The Official 6 Month Post!

So I'm late posting this. Big surprise. As promised, here are Hayden's stats:

Weight: 17 lbs 6 oz (50th percentile)

Height: 27" (75th percentile)

Head: 44.2cm (50th percentile)

He got a clean bill of health and the doctor said that he is by far the cutest and smartest baby that ever lived. Okay, the last part is a lie, the first part is true!

Hayden is such a character and its really beginning to show. Like a typical boy, he laughs the hardest at fart noises and loud burps (usually produced by Daddy). He really enjoys watching the Texas Rangers with Dad, and I think he's definitely going to enjoy watching the Baylor Bears this year. He can sit up all by himself now, but hasn't quite perfected the art. He loves putting his toes in his mouth...well, putting anything in his mouth, really.

We are very glad to wave bye bye to age 5 months, as it was difficult on Mommy, Daddy and Hayden. I think we are finally over illnesses and Mom is learning not to freak out if his temp hits 99.9 (I know it's not a fever).

Hayden eats solid food for breakfast lunch and dinner with bottles in between. He likes YoBaby yogurt and we've tried to eat graham crackers. He holds them and gums them, but I'm curious as to how much he actually swallows of the graham cracker. I've been looking ALL over The Fort for teething biscuits, but can't find them. I looked at Target, Babies R Us, and Albertsons. So, if anyone knows where to find them, please give me the heads up. If it's Wal-Mart, I will go, but I will be very bitter about going there. I would say that the most upsetting aspect of Hayden's feeding is feeding him baby food meat. It's absolutely disgusting. I said I wasn't going to do it, but Dr. V said I definitely should. Gross. It is gross too. I can't bring myself to buy jars of just "ham" or "turkey" or "chicken." It just grosses me out more than I can stand. I feel like I would be feeding him dog food. So I buy the mixed jars. Like chicken and apples. Yes, that grosses me out too. Who would ever want to eat apples and chicken, together?! Not me, but I force my child to do it. Actually, he doesn't seem to mind it and I try to keep the gagging to a minimum.

We're also working on the sippy cup. Once a day I'll give him a sippy cup with 2 oz of apple juice and 2 oz of water. Hayden holds it and puts it to his mouth, but he hasn't quite mastered tilting the cup up to drink from it. When he does get it, he likes it a lot.

Last but certainly not least, we are so happy for Hayden's sweet godparents, Jason and Kassidy -- they are expecting a little girl, Anna Eloise James, this January. We are so, so excited for them and can't wait to meet sweet little Anna. We know that they're going to be amazing parents and that Hayden and Anna are going to be bff (and maybe boyfriend and girlfriend -- b/c Hayden is quite the ladies' man).

Next week is Daddy's birthday AND the start of college football season. For Daddy's birthday, Hayden is getting Daddy a BU victory over Wake Forest....we think.

Sic Em!

Enjoy some more Hayden pics:

Hayden is 1/2 a year old!

Official 6 month post, including the chair picture to come after Hayden's 6 month well baby check up on Tuesday. I know all of you are waiting with bated breath to learn Hayden's head circumference -- well, sorry guys, you'll have to wait til Tuesday night! Here's a picture to tide you over until then, since some people (GRANDPA) are complaining about the lack of posts. Our newest trick? Sitting unassisted!

On a Lighter Note....

Hayden plays the air guitar. Enjoy.

5 months ... It Ain't for Sissies!

Well, Hayden is 5 1/2 months old, and it's been hell on the whole Meador family. I don't have a lot of pics to upload, b/c we've had a rough go of it lately. I picked this one picture b/c I thought you could kind of see his 2 new bottom teeth. Not so much though.

5 months started out with feeling a little bump on Hayden's gum. A tooth! I was so excited -- what a big boy. The excitement soon turned to being absolutely beat down. That little bump caused Hayden so much anguish! He would run a low grade temperature at night, and his nose started running. I attributed all these symptoms to the dreaded tooth, and tried to power through. Then, at the end of that same week, Hayden started to have some ... goo (yuck) leak out of his little eyes. I, being the medical professional that I am (whatever) diagnosed this as a clogged tear duct. He had this problem when we was a couple of weeks old. The doctor told me to not worry about it. So I didn't. Besides, I was too obsessed with the stinking tooth to care. So I packed him up to daycare. Nonchalantly, I told his teacher, Miss D, that his eye was goopy, but no worries -- let's talk about this tooth (I told you I was proud of it). Well, Miss D reacted like I told her Hayden was bleeding from his eyes and ears. You would think I just announced he had the Ebola virus. She told me, generously, that Hayden could stay for now, but I better call our doctor. Ugh. So, I called the doctor, who called in some drops. Of course, day care called a couple of hours later and Hayden had to be picked up b/c of the leaky eye. Hayden LOVED the drops (right) and the eye cleared right up.

No problem right? WRONG. Mom and Dad started feeling bad on Saturday. Bad turned in to straight up sick on Sunday. Hayden's eye was clear, but he was coughing. Mom was so worried about her illness and Dad's illness and that TOOTH that I ignored the cough. Mom and Dad's illness culminated in fevers and Zpacks. We were better by Thursday. On Wednesday two teeth were visible in Hayden's mouth. I patted myself on the back for diagnosing all of Hayden's problems (teething, DUH) and by healing my sick family (well the antibiotics healed us). My mom had already made the trip to help us in the event that Hayden caught whatever we had. I was even cocky enough to tell Grammy, "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get to go home on Sunday." Ha. Ha. Ha.

FALSE. Friday afternoon Allyson (now known as Allyson Blow, M.D.) and I were comparing Mommy notes and she mentioned an ear infection. Oh, no, I assured her. Hayden isn't pulling at his ear, he isn't running a temp, he's FINE. No ear infections here. No sooner were the words out of my mouth that I picked up my child and said, "hmmm, he feels warm." Warm = 101.6. Dammit. Seriously. The fever didn't let up on Friday night, or at all on Saturday. The congestion continued. By Sunday, Hayden's fever was as high was 102.8 and he was crying non-stop. The doctor's answering service directed us to Cook's Children's Urgent Care (because, of course all these symptoms developed at 6 pm on Sunday night). Hayden was quickly diagnosed with an ear infection and given antibiotics and ear drops. Poor little guy. Being the sleep champion he is, he was conked out by 9:30 and had to be woken up at 7:30 this morning. There's been a marked improvement now that we have 24 hours of antibiotics in our system. He was still very fussy at bed time tonight, mainly from the lingering congestion, I think (I'm done trying to diagnose these issues myself, it's gotten me into nothing but trouble). The poor little guy just can't breathe through his nose! The good news is he was fever free all day. Needless to say, Grammy didn't leave on Sunday and she's still here (thank God!).

So what have I learned?

• Never, ever doubt Dr. Blow
• I love our daycare very much and there isn't anything I would change about it, but it is a virtual breeding ground for germs. Plus, the petri dishes he goes to school with are the problems, not the facility. I'm obviously kidding, they are darling little children, not petri dishes.
• Ear infections seriously suck. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.
• If a 5 month old could blow his nose, a lot of my problems would be solved.
• Teething is absolutely NOTHING to be excited about. I was so pumped to see those little white nubs make their appearance. Right now I'm kind of hoping he doesn't get anymore (again, I'm kidding....kind of).

Hopefully I'll have a happier child in the coming days and I'll have more pics to share. I hope Hayden's little friends don't abandon him in the wake of his recent illnesses. He promises he'll be able to play when he's no longer contagious!!