Six months have passed already since we welcomed Bear into our family. How does the time pass so quickly? It doesn't really. Some days the hours drag on, each moment marked on the clock with a loud TICK which echoes in your brain. There is crying and whining and giggling and constant movement, no break in the action to be found. Other days pass by in a blur, whether from sleep deprivation or simply too many things on the schedule to allow you to stare at the clock and wonder when bedtime might be arranged today.
Last weekend was Easter. We broke from our normal routine of a road trip to the coast and spent it with Grandma here in town. It was pretty nice even if we missed the beautiful ocean and visiting with my brothers. I took the kids to a local park for a community Easter egg hunt. Ruckus found 12 eggs and got to stand on a real firetruck and meet a real fireman, and Bear sat on the grass and looked beautiful in the spring sunshine. We had my mom and her husband over for Easter dinner and another (indoor) egg hunt, ate ham and dessert and really just enjoyed the family time.
Bear has been cutting teeth over the past couple of weeks so he was very cranky, but he has two new teeth up top to show for it, and a recent growth spurt has his toes pressed to the very end of some of his sleepers. He rolls all over the living room these days, over and over and over until he either runs out of room or arrives at something interesting. If you sit him on the floor he can stay that way for a few minutes before tipping over. He'll have a checkup and some more shots in a couple of weeks.
Ruckus loves having a little brother and seems to enjoy his presence more and more as Bear grows a little more independent and interesting. I think he will really have fun with him over the next few months. It's absolutely wonderful to see them making each other laugh, and knowing that it has all just begun is very exciting. They do occasionally fight over toys. Bear will roll over to one of Ruckus's trucks and start mouthing it and Rucks will say 'That's not nice brother!' just before snatching the toy away. And Bear will cry. It is hard to see but also a good opportunity to teach Ruckus about sharing, and taking turns.
Ruckus has some favorite sayings these days. He especially likes to use the word 'so' and sounds very cute when phrases normally used by adults slip out. When I get home he says 'I'm sooo glad you're here Momma' or 'I'm sooo proud of you!'. When I leave for work or put him to bed he says 'Goodbye Mom, good luck!'. We are working on 'please' and 'thank you' and he uses them about half the time right now. He repeats everything he hears and likes to state the obvious ('I've got my shoes on!' or 'Uncle still have jacket on!'). He still cries when denied something he really wants but for the most part temper tantrums have eased up and given way to finding a way to make you say Yes.
I love having two sons, absolutely love spending the weekends with them, and spend the other five days of the week looking forward to going home. Even when we all have a bad day, I look back on it fondly.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Monday, January 5, 2015
An Update
I have neglected this blog for almost a full year and for that I am sorry. 2014 brought us a few surprises which I will run through in an effort to get on with things, and hopefully begin posting in a more regular fashion.
In early February I confirmed a suspected pregnancy. I was absolutely ecstatic as I had been hoping to add to our family before Ruckus got too much older. I had turned 35 a few months prior so the news was met with far less enthusiasm by my doctors, and we proceeded to have a number of non-invasive tests done to rule out certain genetic abnormalities. All was fine and my pregnancy was quite normal, and we soon found out that we were expecting another boy. Hurray!
We took a road trip to the beach in April with Ruckus and he got supremely car sick both ways. It was nice to visit my family but the smell lingered in the car for months. This was most likely our last road trip for a while.
In August I had a baby shower and received many lovely things from family and friends, which prepared us to welcome our little bundle of joy.
Ruckus turned three in September and we had a birthday party for him at the house. One of his friends from 'school' came over to have cake with us, and it was a really nice time. He refused to open his presents in front of people so it was a little difficult to get through but it was fun just the same.
After a prolonged week of pre-labor our second bundle of joy was born shortly after 2 am on October 14, 2014. His name is Bear, and he was born a healthy 21 inches long and 7 lbs., 14 oz. I spent 9 weeks after his birth at home with him and Ruckus, and it was just an amazing time. Ruckus loves his little brother and has not (yet) shown us any sign of seething jealousy, and it's all been quite lovely.
In November Ruckus got glasses, and while I expected to have to fight with him to get him to wear them he apparently noticed an instant improvement to his vision and wears them quite willingly. He looks very handsome in them, as an added bonus.
Bear had a 2 month checkup and weighed in at 13.3 lbs, and 23 1/2 inches tall. He is healthy and lovely.
Christmas was lovely and we received enough toys for the boys to keep them happy until their birthdays in the fall.
I am now back to work again, and their father has decided to stay at home with the boys for the time being so that Bear does not have to start daycare at this very early age, and Ruckus has been enjoying the extra time at home with his dad as well, only going to daycare once or twice a week at this point.
I think that's about all of the highlights, and I will make an attempt to not let so much time pass between updates.
In early February I confirmed a suspected pregnancy. I was absolutely ecstatic as I had been hoping to add to our family before Ruckus got too much older. I had turned 35 a few months prior so the news was met with far less enthusiasm by my doctors, and we proceeded to have a number of non-invasive tests done to rule out certain genetic abnormalities. All was fine and my pregnancy was quite normal, and we soon found out that we were expecting another boy. Hurray!
