Stitches and an Allergy

A week ago Saturday, while I was painting the basement, Oliver said, "Hey Mom! Watch this!" I looked down to see Oliver dive head first over a toy basket. The basket flipped over (which I think came as a surprise to him). Then came the screaming--the kind a mom hears and knows something is wrong. I bent down to pick up Oliver and saw blood everywhere. When the basket tipped over, Oliver's head landed on a pile of wooden blocks. Immediately I started hyperventilating as I frantically grabbed my baby and carried him out to where Noah was. Noah took over since I was a little hysterical. We got Ollie cleaned off, and knew right away he'd need stitches.
Oliver was brave. He didn't cry, and held stiller than I've ever seen the boy hold as the doctor numbed him and stitched his head back together.
We were instructed to apply neosporin and hydrogen peroxide twice a day to help with the scaring and to come back in a week to get the 7 stitches removed.
However, two days later, Oliver's forehead started swelling. Noah first noticed it on Monday night at 7:00 PM, when the swelling was about an inch and a half in diameter around the cut. We got a hold of our after hours clinic, and they called in an antibiotic.
By midnight, the swelling had reached 4 inches in diameter and Oliver developed a fever of 102.5 F. I tried calling the after hours clinic again as I was a bit frantic with concern, but after waiting on hold for 25 minutes, I decided to take him to the ER.
The ER trip was a complete waste of time. They gave Oliver Tylenol. Had his cut been anywhere else but the center of his forehead, they would have opened it and drained it.

You can bet I'll be raising my fist to them when I get the $300 bill.

The swelling started improving over the next two days. It was so painful for him when I touched it that I stopped putting the Neosporin and hydogen peroxide on it--until the third day.

When the swelling had nearly gone completely down (Thurday), I put Neosporin on Ollie. Within ten minutes of application, his cut started swelling up and oozing blood and pus.
As it turns out, two of Noah's sisters are allergic to Neosporin. I guess it runs in the family.
Oliver is now doing much better. He looks [and acts] like his old self again. And you can bet I'll never be giving him Neosporin ever again.

August, in Fast Forward

We started August the right way--with a road trip. It took us all of 24 hours to get from Columbus, Indiana to Provo, Utah. But family is worth it.
We hiked to one of my favorite places in Utah valley, Bridle Veil Falls. Seriously, it's beautiful, and the canyon that surrounds it is simply awesome.
Egon came along for the ride.
The kids got to see their favorite people: aunts and uncles (pictured below is Uncle Mish with Oliver)
We saw my beautiful and talented sister sing at open mic.
The kids got reacquainted with their old cousins:
as well as some new cousins:
We hiked to a cool place the locals call "the grotto" in Payson canyon:
And then of course there was more celebration to be had, it being August and all (Oliver's month).
We made it through the long drive home and decided to have one last hurrah before school started for the kids. On Oliver's actual birthday (August 20th), we took the kids to King's Island, which has Snoopy Planet (perfect for our little birthday boy).

Oliver was so cute meeting all his friends, the Peanuts characters. He would walk right up to them and hug them.
The rides were all geared just for our pint sized birthday boy.
And then just like that, summer came to an end and the kids started school, Gabby as a forth grader, and Alex as a first grader.

Snoopy Bed Unveiling

Oliver is no longer sleeping in a crib. He has been upgraded (or downgraded, depending on how you look at it) to sleeping on a dog house. A Snoopy doghouse.

Yes, this is real. You are looking at Charles M. Schulz's vision come to life in the form of a toddler bed.
I know what you're thinking, "holy @#$% that's awesome."

If you're wondering where you can get one, you can't, because you didn't marry Noah. I did. And Noah made it.
Yes, I'm aware that my son's pajama top does not match his bottoms. But who cares, he has a Snoopy bed and your kid doesn't.

Climber

Oliver is a mischievous boy. This is what I catch him doing every time I leave him in the front room (I know, I know, "so don't leave him" right? If you're thinking that, you're NOT a parent because the truth is, if I stayed by his side every second, I would get even less done than I already do and I would probably lose my mind): What you're not seeing in the picture is Oliver shaking his head--because he knows he's not supposed to be climbing up on the table. Notice the fingerprints on the television--those aren't mine.

And of course he has to practice his balancing act by walking across the table--my heart leaps out of my chest every time I find him teetering on the edge.

Dear Santa,

please bring me a big house and a hutch for the TV.

One Year Ago

Dear Oliver,

One year ago right now, I was in the hospital finishing my last few hours of my worst pregnancy and getting ready to welcome you to the world.

