So, we had Reed tested for gluten sensitivity a few weeks ago because Alana suffers with it, and while she doesn't carry the actual celiac gene, she does carry the gene for gluten sensitivity.

Anyway, we just assumed Reed would be fine as Matt has never had any food intolerance and we guessed Alana's condition would be a recessive one.  Then the results arrived and it turns out Reed does have Alana's gluten sensitivity gene. 

But the biggest surprise?  He also has the gene for Celiac Sprue!  Celiac being one of the big bads in digestive diseases - and poor little Reed has inherited this gene off his Daddy who has never had a symptom in his life!  This gene has been hidden in the Lynch or Flanagan history for who knows how long - most likely making people sick without them ever knowing the cause.  (Children have a 50% chance of inheriting this gene off the carrier parent.)

Celiac is very sneaky like that!

So a huge surprise.  We did not expect that result AT ALL!  Reed is now at very high risk for developing full blown Celiac Disease (Alana can't actually get this condition as you need the gene for it to develop) so now the entire family is going gluten free.

Genetics are fascinating!

We received some very good news from our new doctor here in Vancouver - Wonderbaby is unlikely to need surgery!

So, it's looking like a very good start to Reed's second year.

Yes, the big twelve month milestone is almost upon us.  We have been wondering whether Wonderbaby would be walking unaided by this point. 

And....he is!

He's not doing it all the time.  In fact, most of the time he still prefers to crawl.  But that's because he's now a master at it.  However, he can walk unaided when he wants to.

To see video of our little man taking his first steps, please visit our other website (the one we keep forgetting to update!) as we have uploaded some on there. 

Meanwhile, in just one day we will officially have a toddler on our hands. 

He's not quite walking yet.  He's pushing his little walker around like a Wonderbaby lunatic and he's very quick on his little feet.

But, this morning he let go of the window sill and WALKED over to the foot rest that was about a foot and a half away from him.  He didn't hold the window sill at all!

So while he's not actually walking yet, he has taken his first steps.  We don't think it will be too much longer before he's doing this all the time.

Like we're not exhausted enough!

Wonderbaby will be having surgery soon, before he's 18 months.

Of course we're worried, but the chances are we will be in worse shape through the operation than Reed will!  It's likely he'll breeze through the entire thing while we'll both be needing valium and large amounts of alcohol!

He will be having the operation in the U.S. as he needs to be over a year in age, but the good thing is we will have the opportunity to choose the doctor for a change.  There will also be a minimal wait, unlike here where they can't even guarantee us an appointment time!

That said, Wonderbaby seemed to like the specialist here in Canada.  While the very nice doctor poked and prodded and did everything in his power to make him cry, Reed lay with a big grin on his face until the doctor himself paused, and said he was a very, very good baby.

Which he really is.  Reed might not sleep all that much, and he might unravel toilet rolls and stick his legs down air vents and chew on everything in sight, but he's a sweet, friendly, good-natured little boy that we couldn't imagine life without.

Our guess is he'll receive special treatment in the hospital during his operation because he really is a Wonderbaby. 

Reed's not overly convinced about finger food.  He's tried a few items - strawberries, blueberries, pears, cheese and rusks.

Rusks are always eaten.  His favourite rusk flavour being banana and then vegetable.   Cheese is another favourite, especially string cheese.  Blueberries he can take or leave.  Strawberries he would rather just leave.

But pears were hated.  Despised even.

Until today when he slurped a piece back and...smiled! 

It seems, like everything with our Wonderbaby, things change over-night.  Perhaps it's time to reintroduce the blueberries. 

...yes, we still have them.   Wonderbaby is still not sleeping.  He's currently waking every hour on the hour, crying.  Of course this is very worrying.  So he had a visit to his doctor today just to check it's not a medical issue.

Of course, all is well with our little guy.   Aside from the expected teething pain, he's just one of those babies who doesn't sleep very well.  Which is tough when all around us babies seem to be snoozing like, well, babies!

Luckily we've always followed the advice of well known pediatrician Dr Sears and not our local doctor who really knows very little about such things.  Most doctors just suggest leaving the baby in the crib to cry alone all night.  That is NOT our style.

Dr Sears suggests the complete opposite and on his website he just happens to discuss the exact problem we are having with Reed.  Which is a relief, as it's comforting to know it's actually quite common for babies not to sleep well at 8, 9, even 12 months.

If interested, you can read up on what Dr Sears has to say about sleep and the 8 month old by following the link below. 

http://www.askdrsears.com/faq/sl1.asp

It is not enough that Wonderbaby is crawling 'military style' all over the house, that his teeth are coming in two at a time or that he is babbling like a batty monkey every chance he gets.  He has almost figured out something much more exhausting.

How to pull himself up!

On two occasions he has grabbed hold of the side of the dishwasher, yanked with all his might and wobbled his way upwards into a three quarter stand.  He has then stood there swaying side to side with a smug look on his face.

Of course the looks on our faces were more like shock and horror!

After witnessing this new milestone we immediately organized a Saturday trip to the safety superstore where we stocked up on cupboard, drawer and toilet locks.  Reed is already opening the drawers so we thought it best to clamp down on the rest as soon as possible.

There really is no rest when you have a wriggly piggly little Wonderbaby!