We took a road trip to the beach in April with Ruckus and he got supremely car sick both ways. It was nice to visit my family but the smell lingered in the car for months. This was most likely our last road trip for a while.
In August I had a baby shower and received many lovely things from family and friends, which prepared us to welcome our little bundle of joy.
Ruckus turned three in September and we had a birthday party for him at the house. One of his friends from 'school' came over to have cake with us, and it was a really nice time. He refused to open his presents in front of people so it was a little difficult to get through but it was fun just the same.
After a prolonged week of pre-labor our second bundle of joy was born shortly after 2 am on October 14, 2014. His name is Bear, and he was born a healthy 21 inches long and 7 lbs., 14 oz. I spent 9 weeks after his birth at home with him and Ruckus, and it was just an amazing time. Ruckus loves his little brother and has not (yet) shown us any sign of seething jealousy, and it's all been quite lovely.
In November Ruckus got glasses, and while I expected to have to fight with him to get him to wear them he apparently noticed an instant improvement to his vision and wears them quite willingly. He looks very handsome in them, as an added bonus.
Bear had a 2 month checkup and weighed in at 13.3 lbs, and 23 1/2 inches tall. He is healthy and lovely.
Christmas was lovely and we received enough toys for the boys to keep them happy until their birthdays in the fall.
I am now back to work again, and their father has decided to stay at home with the boys for the time being so that Bear does not have to start daycare at this very early age, and Ruckus has been enjoying the extra time at home with his dad as well, only going to daycare once or twice a week at this point.
I think that's about all of the highlights, and I will make an attempt to not let so much time pass between updates.
Monday, January 13, 2014
2013 Review
January 10
So far 2013 has not
been real kind to my kiddo. What gives, 2013?? He's just a little wee man, leave
him alone please. In the first seven days he had a nasty stomach virus with
vomiting galore, an emergency doctor's appointment, three follow-up calls, two
new teeth, a checkup which found an ear infection accompanied by snot infested
nose and a whine that sounds like a Euro-Wambulance. Also, that's $500 in Dr.
bills and I don't want to think about how much in lost time at work.... So dear
2013, please move on to someone closer to your own size like maybe that giant
woman in AZ who is gaining weight for a spot in the world records.
January 31
Good news! Today is
the last day of January, and hopefully the last day of torture that the month
has rained upon me and my family. Ricky is on his third round of antibiotics
since the year began and I am hopeful that this time they will kill the virus
for good so he can be healthy for more than one day at a time.
February 4
Spent the weekend
further childproofing my home, only to have the kiddo learn how to climb out of
his crib. Game on kid, game on...
February 20
My son likes to throw
things away. Some of those things are not garbage. Asking a one year old where his shoes are is
an exercise in futility. The biter at kiddo's daycare got kicked
out, yay! Apparently his mom owed almost $3,000 for tuition. I can't believe
people actually expect others to watch their kids for FREE.
March 1
My son didn't want me
to leave him at daycare today! It's always nice to be missed by someone you
love.
March 4
Went out to
breakfast. Went to a two year old's birthday party where my son hopefully
passed his cold to the aggressive child who pushed him around for an hour.
March 27
Kiddo has an
appointment to see the ENT today... maybe we'll figure out whether he can still
hear or not.
March 29
I'm going to the
fucking beach. For Easter. That's right people, THE BEACH. So have a nice
Easter, I won't be here, eat lots of candy and don't chase the Easter Bunny
around too much, he tires easily. Happy Beaster! Oh and for those of you who
are jealous, know this - the beach is over 8 hours from me and I am driving
there with a child under the age of two who doesn't like to sit still. So
awesome, I can't wait.
April 8
Step one: Buy a large
new toy for son.
Step two: Assemble toy and place in backyard.
Step three: Watch wind blow large new toy around backyard.
Step four: Seek refuge in house due to cold and wind.
Step five: Cut holes in box large new toy came in.
Step six: Sit back and relax while son has fun playing with in box with holes.
Step two: Assemble toy and place in backyard.
Step three: Watch wind blow large new toy around backyard.
Step four: Seek refuge in house due to cold and wind.
Step five: Cut holes in box large new toy came in.
Step six: Sit back and relax while son has fun playing with in box with holes.
April 16
I'm going to try to
refrain from saying things that don't need to be said today. In other news,
kiddo now smiles, waves and says Hi when I get home, so that is nice. In other
other news, he similarly greeted the mayonnaise, mustard and ketchup bottles on
our table last night which was amusing, if a little discouraging.
April 29
Took kiddo to his
first ballgame this weekend - it was a fun experience and he did really well.
We had some very excellent *free* seats. We left at about the halfway point and
got to see all the drunks acting a fool on our way out.
