*there's my love but not my thoughts

~Kahlil Gibran

*there's talking!

Finally a video!

*there's a growing boy

It's almost time! 

Almost time to celebrate Will turning 2!

I noticed that I never shared these pics of Will at his 18 month check up with the pediatrician.

We'll have the 2 year check up very soon.

Making friends in the waiting room

Masterminding multiple MagnaDoodles

Amazed by the trains

He used to the be the tiny one in the stroller watching the big kids push the train buttons.  Now the little ones watch him!

*there's a versatile Will

Will on the go...

Will at work.

 

 

Will at play!

 

 

 He LOVES rain!

*there's another check off the list!

Will saw the ophthalmologist yesterday. Last year during a routine NICU eye check up he had a slight astigmatism. The doctor said it has improved to a point that is not concerning and Will has "graduated from the eye doctor"! One more preemie thing checked off that list!

His 2 year NICU follow up appointment is coming up in November. I can't remember if that is the last time they will want to see him or not. Either way, we are slowly skimming down that list of doctors!

As for fun things, we are planning a Halloween costume and a birthday party. More on that in October and November.

Recent firsts: Will is saying 2 word phrases. "Open it", "Up please", "Oh man!", and  "Oh Toodles!".

Oh Toddles is a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse phrase.

*there's a jinx

You may recall that in Will's 18 month check up post  in mid-May I thought that we may go a few months without any visits to a doctor. Here is what I said: ...Will won't need to be seen again by a doctor (cross your fingers) until he turns TWO in November! Can it be?? Six appointments in one month and then NO appointments for SIX months?!?! I hope I didn't jinx it!

Guess what? I was SO wrong. There was
1) another appointment with the urologist
2) a check up with the GI doctor that I had forgotten about in June
(Very uneventful except for our report that he is no longer taking meds for reflux and the doctor suggesting a new plan to try an appetite stimulant when Will turns 2.)
3) another audiology follow up
(Normal middle ear pressure and hearing in both ears this time!)
4) 4 miscellaneous visits to the pediatrician's office.
That makes SEVEN appointments already in the first 3 months of the supposed 6 month drought.

As I look to the months ahead, there are 2 more scheduled appointments before Will's birthday in November:
1) ophthalmologist follow up...required one year after having some abnormal vision last year, I don't know if I wrote a post about it but he was deemed a little bit farsighted (or maybe nearsighted, can't remember) and the hope is that it has corrected itself over the past year.
2) urology pre-surgery appointment...for his next urology surgery. (Notice I didn't call it the last surgery because that might jinx him...)

for good measure let's just prepare for the
3) pediatrician because it's probably a safe bet that we will be back there too ;)

So probably 9-10 appointments will happen in this "6 months of no appointments". I won't be commenting on jinxable things again for awhile. Excluding the fact that in this post I mentioned that Will might be done taking medicines. He did take some for several more weeks but at this time he doesn't need any. It is REALLY nice to have that off our list of things to do every day but I am not bragging. Just stating a fact...

*there's nothing into everything

Know you what it is to be a child?…
It is to believe in love, to believe in loveliness, to believe in belief;
it is to be so little that the elves can reach to whisper in your ear,
it is to turn pumpkins into coaches,
and mice into horses,
lowness into loftiness,
and nothing into everything,
for each child has its fairy godmother in its soul.

– Francis Thompson

*there's more summer fun

Ready for the sun!

Note: sunglasses were removed for the actual boat ride. He likes to throw things over the side into the water...

He has a wave for his fans despite all his driving responsibilities.

 

He takes the pontoon boat driving job very seriously.

Will doesn't get in the lake water because of his feeding tube. His doctor said pools and oceans are okay but ponds and lakes are not due to possible problems from the bacteria in the water around the site of his tube. This year is the first time he has been boat riding and he seems to like it. I think next year we'll have him signed up for swimming lessons!

*there's a method for cleaning hands

Every day Will rubs food in his hair. He mousses with condiments. Last week I had an epiphany - he is doing that to clean off his hands! I know he doesn't like the way leftover food feels on his hands, but I thought the typical toddler thing to do is to wipe them on your clothes. Nope. Will prefers his hair. (This does not explain the time that he picked up a plate covered in leftover ketchup and rubbed it all over his head after his hands were clean, but I stand by that explanation.) He is using his hair as a napkin. 

It gives him a unique look, doesn't it?

*there's his first trip to Cheekwood

Last Sunday afternoon at Cheekwood

 

Every year they have a different outdoor exhibit. 

This year it was trains!

Amazing landscaping and water feature

Peeking at the Ladybug train through a secret window

There were also little models of historic Tennessee buildings all around.

Union Station, Nashville

Thomas coming towards me right before he jumped the track. That got a "Whoa!" out of Will.

Beale Street, Memphis

State Capital Building, Nashville

The Hermitage, Nashville

mini Cheekwood Mansion

Belle Meade Plantation, Nashville

The building behind the stroller is Alex Haley's boyhood home in Henning, but I don't remember what the other one is - something from East TN I think. I mainly wanted a picture of how high those train tracks were. I missed getting a shot of the little Graceland.

Parthenon, Nashville

The bridges were very neat

 

Behind us you can see two little reflecting pools. Between them is a waterfall. I'm describing it because that is the spot where Will sat in the water! It was such a hot day I don't think he even noticed. You can even see him reaching for his water cup in the picture with the stroller. He drank more that day than I think we have ever seen.