Dylan Henry Jones - Month 19

Sunday - 8th September 2013
This week we have been putting Dylan to test!
On Tuesday we started the study to find out whether he has reflux.  I think the technical term is silent reflux as most of the time he's fine, just every now and again, usually at bedtime it gets a little spectacular (last Sunday it was over Grandma and down the stairs, not ideal in a house you're trying to sell and have just had repainted. Who'd have thought blueberries could be so messy?!).  So the study essentially involves putting a tube down the nose into the stomach and monitoring the stomach contents (for acid) over a period of 24hrs.  Needless to say that Dylan wasn't wholly impressed with someone putting a tube down his nose especially when he hadn't had breakfast and it was past his morning nap time.  Good job toddlers have short memories! 

Dylan causing carnage in the kitchen completely unperturbed
by the tube up his nose and a bag around his neck

We were a little perturbed by how we were going to keep Dylan from removing said tube at the earliest opportunity and also how were going to manage with the monitoring box which wasn't small and attached to Dylan's nose by about a metre or so of tubing.  Not really long enough for a boy that likes to run around in small circles.  Somehow we managed to survive and the tube remained in with the use of socks on his hands during his naps.  I don't know how long we have to for until we get the results back.

Also on Tuesday we picked up a blood pressure monitor so that we can keep an eye on his blood pressure which has been high and is cause for a little concern amongst the cardiologists given the condition of his heart.  We haven't decided how long to monitor for (and haven't been given any guidance).  We'll probably give it back at the end of this week, numbers at the moment are still quite high which means he'll be on drugs to reduce it.

Beyond that, his vocabulary is increasing every day, and often even if he can't say it, he can point at it when asked.  And he's mastered the stairs.  Well going up them at any rate, down is an entirely different issue...

oh, and it appears he doesn't like bubble bath...



Monday - 26th August 2013
An important milestone has been reached.  Not only is Dylan 18months old, but it's also a whole 6 months since he was last in hospital!  Hurrah!  Not sure how tall he was when he came out of hospital but he's now 73cm tall.  I do know that he's grown 3cm in 4 months.  The glorious Summer that we have had has certainly helped keep him out of hospital as he's had several colds and shrugged them off reasonably well.

Safe under the high ball AND making the mark. 
Clearly an international (Welsh) full-back in the making!