Gabriel's Check-up

We're trying out a naturopath for Gabe's pediatritian and this is our second visit. So far, she is great.

We asked her of she could check to see if he had a ear infection because within the last few weeks he's been touching his ear and head a lot. Not everyday, but often enough to warrant addressing. His ears were clear, so we're thinking that teething is the culprit. We got confirmation when she felt his gums and his molars are making their way down, with one almost trying to break through on top. His gums have been very swollen for weeks, so this is no surprise.

His molars might also be part of the reason why his appetite for solids have been nil. He has his favorites which are any flavor of yogurt, Whole Foods 365 applesauce, banana, strawberry combo, and any type of smoothie. Once he ate up several bites of guacomole. All other foods, including finger foods, he either licks or plays with. Or he tries to feed it to us!

I was getting concerned about him handling chunkier foods because he gags a little whenever they make their way into his mouth. Now, he gagged a LOT worse when he was between 9-12 months old. So he has actually improved. But he is not super into chunky or finger foods. Now, I am not so concerned because I think once he starts eating more of those kinds of foods, he should be fine. But right now, he's just not interested and the Dr. said once his 1 yr. molars come in, there is a good chance his appetite and interest in chunky/finger foods will increase. She said while some kids are happy to gum their foods, others may not feel comfortable chewing their foods before their first molars come in.

And of course, we know that after 1 year, most kids slow down on the growth and just don't require as much food as we think.

Gabe is starting to really want to feed himself, too, so I just set him up with a bowl of food, 2 utensils and try to get a few bites in myself. He does show interest in our food, but only to play with it. This of course ends up being pretty messy, and I end up spending a good part of the day cleaning up and bathing him if he has gotten irredeemably messy.

Gabe is not walking alone yet, but he can walk assisted with one arm free and one hand holding on to your finger. And he can cruise along furniture and the wall just fine. I hope he will be walking by the end of the year, we'll see.

So, that's the update!