The Big Chill is getting old!

The appointment with the geneticist went very well for Miles.  Little man is doing beautiful on both growth charts- the standard chart and the chart for DS.  On one hand, it's nice to see that Miles is making progress by "normal" standards, but 3rd percentile is still a little hard to swallow.  However, the DS chart has my critter smack dab in the 50th percentile- that's music to my ears.  

There was a slight cloud over my parade, and it came when the doctor told me to chill out and not to worry so much.  Being told to mellow out is getting really old, and I've only been doing this for 6 months.  I'm bound to snap one day and Binky-whip some poor, unsuspecting person in a lab coat- someone not a doctor, but who plays one on TV.  Social graces aren't my strong suit- if I am mad, my flushed checks always give me away.  For my son's sake, I have tried very hard to control my knee-jerk reactions, but these doctors are getting my ire up.  I made sure that I was super polite and friendly during the entire visit because I know I can get pretty intense when discussing his health.  Even that hour wait in the examining room didn't ignite my temper.  The problem must be that I have many questions that need to be answered thoroughly.   

Having my thoroughness and concern belittled by a professional is not appropriate.  Doctors joking about me doing too much research and worrying too much always comes across as passive aggressive.  Should I start handing out a "I'm not trying to do your job" disclaimer when I make to co-pay?  Better yet, don't tell me to calm down; give me solid information- that's what will make me "chill out."  

To the doctor's benefit, an apology was given (and accepted).  

For Christmas, I am asking Santa for thinker skin.

Riddle me this, Batman

We just (as in 10 minutes ago) found out that Miles needs to have an Upper GI done.  So...how does one convince an infant to drink barium, especially when said infant snubs juice?  I am not looking forward to this and neither is Miles.

Doctors, doctors, doctors

This has been the month of specialists.  First we met our new ENT- who greeted wearing a Batman costume.  Technically, it was Halloween.  Technically, the doc won many cool points with Jesse.  Next, we had an appointment with our new GI specialist, and she thinks I am a high-strung and uptight mother.  Actually, I was pretty mellow during the visit- I just had a lot of questions and knew what I was talking about.  Surprising that my preparedness would be off-putting.  Jesse seems to think that she was trying to be funny, like she really didn't mean for me to "chill out." But that is what she said- and I swear I caught an eye roll, too.  In my classroom, rolling of the eyes buys you lunch detention, or least a lecture.  It's not about having my students like me; it's more about having my students respect me.  (And learning this lesson is a separate story.)  My policy goes both ways; I am respectful of my students.  Therefore, I expect the same treatment from them.  My feathers get insatiably ruffled when adults don't apply the same common courtesy to each other.  In fact, my 8th grades outclass many an adult these days.  But I digress.  Additionally, I am willing to give this doc another shot.  For the next appointment, I will make sure that I am sugary sweet.  Heck, I'll bring cookies.

Tomorrow we return to the geneticist for a follow-up appointment.  She'll review our (parents) karyotypes.  Since we already know that inheritance was negative, I'm not stressing our visit.  Maybe she'll be able to shed some light on Miles' tummy issues.  The GI specialist wanted to wait things out. . . Miles isn't waiting so patiently.  Acid Reflux is wicked.  I'll post a summary of our visit, especially if we learn anything new.   

On a random note: When you run spellchecker, karyotpye always comes out as "carryout."  That makes me laugh.

Give it to Miles; he'll eat anything...

Except avocados!

More sunrise snaps

Nature makes art sooooo easy.

Nags Head, the artsy photos

Thank you, magical iPhoto!  The sunrise shoot was courtesy of Miles' early morning wiggles.  Remember- we had to share our bed with him!

Nags Head, part 2

More pictures from our weekend getaway...just a small sampling of all the new family members Miles met this weekend.  Photo 3 shows where Miles slept Friday and Saturday night.  The pack 'n' play we brought for him to sleep in wouldn't set up.  One side remained collapsed.  So, we built a pillow fortress around the little man, and he stayed safely snuggled for two great nights of snuggles.  I'm hoping he doesn't mind crashing in his own crib tonight.  Though I will miss the symphony of snores- Miles and Dada had some great nostril harmonies!  

Nags Head, part 1

We arrived around midnight on Friday.  We left around noon on Sunday (today).  Brief but beautiful!  Grandma Jewel's family hold their annual reunion in Nags Head, NC.  We are a quick two to three hour drive away.  This was Miles' big debut.  And I think he was a smash hit!  Those are his tootsies touch ocean water for the very first time.

Elmo vs. Rajah- Elmo 0, Rajah 1

This is like the Coke-Pepsi challenge, and Rajah wins the taste test.  Literally!  You'd think my son was made of Snasausages the way Rajah goes after nibbles.  He isn't- but I am sure his cheeks are chicken & sweet potato-flavored (lunch).  

The walker Miles is cruising around in was meant to buy Jesse and me a little more free time.  Apparently, all I needed to do was hide so treats in Miles shirt, and the job would have been done.  Miles loves the dogs so much; he loves to grab their tongues and fur, rub their ears between his tiny, chunky fingers.  And the dogs are brilliant about tolerating infant exploration.  Especially, grump ol' Rajah.  Miles is his favorite toy in the entire house!

Fat Tuesday is now Fat Friday, aka, Halloween

 Kids like choices, right?  This year, thanks to my father-in-law (now Grandpa G), I was able to offer our trick-or-treaters a choice between candy or authentic Mardi Gras beads.  On  one hand, I balanced a heaping bowl of gummy Crabby Patties and Sour Worms.  In the other hand, a teetering bowl of brilliant plastic baubles, a prize for any barracuda worth his weight in scales.  What did the children, all decked out as pirates, cheerleaders, witches, and robbers, choose?  Both, of course!  I decided to let Miles test drive one of the options.  Seeing that he still has no teeth and has yet to taste the sweet glory of candy, he got to swing and smack the beads under close parental and camera supervision.  I'm surprised he didn't lift up his onesie for more beads- just kidding!