May 23
I have come to the
realization that I'm raising one of those crazy people who can't function
normally when there is a full moon. Sorry world, but I don't know what to do
about it, except get up and howl with him from 12-3 am. Aaawooooo zzzzzzz
May 30
There is no privacy.
May 31
The daycare ladies
told me this morning they wish all the moms were like me so that is Wow and
Ahhhhsome! Some of the moms bring their kids in, dump them and their things on
the floor and then RUN for the door. I spend at least 20 minutes there at drop
off time hanging out with my kid, playing, putting his things away and making
sure he's comfortable. It's nice to be acknowledged for something good and that
I also enjoy doing.
June 10
I wiped my kid's nose 1,000 times instead, and
did chores. Funny thing is that floor is dirty again, the clothes need washing
again, and the kid's nose is still leaking. Life can be really repetitious
sometimes.
June 17
20.75 months
apparently requires bubble wrap for baby and tranquilizers for parents. Just
keeping the kid in one piece is a challenge lately... I turned my back for
literally 10 seconds and the kid took off with the vacuum, tripped over the
base of the fan and bit his lip. The most minor injury possible given that
combination of child and equipment so that's cool but really... (yes, I call a
fan and a vacuum equipment.)
June 26
Went to a rodeo
parade, baked cookies, pulled weeds, harvested stuff and ate it, planted more
seeds, adopted a baby duck and watched it die, treated an ear infection and the
croup. RIP Dawn, I only knew you for 24 hours but you were a pretty neat
addition nonetheless.
June 27
My kid's buddy just
turned two and got moved to a different classroom. Growing up is hard on kids,
and their friends.
July 1
The hilarious thing
about being Mommy is you take two days off work to take care of your sick kid
so that by the time you catch the cold he's feeling better and you have to go
to work, feeling miserable.
July 18
Well it looks like we
are getting tubes put into kiddo's ears next week. I'm trying to be extra nice
to him in spite of him hitting me in the head with stuff and things twice this
week. The surgery has been quoted at between two and three thousand dollars and
they would like me to pay that before they do it so I'll be rolling my coins
and hoping it all adds up. So here's hoping your children are nice to you while
you break open your piggy banks to get them fancy extra parts!
July 22
Son's surgery is
scheduled for first thing tomorrow morning. If you could pray for him I would
appreciate it. I'm feeling stressed and anxious about it all and have a lot of
running around to do today to get everything ready. So may God be with us over
the next few days, thank you in advance, Amen.
July 23
Son made it through
surgery and only quit breathing once yay. We are home now listening to him
sleep and giving thanks, so thank you to all of you for your positive thoughts
and prayers. There is no crying in motherhood umkay.
August 5
Rearranged my kid's
room, took him to the world's saddest zoo, er the biggest zoo in Nevada,
watched him ignore the classically interesting animals in favor of watching
turtles basking in the sun.
August 13
What I think my kid
said this morning:
Hey clock, fuck you! I don't care if it's 4:30, it's time to get up!
Hey cereal, fuck you! I want cheese! And ham!
Hey milk, fuck you, I want juice!
Hey mom where are you going take me with yoouuuuuu! Yes I do want to throw water all over you and the bathroom yay yay yay!
Hey kids, fuck you, that's my mom/lap/shoe/toy/snack aaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Don't leave me here waaaa okay bye.
Hey clock, fuck you! I don't care if it's 4:30, it's time to get up!
Hey cereal, fuck you! I want cheese! And ham!
Hey milk, fuck you, I want juice!
Hey mom where are you going take me with yoouuuuuu! Yes I do want to throw water all over you and the bathroom yay yay yay!
Hey kids, fuck you, that's my mom/lap/shoe/toy/snack aaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Don't leave me here waaaa okay bye.
August 15
While I was putting
dinner in the crock pot my kid was dumping a family sized box of Cheerios onto
the kitchen floor. Today is awesome!
August 20
This kid of mine...
he's been the meek and mild one at 'school' but NO MORE. Now that he's the
biggest in the room he's taken to pushing and shoving the smaller kids around.
Little does he know that in one month he will get moved to the big kid room,
where he will be the youngest. Oh how quickly things change in life... One
minute you are the best, and you might enjoy the feeling of power but don't get
used to it because there is always someone getting ready to take your place.
August 23
My son let me rock
him like a baby last night, relaxing in my arms, looking up at me while I sang
him a lullaby... that was some heady stuff! And so nice to know that he still
likes it too, even though he's getting to be such a big boy.
August 28
The kids at daycare
love my son and call out his name when we get there. Ricky! Ricky! Ricky! Like
any supercool rockstar he walks right by without even acknowledging them and
it's left to me, trailing behind, to wave and say hello. I hope the people you
admire acknowledge you today.
August 30
How to annoy a
toddler: When he presents that one favorite book you are sick of reading, open
it up so he can see the pictures, wait until he's settled on your lap, then
begin reciting a totally different story. When he makes you start over, do it
again.
