Saturday, May 22, 2010

1

A Little Bedtime Trouble

Sooooo, T is growing fast, and D and I are concerned about how much longer he has in his bassinet. He's just starting to look a little crowded in there, really.

We've had N's toddler bed set up ever since we got it, but N shows little interest in it unless we're talking about it. And he's very very clingy to his routine, and doesn't like to change things up at all.

But lately, D and I have started to try putting N in the toddler bed instead of the crib.

He doesn't appreciate it.

From the moment he lays down, it's a tear-fest. I don't mind putting him back in bed constantly but the crying just eats at me. I mean, it's not the normal "I'm not getting my way" tears. It's "something is very wrong!!!" tears.

So, here I am, coming to you.

Does anyone have any advice for how to make this transition easier? I've been told to bring him with us shopping for bedding, and we can work on that. I've been given advice about not backing down, and I'm tenacious once I get it in my head. But this isn't a punishment for him, and I'd like the transition to be as painless as possible. Does anyone have any ideas? Experience?

Friday, May 21, 2010

0

Book of the Week

Red is Best, by Kathy Stinson, is the story of Kelly, a young girl who knows exactly what she wants.

And it isn't the blue jacket, or the brown mittens, or the yellow pajamas.

I grew up with this book, and when we got pregnant, I was insistent that we make it a part of our children's book collection.

Now N loves this book. He calls it "Reb" and we love reading it together.

But I'm pretty convinced my mom still doesn't understand about Red.

0

Where is?

Today, N put together 2 words to ask a question. It wasn't a full sentence, but it was the basic concept of one. :)

Yesterday, I pulled out a couple of toys that had been hidden for a while (we just have soooo many toys!) and this morning he was looking for one of the wooden shape peg things for a  shaped peg puzzle. He pointed to the board, complete but for the one, and asked D very clearly, "Where is?"

D found the peg and gave it to N.

Then right before he left for work, D got him to say, "Yes, please" but to be fair, that was coached.

What you must understand, however, is that I have had the darndest time getting 2 syllables out of him together (with the exception, that is, of "pee boo"). Twice in one day, and with repeats, I should add, is quite the feat!

Thursday, May 20, 2010

0

My sweet windchime

My dear husband bought me this...



And I can hear it right now. Out my front door (It was in the backyard when I took the photos but has moved to a more permanent location).

The chiming makes the inclement weather so much more enjoyable.

I highly recommend them.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

2

Wednesday Wish List

-Oh, that my camcorder would communicate with my computer like it used to! This is my big wish of the week! Please, camcorder, communicate with my computer without making me lose my videos! Please, please, please! sidenote: if anyone has advice on how to fix this problem in a JVC Everio 20GB camcorder, I would love to hear from you. Yes, I know it's a longshot.

-For D to unload the dishes without me asking first. Don't get me wrong; he's great about doing it when I ask. But my pipe dream wish #2 is for him to know before I say it. I know, I'm SUCH a woman.


-N, my darling son, please please eat your peanut butter and jelly as a sandwich! It is NOT an oreo, and I really dislike the waste of bread.

-To get rid of the jello which resides in the southern hemisphere of my torso. Baby belly, be gone!

1

N's very difficult week

Ever have one of those weeks when you feel like your kids are falling apart on you?

Well, I've seen it happen before, but this is my first time truly experiencing it as a mommy.

I mentioned that N got a dog bite (really, it was a nip gone bad) on Friday the 7th. That night, when we put him down to bed, I called the advice nurse and actually felt really good about things when the night ended. However, the wound got infected almost immediately, and on Saturday morning, we brought N into the doctor's office with a swollen face and a low-grade fever.



The on-call pediatrician looked at the bite area and sent us to the ER, where they drained the infection and then admitted us into the Pediatrics ward. D stayed overnight with N, and we got to go home on Sunday afternoon.

N kept a low-grade fever which concerned me until Monday night. I kept in contact with the advice nurse (for any mommies out there who don't utilize the advice line, I would strongly recommend saving it in your contacts. It's free for patients and it's so nice to have the peace of mind!)...

On Tuesday, N went in for a follow-up appointment. The doctor told us that the diaper rash he was developing was a result of the diarrhea he had from the Augmentin (the oral antibiotic routine they put him on) and we got him probiotics to help regulate his digestion.

The diaper rash got much worse and I called the advice nurse again Saturday evening. She said it was just a result of the Augmentin, and apparently antibiotics often cause yeast infections in children, so I should get antifungal for his diaper area and let him hang out sans diaper as much as possible.

Monday morning, his diaper rash wasn't much better, and he had a full-body rash which looked like Roseola. Concerned, I brought him in to see the pediatrician who told us that N's rash was a reaction (not a true allergy because it didn't bother him, but a reaction) to the amoxicillin in the Augmentin. Apparently it's related to a penicillin allergy, so we need to watch out for that.


