How on earth is it possible that Kieran is 4 months old now?  (Actually, he was 4 months a week ago…)  It just doesn’t seem possible.  In some ways it seems like FAR longer since we brought him home from the hospital, but in others it seems like just yesterday.

Kieran has grown SO MUCH since his last doctor’s appointment at 2 months.  We knew he was growing just by how quickly he was outgrowing his clothes, but putting him on the scales at Dr. Hodapp’s office confirmed it!

Dr. Hodapp was impressed and happy with Kieran’s growth. We were stunned to say the least to see a FIVE POUND gain in two months! And nearly as shocking to us was seeing that Kieran has put on SIX INCHES in four months! Good heavens, no wonder he outgrows his footie sleepers so fast! Dr. Hodapp doesn’t think Kieran will keep up this super fast rate of growth, which is probably a good thing because I don’t know what we’d do with a 6 foot tall 4-year-old! (At Kieran’s last checkup, everyone was commenting on our “tiny peanut” and this time they were cheering our “BIG BOY” – what a different two months makes!)

We talked about Kieran’s reflux and Dr. Hodapp is fine with continuing the Zantac and titrating up the dosage based on Kieran’s growth. He reviewed the printout I brought from Marci-Kids (Midwest Acid Reflux Children’s Institute) about using liquid Maalox for bad reflux episodes (heartburn) and he was fine with it. (Which was great, because Maalox has been our savior on occasion when Kieran is screaming in pain.)

We talked about starting solids too. Dr. Hodapp is in no hurry for us to start before 6 months. He commented that Kieran will probably spit up less with solids, but that that alone isn’t a reason to start them now. He gave us some guidelines for what to start first (oatmeal or rice cereal, followed by vegetables.) But he has no concerns if we wait until after the first of the year to start solids. We don’t have any plans to start them before then, but you never know.

Dr. Hodapp was very impressed with Kieran’s strength and ability to stand with minimal support. He was happy with Kieran’s core strength and said not to bother with Tummy Time if it pisses Kieran off – no need to make him cry just for Tummy Time. We’ll still do it, just not with the urgency of “OMG, have to do it for 20 minutes a day!!”

Suggestions for helping with naps and sleep were mostly to keep doing what we’re doing with instituting a schedule and to work on making Kieran go longer between bottles so he’ll take a bigger bottle, less frequently. Other than that, we just gotta wait for Kieran’s physiological growth to let him sleep and nap longer.

Kieran got three shots and one oral vaccine at his appointment, and took it like a champ. [#2 of everything he had last time: Hep B, Polio, DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, & Pertussis/Whooping Cough), Hib (Meningitis), PVC13 (Pneumococcal disease), and Rotovirus.] 30 seconds of crying followed by a slightly hurt, bewildered look that said “What the hell, guys?” We could tell that he didn’t feel very good over the next two days, but by staying on top of tylenol doses, we were able to keep the worst of it at bay.

Our next appointment is at 6 months, just after the first of the year. We’re gratified that Kieran is doing so well and growing so strong. You’d never know he was almost a preemie!