Exploration...

Nolan seems to be doing something new every day. Yesterday he climbed the stairs, which means we're entering a whole new world of exploration with him. By exploration, I mean the stage in which mothers get gray hairs and keep the pediatrician's phone number close at hand.

We had his well-baby appointment, and he is doing wonderfully. He is 17 pounds, 2 ounces and 28 inches long. A small little guy, but Matthew was also small at this age. He is starting to stand alone, cruises along furniture, claps, and is doing wonderful age-appropriate things. His babble hasn't changed much over the past two months- we have the same "da" "ldldldl" "ma" and "ba" sounds. He is starting to turn to his name with more consistency, but we still have times when he zones out on us. We also have a tooth, and another on the way.

The only concern I had at his appointment was a slight rash he had on his chest area. It was a light lacy rash that appeared about the same time that we began slathering on sunscreen in mammoth proportions (take one look at my kids: we purchase sunscreen by the vat). I was afraid he might have an allergy to the sunscreen, which would not be a good thing. Turns out that it was purely coincidental. He has Fifth Disease, a form of parvo virus that is pretty innocuous for the child (causes cold-like symptoms, then a "slapped cheek" rash, then a lacy rash over the body). Pregnant people are at risk from the disease - unfortunately it is only infectious before the rash appears. I don't think we were around any pregnant ladies during Nolan's infectious stage.

I set up his ONE YEAR appointment, but still refuse to believe my baby will be one soon!