Oh our Zach has been just awesome this last month. From the photos, I can tell he’s grown up in the past month too.
I ended my 10 month post saying Zach had started waving. So yeah, the waving was waving & also, mostly, signing milk. It took us a few days to figure that out but it’s awesome & pretty handy to know when he’s hungry. I guess he’s used to {& learned it at} daycare signing for bottle. So when he signs milk, he’s asking for a bottle. He gets 3 of those at daycare & depending on him & the evening 1-2 at home. He’ll nurse well with me overnight & in the am.
He’s eating solids so well {I’ve had to start sending more into daycare} & thus growing. I weighed us last night & fully dressed he was over 17 lbs! I’d *love* for that to be true.
He’s jumped from wearing mostly 3-6 mo cloths for the last months into some kinda tight 6 mos clothes & I’ve been introducing 9 mo clothes too! Nine month pjs especially as he’s pretty long. Yay Zach!
Zach blew us away this weekend by “walking”! Aka pushing a walker toy around the den. He’s continued getting better pushing toys here & at daycare this week. I’m calling it that he’ll be our first walker!
We went Monday morning as a follow up from Zach’s 9 month pediatrician check up. If you’ll remember, that’s when our PA was nervous at how small Zach still was. We decided as a result of that appointment, for me to stop breastfeeding him in the evenings & give him fortified bottle{s} instead. We also talked about continuing to encourage solids.
I’m happy to say the appointment Monday morning went really well. Zach had gained a pound {he was 15 lbs 5.5 oz naked}. So yes, he’s still little. And yes, he’s still not on the WHO growth chart. But as I told the doctor, I can see in photos that his cheeks are puffier & he’s eating bottles & solids great.
His doctor felt like he showed enough improvement that we don’t have to go back until their 12 month appointment! Our plan is to stick with what we’re doing. Keep encouraging healthy high fat solids & doing fortified bottles at daycare & in the evenings. She also recommended added rice cereal/oatmeal into yogurt/fruit to up the calorie count just a little bit more.
She gave me samples of a new preemie formula to start using. Gerber Good Start {the preemie 22 cal version}. Anyone used it? Since I noted my frozen stash is dwindling & we might have to give part formula bottles at some point in the next couple months, she recommended the Good Start stating it was supposed to taste more like breast milk than Enfacare while still having all the preemie formula benefits. So we’ll start giving that a try when our current can is done.
Yay for our ‘{not so} lil guy beef up goal’ to be working! Here’s hoping he’s grown into the 9 month {16.5 lb+} summer outfits I got him at the consignment sale last Friday night by spring!
I’m still kinda in shock that I’m writing TEN month posts. Double digits. It’s wild. As I’m typing this evening, Z {& L too} are taking great evening car-seat naps. They’ve started dropping those. But I think at the end of the week, they’re tired. So they’re napping; I’m furiously writing. {Written Fri. They woke up soon after.}
Zach is pretty awesome these days {minus the biting}. But even with it, I understand he’s just learning & exploring the fact that he has SIX teeth in his tiny mouth! His two bottom ones are very easy to see in his open mouth smiles. It takes opening & lifting his top lip to see the four up there. It’s very cool.
I’m not sure if it’s the teeth. Or peer pressure from the rest of his classmates {& sister} eating. Or just being old enough that food tastes good to him. But he now eats fabulously at daycare. And well here 75% of the time. Zach always does great with finger foods & puffs, graham crackers, etc. He’s began to open his mouth for me to give him solids too. He likes yogurt & fruits as well as veggies & potatoes & beans too. We did chicken one night & he liked those bites. I need to start doing more meats as well as pureeing our food.
Zach’s doing great taking fortified bottles {1 tsp of enfacare formula in 6 oz of my milk}. He gets 3/day at daycare & 1-2 more before bed at home. He nurses with me overnight & first thing in the morning. On weekends, he’ll nurse overnight, all day then get 2 bottles in late afternoon & evening.
Between the bottles & food, I really think he’s put on weight in the last month. At his appt tomorrow morning, I’m hoping for over 16 lbs. I think he might be there based on how 6 mo clothes are now fitting & the 3-6 mo ones he’s worn since Nov no longer fit. He’s also leaking a little with size 2 disposable diapers. And the small cloth diapers are looking silly on him.
Capturing a ten month old sitting still is near impossible!
Wubbas are still his bffs {he now has a monkey, giraffe & a tiger}. We also have a red crinkly block that he’ll throw/push/play with crawling around the room. He’s recently a big fan of putting socks or bibs in his mouth & crawling around with them too. Its hilarious.
Zach pulls up & cruises all along the coffee table & couch {especially in search of me}. But he’s not standing solo or walking yet. But that’s coming very soon.
Zach falls asleep between 730-830p {usually after a bottle snuggling with his Dada on the couch on a pillow}. He sleeps well in his crib on all fours with his booty in the air typically until between 1 &3a. He’ll nurse quickly & fall asleep. But he’s a big fan of co-sleeping with us for the rest of the night. Thankfully he hasn’t had any more accidents. We usually have to wake him up around 730a to get going on weekdays & he might sleep til 830a on weekends.