September 12
Just took my kid in
for his two year checkup... it's all good. He's right on track and that's a
huge relief, and he got a flu shot so that's awesome. He weighs in at 31 lbs.,
and is 34.5 inches tall. He can hop and point and eat with a fork. Neat-o!
September 20
It's kiddo's last day
in the 1 year old class... I'm not sad but rather looking forward to him
starting the next chapter of life. Time to turn the page.
September 24
Sunday morning was
kiddo's birthday party and we had a great time, ate fruit and Danishes and cake
and HOMEMADE ice cream, omg, it was delicious. Kiddo got some really great
gifts and had a fun time. Sunday afternoon we opened up all the toys and let
him have at it. His favorites right now are his tricycle, his train, the Elmo
toy. Monday we cleaned the house again and had a nice family day. And today is
kiddo's first full day in big boy class, hurray!
September 25
Switched my kid's crib
to a daybed and he has only rolled out twice so far, on the first night. I hope
this continues since I'm now used to sleeping through the night. And in other
news, it's time to get rid of some of the bigger baby toys to make room for his
new big toddler toys. I think I'm having more trouble with all of these changes
than he is.
October 1
My son loves
sandwiches and dancing.
October 7
Had a pretty busy
weekend with kiddo having the strep and going to my nephew's football game. It
ended up being a good time and really I can't remember the last time I got a
sunburn in October.
October 9
Two is awesome except
for the whole refusal to get dressed and put on shoes thing. Honestly I don't
like to do any of that stuff either but it's a part of going out in public,
which we have to do daily.
October 11
Kiddo has been
responding to questions with an enthusiastic 'Yeah!' lately which prompted me
to have a very amusing conversation with him on the ride home yesterday. He has
agreed to sleep quietly, help pick up around the house and to neatly fold his
clothes when we do laundry tomorrow. Poor kid.
October 21
Had a very busy
weekend with kiddo being sick all over the house but he stopped puking so
that's nice. Gave me an opportunity to sanitize the house and clean the carpet
in his room and do all the extra laundry that comes with the voms. He was kind
enough to give me his cold so now I can bring it to work and spread it around.
October 31
I have been wondering
whether or not to take my little one trick or treating tonight and the universe
has answered - in the form of a 104 temperature for said little one. Never a
dull moment! Have a safe and happy Halloween!
November 1
Good news: kiddos
fever is now manageable and I hope it stays that way.
Bad news: he is using the house as a jungle gym.
Here's to feeling better!!
Bad news: he is using the house as a jungle gym.
Here's to feeling better!!
November 11
Had a really nice
time with my mom and son at the Nevada discovery museum!
November 14
My son was such a
little angel last night which brings me to wondering why toddlers are so dang bipolar.
Once you steel your nerves for yet another horrible experience they end up
surprising you and BOOM you are all healed up and get to thinking you've got
the hang of this thing called life.
November 22
I had to pick a
coworker up before work this morning so I took her along to daycare with me. It
was pretty funny to see her face as she took it all in. Things that I am
completely used to that seemed to catch her by surprise included: Brightly
colored... everything. Noise and constant movement in the room. Screaming,
crying, fit-pitching right next to hugs and kisses and snack eating and toy
tossing. Discussion of lunch consumption and who pooped when....
November 30
Got the Christmas tree
up and kiddo is being a typical teenager!! (Ignoring it)
December 12
I've apparently
become the lady who reads stories at daycare. When we arrive Ruckus gets a
snack and some juice and afterward I get mobbed by book-toting little ones. It
takes a few minutes but they really seem to enjoy it. One kid to my right, mine
on my lap, and others in the room peeking shyly up from whatever they are
playing with as the story unfolds. Yesterday was some story about Sponge Bob's
Valentine and today I read about typing cows, then about Baby Minnie wanting a
snack. Gather round all, this next one will be good...
December 18
Having a bit of a
baby crisis, mostly because he isn't one, not anymore! Eats with utensils,
drinks from a cup.... Ugh. Goodbye yesterday, sniff sniff.
December 24
It's a brand new
day.. Kiddo has decided he likes having breathing treatments every four hours
and enjoys the taste of strawberry amoxicillin so things are looking up. Last
night I had one of the worst experiences ever with a two hour pharmacy wait,
violent customers who smelled of urine and a screaming child in tow, ugh. I am
glad that is over.
December 27
Since I know you all
miss hearing about my every move... I'm getting locks for the doors because
guess who can unlock the deadbolt now??
Other things I
learned about my son this week:
He doesn’t like
spinach dip on his chips
Repeats everything
you say, but it’s hard to understand.
This is a blessing.
Really enjoys Thank
You. Saying it, and hearing it.
Very particular about
where things go. If you put it in the
wrong place, he will stop what he’s doing to fix it.
Does not care for
No. Talks back.
Drinks well from a
cup, until he gets bored or full and then spills well from a cup, everywhere.
Likes yogurt with his
toast or cheerios for breakfast.
Wants to do
everything himself!
Has become attached
to his booster seat and won’t sit still without it.
