Exhausting child

Sorry for the delay since my last post. It just seems that any moment of spare time lately is absorbed by Nathaniel or is simply recovery time from the kiddo. Man, he's got energy. And now that he's getting taller, faster, stronger and smarter, it's really tiring.

Amanda and I recently took him to a playground a short car drive away. We lost track of time because he was having fun, and next thing we knew it was dinner time. When we took him from the playground, I think he realized (a) he wanted to keep playing and (b) he was really hungry. Instead of those things, however, Mommy and Daddy were trying to lock him into a car seat. He was really unhappy with our choice of actions and screamed and arched his back like crazy. It took both of us to get him secured in the seat.

Other items: He used to be able to walk under out dining room table ... now he reaches easily almost to the middle of the table, meaning nothing is safe on the table anymore. He's also strong enough to climb into his stroller (and out) on his own (did that for the first time this morning); and he can climb into his car seat (he's really proud when he does that).

He's also picking up more words. "Happy" "Apple" "Banana" (although that one is a little off ... it involves a lot of tongue out of mouth action). He can also sing "Happy Birthday" with most of the words sounding somewhat correct (he gets the tune right and uses the proper number of syllables at least).

Anyway ... just keeping in touch. Again, sorry for the lack of posts.

Unhappy with CHOP

Maybe I'm a little biased, being that DuPont (and Virtua) did such a phenomenal job with Nathaniel when he was born, but CHOp just has not lived up to my expectations. All they've had to do in all of this is put tubes in Nathaniel's ears. So what could go wrong? Well, nothing "wrong," but it's been a lot less convenient along with some annoying foul-ups.

For example:
--CHOP had me call my insurance company to be sure the procedure they were doing was covered. Insurance companies speak a different language than normal humans, couldn't CHOP have a person on staff who deals with these things and speaks the language? Voorhees and DuPont had such people.
-- CHOP had us schedule appointments months in advance for a follow-up for Nathaniel ... then we still didn't get to see the doctor. I have nothing against nurse practioners or registered nurses or any other qualified medical professionals, but if we're waiting months to see the doctor, we'd like to see the doctor.
-- CHOP refused to take a copay at the office, despite my wife's insistence that there was a copay. Now they're hassling me because I forgot to pay when they billed me (admittedly, this one is my fault at this point, but (a) they wouldn't take the money upfront, as they're supposed to and (b) a CHOP bill is not part of my monthly bill-paying routine).
-- CHOP cancelled our latest appointment without telling us. We thought Nathaniel had another follow-up this week, but we couldn't remember when. I called last week to find out. I was passed around to several offices before someone said: "Your appointment was for last week, but it got cancelled. Let me transfer you to the woman who did that." Apparently the audiologist was not going to be available that day, so all appointments were canceled and (apparently) nobody was told of the cancelations. Now we're pushed back another three weeks ... and I'm not convinced the new appointment is with the right person (based on how confused the assistant was).

Oh, for the days of Voorhees and DuPont. (And, to make myself clear, I have nothing but the highest respect for the doctors, nurses and other medical professionals who save countless lives at CHOP ... it's more the bureaucracy of medical care that bugs me.

Brilliant -- or not?

Nathaniel is definitely at an age where he just does different (and odd) things. He just tries stuff -- some of which seems well ahead of his age, and some of which is, well, not ahead.

The other day, Amanda and I were amazed to see the little guy turn over the laundry basket and push it over to this buffet/china cabinet type of thing we have in the dining room. He them climbed on top of the basket so he could reach things on top of the buffet. Pretty amazing, we thought.

But I had to stop him, of course. And as soon as I set him on the ground and removed the basket, he sat down, rolled over and proceeded to crawl the length of the living room and dining room with his forehead shoved into the carpet.

Brilliant one moment, shoving his face into the ground for fun the next.

Either way, it's pretty darn amazing.

Another haircut

This kid is growing .. and nothing seems to grow faster than hair and fingernails. Fingernails we've cut often, but hair we're only now on No. 2.

This time we used some electric clippers, along with scissors. And we cut his hair much shorter. He really does look older this way. I'll try to get a picture up soon.

Terribles twos

Nathaniel may be a little early to be a terrible 2, but he's definitely moving in the right direction. He's refusing to eat most of the healthy things he used to eat (vegetables are getting impossible), and he's taken to throwing his food more often. He outright defies us sometimes (throw a chunk of something; we raise our voices and say "NO THROWING," then remove whatever is in his hand for the next round. He picks up something else, waits while we stare and remind him "NO THROWING," then hurls it across the room. Admittedly, he may or may not fully understand what we're saying or how it connects to what he's doing ... but still.).

We went to the mall yesterday to check out some Labor Day clothing sales ... and Nathaniel was really a handful. We realized that if we can't take him to lunch at the mall, odds are we won't be going out to eat as a whole family anytime soon.

Next weekend, some family will be coming over for Nathaniel's aunt's birthday. The following weekend we'll be hanging out with a friend who just recently bought a home for an open house afternoon. Both should be quite a handful with this kid and his newfound energy, curiosity and part-time defiance. I think I need a vacation.