My midwife, Kathrine, had agreed to induce me a week before my actual due date because of my insomnia-induced exhaustion that had started during my second trimester with you when I stopped sleeping completely. I underwent every possible test to find the problem (EEGs, ECGs, overnight heart rate monitors, and countless blood tests with everything turning up normal). Doctors were convinced I was depressed and wouldn't believe me when I told them I was really happy, but that I was crying because I hadn't slept. I broke down every time someone innocently asked me how I was doing, or how my pregnancy was going.

After going two weeks without so much as a nap, I came across Dr. Taylor in Provo, Utah who put me on iodine drops and gave me a vitamin B shot. That night I was able to fall asleep. When the B shot wore off after about a week and a half, my sleep would get progressively worse and your dad would have to give me another shot. And that's how it was until August 20th.

You know what? I'd do it all over again for you.
You weighed 9 lbs and 5 oz. That's big.
You put up with a lot, and rarely complain. You're frequently poked and sometimes even pushed down but you're amazingly resilient and you get right back up.

You are strong. You took your first steps at 8 months!
You are curious. You get into EVERYTHING--the toilet, the cupboards, the stairs, your diaper, the computer, anything with wires, anything liquid. I love watching you explore because everything is new to you.

You love making people laugh. You've learned to do a raspberry every time we say "Daddy" and then we laugh and you think it's the funniest thing ever so you do it again and again. You smile at everyone and play peekaboo with whoever happens to sit behind us in church. And that makes us all like church more.

You are loved. Your biggest fans live right in your same house (and even share your bed, much to your daddy's chagrin).
Happy birthday Oliver!

Walking

This is really old news, Oliver's been walking steadily for over a month now, but just the same here's the footage.

P.S. we were on our way to the pool when I took this, so he's sporting his lovely florescent swim short and of course a cowboy hat to complete the ensemble.

A Monumental Day

Noah and I both walked at 8 months--so we are told--but after seeing Gabby and Alex and concourses of other babies NOT walk at 8 months, I just assumed it was parent folklore.

I'm now a believer for today, at just 8 months old, Oliver took his first step.
Oliver is apparently an equal parent opportunity baby because he waited until Noah came home for lunch to pull out his trick--didn't want his pop to miss it. What a swell kid.

Dear Toothfairy . . .

You're Fired.
I spent most of the night up with my inconsolable Ollie who is breaking 4 teeth at the same time--what a cruel way to celebrate his 8th month, by giving him a total of 8 teeth. Was that really necessary? Honestly.

Yours no longer,

Kaila

Trouble

I'm in for it.

Determined

Oliver has decided that crawling is old hat and is determined to find mobility on two limbs, rather than his usual four. In preparation for this change, he now climbs up on everything.
This morning it was on Alex's chair during Alex's Wii time--you think Oliver would know better, but he doesn't. I heard a shriek come from the living room from Alex and ran in to see what the problem was, expecting blood of course. No blood, just this:

By the way, I don't know what that yellow spot is on Ollie's left sleeve. I'm hoping it's yellow food coloring from the cookies, except he wasn't wearing that outfit. Do I dare smell it?

Crawliver and the Big Jedi

Oliver is now crawling. Here's the proof you've been waiting for. Oh and almost as good as the crawling footage, if you listen to the back ground noise, you can here my imaginative Alex say something. . .

Weekend Update

We've had some tough nights, but at long last Oliver's top teeth finally decided to break through.
And Noah's two-week-long sickness turned out to be strep throat. We finally wised up and got him to a doctor yesterday so hopefully he wont have to be in the fetal position much longer.

This morning, Noah (now functioning at 40%) decided to stay home from church since strep is quite contagious. Upon hearing the news, Alex decided that he was also much too sick to go to church (for the record, he is not sick). I told Alex he still needed to go, even though I was dreading the thought of wrangling 3 kids in church without Noah. This is what he said in the most concerned, panicked voice:

"But I don't want to get my friends sick!"

So I let him stay home.

Oliver Does Yoga

And yes readers, the lad is only 7 months old.

A few of his favorite poses
Child's pose (surprisingly it comes pretty naturally to him):

Plank pose:

Downward-facing dog:

He can also do one mean boat pose that not even Noah can touch, and believe me he's tried.

P.S.
With all the yoga Oliver has been doing lately, I anticipate he'll be crawling within a week.

Teething: it Bites!

Has anyone ever tried to bite your nipple off? Well, it hurts. For the record, the nipple biting perpetrator is Oliver, NOT Noah for those of you with your minds in the gutter--you know who you are. . .
So here it is all laid out for you: Oliver and I are both experiencing troubles from two upper teeth that have yet to appear, but we fear them none-the-less.

Oliver's gums are swollen (as evidenced by the picture), he's been getting fevers on and off, his sleep (and mine) are a thing of the past, and . . . well I already told you about the biting.

So enough already top two teeth, SHOW YOURSELVES!