We've taken K & T back to the doc a couple of times for their physicals and for their shots. How come no one has ever mentioned to me how hard it is to watch your babies get shots? It's TERRIBLE! I cried the first time we went, as well as that first appt. with T, but managed to keep myself together the second shot time (but barely).
We did get some great advice during their physicals however. We asked for an easier way to get T to take medicine. When he was on the antibiotic, we used a plastic syringe to 'shoot' it into the back of his mouth and hoped he would swallow it. He did most of the time, but occasionally he/we ended up wearing it. The doc suggested that we squirt the medicine into an empty bottle nipple and have him suck on it. She said that's what they do in hospitals and that babies drink anything from bottle nipples. This is a GREAT TRICK! Since learning this, we've had to give him Tylenol a couple of times and he always drinks from the nipple. You may already know about this, but we sure didn't. Thank you doc!
The next thing we found interesting was that she suggested that we start to change K's diapers in the bathroom rather than just on the floor or a changing table. Because K is aware of when she uses the restroom (she wakes up from naps, or grabs her diaper, or pauses in play) the doc said to start talking about 'going potty' and changing her there. She said potty training will be much easier when that times comes. We've been doing this for a few weeks, and when we says, 'let's go potty', she races us to the bathroom. Cool huh?
As for T, we were told that he could start to use a training sippy cup with a little bit of water in it for him to practice holding a cup. We keep it in the fridge, and boy does he think this is a treat! He loves to munch and slobber all over the cup, and the little handles on the side help him hold it. We had to teach K that this wasn't her cup however, she thinks it's pretty neat too.
The other thing we got to start doing was feed T solids on top of the oatmeal cereal that he was already doing. Like most parents, we were told to do introduce one food a week to watch for allergies, and to start with veggies and alternate them with fruits. Everyday he improves on his eating skills and keeping it in his mouth. He recently started blowing raspberries however, and this makes it all the more messy. No worries though, it's just a phase. He seems to have loved everything we've given him except squash. We're on peaches this week, and they must be a little sour. He makes this funniest faces when he eats them!
Otherwise, the kids are in great health and we couldn't be happier.