Enjoys the freedom of
having the baby gate removed. It won’t
be going back up. I hope.
All in all 2013 was a
ridiculous year. Ruckus grew by leaps
and bounds, we all learned a lot, he survived his first surgery, and is making
friends in his new class. He gained 9
lbs. last year, and is now in a size 3T, and wears a size 8 shoe. He is a huge dose of fun and a very charming
and affectionate little boy now, and I can’t wait to see what the next year
brings us.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Why I Haven't Blogged Much Lately
A typical morning for us, child is age 20 months:
Fed kid breakfast while making lunches for everyone. Got kid dressed and headed for the bathroom
to take a shower, with kid in tow. Was
intercepted by Husband who wanted me to put lotion on his back because he can’t
reach. While putting lotion on his back
I hear the shower start – Uncle in the other bathroom. So I turn on cartoons for the kid and hang
out with him for a few minutes while Husband finishes dressing and Uncle
showers. When he’s done I close all the
doors and strip for my shower while the kid pulls things off the counter. I ignore it and get in the shower. I soon am joined by Husband’s deodorant canister
and a plastic cup. Whatever. Husband comes in and takes the kid somewhere
else and soon I hear crying because Husband has no clue what our routine
is. I finish my shower and the kid comes
bouncing back in and Husband asks if he can leave yet. I say goodbye and then try to get dressed
while the kid clings to my leg. We brush
our teeth. Well I brush mine while the
kid throws things into the sink for me to try not to spit on. I empty the sink three times. I brush the kid’s teeth. I put on makeup with one hand while being
pushed away from the mirror by the kid so he can ransack the cabinets
beneath. The kid is chewing on
something. I pull a piece of broken
plastic out of his mouth and soon realize that the lid to my deodorant has
shattered due to being thrown around the room so many times. I pry the kid off of my leg so I can spray
perfume on myself but not him. He cries
and runs out of the bathroom. I pick
everything off the floor and put it all back where it goes, close the door
behind me. Kid is back from his
mysterious errand by now and helps me by emptying my sock drawer onto the
floor. I put on a pair of socks which
have a hole in the toe. I take them off
and search out another pair. Meanwhile
kid has escaped bedroom and runs off to bother Uncle who is about to leave and
has left every door in the house open, again.
I put on my socks while he announces the kid has pooped. I put on shoes and find the kid, take him to
his changing table and discover he is clean and dry. I redress him. Say goodbye to Uncle who skipped off to work
without a care in the world. I shut all
of the doors, again, and wander off to find my purse, keys, a sweater for the
kid, kid shoes, turn off the unwatched cartoons in my room and shut that door
behind me. Dump all the crap on the
coffee table and realize that the dog has to go out at least once that
day. Head for the kitchen, let the dog
out, put the kid back in, and start making his juice cups. Take the plants outside, put the kid back in,
pick the empty cups up off of the floor and start to fill them. Hear the neighbor’s dogs start barking at my
dog and look out to realize the dog is caught on the abandoned wheelbarrow out in
the yard, and is stomping all over the berry bushes while trying to bark at the
neighbor dogs. Kid loses his shit when I
push the cups out of his reach so I can get the dog. I untangle the dog, prop up the plants and
get the dog back in the house, and the kid back in the house and am confronted
with spilled milk and juice everywhere.
I lose my shit and start yelling nonsense about the dog ruining
everything. I clean up the mess, lock
the back door, refill the cups, put shoes and sweater on the kid and haul us
and all of our shit to the car so I can go get gas and take kid to daycare
where he clings to me and doesn’t want me to go, ever, and in spite of that and
knowing I’m leaving him with five other toddlers who will bother him all day,
one of whom is obviously oozing snot and another who looks really out of it, I
walk away so I can come here. Then my
husband calls to tell me to have a good day and all I can do is mumble ‘thanks,
you too’.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Sick Little Boy
On the weekend after Christmas Ruckus fell ill, to a very persistent stomach bug. He began vomiting about every 12 hours or so starting at around 3 am Sunday morning. I woke in the night to the smell of it permeating the house, and went to investigate. This is not something I recommend. But, it had to be done. I found him lying in a pool of sickness which he had sprayed all over his crib, so I scooped him up and changed his clothes, and wiped him down as well as I could at that hour with a house full of sleeping people. I changed his sheets and started laundry, all before four a.m. He seemed otherwise fine, and a little confused about what was going on. I put him back to bed, clean and dry, and went to bed as well.
When we all woke up again everything seemed fine, but I kept with the no-food-after-puking rule until around noon when I gave him a few crackers and juice, and later, some milk. That afternoon, around 3, he threw it all up, this time on the living room rug. Clean up, round two. More laundry was started, and some blotting of the carpet. Milk vomit is very stubborn and smelly.
Things seemed fine, again, for many many hours, and he went to bed as normal that night without a lot of fuss, in spite of having a mostly empty belly. Still, that night, it happened again. Juice and some bits of soup reappeared hours after he'd eaten them, seemingly undigested, and I was washing things in the middle of the night again, tired and grossed out.
