Two year check-up

This morning when I got up I heard Levi holler "Bebe!" and then woof woof pant pant. So I went in to get him out of his crib and he said "na na" and I said 'Mama' so he said 'mama' which was nice. So he laid on the changing table saying 'nana and then I would say 'mama' and then he would say 'mam'a and we seemed to be making some progress. Later when I was holding him waiting for his oatmeal to warm up I asked him if he could say "me" and he did so then I asked him to say 'mommy' and he did say "mommy" one time. YAY! I was thrilled but couldn't get him to say anything else after that, he wanted his food.

At 8:30 am we had an appointment with Dr Tom for Levi to have his annual check-up. The gal at the desk gave me the usual form to fill out regarding his advancement, and I got a little flustered when I had to answer NO to the very first question.I think the question was "Does your child put two different words together?" and Bye Bye didn't count. If Bye Bye didn't count then I figured Night Night probably didn't count either so I had to circle No. Off to a bad start. You can only fill out the form until three no's are circled. Question two was little sketches of animals and it asked you to have your child identify at least one. Levi got the Cat (meow meow), Horse (clip clop), Bird (he actually said Bird). When I pointed to the dog he said meow again and when I pointed to the man he wasn't sure what to do so he just babbled something unintelligible. Well at least we could answer YES for that one. Then the next question was asking your child to identify body parts. There was eye, nose, ear, mouth, hair, tummy and feet. He got all of those with flying colors. Yea! The fourth question said to put the paper on the floor and ask your child to jump over it. Score a yes if your child can get both feet off the ground. Well I asked Levi "can you jump?" And I jumped. He thought this was fun and he bent his knees and stood again and thought he was jumping but his feet never came off the floor. Oh well. NO number two. The fifth question asked if your child dresses themselves, t-shirt, pants or shoes. One of Levi's flip-flops had come off so I asked him if he could put his shoe on, and he said "Da da!" and pointed outside the play room where Matt was sitting. So we went out to see Matt and then they called our name back into the exam room.

Camille told us to undress him down to his diaper and bring him back out to be weighed and measured. He got a little fussy and it was like he remembered this place and the SHOTS. His weight was 24.5 lbs, and his height was (we think) 33 inches. This put him into the 9th percentile for weight and the 12% for height, or was it the other way around? His head was in the 40th percentile. After a minute or two Dr Tom came in and shook our hands and said hello and asked how Jack was doing. Jack? He caught the error right away and mentioned that he had another patient named Jack Babbitt who was born only 2 days after Levi. He mused he might be calling Levi Jack the whole visit, but really only made the mistake one other time.

We talked a lot about the survey. We told him that he is just an easy-going kid who is happy to have us do things for him, like the dressing himself question, he will put his arms through the holes himself, and go fetch his shoes and then hold out his foot when we need to put them on. He just never tries to do it all by himself, so Dr Tom thought we should encourage him to do more. He asked about teeth brushing and I said he is happy to have me brush them - well he wants us to have Levi do more of that himself also. We also had a conversation about Levi's language skills (or lack thereof). So we are supposed to work more on that the next couple of months and go back in to see him the first part of October. If he hasn't made any progress then we can talk about getting someone educational involved.

We also talked about his diet and sleep habits, he is doing great sleeping through the night and falling asleep on his own. He loves fruit but his list of vegetables that he doesn't like is growing. Usually he will take one bite and spit it out, which is ok - he is tasting it and that is important.

Dr Tom did stress that we shouldn't be making any of it into a fight, the only things we should be sure to battle about and win are safety issues. He asked if he was around other kids much and we said no, not really except for occasionally in church but he isn't really interacting with them there.

Levi still has his heart murmur and sounds the same as before. We don't worry about that until he turns three, if it is still present then.

On the drive home Matt and I talked about trying to get him together with other kids his age that are a little older in the hopes that maybe he could pick up some more language. And Matt said he would try talking to him more and working with him during the day.

