Friday, November 30, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Sick
You know that feeling you get right before you get really sick? That all over achy body feeling accompanied by chills, sore throat, and nausea? And that fuzzy head feeling? Yeah, I've got that.
I'm keeping fingers crossed that upping my Vitamin C intake will be enough to keep serious sick at bay, because let's face it, I simply can not afford to get sick.
Dahdoo (S2) has a sinus infection, but is her usual bubbly self. I've told B many times that if she's ever actually acting sick, we should go to the emergency room, because it must be life threatening.
Jax (J) is a mess. First it was the peanut sensitivity, so I cut all nuts out of my diet. Luckily, it's just peanuts he has a problem with, so I could still have my hazlenut spread that I love so much. Then the eczema got a lot worse, so I did some research and decided to try cutting dairy out of my diet to see if his skin improved. Sure enough, the scales on his shins started to clear up within a week. Then, with the cold, dry weather, he got a lovely eczema rash all over his trunk. Poor bebe. In addition, I have to go get a few yards of fleece to make diaper liners, because he gets a rash if even the smallest drop of moisture lingers on his skin for more than about 90 seconds.
He is VERY fair skinned (almost see-through, Portia!) and a redhead, so I guess we should have seen this coming? Figures that our one boy would be the wussy one (I'm KIDDING!).
Tora (V) and Doodle (S1) will be here for almost two full weeks around Christmas! I am SO excited! I've never had this much continuous time with both of them. This summer I had each girl for one week while they had gymnastics camp, but this will be the first long stretch with them together, and with me home with all four kids all day every day. I'm borrowing some activity ideas from friends of things to do each day to keep us busy, since they'll be here for about 12 days.
Life has been really really good the last month. B and I made a promise to each other that we would put in more effort to maintain a happy, healthy home, and it's been going really well. The house is staying tidy, the kids are in better moods, I'm happier, and we're communicating even more than before. There's a lot more laughter around us, and we've been missing that. It's good to be back.
I'm keeping fingers crossed that upping my Vitamin C intake will be enough to keep serious sick at bay, because let's face it, I simply can not afford to get sick.
Dahdoo (S2) has a sinus infection, but is her usual bubbly self. I've told B many times that if she's ever actually acting sick, we should go to the emergency room, because it must be life threatening.
Jax (J) is a mess. First it was the peanut sensitivity, so I cut all nuts out of my diet. Luckily, it's just peanuts he has a problem with, so I could still have my hazlenut spread that I love so much. Then the eczema got a lot worse, so I did some research and decided to try cutting dairy out of my diet to see if his skin improved. Sure enough, the scales on his shins started to clear up within a week. Then, with the cold, dry weather, he got a lovely eczema rash all over his trunk. Poor bebe. In addition, I have to go get a few yards of fleece to make diaper liners, because he gets a rash if even the smallest drop of moisture lingers on his skin for more than about 90 seconds.
He is VERY fair skinned (almost see-through, Portia!) and a redhead, so I guess we should have seen this coming? Figures that our one boy would be the wussy one (I'm KIDDING!).
Tora (V) and Doodle (S1) will be here for almost two full weeks around Christmas! I am SO excited! I've never had this much continuous time with both of them. This summer I had each girl for one week while they had gymnastics camp, but this will be the first long stretch with them together, and with me home with all four kids all day every day. I'm borrowing some activity ideas from friends of things to do each day to keep us busy, since they'll be here for about 12 days.
Life has been really really good the last month. B and I made a promise to each other that we would put in more effort to maintain a happy, healthy home, and it's been going really well. The house is staying tidy, the kids are in better moods, I'm happier, and we're communicating even more than before. There's a lot more laughter around us, and we've been missing that. It's good to be back.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving...
to you and yours!
Things I'm thankful for:
Four healthy children
A roof over our heads
Food on our table
The love of a good man
A family of friends
Parents and siblings (natural and in-law!) who love and support us
Knowing that I am able to be myself and be accepted as such
The strength to conquer all life throws at us and excel through it
Today (and every day) I give thanks for all of the things in my life that are cause for celebration, and I also give thanks for the dark points in my life, that brought about so much light.
Things I'm thankful for:
Four healthy children
A roof over our heads
Food on our table
The love of a good man
A family of friends
Parents and siblings (natural and in-law!) who love and support us
Knowing that I am able to be myself and be accepted as such
The strength to conquer all life throws at us and excel through it
Today (and every day) I give thanks for all of the things in my life that are cause for celebration, and I also give thanks for the dark points in my life, that brought about so much light.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
The Heimlich Maneuver
Thank God for that training I received before I was allowed to bring S2 home from the NICU!
Tonight J was doing his semi-regular routine of screaming bloody murder for no obvious reason, and none of the usual tricks were working. I was attempting (quite pitifully) to eat dinner at the time, as I hadn't eaten all day, and gave him a very small piece of the crust of my sandwich bread. This piece was MAYBE 1/8" square.
Next thing I know, he's screaming silently, eyes bulging, flailing with all his might. I quickly laid him belly down on my lap, with his face between my knees, and gave him three strong, swift thumps with the heel of my hand between his shoulder blades. He was still flailing, and not making any noise, so I repeated it twice more, and on the third attempt the piece of bread came flying out.
Then of course, he screamed to beat the band. He was so terrified, and spent the next 30 minutes clinging to me for dear life. I finally calmed him down enough to nurse, and he fell deeply asleep within two minutes.
He's now sleeping peacefully in his bed, no worse for wear, and I can't stop shaking. B isn't here tonight, and I'm alone with S2 and J. Choking is my biggest fear. It's part of the reason that we decided to mostly let the kids self-feed, because it greatly reduces the risk of choking. We've never cut their food in to teeny tiny bites, opting instead to give them something big enough to really grab hold of it, and nibble little pieces off at a time. And it's worked marvelously.
