17 Months!

Our sweet snuggle-bug is 17 months old!  He is such a blessing and is growing up so fast!

~Gavin has cut his top two canine teeth!
~He is on the move!  He can walk, nearly a run, very fast!
~Speaking of on the move, he loves to play chase!  He thinks it is hysterical when someone chases him.
~As of his 17 month "birthday", Gavin is officially weaned.  He was only nursing for a few minutes before bedtime and Mommy suspected he wasn't getting much.  We altered our bedtime routine a bit to have less transitions in and out of his room and with and without Mommy--making the routine more similar to his nap time routine.  We also started giving him a sippy cup with a small amount of water in bed.  He's done great!  We read a book or two, sing a few songs with the lights out, he gives  Mommy a kiss (or two!) and hug, and into bed he goes!
~Gavin likes to dance!  His dance moves include bobbing his head and squatting.
~Gavin loves "helping!"  His self-appointed jobs:
~~~Closing doors, drawers and cabinets doors
~~~Bringing Mommy her chapstick from her nightstand.  No one else can take it, it has to be Mommy.
~~~Putting his shoes away at the babysitter's house
~~~Assuring that Mommy always has her slippers.  This includes helping her put them on...sometimes taking them off to put them back on.  He also brings them to her after she already has shoes on to leave the house.  Sometimes he'll try to put them on his own feet.
~~~Pushing the garage door button
~~~Turning on the CD player in his bedroom
 ~~~Putting clothes in the dryer
~~~Letting Mommy and Daddy know when the microwave/oven buzzers go off or our phones ring.  He'll drop what he's doing to approach and point to the noise maker.
~~~Supervising vacuuming, including the floor vacuum and the dust buster
~~~Informing Mommy and Daddy where to return objects.  For example, he'll go to the coat closet when we're finished with the vacuum, point to the appropriate cabinet when we're done with the dust buster, and go to the food cabinet when we're done with a box of food, etc. that we store in the cabinet.
~~~Throw away trash.  He's getting better about not throwing away objects that aren't trash!
~~~Picking up toys.
~We've recently introduced utensils at mealtimes and Gavin loves it! He's quite proficient! He attempts to eat just about anything with his spoon and fork.  He also wants his plate on his tray--no more getting a few bites of food on his tray at a time!  If he's not able to get his food fast enough, he'll sign for "more" and will accept help.  A not-so-desirable eating habit: He'll sometimes tongue food out his mouth after putting too much in his mouth or seeing something else he would rather eat.  Overall, he's a good eater!  Despite his small size, he eats a lot!
~When he's frustrated or not getting his way, sometimes Gavin will repeatedly stomp his feet and fuss for a few seconds. This is cute--for now. We're very cautious to not give in when he does this!
~Gavin's receptive language continues to flourish and we're (im)patiently waiting for his expressive language to take off.  He'll sometimes repeat things we say, but sometimes is a stinker and doesn't.  While we're well aware we shouldn't compare kids--Brennan was much more talkative at this age!  We're planning to talk to his pediatrician at his 18 month well check about his expressive language.  He "baby talks" a lot and has many sounds.  He also frequently says "dis" and "dat" when pointing to things.  Demonstrating his manners, he says "welcome" ("el-come") after we thank him for bringing us things.
~He continues to use his sign language frequently.  When he really wants something, he might sign "please" with both hands simultaneously!
~Gavin loves to copy his big brother!  One of our favorites is when Brennan runs around the family room saying "ahhh!", followed by a jump and a fall to the ground.  Gavin then runs while saying "ahhh!" and intentionally falls to the ground. 
~He loves giving his stuffed animals hugs! He's such a lover!

Happy 4th Birthday, Brennan!

Happy 4th Birthday, Brennan!!

Our sweet Brennan is 4 years old!  Brennan was very excited about his birthday this year.  He started a countdown to his birthday very shortly after his countdown to Christmas was over!

Brennan is growing up quickly and we love the young man he is becoming!  He is caring, hilarious, intelligent, curious and fun-loving!

Current interests and favorites:  

~Puzzles!  Brennan loves puzzles!  He can complete them quickly and easily memorizes where each piece goes.  He has a few 100 piece puzzles, but seems to prefer ones with ~48 pieces

~Cars!  Brennan could probably play with cars all day.  His favorites are figurines of Disney Pixar Cars and Planes (a.k.a. "Cars with eyes").  He narrates conversations, sets up races complete with spectators, and runs races throughout the house.

~Art!  Brennan enjoys painting, coloring and stickers.

~Books!  He loves to listen to stories and look at books.  He has a large stack of books by his bed.  At times, "quiet time" turns into 2 hours of looking at books in his room.

Brennan had quite the week-long birthday celebration!  He spent his actual birthday at the babysitter's house and took cupcakes to share with his friends.  He also had a birthday celebration at school.  They have monthly birthday parties and, being the only January birthday in his class, it was his special day!  Mother Nature sent us a nasty snow and ice storm on the day of his birthday party at home, which kept many guests at home due to safety concerns.  We continued on with his party as planned with the guests that could attend and had a great time.