Thomas the Tank Engine

Levi just got done playing with his train on the table, and he came up and pointed at the TV and made the motorcycle noise... he wanted to play the motorcycle game. I asked him if he wanted to watch Thomas the Tank Engine instead, he got really excited and nodded yes. We went to his bedroom and wiped off his face, and then I put him down. He got all excited and ran, giggling the whole way, to the rocking chair. He climbed up there, and had a smile from ear to ear. So now we're watching Thomas the Tank Engine video. -Matt

Another day at the pool

Sunday morning Levi slept in until about 8 AM and then we got up and had a late breakfast with Susan, Richard, Amber, and Lille. This time on the menu was eggs and potatoes, strawberries and juice. Some of us also chose to have an egg mcmuffin with stripples and cheese.

We aimed to be at the Milton-Freewater pool when it opened at 11:30 but we were a little behind schedule and probably got there closer to noon. Levi was tired and fell asleep on the way to the pool so I wasn't sure how he would do today. I got him out of the car-seat and into the pool area without waking him up. But as soon as I laid him down on a towel his eyes popped open and he looked around and saw where he was. Oh boy! He sure does love the water.



Off he went with Matt close on his heels to wade in at the kid's end. Our friend Jenee' was there with her daughter Maddaly, and her friend Alicia (from our birthing class) with her daughter.

We coaxed Susan into the pool once or twice but otherwise it was mainly Matt and myself swimming with Levi. He again wanted to go down the frog slide over and over. Lille sat in the shade with Amber.

Levi started acting really tired so we left the pool to take him home for a nap. He would not go to sleep until about 4 pm. I stayed home with him since I wasn't feeling too well, while Matt went with the rest of the family to La Casita for dinner with Jerry and Venetha.

In the meantime, about 3:30, my mom stopped by to say hello while she was in town.

Saturday night after dinner Susan, Richard, Matt and I played Apples To Apples and had a good time. Then Amber joined us and we played a game of Uno, which Amber won.

July 19 2008

Sabbath morning Susan, Richard, Amber and Lille came over for breakfast and we had granola or other cereal options with fresh berries - strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Yum!

After that we went to church and got to Sabbath School after it was already 1/2 over. Oh well. Levi had a great time, as usual. During church he busied himself by going through Susan's purse.

For lunch we had vegeburgers - Matt's special recipe, and then Levi took a nap.



We spent some time at the little kid's park on the WWU campus and Levi had a blast, as always, playing on all the equipment.

Saturday evening we all go together again and went out to eat at Pacific Express in eastgate. I had not been there and it was quite good.

More family

This evening we had more family arrive in town to see Levi. Matt's mom Susan, her husband Richard, mother Lille and daughter Amber all made the trip over for a long weekend visit.

Friday evening we sat and visited a spell while Levi opened up some more birthday presents. We especially liked the Levi-sized Quicksilver t-shirts, now he can be just like dad.

Boat

Tonight Levi attempted to say "boat" and although it sounds a lot like bowl and ball, he is making an effort to say new words and that is always good news.

Levi loves the pool

On Sunday we went to the Milton-Freewater Aquatic center. Some of you may remember photos from this pool last year. It is a lot of fun for people of all ages, but especially the younger kids with its shallow water end.



Levi loved the frog slide, and would get out of the water and run over to the stairs and get in line. Sometimes he was not so patient and would try to squeeze around the bigger kids in line to get to the front sooner. Matt or I would catch him at the bottom and he would giggle and race around to do it again and again.

He learned how to say 'rib-it' this past week for a frog too, so practiced this new skill.

He was so happy to be at the pool and had a giant smile and laugh all day long.

Levi's Second Birthday

July 12th - Levi's birthday. Our big kid is two years old already - wow, how did that happen?!

We started the day out by going to Sabbath School. Wes, Joanie and my mom attended with Matt and I to watch Levi in his class. It was a new theme this time and Levi had a great time. They passed a big stuffed kitty around and Levi loved it. He went and got it and brought it back to his chair when the song for that was over. He just held it and patted it. He is also doing really good with taking his felts up and putting them on the board. He also loves to throw his little fish into the wading pool. He got to sit in the purple chair and everyone sang to him while he put two pennies in the rabbit bank. Then everyone sang again while the teacher lit the candles on the fake cake. He was eager to blow them out. He did such a great job. Another boy in his class also had a birthday in the past week so we sang to him also and there is one photo of Jonathan in the album.



