4 month Doc Visit

Got back from the doc. She was like an hour late so we were there forever. Sam was tired and cranky, plus he had to get shots so it wasn't the happiest doc visit.

But he's doing great! Weighed in at 18lbs 8oz, 96th percentile. He is also 78th percentile for length and 79th percentile for head circumference.

Told her about the lump near his rectum. She still can't say for sure what it was/is, but says that it is probably going to heal over and won't be an issue again. BUT if it does swell up again, we should let her know and she'll refer us to the children's hospital in Indianapolis. It may be a fistula that we would probably want to remove. So I feel good because I too think it isn't much of anything but wanted her to take it seriously, and that's how I feel she's treating it.

We are opting to hold out on introducing solids. Maybe next month, or wait until 6 months, as recommended by the AAP. There are some cues they say to look for that indicate your baby might be ready, and Sam is only just starting to exhibit some of them.

He is right on schedule with his physical development -- reaching, grabbing, lifting his chest, rolling back to side. She didn't seem at all worried that he isn't rolling over from tummy to back, but said I should just keep giving him a lot of tummy time and soon there will be something he wants to reach for and he'll make the move. If I think of it that way, then I really think he's right on track because he's only really started to discover the world outside of him in the past week or two. He now grabs at all sorts of things and likes to hit walls and pillows and whatever is at the far reach of his arm -- he's learning boundaries, it's cool.

Doc also suggested we really stick to a nighttime routine and go ahead and move him to his own room now. Aaron and I don't hold a real regular routine, so we haven't really kept Sam to one either. And actually the idea of moving him to his own room and making him sleep in his crib makes me a little sad but I think I agree with her. Sam pretty much sleeps in our bed every night now. Sometimes he starts in his crib, but at his first wake I bring him to the bed to nurse and he stays there. But the doc said that at this point he doesn't need feedings at night for any nutritional reason, so even if he wakes I shouldn't automatically feed, which of course I'd been doing because I get back to sleep faster! My thinking is we can get his bedroom setup and I can try leaving him in their at night. If he really cries I will hear him and come to his aid, otherwise if he's just waking and rustling about I will let him get back to sleep on his own. We'll see how it goes!

I guess that's all the Sam news for now. I'm sure I'll have more pictures again soon.