A few days after his birthday, Brennan had his 4 year well check.  He's in great health!  Our only concern was his occasional toe-walking.  He is able to stand and walk flat-footed without issue and can extend his foot easily, so the pediatrician wasn't concerned.  We'll continue to remind him to walk on his "whole foot" and hope his occasional habit ends.

Current stats:

Height: 43 inches (95th percentile)

Weight: 42 lbs (90th percentile)

Party of Five!!

We're having another baby!

We're thrilled to share the news that we're having another baby!  Baby Swartz #3, nicknamed "Buckeye," is due to arrive on July 2.  We're currently at approximately 15.5 weeks, and are relieved to be in the second trimester.  We were a bit surprised to learn about Buckeye, but are thrilled to be adding to our family!

Since discovering that we were pregnant, we've had several doctor's appointments.  My first appointment was the standard 8 week appointment with the OB nurse.  Due to our previous miscarriages, they also did an ultrasound.  What a relief to see a healthy baby with a strong heartbeat! Headcount: 1.  Prior to this appointment, I began taking my cocktail of medications, including a prenatal vitamin, baby aspirin, Folgard, and Progesterone (during the first trimester only).  Overall, I was feeling well.  Fatigue and occasionally feeling "blah" were my main complaints.

I had another appointment with the OB at 10 weeks.  At this appointment, they took some cultures and listened for a heartbeat with the doppler.  It took the doctor several minutes to find the heartbeat, making Mommy very nervous.  The doctor explained that I was measuring on target and that heartbeats can be difficult to find at this appointment.  After some manipulation due to a "tilted uterus" and more searching, the doctor asked the nurse to check the ultrasound schedule.  While the nurse was out of the room, the  doctor found Buckeye's sweet heartbeat.  Nice and strong and in the 160s/170s.  Phew! 

My next appointment was at 14 weeks.  The doctor found Buckeye's heartbeat quickly and noted that s/he was moving a lot.  Heart rate was in the 150s. "Blah" feelings have subsided and I have more energy than earlier.  It's not uncommon for Mommy to pop a few Tums after dinner due to heartburn.

We told the boys about their future sibling around 12 weeks.  Brennan giggled and had a huge smile when we told him he is going to be an "extra special big brother."  He waivers between predicting if the baby is a boy or girl.  He also makes occasional, random comments about the baby.  For instance, very shortly after waking up one day he commented, "Next  Christmas, there will be another baby here to open presents!" 

We've announced our pregnancy to family, friends, and coworkers.  It's comical, as most immediately comment that Buckeye will be a girl or that we want a girl.  Honestly, we're thrilled to be having another child--son or daughter!

We're so excited about Buckeye's upcoming arrival and having another child join our family! 

Upcoming appointments:
Check up: January 31
Check up and BIG ultrasound: February 28

Tubes for Brennan

Brennan had tubes put in his ears just before Christmas.  He recently had a double ear infection that did not clear up completely with different antibiotics.  Because of this, we were referred to an ENT.  We previously saw this ENT when Brennan was about 1, but were advised to see how he did throughout the rest of the winter rather then pursue tubes then.  During this appointment, the doctor noted that there was fluid in both of his ears and he didn't do very well on his hearing testing.  He was scheduled for bilateral tubes shortly after.

Overall, Brennan did very well.  He left with the nurse easily and the procedure was completed quickly.  The doctor explained that everything went "perfectly" and he was able to remove the fluid.  Brennan had a bit of a rough time coming out of anesthesia, which I wasn't expecting.  He didn't know what he wanted and didn't want what he asked for.  I was assured by the nurses that this behavior is very typical.  Prior to leaving the surgical center, Brennan had to eat or drink.  He had a small sip of apple juice shortly after surgery and wasn't interested in the snack crackers they originally provided.  After some convincing, he decided he wanted chocolate ice cream and quickly perked up after starting to eat it.  We were on our way home about an hour after he got out of surgery.  He was back to himself, playing and running around, as soon as we got home.  Brennan and Mommy had a special lunch date later that day to reward him for doing so well!

In other Brennan news--he's growing up before our eyes!  He has a wonderful personality and a contagious laugh.  He started attending Wee Care Preschool in Fremont three days a week this school year and loves it!  His teacher reports that he's doing very well and making a lot of new friends.   

Christmas 2013

Christmas this year was full of fun and activities!

Our celebration began on Christmas Eve with Grandpa and Grandma Swartz, Grammy, Bob, and Uncle Matt.  The boys enjoyed opening their presents and playing with their new toys. 

We spent Christmas Day at home.  Since we didn't have plans to go anywhere, we declared Christmas Day to be a "Jammie Day."  The boys enjoyed opening their presents and we spent the day playing with new toys!

A few days after Christmas, we traveled to Cincinnati for a Mealy Christmas.  Gavin was baptized in a beautiful ceremony at Sharonville United Methodist Church, where Mommy and Daddy were married.  For our Christmas gifts, Grandpa and Grandma Mealy treated everyone with two days and one night at Great Wolf Lodge. It was a blast!  Brennan enjoyed the slides, especially the family slide, the wave pool, and the lazy river.  Gavin enjoyed splashing in the fountains, the wave pool, and "jumping" in and out of the water.  We had a great time visiting everyone!

