Mama or Dada.