In the morning I called his pediatrician who was of course closed because of it being New Year's Eve. They tried to cheer me up, saying how good I was doing and to hang in there. The cheerfulness of the nurse grated on my frayed nerves but I tried to put on a brave face and acknowledge that this too should pass. This time, I kept him off of food much longer and felt like I was starving the poor kid. He cried and tugged on me, basically begging for food. I stuck with it though, and gave him only Pedialyte for the rest of the day on Monday, and just a few light things sprinkled through the day when I couldn't take the crying any longer. Small children do not understand that their tummies need rest after being so sick.
Tuesday came and all seemed okay, for the most part. Slowly, I resumed feeding him some mild things, and soy milk because it is a little easier on the digestion than regular milk. He did not throw up at all, and I was encouraged.
Wednesday dawned bright and cheery and I figured the worst was over with, and that it was time to resume our normal routines. I packed Ruckus off to daycare with instructions to push juices and headed off to work. I waited all day for them to call me and say he had vomited, but nothing. Wonderful! That night I picked him up and he seemed alright, so I took him home and fed him dinner. We were just settling down for our bedtime routine when the gates opened up and huge amounts of baby sick came pouring out, all over the living room, again. Dang it!
It seemed that none of the food he'd eaten over the past day had digested at all, and that the kid wasn't too good at chewing things either. I recognized the breakfast I'd fed him 16 hours before, along with his lunch and various snacks. After the cleanup efforts I put him to bed and we all had a fairly restless night. In the morning I phoned his doctor and found that they were still closed, taking a long holiday, so I took him to daycare so I could attend to a few things. I fretted all morning over what to do, then decided to pick Ruckus up from daycare and take him to a doctor, any doctor, to sort out what was going on.
At that point he had been throwing up for five days, and hadn't pooped in more than three, so we all feared the worst. I took him to his doctor's office and found that they were opening shortly after 1 pm so we sat and waited outside the door and then went inside to beg to be seen. We were brought in right away once they heard what was going on, and his doctor recommended a complete rest of his stomach for about a day, with no food at all, only Pedialyte and perhaps a spoonful of broth for dinner. This seemed incredibly harsh, but I was determined to do whatever it took to get him better. She was concerned about a possible bowel obstruction and we were all very worried.
Friday came and he still had not thrown up, and seemed to be staying hydrated. Relief! I spoke with her on Friday morning, and she said that we could resume feeding very bland foods a little at a time throughout the day, so I gave him some cream of wheat and a half a banana. I spoke with her again in the afternoon and things seemed to be holding, so she said to continue with the mild feedings and that she thought he'd poop sometime over the weekend, assuming that he kept the food in long enough for it to be digested.
Sure enough, after some very gentle foods and a lot of effort, Saturday brought with it a poopy diaper and we all celebrated a little. The danger had passed, along with the worst stomach bug I hope to ever experience with Ruckus. By Sunday, he had moved on to a new cold and teething, so all seemed back to business as usual.
When we all woke up again everything seemed fine, but I kept with the no-food-after-puking rule until around noon when I gave him a few crackers and juice, and later, some milk. That afternoon, around 3, he threw it all up, this time on the living room rug. Clean up, round two. More laundry was started, and some blotting of the carpet. Milk vomit is very stubborn and smelly.
Things seemed fine, again, for many many hours, and he went to bed as normal that night without a lot of fuss, in spite of having a mostly empty belly. Still, that night, it happened again. Juice and some bits of soup reappeared hours after he'd eaten them, seemingly undigested, and I was washing things in the middle of the night again, tired and grossed out.
In the morning I called his pediatrician who was of course closed because of it being New Year's Eve. They tried to cheer me up, saying how good I was doing and to hang in there. The cheerfulness of the nurse grated on my frayed nerves but I tried to put on a brave face and acknowledge that this too should pass. This time, I kept him off of food much longer and felt like I was starving the poor kid. He cried and tugged on me, basically begging for food. I stuck with it though, and gave him only Pedialyte for the rest of the day on Monday, and just a few light things sprinkled through the day when I couldn't take the crying any longer. Small children do not understand that their tummies need rest after being so sick.
Tuesday came and all seemed okay, for the most part. Slowly, I resumed feeding him some mild things, and soy milk because it is a little easier on the digestion than regular milk. He did not throw up at all, and I was encouraged.
Wednesday dawned bright and cheery and I figured the worst was over with, and that it was time to resume our normal routines. I packed Ruckus off to daycare with instructions to push juices and headed off to work. I waited all day for them to call me and say he had vomited, but nothing. Wonderful! That night I picked him up and he seemed alright, so I took him home and fed him dinner. We were just settling down for our bedtime routine when the gates opened up and huge amounts of baby sick came pouring out, all over the living room, again. Dang it!
