Two Month Checkup

On Monday, James had his two month checkup. I was worried that it was going to be a terrible experience because he had been horribly fussy, needy, and hungry for the 36 hours leading up to this appointment, but he was actually very calm and cooperative.

The appointment started with a height and weight check. He is now 10 lbs, 13 oz and 22 1/2 inches long. This means that he gained 3 lbs, 8 oz in one month! I can't be too surprised, though, because I've watched him change from a skinny shrimp who was all skin and bones with wrinkles like a Shar-Pei to a chunky monkey with three chins and rolls on his legs. I was also there for every single one of the insanely frequent, marathon nursing sessions that resulted in this drastic change. For anyone who is curious, this gain meant that he jumped from the 3rd percentile to the 50th percentile for weight.

Next, was the physical exam. He was passing with flying colors until the doctor listened to his heart. She said that she heard a murmur that she had not heard at any of his previous appointments. When she told me this, my heart stopped and I swear time stood still for at least a full second. However, she went on to explain that this was likely not going to be a problem for James. First, babies with detrimental heart defects do not gain over 3 lbs in one month. Second, because she was hearing it for the first time at two months, it is likely just a VSD (a hole between the left and right ventricles of the heart) that is in the process of closing on its own. As these holes close, the murmur becomes louder and, thus, more easily detected due to the high volume being pushed through a shrinking hole. James has an appointment with the pediatric cardiologist on the 23rd, so we'll know more then.

Last, at the appointment, James got his two month vaccinations. He seemed to truly enjoy the drinkable vaccine. The nurse told me that it is sweetened, so I guess my baby has a little sweet tooth already. He was less fond of the three shots. The first two made him scream and turn a deep tomato red that I hadn't seen before. The third was the worst, though. When the nurse gave him this injection, he nearly jumped out of his skin and began screaming bloody murder. But, he's a tough little guy and was easily consoled by a minute of Mommy snuggles.

I was surprised by the effect that the vaccination process had on me. Even though I knew the pain was temporary, and that he needed to have them to stay healthy, I had a hard time watching him go through that. By the third shot, I was tearing up and I needed to hold him as much, if not more, than he needed to be held.

In other news, James had his first social smile today. Shortly after Mike got home from class, we were playing with him on the bed. He was staring very intently at Mike when all of a sudden his face lit up with the most beautiful smile. He waited for Mike's reaction, and when Mike smiled back at him, he smiled again. All in all, he smiled four times in a matter of a few minutes. It made our day. Heck, it made our lives. :-)