HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY MONKEY!!

That is right, the dreaded day is upon us....Andrew turned one today! :(

More to come later - pictures, etc. But I just wanted to give his stats real quick. We have already seen two drs this morning. His weight is 19 pounds 3 ounces - YAY!!!!
Good weight gain and moved up to SEVENTH PERCENT (not bad since he has been three percent forever)! PROGRESS - FINALLY! His length was 19 3/4 in.

We went and saw Dr. V first (GI dr). She was impressed with his progress. I got lectured because he drinks too much of the Splashers. I explained that I am not going to let him get dehydrated. He won't take his formula very well and he is very picky about his drinks, so I am going to give him what I have to to keep him out of the hospital again!

She also told us to try him back on milk in his food (not milk in a cup yet). We gave him some milk in food last weekend and it was about three days before he had any problems. The only problem he had was his bottom bled after one diaper, but I really think he had sat in his diaper too long! After that one time, his bottom was fine. He never threw up, broke out in a rash or anything. She said she does not have enough evidence to say he definently has a milk problem and since we have now seen what kind of weight gain is possible, she wants to see what will happen over the next month with milk.

Then we went to see Dr S (the pediatrician). While we were there, we were looking at a book with animals in it. On each page was several animals. Every time we turned the page he would find the dog, point to it and say dog. He did this right as Dr. S was asking how many words he could say. To answer that further, he has around ten words in his vocabulary. He tries to copy everything we say though. If he cannot copy what we say, he just responds with a "yeah".

He is running around everywhere! He is also still climbing on everything. He is still offered about 3 bottles a day, although I am going to TRY to get him to take the formula out of a cup. We will stay on the hypoallergenic formula for at least the rest of the month to see how he does with milk back in his diet. Formula out of the cup will probably be one of our biggest challanges. My fear is that he will stop taking a cup. Right now he knows the cup has GOOD stuff in it, he doesn't really like the taste of the formula, so I don't know how he will do!

His thumb is all dry and rough. I showed it to the dr. He said as long as he sucks his thumb, it will stay like that. He told us we could put hydrocortisone on it. Maybe the taste will make him stop sucking it (before we have to pull out tabasco sauce)!

He is wearing size 12 month (except shorts which he wears a 0/3 month). I am in the process of making him a belt because I can't find one that fits his tiny waist! His shoe size is a 4 (got big feet!)

I will post pictures later today.