It seemed that none of the food he'd eaten over the past day had digested at all, and that the kid wasn't too good at chewing things either. I recognized the breakfast I'd fed him 16 hours before, along with his lunch and various snacks. After the cleanup efforts I put him to bed and we all had a fairly restless night. In the morning I phoned his doctor and found that they were still closed, taking a long holiday, so I took him to daycare so I could attend to a few things. I fretted all morning over what to do, then decided to pick Ruckus up from daycare and take him to a doctor, any doctor, to sort out what was going on.
At that point he had been throwing up for five days, and hadn't pooped in more than three, so we all feared the worst. I took him to his doctor's office and found that they were opening shortly after 1 pm so we sat and waited outside the door and then went inside to beg to be seen. We were brought in right away once they heard what was going on, and his doctor recommended a complete rest of his stomach for about a day, with no food at all, only Pedialyte and perhaps a spoonful of broth for dinner. This seemed incredibly harsh, but I was determined to do whatever it took to get him better. She was concerned about a possible bowel obstruction and we were all very worried.
Friday came and he still had not thrown up, and seemed to be staying hydrated. Relief! I spoke with her on Friday morning, and she said that we could resume feeding very bland foods a little at a time throughout the day, so I gave him some cream of wheat and a half a banana. I spoke with her again in the afternoon and things seemed to be holding, so she said to continue with the mild feedings and that she thought he'd poop sometime over the weekend, assuming that he kept the food in long enough for it to be digested.
Sure enough, after some very gentle foods and a lot of effort, Saturday brought with it a poopy diaper and we all celebrated a little. The danger had passed, along with the worst stomach bug I hope to ever experience with Ruckus. By Sunday, he had moved on to a new cold and teething, so all seemed back to business as usual.
Christmas
I'm (obviously) a little late with this post but I've been busy so we'll all have to give me a pass this once. I might do it again some day so please forgive that in advance.
Christmas was spent with some of our extended family and we had a nice time for the most part. I say for the most part because it was kind of stressful, as Christmas sometimes can be, and I was very sick for the holiday which took a bit of the fun out of it for me. I had scheduled a week off to spend with Ruckus and was sick the entire time. There are those people who say that moms don't get sick days and they are so right because in spite of my illness I still had to do everything I normally do, plus entertain and be entertaining for out of town family who were visiting us for the first time in a year.
Most of the family was able to gather together at my mom's house the Saturday before Christmas, in spite of a mondo snow storm which settled in the area the day before. All told about seven feet of snow fell in the surrounding mountains which made travel difficult for most of us, and impossible for my aunt and cousin. We had a nice dinner with my mom and brother and nephews, and Ruckus seemed to have a good time.
On Christmas day I asked my family over to open presents Christmas morning and stay for a nice turkey lunch. Ruckus is still too young to really know what Christmas is but he did help open a few presents and seemed to enjoy the things Santa brought for him. He got a sweet wagon from Grandma, and a scooter from Santa, as well as a couple of very cool guitar toys and lots of big boy clothes. He is going to be in size 2T so the wardrobe additions and new shoes couldn't have come at a better time.
The day after Christmas I took down the tree and put all of the Christmas clutter into storage for another year. I don't usually take it all away so quickly but having a toddler in the house changes things, and the added stress of keeping him from knocking over the tree or smashing the ornaments to shards was getting to me. It was really a nice holiday and I was glad when it ended.
Christmas was spent with some of our extended family and we had a nice time for the most part. I say for the most part because it was kind of stressful, as Christmas sometimes can be, and I was very sick for the holiday which took a bit of the fun out of it for me. I had scheduled a week off to spend with Ruckus and was sick the entire time. There are those people who say that moms don't get sick days and they are so right because in spite of my illness I still had to do everything I normally do, plus entertain and be entertaining for out of town family who were visiting us for the first time in a year.
Most of the family was able to gather together at my mom's house the Saturday before Christmas, in spite of a mondo snow storm which settled in the area the day before. All told about seven feet of snow fell in the surrounding mountains which made travel difficult for most of us, and impossible for my aunt and cousin. We had a nice dinner with my mom and brother and nephews, and Ruckus seemed to have a good time.
On Christmas day I asked my family over to open presents Christmas morning and stay for a nice turkey lunch. Ruckus is still too young to really know what Christmas is but he did help open a few presents and seemed to enjoy the things Santa brought for him. He got a sweet wagon from Grandma, and a scooter from Santa, as well as a couple of very cool guitar toys and lots of big boy clothes. He is going to be in size 2T so the wardrobe additions and new shoes couldn't have come at a better time.
The day after Christmas I took down the tree and put all of the Christmas clutter into storage for another year. I don't usually take it all away so quickly but having a toddler in the house changes things, and the added stress of keeping him from knocking over the tree or smashing the ornaments to shards was getting to me. It was really a nice holiday and I was glad when it ended.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Holidays
Ruckus has been doing fairly well lately, in spite of a steady stream of illnesses to contend with. We had a nice Thanksgiving at my mom's house, and he kept himself occupied playing with his ball. It is about basketball sized and he enjoys bouncing it and throwing it, but mostly just chasing it around a room is great fun. He was not too excited over Thanksgiving but maybe in the coming years that will change. He is still so young that he doesn't realize the differences between holidays and regular days.
