Lumpy Heads

Mauer had his doctor’s appointment at the Seattle Children’s Hospital on Friday. Just sitting in the waiting room made us thankful that we have such a healthy child. The possibility of a “misshaped head” was nothing compared to the tiny kids with tubes coming out their noses. Our visit was less than 10 minutes and was very reassuring. This woman looks at faces and heads all day long. She could see what our pediatrician was concerned about and was able to determine (quickly) that Mauer’s head is JUST FINE! Then she asked Todd to take his hat off; he got a skull exam too! At that point, she was even more convinced that Mauer was developing “normally.”

On Friday, we celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary. We splurged and went out to dinner. Todd took Mauer and me to my favorite restaurant – the Hearthfire. This overlooks The Sound; it has a cool ambiance and great food. They are featuring a peach-lemonade. SO GOOD! Mauer was a champ at the restaurant; he sat in his highchair for almost an hour.

Craniofacial Specialist

Mauer's appointment is scheduled for August 20th. Todd and I will both be able to be at the appointment, which is all the way up in Seattle! We'll update when we know more!
In addition, the 20th will be Todd and my 5th wedding anniversary!

6 Months Plus!

Mauer has been a busy boy!

• He has been really "exploring" with his tongue. Of course he puts everything in his mouth but lately he's been really moving his tongue around each item.
• When he's on his tummy, he will lift his tummy off the floor. He can only hold it up for a few seconds at a time. Todd's been helping him with his upper body strength. They do chin-ups and stuff.
• He's getting really good at squirming around on the floor. When he's on his tummy, he can scoot backward and do a "360."
• Mauer has been suspicious of the mirror the last few days. It started one morning while he was sitting in his bumbo seat on the floor in the bathroom. I was getting ready for work- brushing my teeth, putting on make-up. He made eye contact with me in the mirror. So I started to smile and talk to him. Then he looked at me in real life. I looked back and smiled and talked to him. He returned his gaze to the mirror; so I again, looked at him in the mirror and smiled and talked. We did this back and fourth a few times. It happened again today, but today he was looking with more intensity. Cute!
• His favorite toys right now are stacking cups. They are a variety of colors and they "nest" inside one another. He can bang them together, push them around, put them in his mouth. The possibilities are endless!
• Solid food is still challenging. We keep trying, but we're not pushing it too much. We know he'll eat when he's ready. Last night he KIND OF enjoyed a sweet potato.

Below are pictures from last weekend!

Update on Solids

Solids are getting a little better. Mauer tries something new about every 4th day. So far, he’s had rice cereal, banana, carrots, and avocado. He eats with us at the table each night. As time has gone by, he seems to accept new foods into his mouth. Although, once it’s on his tongue, he is not too sure about swallowing. Usually, it’s with a gag and a full body shudder! The pictures are classic. I hope you enjoy them!

If you weren't sure... above is carrots, below is avacado.

Mauer's Head- Update

Mauer's pediatrician, Dr. Sundell, called on Monday morning, as promised. She said that they were reconsidering the CT scan and opting to send him to a cranio-facial specialty clinic in Seattle instead. I believe it is at Children's Hospital. I'm feeling much better about this plan because he can be observed by experts. I don't want to sound disrespectful, but Dr. Sundell is just a regular old pediatrician! We won't be able to schedule the visit until we get the referral approved by our insurance. Thankfully, they are known for a relatively quick turn around! We will keep you posted when we know more.

On another note, our friend, Baby Elsa (see pictures from MN) has been in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in Minneapolis since Tuesday. She unexpectedly had to have a shunt placed next to her brain! She's resting and recovering as expected but she's only 4 months old. Please keep them in your thoughts & prayers.