Lake Rat

Yesterday, Collin had his 9 month check up. Here is how it went...

Collin and I are sitting in, which must be, the best room in the clinic. We are on the 3rd floor of the Williams Medical Plaza at St. John's Hospital. Our room has two very large windows, with one looking over Utica Square and the other looking down 21st street over Wendy's. I tell Collin, "In a few years, you'll be begging me to stop at Russel Stovers after your doctor visits for a treat... and I will gladly comply." Doctor Setter enters and sits in a chair across from us as he looks over Collin's records. His eyes grow wider and he says, "We're nine months... oh my! He is a BIG baby!"

Collin is 29 lbs 8 oz., 30.5 inches long, and his head circumference is 48.5 cm. Dr. Setter proceeds to tell me that Collin is a little under 3 lbs over the 97th percentile in weight, the 97th percentile in height, and over the 97th percentile in head circumference... which puts him at about the size of an average TWO YEAR OLD. With that in mind, the Doc has no worries about Collin's size. He is not obese, he's just... large. Some people are bigger than others. I knew it. I knew Collin had to be much bigger than average! My aching back.

Now get this...

No vaccinations for this visit. Just a finger prick to get a C.B.C. (complete blood count). Which, I am thinking, is not as awful as a shot, but still not pleasant for little ones. After the bewildered doctor leaves the room, the lab technician comes in. The cute-as-a-button, short blond hair, cheerful lab technician... Jamie. Collins eyes widen and his mouth drops open. Now... this is the part that fully explains the likeness he has with his father. As Jamie is preparing herself and Collin for this supposedly horrible experience, she warns me that this will make him very unhappy, and we need to be sure to hold him still when he starts throwing a tantrum. Meanwhile, Collin is still mesmerized by Jamie. She begins. Collin is putty in her hands. He doesn't move. He doesn't cry. He doesn't pull away. He doesn't make a sound. He just stares at her with his big blue eyes. Jamie says, "Wow, I've never had a child act this good for this." I chuckle and reply, "He has a thing for pretty girls."


Last weekend, Collin and I headed up to Grand Lake with my mom, my aunt (Aunt Nana) and her husband (Uncle Poppy). We were there 4 days and 3 nights. It is official. Collin is a Lake Rat. He thought that lake was the biggest bathtub he's ever seen! We didn't quite (successfully) get him in the lake water, but he did get some swimming time.

And some naked time...

And Uncle Poppy took us on a boat ride on his motor boat. Now, at first, Collin wasn't too fond of the wind and sun in his face when we left our cove. But after a while, we came back to the cove for a more relaxing ride. Before I realized it, Collin had passed out. I didn't realize it at first, because he was sitting straight up, wearing a life jacket.


I must say, as difficult as it is carrying my sleeping giant baby, add on a life jacket, and it's near impossible!

COLLIN'S NEW FACE OF THE MONTH


Bunny Face.

Red, White and Blue

This time last year, I was carrying Collin around in my Tummy, feeling him kick and roll around to the sound of fireworks. It amazes me how time flies! He's such a big boy, now, with more personality than Tommy and I have put together. He has us in stitches on a regular basis. We are so thankful for him!

Can I tell you (as any mother would), what feeding this boy is like?? I swear, after each meal, I feel like I could use a nap! He's learning how to eat finger food and feed himself with a spoon. Needless to say, it can get messy. I believe this was spinach and lasagna.

His absolute favorite thing to eat is watermelon. He loves it so much that he crams as much of it in his mouth as he possibly can...


Just so everyone knows, he only recently started doing this... I am now, of course, forcing him to pace himself and cutting the melon into smaller pieces!




Drunk on watermelon... our favorite food.

~

Side Note...


Should I cut my hair?

~

For the holiday weekend, my mom got Collin a turtle swimming pool. Actually, I believe it is made to be a sandbox... it has a lid. It is absolutely perfect for a little swimming pool for Collin.


So, we got Collin's fabulous flag swimming trunks on and got out the camera.



I do realize his trunks are long enough to reach his ankles... but they fit perfectly around his waist!


Okay, Collin.. Mommy's gonna throw you in!



That dog better not get in my pool!!


He wasn't sure about the cold water at first, but he quickly realized what a wonderful thing a swimming pool can be on a hot day.




He LOVES to splash.


And splash...


Yep... I think the turtle pool was a hit.


Thank you, Gamma.


For those that do not know, my grandfather (a.k.a. "Big Daddy"), is a well known Tulsa architect. He is quite eccentric and a big ham.. a wonderful, charming, lovable ham. He called me the other day to ask me if Collin had "architectural hands". He tells me he's working on designing a 161 story building for Collin to help him with... when he comes of age, of course. On the Fourth, he brought us the design...

The carefully laminated copy of this great design reads;

"For my great grandson, Collin, from 'Big Daddy'... Stay at the top, you see farther and more clearly from up there... even more important than that, ALWAYS BE YOUR OWN 'ARCHITECT'!"


Collin found their office building fascinating... though he had more interest in Big Daddy's beard.



But still wanted to taste the design...


Thank you, Big Daddy.

I have to say, I wish I had taken more pictures.. believe it or not. The weekend began when my brother, Darren, his wife, Susan (Evans... ha ha!), and his daughter, Rien, came to visit. I spent more time visiting than I did taking pictures when they were here. I regret not getting a few shots of Collin with his aunt and uncle and cousin.

All in all, I think Collin had a good first 4th of July. We certainly had a good time with him. I've come to realize, over time, this is Collin's world... and we're just visiting!