Ears!!!

Just what are we gonna do about these ears?!?! Thoughout the winter, Jack has had more than his fair share of ear infections. Earlier this month, Jack has his 5th ear infection in 6 months. Our Dr said that we may be approaching a referral to a Pediatric Ear, Nose & Throat doctor. That was early in the month. This morning, he popped a fever, with a super-stuffed up nose and was quite irritable (which is not at all his normal temparment). With it being a Friday, I called Jack's Pediatrician and made an appointment. Surprise surprise! Turns out Jack has ear infections #6 & 7...yes, a double ear infection. That's gotta be painful. I'm amazed at how well he handles these-- even though he was fussier than normal, it still wasn't bad. If I had 2 ear infections, I'd be a MUCH worse patient!

So, its time to investigate some options. We want these ear infections to go bye bye and make sure he is able to hear clearly. So, we are scheduled to go to Cleveland Clinic and see a Pediatric ENT on 4/21. I was surprised how quickly they move once you're referred to them. If they do decide to go ahead and do ear tubes, they have an outpatient procedure tentatively scheduled for 5/4. If the decide that removing his adnoids might also help him (which is possible b/c of his recurring respiratory issues that are often related to ears and adnoids), the surgery is scheduled for 5/5. If we go this route, he'll stay over night just as a precaution.

I'm a bit relieved that we now seem to have a plan....granted, its natural to be nervous (and I am), but at least we're being proactive and the waiting period is coming to an end. I just want him healthy. I think he's had a stuffy nose for more days of his life than he hasn't had one (and I'm not exaggerating at all :). So, although its never fun to have to do something like this, I think it'll really help him :) I'm glad to know that we're taking stuff to fix these ears and runny noses!

Meet our 16 month old!

Can't believe how fast the time if flying. That being said, I also can't believe how much Jack is on the go as well. The more he can climb, the more he enjoys it. The faster he goes, the happier he is. The busier, the better! That's pretty much how I'll describe Jack at 16 months: He's one exploring busy critter!

He's more than that though-- he's very happy, with smiles popping up all the time. His favorite time to smile and giggle is right before (or during or just after) he does something he knows he's not supposed to do. I must admit-- its flat-out hilarious. Meanwhile, we do everything we can to resist cracking up back at him when we're "redirecting" him away from the behavior he's not supposed to be doing.

He loves walking up and down the driveway and down the sidewalk. As the weather starts to break, we're seeing just how much he seems to love the outdoors. Yesterday, he was fascinated by a leaf as it blew across the yard. He also loves the playground. The slide and little kid swings are his favorites! We try to get at least a little outside playtime every day (and a lot on the weekends, weather permitting)

As for indoor activities, if we'd let him climb bookcases, he would do it all day long. In fact, he has been known to sneak up on top of the small toy shelves at school :). Our basement (dare I say "Mike's Basement) is now better named: "Boy-Ville." Toys for Dad (sports memorbilia) and Toys for Boys (Jack's indoor play world). Favorite toys right now include his moving dumptruck, wooden puzzles, Little Tykes slide, spaceship and picnic table (although he thinks his table is a stage that he's supposed to stand on top of :)

He's great at clapping to music, putting his hands straigt up when we say "touchdown" and giving "high fives." He waves "bye-bye" when we tell him its time for bed. Super sweet! He's saying a bunch of sounds, but no more offcial "words." Its still "Mama" and "Ball." There's lots of time for words to come. He is very inquisitive and often points to objects as if to ask what each item is called. We spend a lot of time naming the items he points out. Its wild to watch him take in this world around him.

Baby Bobcat

To our surprise, Ohio University made it to the MAC Basketball Tournament, which just so happens to be held in Cleveland. The game was Saturday at 6p, so we said "What the heck? Lets try and go with Jack." So, it was Jack's first basketball game.

We went in with reasonable expectations. Our goal was to make it to halftime and then come home. We figured that it would be a fun family activity and would give Jack a little taste of a big sporting event. So, off we went. We packed a "survival bag," filled with sippy cups, toys, snacks, and our cloth baby carrier and headed downtown.

First stop was the OU Alumni Pep Rally at a downtown restaurant, Zocalos. Then, we headed over to Quicken Loans Arena and had dinner at a sit down restaurant. We figured that would be the easiest way to eat and that we'd have the best chances of Jack enjoying himself on a full belly. We literally finished dinner as the game was about to begin. Off to our seats we went. Although we had tickets down low, we decided that it would be best for Jack if we sat up higher...in a less crowded area so that he could move around a bit. That was a really good decision.

To our surprise, Jack really seemed to show interest in all that was going on. Mike pointed out things around him, like the OU Bobcat mascot, the band, the basketball teams, the fans, the lights and fans that hung way up high (which of course, Jack loved), and all the lighted signs throughout the arena. Jack was a bit mesmerized. He even seemed to watch the game as they were playing. Before we knew it, it was halftime and we were still in our seats. Even more amazing, Jack was completely content.

We decided that halftime was a perfect time to stretch his legs, so we went on a big walk. Jack held Mike's hand and walked throughout the concourse. It was so cute to see. Back up to our seats we went. It was getting close to Jack's bedtime, so, again, we were cautious about our staying power. Jack cuddled up and got a little sleepy, so I put him in the cloth carrier and we walked for a bit as he fell asleep. Still, we were at the game, and having a really enjoyable time.

Would you believe that the game went into overtime? And that Jack woke up in time to see the overtime. The game was intense-- with lead changes and excitement-- and ultimately a win for OU! If this doesn't seal the deal on Jack becoming a future Bobcat, I'm not sure what will! Maybe we'll have to sneak him into a Little Sibs Weekend! Anyway, Jack went to his first game and brought home an overtime tournament victory for our team. And, he was a JOY! Who would have thought we'd make it for a full game + overtime!?!? Nice work, Champ.

So THAT'S where we're going!

Jack's Pediatrician said that he was big enough to be able to face forward in his carseat. YAY! I'm not sure who's enjoying it more...Me or Jack. Its safe to say that its fun for the both of us. He finally gets to see where we're going. And I finally get to see Jack's expressions and actions in the backseat.

He has always been a good traveller, but now, he seems to enjoy it even more. He smiles and laughs and mimics me in the car. We talk more and he seems more interested in what is going on. Oh, and another advantage....he gets to stretch those long legs of his.

Somehow, this milestone is big for me. Maybe its the fact that he's in a new "big boy" carseat? I'm not sure...but he just looks so much bigger than he ever has while facing forward. See for yourself. He really is a toddler, not an infant anymore. Its pretty cool. I'm glad we were given the ok to face forward! It'll make our upcoming road trips a lot more enjoyable.