The Belated 9 Month Check

Leo turned 9 months on March 27th and I was fully aware that at some point in the oncoming weeks, we would be called upon to visit the Health Visitor. It is a routine appointment that every baby has to attend. It is all so she can make sure Leo is growing as he should be and developing at the right pace.

This appointment seemed to take forever to come through, and Leo turned 10 months before the appointment fell through the door. The date was booked in the diary for the 1st May at 2pm, so Leo and I made our way to the surgery to see what the health visitor thought of my little Leo.

We sat waiting in the surgery, giving Leo plenty of time to eye up a woman sat across from us. Staring at her with flirtation in his eyes and looking for a reaction to his glassy eyed stare. The lady was saved when we were called into our appointment, and left in the solitude that Leo and I leaving restored to her.

The health visitor could see instantly that Leo was in high spirit and had a cheeky disposition about him. Just one glance can tell you this and spending 15 minutes together? Well...That can tell you so much about my boy. Minute by minute he becomes more at home, more at ease and with that confidence emerging you can rest assured that your office has had it, and the little monster he is begins to tear it apart.

Leo's eyes were tested to make sure his sight was all that it should be, and he was asked to demonstrate his crawling ability, which of course he was more than happy to do. The health visitor offered Leo toy's to demonstrate his grasp and understanding, once the toys were in his tight little grip they were his, and unless he threw them to the ground...She was not getting them back.

She tested him with books to see if he could turn the pages, and once he had...Well of course he put it straight into his mouth. It was no wonder we were given the book he had chewed...

Leo wasted no time in getting down off my lap, and once he found the weight scales he was in his element. He proceeded to sit on the floor and pull a stool back and forward, repeatedly. He giggled when the stool touched his face, when he pulled it that little bit too close. The health visitor was writing on the form, deciding whether Leo was at the right developmental stage for his age, while glancing up to see what the little rugrat was doing next.

I was answering lots of questions about what Leo could do and what he could not. The what he could do out weighing what he could not. Saying it all out loud made me realise just how much he could do, and how he was not the same little baby that the health visitor last saw at around 12 weeks old.

I filled her in on all of Leo's little quirks and how cheeky he was becoming. I told her all about Leo's latest trick of actually shouting at me! This all seemed to happen yesterday for the very first time, a proper shout when I did something that dis-pleased him...Like not feeding him quickly enough, or getting him out of the car seat fast enough. He would shout 'Ba Ba Ba' while waving his arms in a angry motion. Letting me know that I had royally annoyed him.

Once the health visitor filled in all her forms, she let me have a little look and informed me that Leo was developing just perfectly. He was growing as he should be and he is doing great. Leo is currently doing things that 12-15 month old's can do!

That put a big smile on my face, it means I am doing a good job and Leo is thriving. Learning everything he should be and more.

I could not be prouder of my cheeky boy!

Laura

xx