Figures that the one time I go against that and give him an "appropriate" sized bite, he chokes.
Again, thank God I was able to recall those lessons quickly and effectively.
Tonight sucked.
Tonight J was doing his semi-regular routine of screaming bloody murder for no obvious reason, and none of the usual tricks were working. I was attempting (quite pitifully) to eat dinner at the time, as I hadn't eaten all day, and gave him a very small piece of the crust of my sandwich bread. This piece was MAYBE 1/8" square.
Next thing I know, he's screaming silently, eyes bulging, flailing with all his might. I quickly laid him belly down on my lap, with his face between my knees, and gave him three strong, swift thumps with the heel of my hand between his shoulder blades. He was still flailing, and not making any noise, so I repeated it twice more, and on the third attempt the piece of bread came flying out.
Then of course, he screamed to beat the band. He was so terrified, and spent the next 30 minutes clinging to me for dear life. I finally calmed him down enough to nurse, and he fell deeply asleep within two minutes.
He's now sleeping peacefully in his bed, no worse for wear, and I can't stop shaking. B isn't here tonight, and I'm alone with S2 and J. Choking is my biggest fear. It's part of the reason that we decided to mostly let the kids self-feed, because it greatly reduces the risk of choking. We've never cut their food in to teeny tiny bites, opting instead to give them something big enough to really grab hold of it, and nibble little pieces off at a time. And it's worked marvelously.
Figures that the one time I go against that and give him an "appropriate" sized bite, he chokes.
Again, thank God I was able to recall those lessons quickly and effectively.
Tonight sucked.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Plugging along
Along with all of the walking progress comes fun new verbal developments. S2 is up to about 50 words now and close to a dozen signs, and is learning new signs every day. She also picks up on more and more words every day. Today was "okey dokey" or "ho-key go-key" in S2 speak. She wants a word for everything, so the American Sign Language dictionary is one of our favorite websites. Some words are just too hard for her to say at this point, and a sign is easier.
J is pulling up like crazy, and stands there growling and squealing as long as he can. He occasionally then freaks out when he can't figure out how to get back down on the ground, but we're working on it. I want to tell him to slow down and enjoy his baby-ness for a while, but he's not having it. He MUST do everything his big sisters can do, and he must do it NOW. There's no waiting with this one. Kinda makes my uterus hurt, to be honest with you. But, I know that the chances of us having another baby are slim and none.
S2 got a Gloworm from her Papaw last night, and spent all day hauling it around the house, hugging it to her, and saying (and signing) "baby" every chance she got. We're going to make sure she gets her own baby doll for Christmas, as she's obsessed with babies at the moment. She must be involved in the action any time we're doing anything with her baby brother, and I gotta tell ya, it comes in handy when she sees us changing him and immediately brings us the wipes and diaper cream! She's also fascinated with watching her brother nurse, and stands in front of me yelling "Noose! Bebe! Noose bebe!" It's adorable, but mildly distracting for said "bebe" when he's trying to "noose."
S1 had her first test in school last week, and aced it. If you ask her about it, her whole face lights up and the story comes spilling out of her so quickly that she has to stop halfway through just to catch her breath. It's so very much fun to watch her get so excited about school.
I was given a link to a very neat educational website by a friend, and V and S1 and I sat around last weekend downloading worksheets for them to do. When V saw that the site had worksheets on fractions, she actually squealed. "Fractions?! I LOVE fractions! Can I do that one pleasepleaseplease??" My baby is a math nerd, and it's adorable. S1 on the other hand couldn't care less about math if she tried...she wants to learn to read, like yesterday. She's all gung-ho about it, and just got her first book from the school library. That book became her prized possession for the week it was in her custody.
This growing up thing is oh so much fun. I'm loving every minute of it.
J is pulling up like crazy, and stands there growling and squealing as long as he can. He occasionally then freaks out when he can't figure out how to get back down on the ground, but we're working on it. I want to tell him to slow down and enjoy his baby-ness for a while, but he's not having it. He MUST do everything his big sisters can do, and he must do it NOW. There's no waiting with this one. Kinda makes my uterus hurt, to be honest with you. But, I know that the chances of us having another baby are slim and none.
S2 got a Gloworm from her Papaw last night, and spent all day hauling it around the house, hugging it to her, and saying (and signing) "baby" every chance she got. We're going to make sure she gets her own baby doll for Christmas, as she's obsessed with babies at the moment. She must be involved in the action any time we're doing anything with her baby brother, and I gotta tell ya, it comes in handy when she sees us changing him and immediately brings us the wipes and diaper cream! She's also fascinated with watching her brother nurse, and stands in front of me yelling "Noose! Bebe! Noose bebe!" It's adorable, but mildly distracting for said "bebe" when he's trying to "noose."
S1 had her first test in school last week, and aced it. If you ask her about it, her whole face lights up and the story comes spilling out of her so quickly that she has to stop halfway through just to catch her breath. It's so very much fun to watch her get so excited about school.
I was given a link to a very neat educational website by a friend, and V and S1 and I sat around last weekend downloading worksheets for them to do. When V saw that the site had worksheets on fractions, she actually squealed. "Fractions?! I LOVE fractions! Can I do that one pleasepleaseplease??" My baby is a math nerd, and it's adorable. S1 on the other hand couldn't care less about math if she tried...she wants to learn to read, like yesterday. She's all gung-ho about it, and just got her first book from the school library. That book became her prized possession for the week it was in her custody.
This growing up thing is oh so much fun. I'm loving every minute of it.
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