Things have been quite busy for our family lately so I apologize for not updating the blog in over two months...
We're back at school so our days are fun-filled while our evenings are often a little hectic as we all wind down from the day and get ready for the next one.
Bo's back at the same daycare that he went to last year, but it is different for him this year because he is one of the oldest kids there this year rather than one of the youngest. I think he enjoys being around so many little ones, especially because he is still on cloud nine since he became a big brother.
At the end of August, Bo went to his four-year well-visit at the pediatrician and he did great. He weighs 35 pounds and is 40 inches tall. Right now, Bo is very much into superheroes, Toy Story, Star Wars, Cars, the tv show "Super Why," drawing, playing instruments (he now has a harmonica and a saxophone too), sports, riding his bike and making Molly smile. He has started to show a great deal of interest in writing his last name, but we have to convince him that he has to write Bo Boykin rather than just Boykin when he writes his name. He thinks that he doesn't need to write the Bo for his first name since it's already in the name Boykin. He had been going to a soccer skills group once a week and did great with that too. The eight-week soccer class ended so now we are looking forward to starting basketball.
Molly is doing great with her babysitter Diane (we call her "D") who keeps Molly during the day. D is expecting her first baby in February so Molly is making sure that she learns everything that she needs to know before the baby comes! We could not be any happier with the wonderful people who are taking such good care of Bo and Molly.
Molly's had three doctor's appointments since the end of July. She had her four-month well-visit which went well. She was up to 14 lbs, 4 oz (50th percentile), 25 inches (75th percentile) and her head circumference was (no surprise) off the chart. During that appointment, the doctor asked to see her again in a few weeks to re-measure her head. At the follow-up appointment, her head circumference was still off the chart so he recommended that we have an ultrasound done to rule out the possibility of fluid in Molly's brain. Everything looked great at her ultrasound, and we went back to the doctor last Tuesday for a follow-up measurement. Unfortunately, her head was even further off the growth chart than it was at her last appointment so it was recommended that we take her to a cranial-facial specialist who should be able to tell us what our next plan of action should be. Before we go to that appointment, she will have her six month well-visit and we are hopeful that between now and then she will get back on the growth chart and we won't need to do anything else. The doctor said that there is a slight chance that she could need a CT scan, MRI or surgery if her head structure isn't forming correctly, but he also recognizes the genetic factor in all of this. Let's face it--Bo, her daddy, and other relatives and cousins also share her larger head-size gene. She seems to be meeting all of the milestones so we're not overly concerned about our "big brained baby." :) We're just trying to remain optimistic that the growth will level out. (By the way, her weight was up to 14 pounds, 9 ounces at the follow-up appointment @ 5 months old.)
Her favorite things to do right now are to go on walks outside, play in her exersaucer, take baths, listen to Elmo and to be around anyone who will smile at her. She's so social, and it's been such fun watching her interact with people. Her least favorite things right now are the hours between 5:45-6:45pm (she usually gets tired and fussy and she's not very happy unless she's held) and riding in the car for more than 10 minutes. She's doing pretty well with the solid foods that she has tried. Her menu includes any of the following: rice cereal, squash, peas, sweet potatoes, green beans, carrots, applesauce and bananas. I think squash and peas are her favorites and cereal is her least favorite thing to eat right now. Although it seems a little early, she may be getting a new tooth because she is drooling like crazy and she is constantly putting her hands in her mouth. She gave up using the pacifier about a month ago so anything and everything that she can get her hands on ends up in her mouth.
Here are some pictures of videos of both kids that I took over the course of the last couple of months. Enjoy!
Superhero Bo
Expressive Molly
Still as chatty as ever--
The last swim of the summer--
Riding his new bike from his Papa Paul--
At his cousin Maddie's birthday party--
According to Bo, he was working on "writing something for college" when I took this picture.
Molly will work so hard at tummy time if she can watch "her stories."
Bo's version of "All Shook Up"--
She loves her exersaucer--
...and just when "exersaucing" couldn't possibly get any better, Molly notices that he daddy has Sportscenter on TV.
What's that I hear...the Top Ten Plays?
I've got to turn around so I can watch!
Yes!! I didn't miss the best play of the game!!
Love those chubby cheeks!
No one makes her smile and laugh like her big brother!
Bonus Room (I had to take this picture very quickly because there was a little family of birds up there that did not like me intruding on their new living room!)