After that we came home and took care of some last minute things before the BBQ started for lunch about 1:30 pm. We had veggie hot-dogs (big franks and linketts) and grillers. Thanks to everyone we had a wide array of foods including corn on the cob, pasta and potato salads, coleslaw, fruit and a relish plate. I could not have done it alone so thank you again to everyone for pitching in! Once everyone cleared their plates I went in to decorate the cake. We decided on a patriotic theme this year, so I made a yellow cake with whipped cream, strawberries and blueberries. It turned out quite well. Levi again did a great job blowing out his candles, he really has the hang of it this year!

Then Levi opened presents. Thank you to everyone for your generosity. One humorous moment was when Levi opened up a card, saw a check inside and took it and threw it to the ground. Well! At the end Wes said he had a special surprise for Levi around the front of the house, so we all walked around and there was a little retro Tricycle with a big blue bow. It is a little big for him, but he will grow into it and has enjoyed pushing it around.

Jerry and Wes helped to assemble one of the train sets Levi got for his birthday. Those photos are at the end.

Levi had a great second birthday and we have all of you to thank for making it a special day.

Cleaning house

Today Levi picked up a dirty bowl that was on the floor and held it out for me, and then motioned to the kitchen. I asked him if he wanted to put it in the sink, and he nodded and then giggled all the way to the kitchen where he reached for all his might and dropped the bowl into the sink. What a smart boy. It's scary how much he understands.

More skills

Levi just screwed the end on my weight set. That's the first time he's been able to turn it, then let go, then turn it again the same direction. Before he's only turned it back and forth without letting go!

Later, I watered the garden while we were playing with the hose. Then Levi got ahold of it, and he figured out how to put his finger in the hose end and make it spray! It was priceless!

-Proud Dad

Montana Trip

This weekend we drove with my mom to Ronan, Montana to visit my mom's mom Joyce and her husband Orville Baer.
They have a lovely plot of land with a cozy house and man, what a view! The Montana mountains are so majestic!

My mom's sister Kim and her daughter Alison were also there visiting (from Virginia) and it was nice to see them.

July 4th we woke up and Joyce treated us to stewed peaches over pancakes. After breakfast we decided to give Levi his gifts so he would have some new toys to play with for the weekend. We decided to have a little pre-birthday party for him since my grandma and Kim won't be here this weekend for his birthday.

For lunch we had haystacks and Grandma Joyce had cooked the beans up from scratch for the first time in her life. They were delicious. Then she made a cake for Levi so we could celebrate his birthday there with Joyce and Orville and Kim and Alison since they won't be at his party next week. It was also good practice for Levi to blow out the candles. He surprised me and knew just what to do and didn't hesitate and had them extinguished in no time flat!

After the party the wind picked up outside and it started raining. Matt and Levi were out on the deck and Levi stood in the rain for a little bit before deciding maybe it really wasn't all that fun. KP bundled him up in a blanket and we all gathered around to watch this storm. The rain came down hard and the wind blew forth and all the trees were bending over. The rain was flying sideways as it came down. We got some photos so be sure to check them out.

The storm did not last very long but during it the power went out. So grandma went and got what water she could from the well before it quit coming out and divided it up among us all and we sat on the deck and played Rummycube. I lost all three rounds, and in one of them I never did get to lay anything down! It was really fun.

The power was restored before bed and all was well.



Matt and Levi and I stayed up to watch the fireworks display. A number of people in the town of Ronan 4 miles away sent some up and we set up the camera on the tripod and took some photos. Then the guy across the street started setting some off so we moved to the other side of the deck and got some photos of his.

The next day we drove to Glacier National Park and spent the day up there. We took the bus up the mountain and played in the snow. Then we took a hike on a mountain trail.

2nd haircut

In anticipation of Levi's 2nd birthday....

No, really we cut his hair because it was getting very long and curly on top, having never been trimmed except around the sides and back of his head once before. The heat we have had lately has caused his head to sweat (he sweats on his upper lip too, just like me) and as a result his hair was standing up all over much like the guy in the Eraserhead movie. Matt sat on the tub wall and Levi sat in his lap. We showed him what we were going to do before we turned it on. He was a little worried at times but overall happy and a good sport. I got it all on video so maybe one day we'll have that up for all to see.