We had a great Christmas...but what would Christmas be without a few illnesses?  Brennan got his ear tubes on the 23rd.  Both boys had very runny noses, starting on Christmas Eve.  Gavin woke up with a fever on Christmas Day and an ear infection was confirmed on the 27th.  He also cut his top two canine teeth.  After a few days of on again, off again fevers, we took him back to the doctor.  The pediatrician said his ears looked great and said he was probably getting over a virus.  Later that day, he broke out in rash on his trunk, so we decided it was likely roseola.  Fortunately, within a few days, everyone back to good health!

16 Months!

Our snuggle-bug Gavin is 16 months old!

~He has cut 4 molars, two on top and two on bottom.  His upper canines are visible, but haven't cut through yet.
~He enjoys stacking blocks and does a great job!  He's easily able to stack 5 blocks.  If Mommy or Daddy starts the stack, he typically continues until about 8 blocks.  He may be able to do to more, but knocking down a block tower is far too entertaining!
~He continues with his "baby talk" and his receptive language is flourishing!  He doesn't have too many recognizable words, although he commonly says some "words" during appropriate times.  For example, he enjoys bringing us shaker cars repeatedly and will often say something similar to "again!"  Also, he occasionally says sometime remarkably similar to "you're welcome" after being thanked for something.  He frequently holds objects/food towards us, as if he wants us to label it.  After being given it's name, he occasionally giggle before continuing on his way.
~We've successfully eliminated his morning nap and he no longer has his sleepy appearance in the morning.  He has been taking great afternoon naps, typically lasting 2.5-3 hours.
~Gavin has recently learned how to go down stairs and loves it!  He does a reverse crawl and caught on very quickly after we introduced it.  When asked if he wants to go downstairs/to the basement, he'll immediately drop what he's doing and make a mad dash to the basement door, shrieking most of the way there!
~We've had remarkable improvement in his skin!  Previously, we were applying his steroid cream and medications daily.  His face would look fine in the morning, but would start to have some bumps as the day progressed.  While working on cutting his molars, we noticed that his face appeared slightly chapped.  We began applying Vasoline daily at bed time which resulted in great success!  We've also been avoiding egg whites, garlic, and peanuts in his diet.  We haven't applied his prescription medications in weeks and his skin looks perfect!  We're hoping this continues!
~Gavin makes an adorable revving car noise, similar to a raspberry, when playing with toy vehicles!
~When asking for food, he'll point at the object, sign "more", sign "please" and then flash a smile.
~Gavin seems to enjoy picking up toys!  He'll happily bring toys to the appropriate bins and giggle as he puts them away.  We hope this behavior continues!
~He enjoys clicking his tongue and thinks it's comical when we do it in return!
~Gavin blows kisses, but not always on demand.  He'll give a sweet "a-mah!" on the back of his hand, which makes is extra adorable! He also gives sweet, sometimes sloppy, open-mouth kisses on our cheeks or lips.

15 Months!

Our little man is 15 months old!

~Gavin loves to walk!  He's able to walk very quickly and frequently roams the house.
~Overall, he's a pretty quiet guy.  But, when he talks, he seems to have something to say!  He's transitioned from babbling to "baby talk", including multiple sounds, pitches, etc. in longer phrases.  He says Mama, Dada, Bye-bye, Ni-ni (night night) and tries hard to say "cookie"
~Gavin came down with his first bug this month, including a fever, fatigue, runny nose and cough for a few days.  His eyes were also quite puffy and goopy after waking up.  We took him to the doctor, who confirmed his cold and said he had a bacterial infection in his eyes.  We gave him a few doses of antibiotic eye drops and he returned to his normal self soon!  He was a super-snuggler during his sickness.
~His receptive language skills are flourishing!  He understands and appropriately responds to many things we say, including going to his highchair when we ask if he wants to eat, going to the basement door when we tell him we are going downstairs, and going to his room, retrieving a book, and taking it to the recliner when we ask if he wants to read a book.
~Gavin has cut two top molars.  Two bottom molars aren't far behind.
~In addition to "more" and "all done", he also signs "please" which is adorable.  Rather than going across his chest when signing, he rubs his hand on the same side of his signing arm, giving him what we affectionately refer to as his "chicken arm"  He also flashes an adorable smile when signing it, making it nearly irresistible!
~He likes identifying other's eyes, nose, and mouth and is pretty accurate!
~He no longer drinks bottles during the day and nurses at bedtime.
~Gavin is transitioning into taking one nap a day.  He frequently fought morning naps at the babysitter's house.  On weekends, he was more likely to take a morning nap, but then didn't sleep in the afternoon.  We recently made the call to only put him down in the afternoon unless he looks tired around the time of his morning nap.
~He seems to be developing a right hand preference.  For example, when we recently handed him a crayon, he grabbed it with his left hand but then changed to his right hand before coloring.