Terrible One's?

This was originally written on Tuesday, April 28, 2009:

At Logan's 12-month check up he came in at 23 lbs and 7.5 oz (so I guess still not quite back to his 24 lbs that he was last month before he weaned himself from bottles - but it could also be that he runs now. Seriously, we can go to the store now together and he walks easily down the aisle! It's so much better than carrying him)! This means he's now in the 50th percentile for his weight (completely average) for the first time since he was two weeks old (ever since then he'd always been in either the 75th or 90th). His height was 30.5 inches and his head 18.5 in. His height dropped from the 90th percentile to the 75th (he's varied between the two ever since he was born). His head has finally caught up to his body -- it's now in the 75th percentile! (He was born with it in the 10th percentile and it took until 9 months old to get to the 50th percentile.)

The appointment went well. Our pediatrician said all of the same things that I had posted in my previous blog as far as the changes to make this month, except that he recommends 2% milk and not whole milk (because of children having cholesterol problems these days). So it's a good thing we only bought a half gallon of the whole milk because it looks like we'll finish it up tomorrow.

Also, just like the What to Expect book, our pediatrician doesn't encourage the sippy cup. He is like the book that if a one year old can drink out of a regular cup then that is what they should use so that there isn't another weaning process - he was glad to hear we're doing the straw cup. (Straw Cups-The Better Alternative To Sippy Cups and Straw Cups, Not Sippy Cups) Logan has been drinking 4 oz of water every day out of a regular cup and then an 8 oz straw cup of milk during the early afternoon and an 8 oz straw cup of milk in the evening. Then, three meals and two snacks throughout the day. He hasn't batted an eye at the new eating schedule. Our pediatrician said not to expect him to eat a perfect balanced diet, but knock on wood he is, so far. It's helping me to eat a more balanced diet as well! This is good because what I was afraid of happened -- I'm now up 15 lbs. since I stopped breastfeeding three months ago which puts me at exactly the same weight I was the second semester of my freshman year of college and also spring of 2007 when I weighed the most I ever have not-pregnant. I refuse to weigh any more than this so I'm getting serious now!!!

But to finish today's post -- the other thing that I was glad to hear yesterday is when our pediatrician asked if I am getting a break during the week and taking Logan somewhere to play with kids. I was like, "Yes, just last month we found a babysitter for 8 hrs a week." His face brightened and he said, "Excellent!" Because that is standard for what he suggests to stay at home moms at this 12 month appt. Remember when I said in a previous post that I wished I could find research on whether this would be more positive or negative overall in the long run for Logan? Doc answered that for me. At least, based on his many years of experience, he has no doubt that stay at home mothers and their children are healthier when both have a short break from each other.  I should have had this plan all along rather than think pre-school would be Logan & my first consistant days apart.

I didn't take him to Babysitter's today, though, because when I stayed the second half of the week with Logan at my parents' house last week he became clingy and needy towards me for the first time in his life. It was apparent that he thought I was going to leave him at any second because he's not used to being there with me. He was perfect for them the three days that I wasn't there, as well as when I would sneak away -- but as soon as I came back into his view he would need me to hold him every second and then if I tried to put him down so that I could wash my hands or go to the bathroom he would scream & cry!

The first night we could not get him to sleep and so he actually had to sleep in my bed. But then I was never able to sleep well (although I support it for other people that it works for, I'm glad my son has never wanted to co-sleep because then I'd never sleep)! There have only been two other times that we've co-slept -- the first time was over Thanksgiving in Colorado when he was 7 months old and the second was over Christmas at Joe's mom's house at 8 months old. But both of those times Joe was in the bed, too, so I didn't have to worry as much about Logan rolling off or me rolling on him. Needless to say, I was glad that the next two nights he slept again in the pack n play. But there was even a night here at our house recently that I had to get into his crib(!) and lay next to him because he didn't want me to leave his side (a total first, as here he has never wanted to sleep with us -- our presence makes him awake & active, whereas he has always gone right to sleep in his crib alone). As soon as I would get up he'd wake back up and cry. Finally, after a couple of hours he went back to his normal self and has been going to sleep alone easily on his own for naps and bedtime since.

It also could be that his 7th tooth finally popped up, which may also explain why until the week before his birthday he'd thrown less than a handful of temper tantrums in his life but that week it was whenever I went into the kitchen (on the other side of the baby gate) -- so several times a day! Our pediatrician said that this will start to be common behavior now because "the terrible twos" actually start during age one. So, unlike in his first year of life when I always immediately rushed to his side when he cried, this is when I do the opposite for a full minute ("time out" is the amount of time that matches their age) when he's having a temper tantrum. Because clearly during those times nothing is wrong and it's very obvious he's just trying to see if I will do what he wants -- but, unlike during the first year when it isn't necessary (or healthy) to teach him "who is boss," now begins this "learning experience."

So maybe his sudden neediness last week also just has to do with his age, but as I said when I first took him to Babysitter's, if I ever noticed him acting insecure then I would help him to get secure again. So we won't plan any weekends apart for a couple of months and, in the meantime, I gave him 100% on Sunday, Monday, and today. It worked -- he seems happy, content, and secure again!