Juliet & Her Romeo + 1: Julia's 6 month well baby check-up and first trip to the zoo

On Friday, we had a scheduled visit to the doctor (not for illness) for Julia's 6 month check-up. Julia is doing well and growing and developing right on target. She was 18 pounds, 15 ounces (89th percentile); 27 inches long (82nd percentile) and I think her head circumference was 17 inches (my memory is slowly fading!) which was the 84th percentile; so Julia is very well rounded and everything is growing evenly (if that makes sense!). Julia's doctor wanted to get a good luck in her ears to check the status of the infection. Unfortunately, Julia's right ear (the one with the infection) was all clogged up with wet, goopy, old drainage from when her ear drum had perforated and her left was blocked with dried ear wax. So, in order for the doctor to get a good look, they had to do an ear irrigation on her. This involved shooting a water and hydrogen peroxide mixture into each ear with a plastic syringe. Each ear took about 10 minutes with about 10-15 squirts per ear. Julia did fabulously and it certainly surprised the nurse how patient she was. The nurse said she has never done the irrigation on a child as young as Julia and the older kids will get mad and cry. Julia just sat there nicely, looking at the nurse like it was no big deal. Luckily, the irrigation worked just enough to get a small view of Julia's ear drums which both looked fine. The infection in the right was clearing and pretty much cleared up. In order to get a full view of the ear drums, the doctor asked that we put ear wax dissolving drops in her ears for about 3 days and then follow-up next Friday, just to be sure the infection is clear and she also wanted to get a better view of both drums and the perforation. Julia had to get two immunizations and again she did great. I played peak-a-boo with Julia while the nurse gave the 2 shots. Julia felt the pain, whimpered a little and I picked her up and danced her around and she was all smiles again. The nurse was again shocked at her calmness and toughness!

Julia has been getting a lot better. It does seem like her ear infection is clearing and her cold is getting better. We continue with the 3rd antibiotic and she will be done with that on Wednesday. Now we just have to get her back on the sleep schedule she was on before all this ear infection business started over a month ago (for her sake and ours!).

This Saturday was Julia's first trip to the zoo. We visited the Minnesota Zoo with our friend Jenny and her 4 1/2 month old son, Noah. I never realized that we only live about 6 miles from the zoo. I knew it was close, but not that close! We bought a year long membership because I am sure we will want to make more trips when the weather is warmer. Julia really enjoyed the walk through the zoo. We didn't get to everything because of diaper changes, feedings, and crankiness (typical infant stuff), but Noah and Julia seemed to enjoy the stuff we did see. Julia and Noah both liked the aquarium and looking at all the fish. Julia also enjoyed the dolphins. She loved looking at the grizzly bear and gave him a great big smile though she will learn someday they are not big, cuddley teddy bears! :)

Mike and I have started to find fun things for each of us to do seperately to get away for a while. Mike will be starting a golf league in the beginning of May and I have joined a local gym and have been doing a lot of lap swimming. I really enjoy swimming...it is very relaxing. I am hoping to partake in some of the gym's other ammenities like pilates and yoga classes too. I am also in a group through our church called MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers). We meet every other Friday until mid-May. It has been a wonderful group to spend time with and meet people in the neighborhood and connect with other mothers with kids under the age of 2. MOPS lasts from fall to spring, so it is almost over, but I will be on the steering committee for the 2009-2010 meeting year. I am going to be a discussion leader and am really looking foward to it.

Julia and me in front of the aquarium