The pics are of him AFTER we stopped the antibiotics.

So, in the past week and a half, my little guy has had a bite, an infection, a fever, a diaper rash/yeast infection, and a full-body rash. I brought him out of the doctor's office with a splotchy red face, a scab on his chin (where the bite was), and a big red painful diaper rash (we're talking chemical burn bad, and it developed in under 24 hours).

That said, ever since he stopped taking the antibiotics, his rash has gone waaaay down, his diaper rash has gotten MUCH better, his diarrhea is gone, and the bite still appears to be healing and the fever hasn't come back.

I'm not sure I knew anything about parenthood before these last 2 weeks, really!

0

A Much Appreciated Gift

While N and D were in the hospital for N's dog bite, I brought T home for the night (we just couldn't all stay in that little hospital room) and found this little gift on my doorstop:

Well, it was actually in an ugly envelope for the mail, but this is what came out when I opened it.

My package from Noelle Garrett Designs! Oh, what perfect timing! Right when I needed a pick-me-up!

You'll have to forgive the terrible lighting, but I'd love to walk you through the fabulous packaging job these folks did!


Once I opened into the package (which I had to convince myself to do, because it was so pretty I actually had a hard time opening it!) , this is what I found...



Oh, aren't these tags just beautiful!?

From the moment I opened into it, I knew I was getting well-loved items. They're carefully and lovingly packaged, they're unique and individual designs, and they're just such a wonderful blend of paper, lace, and embellishments!

Thank you so much to Carrie; you brightened up an otherwise very difficult and stressful day!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

0

Weeeelllll,

N has a fever now (has had since "the incident") and the doc says if it persists, we'll have to have him seen again. I've had my fill of doctors, hospitals, and pediatrician's offices for a while, I think, but whatever we have to do to keep my guy healthy, I guess. I just hope it doesn't involve another hospital stay.

In other news, I got my lovely package from Noelle Garrett Designs the other day. I will be posting about it more in a separate post, so as to give it proper tribute (because some people just do things RIGHT). We also received our baptism outfit for T, which wasn't a consistent fit, but fortunately, the pants & coat *which didn't fit him and didn't have any baptism-related insignia* DID fit N perfectly. So we went out, found a pair of white pants (no easy feat), and now have matching outfits for the boys. SO CUTE! Fortunate happenstance, or Divine Intervention? You decide.

I've discovered that I can, in fact, knit on circular knitting needles. It's coming along nicely. And the color is so beautiful! And the yarn is soft, too, which makes me quite happy.

Monday, May 10, 2010

1

Where I've Been

Just in case you were wondering. On Friday night, N got nipped by a friend's dog and the puncture got infected over Friday night. We went into the doctor's office Saturday morning, and then into the ER, and stayed overnight. Got home Sunday evening and spent then and this morning getting back together.

Sorry about all the inconsistency. Life's been more than a little crazy!

Thursday, May 06, 2010

0

Book of the Week

Albert's Impossible Toothache, by Barbara Williams, was given to us by good friends, and we LOVE it.

Albert Turtle wakes up complaining of a toothache, but his family is unsympathetic. After displaying their toothlessness and expressing that it's impossible for anyone in the family to have a toothache, his family goes about the day, allowing Albert to remain in bed with his pain.

Albert turns down opportunities to have fun, eat his favorite foods, and look at family photos because of his impossible toothache.

Until Grandma Turtle comes over and helps Albert with his toothache.

I won't ruin the end for you. It really must be read in its original context. Suffice it to say, we love this book!

Wednesday, May 05, 2010

0

Wednesday Wish List

I try not to go crazy with *things* that I want, so I thought I would start a wish list of 'wants' that run more to events and experiences. With maybe a few things thrown in here and there...

Sooooo...

-N to finally utter the words "I love you"... or just "Love you" would work, too.

-Brunch out with D, N, and T

-Good news on D's financial aid

-More sunny days!

-Time to see RS! I miss her!

-This:

My camera is pathetically sad when it comes to getting good photos. It's grainy and blurry and I would really like to be able to capture our family moments more true-to-life.
0

About the Weather

Me: "This day has been bizarre! Wind, rain, sun, hail, sun, rain... What is going on? This is crazy weather."

D: "The weather must be pregnant."

Apparently I'm just a joy when I'm pregnant ;-)
0

Bye-bye Tee-too

Last night, while playing the time-honored game of peek-a-boo, I heard something that astonished me. When I pulled the blanket back, N clearly called out, "pee-boo!" Pee-boo? Pee-boo? After a moment of surprise, I responded "What? Not 'tee-too'?"

Proud of his newfound eloquence, N grinned, shook his head, and once again vocalized, "Pee-boo!"

Oh, you may laugh at me, or purse your lips in disapproval if you will, but I tried for about 5 minutes to hear my old friend, "Tee-too"... but N would have nothing of it.

Later, I discovered that his tummy has become ticklish.

