November 7

Will had another checkup today. He's been going every 2 weeks, now we're switching to every month. He got his 4 month shots (poor baby!!) and blood drawn to check his alk/phos levels which he was taking supplements for. The meds started making him like projectile vomit so I stopped giving them to him. Not doing him any good if he throws them up anyway. He grew just over a pound and 1 inch since our last visit, just over 2 weeks ago. He's up to 11 lb 4 oz and 22 inches long! He's outgrown most of his newborn clothes and fitting comfortably into 0-3 months. There are a few 3-6 month outfits I've prepared for him, but they're still too big. Even in 0-3 the arms and legs are usually too long. He's catching up in weight and height to his birthage, which means he's big for his gestational/corrected age and is good news.

We're making progress on tracking sounds, Justin discovered Will responds very well to a buzzing noise and will search for and track it - a delay he showed at the therapist's office. So now I have something that works to use for his exercises. He's been enjoying being held standing up so he can work his legs a bit and is figuring out how to bounce. He's also showing more facial expressions and developing more personality. If I'm not quick enough getting his bottle for his liking then he scowls at me while he's eating with his eyebrows all scrunched up, it's pretty funny. He's also been sticking his lower lip out and pouting and making heartbreaking sad faces when he doesn't get his way immediately.

His umbilical hernia is continuing to improve. We should be getting rid of the monitor within the next week or so if all goes well, keep your fingers crossed for us. If he doesn't get rid of it soon we're going to have to get new belts, they're almost too small again. I've started sending milk to a private recipient as well as the milk bank. It's a family who adopted a baby girl from China. She's just over a year old but has allergies and won't tollerate formula or cow's milk well, has nutritional deficiencies and some other minor problems so I'm feeling pretty good about helping out. I just sent the first shipment of over 400 ounces Monday which they should be recieving any time! I'm also considering sending some to a family who adopted a preemie, waiting to hear back from them with more info and see if that works out. I still have over 1000 ounces surplus, plus 10-20 ounces/day extra being added so I have a lot to send out.

I forgot to mention in the last update that we got snow already. It's snowed twice here, but hasn't stuck more than a day or two. Weather report says rain/snow for most of next week so we may be in for more. Attaching another Halloween picture of him and one in his swing right now. Not much else going on, that's life.