Thursday, July 3, 2008

In which I talk about my son and then ask for a bit of advice.

Yesterday was the Little Mister's 12 month well-baby appointment. A little late, I know, but we were in the States around his birthday and this was the first appointment I could get. (and that is a complaint for another day...) Anyway, he's still small: 20.5 pounds and 29.5" long (can I say tall now?). The doctor says "You know he's small, but he's healthy. Beau-ti-ful healthy. And he's built like an athlete."

After we saw the doctor there was some "fun". The Little Mister had to have blood drawn. And then he got four shots. Poor little guy. He screamed like he was dying, and I was nearly crying with him, but the instant I picked him up he stopped, mid-cry. About thirty seconds later I tickled his neck a little, without even thinking about what I was doing, and he giggled. I guess he was fine. Dramatic much? Anyway, this seems to be the only effect of the shots (or possibly it was just the early start in the morning):


He slept for a couple hours and then everything was fine. No fevers, no acting "off" (his usual response to immunizations), no fussing, no pain (even when I massaged his legs like the nurse told me to: he just laughed!)...just bright, happy, full-of-energy baby. Hooray! (I wouldn't have turned down his usual extra nap, though..)

And now, with no brilliant segue way (I'm tired this morning) we reach the point in the post where I start asking for advice. Because you are all brilliant, my bloggy friends, and I know I can count on you for help. ;)

Quest for Advice #1: Breakfast

Any suggestions on what to serve a one-year-old for breakfast? Eggs, cereal, oatmeal, toast...it seems like I'm giving him the exact same meals over and over again. I don't have trouble being creative with lunch and dinner, but I've always been a cereal eater so I just can't think of anything else for breakfast. And since my son eats EVERYTHING, I want to give him a variety of things to try out.

Quest for Advice #2: The Bathtub Stinker

Yes, that is what I have begun to call my son. Ever since we got home from our trip he seems to think that the bathtub is the place to poop. Nearly every night. What do I do about this?? I'm getting very tired of cleaning out the tub, cleaning off the baby, running new bathwater, etc... (And this time I'm being serious, not like the last time I wrote about the Little Mister's fun with bodily functions...)


Can you help me?

19 comments:

  1. 1. Hard boiled egg cut into atom-sized pieces with a side of cheerios and some mushed bananas.
    Mashed avocado with some wee toast cube chasers.
    Little french toast cubes and some berries.
    Yogurt and berries with a little sprinkle of granola (with no raisin and nuts).
    Baked custard. I don't know why more people don't make custards - they're easy, quick to prepare and gentle to eat.

    As for 2# - Try sitting him on a potty as soon as you notice him getting ready to launch. It probably won't work but it couldn't HURT.

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  2. Our pediatrician just told us that we might want to stay away from peanut butter and eggs until Ben is closer to 2 years old. Apparently kids are developing allergies to them later and later. Although if the child was breastfed then it seems that the worry is null. So we still have been giving it to him. Just thought I would mention it. ??

    We usually give Ben Oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, eggs with cheese, whole wheat toast, bananas. It is hard to mix it up much but he doesn't seem to mind hte repetition.

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  3. My boys love frozen waffles (I buy the whole grain kind) and blueberry pancakes. Smoothies are yummy and kid friendly, too ~ I used to make them with protein powder, bananas, yogurt, OJ. We found "healthy" poptarts at the grocery store ~ a special treat for them (careful, they're addicting!)...

    I like Beck's idea of putting him on the potty so he'll poop there when you notice him getting ready. I wouldn't think he'd be anywhere near ready to potty train, but what better place to put the poop? It will save you from getting fresh bath water anyway!

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  4. Having not point of reference I unfortunately have no advice. However, I love the picture of him sleeping and the story of the great hystrionics from his shots! He is beautiful.

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  5. How about some of that YObaby yogurt. Andy loves it. The apple kind is delish.

    I have the opposite issue. Andy is HUGE. I wish I had a smaller baby because people look at him and think he is two years old. He is already in 24 mos. clothes and the shirt he has on today is 2T. He's 9 mos. old and weighs thirty pounds. People look at him funny like, "why isn't that two year old walking yet". And to carry him.. they should invent a workout centered around carrying a thirty pound 9 month old. Don't fret his size, he's adorable and oh so handsome.

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  6. He's such a cutie. And that is the sum total of comment I can contribute today. Well, that and now I want to eat custards. Beck is murder on my waistline.