Who is this child and what happened to my baby?

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

3

If you could be me right now

Oh, if you could spend an hour in my shoes, you'd never want to go back.

Of course, after that hour, N would wake up in a fit over something, T would be roused and upset, and you'd realize you didn't know what was for dinner. You'd go into the kitchen to start it and be reminded of the mess you have to deal with. You'd start, but N would have finished his banana and be fussing to get down. T would have messed his onesie and you would have to get him a new one. And inevitably, someone would fall on something and there would be that to deal with.

But then N would kiss your cheek, or mimic your pain dance, or bring you a book. And T would give you one of his sweet little grins. And you'd remember the meatloaf sitting in the freezer, easy to thaw out and just waiting for a day like today.

And D would call and tell you how much he loves and misses you. N would fuss for the phone, which you would hand over (after putting D on speaker). You would talk to each other, N cutting in with the sporadic "a-go, uh, yeah, hi" and you would feel the home of this life.

This life is a good life.

But you can't have mine. Get your own ;)
1

Our Big Big Plans

Today, D will be meeting with an advisor at the Northwest Renewable Energy Institute. Should all go well, he will be beginning classes in June for his Wind Energy Technician certification. The program is 6 months long and includes lifetime job placement programs. His dad teaches classes for the institute and has highly recommended that D get in on this. It seems like a good direction for my oh-so-brilliant yet (careerwise) unfocused husband. He doesn't have to sit at a desk all day (something that makes him go completely stir-crazy), he gets to use his incredible brain, and the opportunities in the field are huge.

So we're looking for the signs and the doors seem to be opening up to us. Should they start closing, we'll begin to consider the situation, but for now, we're optimistic. Of course, we still have to finance it somehow.

Guide us, Lord. Show us your will and your way. Amen.
0

And now for a LITTLE creativity!

Well, I've been showing off my fun little projects quite a bit recently, but I have sadly neglected to share with you the machinations of a bored-at-work hubby.

A little backround info:

D works in construction as a flagger... during the seasons when a flagger is typically employed.

During the off-season, he is working as a customer service rep for a call center. It pays well but the job is hammering. And terribly slow-going and booooring.

To keep him from bursts of insanity, my ever-loving husband has taken up hand sewing small projects between calls.


Project being shared today: bean bag dragon.Filled not with traditional filling beans, but with ground rice mixed with dried spearmint. This little guy smells fabulous, by the way.

Monday, May 03, 2010

5

What I Came Home To

I've meant to blog about this for a while, but things being busy, I hadn't gotten to it until just now! Shame on me!

As you may know, in March I took the boys across the country to visit their grandparents and attend the funeral of my sister who was stillborn in mid-March. When we got home, my darling hubby had found this for us online:


An 8-candle sconce. And a steak dinner. XD

Have I mentioned I love him?

1

Noelle Garrett Designs

I was browsing the internets the other day and ran across one of the most lovely sites I've run across...

Noelle Garrett Designs

...Don't you want just about everything she's made?

And she does a lovely job of displaying it, too!
1

Godsons & Gifts

I have a godson with a birthday on Friday. I have a birthday present to bring him, but am curious, what do you folks do for godchildren? Anything special, or just fun gifts they can enjoy? Bring it back to God? Yes? No?

I ask specifically about godchildren because, well, they're a slightly trickier subject, considering that you're a spiritual guide of sorts. But I'd love to hear all about things you love to get for kids in your lives!
0

Learning to Fall

My darling husband believes it is extremely important for young children to learn how gravity works on their bodies and how to fall.


That's the fancy way that he usually uses to explain why he loves tossing N in the air every which way till Sunday.

I kid you not, D throws him up by his hips, feet, waist, etc, always catching him (so far*fingers crossed*) and always eliciting squeals of joy, giggles, and insistent pleas for more.

Sometimes, I swear, it looks as though he's abusing our 20-month-old son... except for the smile and laughter.

Now, I know... I know ... that D is always in control and never performs these tricks over hard surfaces. Still, I cringe a little every time he starts up, and I've given him grief before about the claim to need to know how to fall being complete bunk.

Well, never again will I assert that knowing how to fall comes naturally and needn't be taught, nor will I argue the unimportance of parents teaching such a trait.

Yesterday, when he tripped on pavement, my 20-month-old son briskly caught himself with his hands, allowed his weight to continue down, and managed to fall without a single scratch. Zero bleeding. A few tears, admittedly, but far better than I've done even recently when tripping.

And his face hit that pavement. Not hard, because he knew how to fall with it. But I picked him up and I know that the little face hit pavement.

Poor guy, I felt so bad for him.

Lest you argue that I should have been more alert, I was standing next to him and holding his brother when it happened. He simply caught his foot and tripped in the blink of an eye. And he was in my arms the moment he reacted.

Yes, my darling dearest husband, I cede to your wisdom in this matter of falls and tumbles. Teach away, oh wise one. ;)