Staying Cool!

It has been ridiculously hot here. It has not gone under 90 in about a month. It also has been storming a lot. The sun looks so pretty when I look out the window but doing anything other than swimming outside is not an option. So, London and I have been staying cool inside with the AC. Our living room has turned into a giant toy box but I love it! I love the drums, cars, blocks, and sound and light machines that have exploded all over our house. It sure lets London make his mark and it's very apparent that we have a little one living here. I have been trying to keep London busy and it hasn't been easy because he LOVES going outside. I walk him out a few times a day but it is even too hot for stroller rides. When we have to come back in he gets super upset and cries every time. I feel bad that he doesn't have a yard to play in but hopefully by next year we'll be in a house.
We had an appointment at Cranial Tech last week and London is finally clear to end treatment! They do want him to wear another band but that is not happening. He gets it off a week from today (July 20th), which is awesome because it's the day before we leave for PA. We did not want to have to deal with it while he swims in my parent's pool, the lake, and dealing with him having to be in a hot car for hours. We went to Children's Place and bought him the adorable striped hat in the picture right after we left the appointment. He does not like wearing hats at all and rips it off immediately but he looks so cute! We'll see if he gets used to it. His next appointment will be his last and he "graduates" (haha) They will take the same mug shots they took during his evaluation and do another 360 head scan. I wonder if he'll get a diploma...haha. He loved the little play house toy they had in the patient room. Look at that little round head camouflaging in there :-)

I love all the extra time I get with London. We are pretty much together all of the time. Cuddle time is rare since he gained mobility so I take it when I can. He usually only cuddles before naptime and before bed. I have been able to get him on a pretty consistent schedule and he has been taking amazing naps. He still wakes up and has a bottle once a night and I am not sure how to break that. For now, I'm gonna give him the comfort and milk he wants. He hasn't been crazy about formula so I have to make sure he gets at least 24oz a day, night feedings help with that. Kary still works like crazy but manages to get some good quality time in when he is home. He bathes London, reads bedtime stories, and wrestles (of course) whenever he can. For some odd reason, Kary puts London on the back of the couch and he thinks it's hilarious and jumps into Kary's arms. He is already a wild boy!
We also like to keep him busy and when it's this hot we mostly end up going shopping. London loves IKEA and the mall. He wants to do so much at IKEA and tries to sit in the chairs, he lunges for everything. We'll be in trouble when he starts walking..haha.

London has been able to try some new foods since his 9 month appointment. His first experience with chunky baby food was a whole lot of gagging but now he is chewing and loving it. It is so cute to see him mash his food up and when we cheer he gets so excited and proud. It's adorable! He also tried yo baby yogurt and loves it. He also loves to snack on gerber puffs, crunchies, and yogurt melts. Putting snacks on his tray has really helped with his behavior during meals. He doesn't get as mad now when I put him in his highchair and put on his bib. His eating was really bad last week but now he has the hang of it and is back to eating like a rockstar. His breakfast usually consists of oatmeal, banana and granola baby food (stage 2) since he's not into chunky fruit yet, and he usually snacks on some yogurt melts. Some mornings I substitute the baby food with yogurt. For lunch he eats vegetable and pasta medley (earth's best:stage 3) and has some crunchies and puffs. Dinner is usually the rest of lunch, some snacks, a little oatmeal, and some fruit (whatever he didn't eat from the meal before)The faces he makes while trying new foods are adorable! Check out the puff snack face below and the teething biscuit face.
London has started biting. I know every kid does it but it hurts! He got me really good in the stomach and a day later I still have a red mark. He nuzzles into me all adorable and then attacks. It's crazy. He is so much fun now and it's like having a new little best friend. I am going to suck up all I can for the rest of the summer. We have 2 fun family trips planned over the next few weeks :-)