Dear Brock –
The last month feels a little crazy. The night before your dad’s and my anniversary, 10/4, we were feeding you a dinner as usual – and just after you finished, you vomited profusely. It was the first time you’d ever been really sick. I was just thinking the day before, how lucky we were that you’d never really been ill up to this point (jinx!).
I was terrified and crying right along with you. Holding you over the kitchen sink as you got sick over and over. When you’d settled down, we took up you upstairs for a bath. You got happy and acted pretty much like yourself right away. While you watched the bath water run, you proudly stood unassisted for the first time ever. Four times in a row, you stood for at least 30 seconds, mesmerized by the water, then sat down gently, for your dad to stand you back up again. My anxiety over you being sick, was replaced with being completely excited over your new accomplishment!
Unfortunately you got sick again later, and we ultimately took you to the hospital around 10 or 11 PM. I carried a small bowl in the car for you, and had to use it when we were almost there… I pulled you out of the car seat and held you the last few minutes of the drive to make sure you didn’t choke on anything coming up. Again… so scared for you! I hate seeing you feeling so awful. I ache right along with you. And I feel so helpless.
As it turned out this was the start of you, me, and your dad all being sick in some capacity for more than a week. You lived mostly on Pedialyte, water, and crackers, and I’m sure you lost some weight. We switched you to goat’s milk after a week or so, because every time I tried to add formula back into your diet, you vomited again. The last time, you greeted Grandma Miller by spitting up on her when she came with me to daycare to pick you up, after a long drive out from Indiana — and after I’d thought you’d recovered! Poor thing.
Thankfully she was more than happy to cuddle you a lot over the next few days — and after you’d been on goat’s milk a couple of days, your appetite got bigger than it had ever been, and your energy increased. I’m so glad we made this change! You’ve been SUCH a happy boy ever since! (You’re usually happy, but you seem even happier now. :))
You had a great time with Grandma and Grandpa Miller, as usual. They stayed about 3 weeks this time. You got to go out to eat with them a few times – you started to steal fries and mashed potatoes off our plates, always with an adorable grin on your face. You made your first trip to a pumpkin farm… grunted excitedly over seeing your jack-o-lantern cut out… ate lots of squash, sweet potato fries, mashed potatoes with roasted red peppers… and more. You LOVE red peppers! Oh, and we dressed you as a panda for walking around downtown on Halloween. It was precious.
You get the privilege of going out a lot – because you’re SUCH a good baby, and do so well. At our last dinner out with the grandparents this time, you flirted with a little girl a few months younger than you, and made huge, cheesy smiles at us all throughout dinner. It’s really a pleasure to have you out in public, and you love it because you’re so thoroughly engaged with the world around you. I don’t think we’ve ever met a stranger who hasn’t commented on how “engaged,” “present,” and “alert” you are. Since day one, “alert” is what everyone says – they comment on your eyes. You look like you know a lot more than you should – and you always have.
These days, you’re working so hard at walking! You stretch out your arms whenever we try to get you to crawl, refusing to be put down… you always want your hands held for walking. Just a few hours after Grandma and Grandpa left yesterday, you took your first tiny step by yourself. Daddy held out a toy football that you’d been hanging onto for quite a while, and got you to step over to it. He’s good at getting you to do more than you think you can… It was precious! I am so thrilled for every new thing you do! You’ll be a lot to keep our eyes on once you’re really walking, but I can’t wait to see you wobbling around. You’re the cutest thing I’ve ever seen… So full of possibility and potential.
I’m hoping you’ll show off a couple of steps for Grandma Kathy when she comes in a few days. Due to everyone’s sickness (she was ill the same time as all of us!), and her going to Louisiana to meet your new cousin, Arya, it’s been over a month since she’s seen you. She will be so excited to see how you’ve changed!
You are such a joy. I love you, little man.
… Mama
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