I’m so blessed with late sleepers. I still swear that 530a is the middle of the night. Hell, so is 630a for us!
Happy 10 months {a few days later} Poo! {Yes, Zachy Poo’s been shortened to just Poo. & he’ll look up when you say it. :)}
PS- this weekend we discovered Zach can wave & clap!!
We had Lucy & Zach’s 9 mo pediatrician appointment this morning.
I wasn’t shocked by Lucy being 17.5 lb & 27 in long. Still right above the 25th percentile. She took her Hep shot like a champ & was deemed perfectly healthy. Ped said see ya in three months!
Now onto Zacher. He’s still little. I said in his 9 mo update that I hoped he was over 14 lbs. My secret goal was for him to be over 15 lbs. He’s 14.5 lb & 26 in long. He’s under the 1 percentile for length {for first time} & well under the 1 percentile for weight. Da dum.
I was nervous & yet kinda prepared & not shocked by this y’all. He doesn’t eat well when he’s sick. He’s more easily distracted while nursing. I think he stops when he has to work for milk while nursing. He doesn’t eat purees well.
The dreaded “failure to thrive” wasn’t said or even mentioned. He’s been gaining weight. Just not as much weight as they want to see.
So what are we going to do? Here’s the plan. We go back on March 25th for a weight check. Between then & now, we’re going to introduce more finger foods {since he likes to feed himself}. He loved yogurt at daycare the other day & our ped said that was great to add calories, so I’m going to stock up on yobaby. I’m going to try mashed potatoes with him tonight & maybe pasta later this week. We’ll keep trying purees & continue to fatten those up with rice cereal &/or oatmeal mixed in.
And as for nursing/breast milk/bottles/formula. This is where my heart’s a little sad. Since I know my supply in the afternoon & evenings has gotten low, we’re going to give him bottles for these two post-daycare feedings. This way we can fortify them with a teaspoon of enfacare {like we already do to his daycare bottles} & we can also know for sure that he’s getting the 5-6 oz a bottle that he needs. The plan is to continue to nurse him overnight & in the mornings as long as he seems satisfied. If he doesn’t seem satisfied, we’ll add a bottle after we nurse.
Thank God for my crazy pumping over the summer. We’ll be going through my stash more rapidly now & I’m going to keep pumping three times a day at work. Our plan is for me to keep nursing Lucy as she’s growing well on her curve & seems a more focused & patient nurser. I’ll either offer her both sides in the evenings or pump the other side if necessary.
Anyone have ideas for healthy yet fatty foods for 9 mo old who doesn’t love purees? Other tips to fatten up a skinny boy?
Zach went from reluctantly crawling just after his last month day to taking off & speed crawling. He loves pulling up on everything too. He doesn’t like to be confined in exersausers or seats for long, but he’ll play on the ball table for a while then stretch out his arm to reach for the next toy.
His monkey &/or tiger wubba nub pacis are kept close by. He’s a fan of Sophie & rings/keys he can shake & bang too.
Zach 9 mos {& 1 day}
Zach’s smile is a lady & dude killer – people stop to tell us how stinkin cute he is all the time. And we agree! He smiles freely & has started sharing his soft voice with us more & more. Zach is also now saying dadada along with ga & ba & wonderful giggles & laughs.
Zach is still our little guy. We’ll know for sure after their 9 mo appt, but I’m guessing he’s around 14 lbs. He’s wearing a 3-6 mo gymboree outfit. The sleeves are a bit short but it otherwise fits great. I’ve been transitioning him to 6 mo onesies & pants for length & am thankful to the bulk of cloth diapers for helping hold up the pants!
He’s moved into size 2 disposable diapers; Huggies naturals & honest co ones don’t give him blisters so we stick with them overnight. We can still put Zach in small sized cloth diapers & one sized diapers on the small setting.
I think Zach benefited from my being gone a couple days, we learned he needed more than 5oz in his bottles plus he had fortified milk for those couple days. I think it might’ve added a lil weight. His separation anxiety with me might be a lil better. I think dude might’ve just been really hungry. He still nurses with me before & after daycare & overnight, but we sometimes give him a half bottle before bed.
Zach is still not a big puree fan. But homeboy loves mum mums, puffs & yogurt melts. I load up his tray with those & he’ll go at it. I’ll try to sneak in some fruits & veggies when he opens his mouth for another puff.
Zach now has four teeth. The top two arrived the first weekend in Feb & are really growing in. He teethes like a champ. We don’t even realize it until I reach in his mouth & find a tooth! Seriously easy, happy lil guy.
Happy 9 months {a few days late} Zach!
I’ve decided to add the Baby Center milestones to their posts as I think they’re pretty well caught up developementally.
Master Skills {most kids can do}: Stands while holding onto something YES Jabbers or combines syllables SOMETIMES
Understands object permanence YES
Emerging Skills {half of kids can do}: Cruises while holding onto furniture YES
Drinks from a sippy cup WE HAVEN’T REALLY TRIED MUCH Eats with fingers YES!
Bangs objects together YES
Advanced Skills {a few kids can do}: Plays patty-cake and peek-a-boo NOPE
Says “mama” or “dada” to the correct parent NOPE
