Full of Poop

We took Sam to a new pediatrician closer to our house for his one year checkup on his birthday.

Weight: 22 lbs 7 oz (75%)
Height: 30.5" (75%)
Head: 49 cm (90%)

The kid's got a big brain.

And a big belly.

The doctor was concerned that his belly seemed distended and I mentioned that on occasion I notice it, too, and wonder if it's enlarged. She wanted to rule out all possibilities so she sent us over to the children's hospital for an x-ray on his abdomen.

Results came back normal, but that he's "full of poop." Her question was why he's so full of poop. {I swear, I've never had an adult conversation where the word poop was used so much!} This led to concerns that he might have a condition called Hirschsprung's disease in which the large intestine lacks the proper nerves to function correctly and pass waste efficiently. If he does have this condition it would require a consult with a pediatric colorectal specialist and surgery to remove the inactive section of the intestine. So... with many questions as to whether we were putting the cart waaaay before the horse, we agreed to further tests.

This lead to an abdominal ultrasound, a contrast enema and another x-ray.

All to find out: he just had a lot of poop.

Everything is normal, and he's as perfect as we suspected.

We sure know how to celebrate birthdays around here.


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Other milestones at 1 yr: 

Walking, now standing himself up in the middle of the room.

Still loves peek-a-boo

Loves to chase and be chased

Loves to "go back" where Michael holds him by the thighs in front of him and Sam leans back and hangs upside down

Signs "milk" in sign language. Hopefully more signs to come.

Transitioned from formula to milk beautifully, but he insists on having his milk warmed. Still working to wean from the bottle.

He's back to the "da-da-da-da-da" lingo, plus "za-za-za-za-za" and "doy-doy-doy-doy".

Loves taking baths.

Loves to throw his balls/toys down the stairs, into the bath tub, onto the hearth or couch, but especially through the baby gates.

Favorite foods -- bananas, cottage cheese, oatmeal, corn, cheese, chicken

Loves his brother.