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  7. Glad his check-up went well. Little Billy has always been small - still is - for his age. I just keep hopeing he will get a growing spurt when he hits puberty. We call him "Little" Billy because he is a junior - but he is ... little.

    Try french toast or waffles (frozen) or egg mcmuffin (egg/bacon or egg/sausage on and english muffin - YUM). Maybe cream-of-wheat - my kids love that. Also, gravy over biscuts - that's a Texas thing - add a steak on the side and you are set - HA!

    Good luck and see you soon - Kellan

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  8. Breakfast? Fruit and cottage cheese . . . omelettes (a good way to get veggies in him), or grits.

    Also - um - my son was 31.5 inches at 10 months and 29 lbs. 14 oz. And that's why we call him the Sumo. I think he'll be at least 32.5 inches by the time his one year rolls around. Which is (gag) SO MUCH SOONER THAN I WANT IT TO HAPPEN!!!!

    As for pooping in the tub? Good luck!

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  9. You could give muffins, cottage cheese, beans, pancakes. However, cut yourself some slack and give the same few things every morning. If you are creative with the other two meals, don't stress out.

    THe pooping in the bath sucks. Hold off bath a little longer till he's done it in his diaper. That worked with ours. On nights he hasn't pooped before bath, get him in, clean him, and get him out quickly before he can do it.

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  10. We eat a lot of yogurt. Also bagels are good. Also, don't think that just because it is breakfast it has to be breakfast foods. If he liked what you made for dinner the night before then heat up the leftovers for him in the morning.

    I don't know about the other. Maybe wait a little later to give him a bath until he has already pooped.

    Good luck!

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  11. I read somewhere that people have conservative palates in the morning. That's why I like to eat exactly the same cereal for breakfast every single morning. I always figured my babies were the same way.

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  12. I was going to say yogurt and fruit. OR make up a bunch of healthy muffins once a week and keep them in the freezer so you can pull them out and let them thaw over night and have one in the morning...you know bran or somesort of carrot whole wheat...things like that. I am all for cookinng once and having several days of something good and easy.

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  13. Hello love, he really is a beautiful baby, I'm afraid I have no children of my own so I will only really come into my own when he hits three... so till then i'll give it a bash! Breakfast... do you make smoothies? they are great in the morning... lots of fruit and yoghurt all mushed together to make yummy goodness.
    The toilet thing..... well... not sure really maybe sit him on the potty just before bath time and keep it nearby for when you think he is about to let one rip!!

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  14. Breakfast--I'm with you. I eat the same thing every day. My (probably bad) advice is to feed him the most healthy things he'll eat--like oatmeal--all the time, so that's what he thinks breakfast is about. Then the day the pop tarts show up (from the grandparents, at the friends' house, wherever), he won't even LIKE them!

    The bathtub thing--I think some kids just do this. My 2nd daughter did because she had very bad constipation problems. The tub must have relaxed her and let her do it without pain. She's got laxative now (for the past 2-1/2 years), and that fixed the problem. I feel for you, though. That clean up was my husband's job (which I know is impossible for you). I couldn't stand it. It made me gag. Probably I could have done it if there was no alternative (and did a couple of times he was out of town), but overall, not fun. I don't know why other kids do it, but I've heard of others besides mine that do it because of the relaxing atmosphere and warm water. If he has any problem with it at all, that could be the reason.

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  15. Can you give one year olds pancakes? I totally love pancakes- you can make them semi-healthy by putting blueberries in them and peanut butter on top (before the syrup).

    I loved Cream of Wheat when I was little- with some smushed bananas on top.

    My #1 favorite breakfast food: YOGURT!! it's the best!

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  16. There are lots of good suggestions on food, so I'll just say "what they said."

    I am with Beck on the pooping. Corinne used to hold her poop and hated going in the diaper at around 18 months old. Seriously, she was pooping on the potty that young. Weirdo. ANYway! Watch him. He might like the freedom around his tush in the tub. I can't blame him. Can you imagine having to poop with a diaper pressing against your butt? Ew.

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  17. I'm a cereal every day kind of person, so I'm afraid I'm no help. Sometimes I really whoop it up and add fruit and yogurt to the mix. I'm just crazy that way.

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  18. Little mister sounds like the little princess. She is 95th percentile in height and 30th or so in weight. NO clue where that comes from. We stick with frozen waffles, toast with cream cheese, or cheerios for breakfast. Boring over here. Certain textures she doesn't like anyway, like melons. I haven't tried eggs yet, though it is on my list. No advice on the tub problem. I haven't had it (thank goodness!!!!). I hope I didn't jinx myself.

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