So, how is the boy measuring up these days? What is he up to?
Clearly, despite his less than desirable and restricted diet, he continues to thrive and exceed all expectations for growth of an FPIES kid. Not to say that feeding Harlan doesn't continue to be a challenge. Not just because of his limited diet, but because he whines the whole time, throws his food, and ruins our meals with his screeching and constant demands. No, I am not bitter. In his defense, I think he is frustrated with being the served the same options, 3 meals a day, and he has always (since his first spoonful of food) had wanted to feed himself. So, I thought I would try a new tactic. I purchased some suction cup bowls, so he could not tip them over, or try to eat the bowl, like he has done in past attempts. It is "helping" the situation, but he is still frustrated. He does spoon feed himself with accuracy, when he is not throwing the spoon. I tried to get a video of him doing it, but of course he waited till the camera was off to do it. Oh boy, Oh boy...this kid. However, he did manage to let out a pretty good "Walls" worthy burp. Elle even fed him a spoonful afterward. She really has learned to love her baby brother (except when she is playing in her room).
Harlan, is not yet walking, but he becomes more and more steady by the day and stands like a pro. If he can find furniture, a chair, a leg, or a wall, he will use it to help him walk, over crawling, any day. My favorite is when he climbs under the kitchen table to get a chair and begins his journey. Elle always yells,"Hey, chairs are not for walking, they are for sitting silly!" It really is quite comical...both the sight of him using a walker, and Elle lecturing him on the properness. She could use a lecture from time to time too (which she gets from yours truly).
He has more hair on his head then Elle did at 2.5, and it has the most adorable curls at the ends. It reminds me a lot of my cousin Shanna's hair when she was little, and I cherish it...both her memory, and his adorable trestles. I honestly don't want to cut it, ever. Brandon on the other hand, says it can't touch his shirt collar, but I disagree. I think the perfect length would be just touching. Either way, it is adorable, and it brings a smile to my face every time I run my fingers through it. I won't lie, he has been accused of being a "girl" twice this month. These people who have blatant disregard (oblivion) for gender specific clothing baffle me. I mean the boy is dressed in head to toe shades of blue, and he is a girl? I remember when Elle would be in a pink dress with a pink headband with a huge flower or bow attached to it, and she would be called a boy. Really, people? Granted she had NO hair, but the outfit isn't clear enough? I tell ya...
Shockingly, he is no word smith either. Elle was a savant, so I guess I should have known, I wouldn't have two early talkers. I guess this is the area of development he is not quite up to snuff. They say (the experts) he should be saying Mama and Dada indiscriminately by now, but he isn't. He babbles a ton, and practices with sounds, and understands commands, so I am not worried. It is just a stark contrast from what I was used to. This is when I wish I did baby sign language with him so he can communicate his frustrations a little more. Oh, well. I am sure he will be talking soon enough...well if Elle doesn't do it all for him. Bless her heart.
Harlan is "a handsome little devil," as my grandma Phyllis would have said. I feel like he looks a little less than his daddy these days, but I am not sure that he has any of my good looks (ahem) either. Nonetheless, he is beautiful little boy, with an amazing spirit about him. A little coy at times, but rarely shy, his smile lights up any room, and his laugh is infectious. Elle LOVES when he belly laughs and tells me to do whatever it is I am doing to cause it, more!
Oh boy, is he a boy. When he is not pushing around a truck or car on the ground, he is trying to discover how something is made, playing with his dad's empty beer bottles, discovering what it means to be a janitor, throwing toys in the toilet, and destroying anything that he seems fit. Lord help me...I can only imagine what my house is going to look like once he does start walking and learns to climb (because he already wants to).
