To the Clinic Again

I've about decided to buy a laptop and just do my Sunday blogging from the St. Francis After Hours clinic with as much time as we've spent there lately. We made yet another trek there Sunday afternoon and after a strep culture, a flu test, and a chest x-ray, we came home with no answer other than a probably viral infection. We didn't have school yesterday because of Presidents' Day so Caleb and I hung out around the house. Still not any better so we went back to our pediatrician today, who did not one but three more chest x-rays (evidently a squirmy 14 month old is not the best x-ray patient) and we went home with diagnosis of RSV and/or flu. There's no medicine for either virus but we did get an Rx for tylenol with codeine to help him (and us) sleep better.

Caleb had a very fun Valentine's Day, starting with some new books and heart-shaped pancakes.

He received some "love money" from both sets of grandparents and is learning how to put the bills into his piggy bank...what a little saver. Note the milky drool that was already happening...I chalked it up to teething but apparently it's also a sign of a sore throat.

Caleb continues to be more adventurous and curious. His friend Owen came over a few weeks ago and pulled down the top of the ball pit so he could reach the hole in the top. You could tell that Caleb had never thought about that as a way to get balls in the hole. So he started doing Owen's little trick then took it one step further as he realized his head also fit nicely in the top of the ball pit.

He has also added quite a few words to his vocabulary lately. We wonder if some of this growth is just "normal" with his age or if he is really hearing and vocalizing better since his tubes are in. He now says "duck", "quack quack", "apple", "outside", "sit" (as in telling the dogs to sit), "up", "dance", and a few others in addition to his already-mastered words. His teachers tell us he is very verbal- as in yelling "nana" or "cracker" at the top of his lungs during snack and lunch time. A boy after his mama's heart- talking and food!!

Though much of the time he doesn't use them, we often give Caleb utensils with his meals. He is getting pretty good at using his spoon, as this video shows:

I can't think of the last time I put a bib on Caleb in a non-eating setting but he was drooling so badly last week that I was getting sick of his wet neckline all the time and the laundry was piling up. So one day I took off his shirt and put on a bib. Looks pretty cute, huh?

Which brings us to Sunday, when he was really feeling his worst at the after hours clinic. Just breaks your heart!!

We hit the jackpot this week when my friend Jenn gave us a huge trashbag full of her son's outgrown clothes in just Caleb's size. We're talking multiple pairs of cargo pants, cordoroys, shorts, button-downs, longsleeve t's, polos, etc. YIPPEE!!

On a more serious note, please be praying for my friend Heather's dad. They found out last week that he has agressive colon cancer. They've already done the surgery to take out the mass and are now waiting for him to gain enough strength to be released from the hospital so he can recover at home and prepare to start chemo. Sending lots of love your way, friends!

One more thing: Congrats to my cousin, Cortney, and her hubby on the birth of their baby Addison last week. Welcome to the family, Addison. Can't wait to meet you! Here's a sweet picture:

OK, Caleb is actually asleep and not coughing (knock on wood) so I am going to tackle the kitchen and take out the trash before he inevitably wakes up with a coughing fit. Oh, motherhood!!

Have a great week!