Luke-y Luke

My Luke. 

He'll be 11 months old next week.  When he crawled across the carpet at 5 months I immediately guessed he'd be my earliest walker.  But I'm re-evaluating.  His crawl is so effective he might just crawl to college.  He does cruise the furniture (or even the wall) and will occasionally stand without any support for a few moments, but when he's ready to move he drops to his knees and takes off. 

After almost four weeks on reflux medication I am sure he is making progress.  He eats solid foods - after months of occasionally tolerating baby food he now feeds himself just about anything I put on his tray.  Thanks to some allergy testing plus a reluctant start to solids I just skipped the whole concept of food introduction and feed him anything that isn't a choking hazard.  He seems to like it all.  Especially the ice cream :)

I do try to avoid things that I think might aggravate his reflux, like tomato based things, citrus fruits... but it's really just a guess based on what foods bothered me when I was pregnant and popping TUMS every night :) 

He also spits up much less.  Not never, but significantly less often, and less quantity, than before he started the medicine.

He cries out less at night.  The reflux medicine seems to be keeping him pain free, maybe doing a better job at night since he sleeps more soundly than during the day? This is a big deal and means that we *might* be able to think about moving him out of our bedroom and in with his brothers.  I'm hesitant since he is still my earliest riser, and honestly there's no way we could fit his bed in with Isaac and John Paul right now, but we're moving to a larger place this summer and I am dreaming of all three boys in one room :) 

And he sleeps (some) better.  A few times in the past month he napped for longer than two hours.  Most days one of his naps is at least an hour.  It might not sound like much, but for a little boy whose total daytime sleep hovered at about an hour, maybe 75 minutes, for months...... that's improvement. 

classic Luke pose - always sleepy (rarely asleep!)

According to his wonderful doctor, a Thai pediatric gastroenterologist (who spent three years at UNC), the medication will help in two ways.  First, it will control the acid reflux, helping keep the things he eats and drinks in his stomach, not moving back up his esophagus.  Second, it will allow his damaged esophagus time to heal - after months of untreated reflux Luke's esophagus is inflamed and irritated (possibly with ulcers?). 

So, I have to keep some long range vision here.  While I would LOVE to have him healthy right away, I am encouraged that we are on the right path.  Six months of medication, at least. 

He is a treasured little boy.  His four big brothers and sisters adore him.  He laughs hysterically at both Isaac and John Paul.  The girls tote him all over the place.  He is one tough little guy :) 

Luke is a LOUD talker (like we needed another one around here!)  At our last hotel in Bangkok we often walked past these strange looking mannequins in a store front and Luke would holler at them like they were real people.  He loves to make noise and being heard above the din is a priority for him.  It's awesome because it's such a happy noise, and so very loud, that you can't do anything but laugh.  I wouldn't give him credit for any "first words" yet though the kids are certain he calls me "mama".  It's tough to clarify, since "ma" is his most often uttered syllable, but they are sure he says it when he means me.  I'd love to claim it, but I'm not convinced yet :)

So that's the long update on my littlest baby.  (Who is no longer little, and quickly growing past 'baby'.)  A precious little guy, so so precious.