another haircut!

sitting impressively still!
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

We honored Dylan's request for "noooo hair!" once again, this time by trimming his own lovely locks!

He sat impressively still while the Toy Box gal worked his hair-do and now his chubby cheeks are in much clearer view!

 

 

Day 119: hair cut day!
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

car karaoke

This was taken today while we were out and about doing a bunch of errands.

back at ... "my howse"

Dylan, Rocky and Grandma Sharon
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

We had such fun in LA, visiting with Eli and Rocky, catching Rocky's dance recital, and visiting with family and friends, it was tough coming back home to new routines!

Dylan moved up to the preschool room (from the toddler room) the day after we got back. He's continuing to make the transition to the new room, being around the bigger kids, and having new teachers. I won't kid ya, it's been rough. Aside from the first day, he's cried every day when I've dropped him off. He's even resorted to asking for more lunch (and requesting to eat it at "my house") to buy more time!

He definitely had a blast spending so much time with family in LA (and so did we!), I think it made it especially challenging to come back home and be back "on his own"! We're looking forward to the next visit later in summer!

recuperatin'

what a little trooper.
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

This past week has been all about sickness and visits to Urgent Care and Pediatrics! Yucko is right! It all started last Tuesday when Dylan had an absolute fit with Tom while I was in the shower. We both thought he was just being a major mommy cling-on, but at breakfast with Taliana and Heather, he actually fell asleep in my arms. Hmmm. And then he was really pretty mellow in Music Together.

Later that day, when I picked him up from daycare, I noticed he felt a little hot, so I stayed home with him on Wednesday. He was still fairly alert and still eating, but by Thursday, things were worst -- fever of 104F, no eating, he was completely lethargic, didn't want to play, etc.

Doctors in Urgent Care diagnosed him with an ear infection (described as ugly with pus) and a sore throat. The strep culture came back negative, but he was prescribed amoxicillin for his ear.

Well, by Saturday, his fever was still at 104 and a chat with the doc revealed that ear infections usually don't have a persistently high fever like this, so back we went to urgent care!

We were told that maybe the antibiotic wasn't working (it apparently only works on 75% of the strains of bacteria) and to check back on Monday.

Although his fever was lower on Monday, it was still there, so we went back to the doctor (this time Pediatrics) to confirm the decision to switch antibiotics and to also ask about his hearing (he'd begun to articulate less well). Glad we went; it turns out his throat looked awful, but his ear was improving. So, the ear is responding to amoxicillin, but the throat thing is viral (not responding to the antibiotics).

Today, Dylan finally was well enough to spend his half day in daycare where he apparently had a good day! And, he's back to eating and drinking.

All throughout the fevers and pain, he's been a trooper! He's clearly on the road to recovery. He's back to his jovial little self -- making jokes, pushing our buttons, testing limits, chattering on....It's great to have him "back"!!

Dylan "hurts" his back

dylan with fanny pack/weight lifting belt
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

Tom wore his weight lifting belt to help support his back when it felt a little sore. When Dylan heard daddy hurt his back, his own back suddenly began to hurt, too -- he started putting his hand on his little back and saying "my back hurts!" So, we needed to give him a little belt to help his back, too....

the potty revival (we hope) +

Dylan balances for a few steps!
Originally uploaded by coffywoman.

After a what seems like a very long hiatus, Dylan finally is trying the potty again. The first time around, the novelty wore off, partly because there was no support for it at daycare (I asked them if they'd take him up to the potty and they said they didn't start doing that until the kids were in the preschool and/or 2-years old), so the project just sort of languished. However, now that a batch of kidlets are graduating from the preschool, making room for the little ones in the toddler room (Dylan included) to move on in, they're beginning to take some of the toddlers up to the potty.

Once we got wind of this, we started whipping out the potty at home, first thing in the morning, first thing after nap, and whenever else we could reasonably anticipate the need.

Dylan hasn't been wholly enthusiastic. He often kinda complains and frowns a lot, but the reminder that he won't need to be wiped with a cold wet wipe if he pees in the potty seems to be a pretty good motivator!

This past weekend, the poor fella had diarrhea, but he made a huge potty breakthrough -- he went poops twice (with the runs even)!

I'm still a little worried that the daycare folks won't be able to give him the patience and encouragement he needs, especially since we're so much in the learning stage still. Right now, we definitely need to coax him to give it a try; sometimes he runs around without a diaper and he won't sit down until he absolutely can't hold his pee anymore! Sometimes, it still takes a little time -- lots of books, songs, etc. -- before we see some results (at least, these are the times when he'll willingly and patiently sit!)!

Now that he'll get some reinforcement at daycare, maybe this time using the potty will stick....

Ok. So that's the potty report. In other news, we watched Jason and Tyler play soccer this past weekend (Dylan was a trooper, he smiled and made the best of it despite the diarrhea) and, during this week's gymnastics, he took a few steps along the raised balance beam all by himself (a few weeks ago, he walked along a beam that was pretty much resting right on the floor).

These are the small things I know I'll forget if I don't write them down!