Shortly after Thanksgiving he developed an ear infection and we camped out at home while waiting for the antibiotics to take effect. I really enjoyed our time together! The following week I took him back to his pediatrician for a check of his ears and he was given a clean bill of health. Naturally, this did not last long, and he developed a croupy cough two days later, which has lasted through this past weekend. Oh well, he seems to be on the mend now.
Yesterday we put up our Christmas tree and he watched all of the activity with fascination, biding his time. A few hours later, he sprung, and began un-decorating the tree in earnest. Luckily I had planned on this and had put the wooden ornaments within his reach and kept the glass ones up high. We also tied the tree to a doorknob to keep him from pulling it down onto himself. I am hopefully that these precautions will keep us all a little less stressed this Christmas. Last Christmas he just laid there and showed little interest in any of the goings-on, so things are brand new again for us this year, now that he is walking and getting into everything he can.
I bought him some size 2T clothes for gifts, and a couple of toys, but have deliberately not gone overboard. He will have plenty of other gifts to open when we meet up at my mom's house in about two weeks for our big family get-together on the 22nd. His cousins will all be there, but most of them are significantly older than him so they likely will not want to play with him much. The closest to him in age is Marina, who is now 3 years old, and she may be more likely to want to hang out with him.
Shortly after Thanksgiving he developed an ear infection and we camped out at home while waiting for the antibiotics to take effect. I really enjoyed our time together! The following week I took him back to his pediatrician for a check of his ears and he was given a clean bill of health. Naturally, this did not last long, and he developed a croupy cough two days later, which has lasted through this past weekend. Oh well, he seems to be on the mend now.
Yesterday we put up our Christmas tree and he watched all of the activity with fascination, biding his time. A few hours later, he sprung, and began un-decorating the tree in earnest. Luckily I had planned on this and had put the wooden ornaments within his reach and kept the glass ones up high. We also tied the tree to a doorknob to keep him from pulling it down onto himself. I am hopefully that these precautions will keep us all a little less stressed this Christmas. Last Christmas he just laid there and showed little interest in any of the goings-on, so things are brand new again for us this year, now that he is walking and getting into everything he can.
I bought him some size 2T clothes for gifts, and a couple of toys, but have deliberately not gone overboard. He will have plenty of other gifts to open when we meet up at my mom's house in about two weeks for our big family get-together on the 22nd. His cousins will all be there, but most of them are significantly older than him so they likely will not want to play with him much. The closest to him in age is Marina, who is now 3 years old, and she may be more likely to want to hang out with him.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Thirteen (Months)
Things have been fairly ho-hum around the old homestead of late, or so it seems. What is mundane to me might be very exciting to you so I will share with you what I have. Ruckus is 13 months old now, and will be 14 months in just eight more days. Time sure flies! A coworker of mine saw a recent picture of him and guessed his age at two. He is big but I guess she doesn't remember that I was gone, on maternity leave, at this time last year. It clearly meant more to me than her, haha! Ruckus weighs 26 lbs now. I haven't measured his height lately but he is tall. He is still in 18 month sizes which is a relief because replacing his wardrobe every five minutes gets expensive.
Recent Events
There hasn't been much going on. Last week Ruckus threw up a few times and we got to take the day off of work/school and take him to the doctor to get checked up on. He had a virus. I was told to switch him to Pedialyte and soy milk for 24 hours, which I did, and to not feed him for a day, which I ignored, and he was back to his normal self the next day. I say normal self but in reality it's his new normal which involves having a perpetual cold and sinus congestion with an alarming cough. According to his doctor, this is also a virus and nothing to worry about.
I have purchased a vaporizer and placed it near his bed to hopefully counteract the effect of the heater running all night. I know that coughs and colds can be aggravated by dry air and we have plenty of that without the added drying effects of central heat.
Ruckus received his last round of shots without much fuss, in spite of receiving six separate shots, three in each leg. I think they threw a bonus immunization in there just for fun because he was only due for four, and I opted him in for a flu shot but that's still only five... anyway, he should be good to go for a few months and then he'll need just one more shot and nothing else for a long while. I think. It's hard to keep up on because there are so many things they want to inoculate children against. A few of these six shots were combination shots, so his little body must have been just inundated with germs but he responded well and only developed a small fever the next day.
He has been doing well at daycare, and still seems to enjoy his time there. In the past two months he has been bitten by other children at least twice, one time they didn't mention it at all and the next time there was a long conversation with one of the caregivers about it. They won't come out and say which child did the biting but subtly point fingers at a little boy named Rodney. He is a cute thing and seems like a sweet boy, but when I went to pick up Ruckus yesterday I saw Rodney hitting Ruckus on the head. It wasn't hard and Ruckus didn't cry, but I think that Rodney has some troubles dealing with frustration and needs... something. I have no idea what. I'm new at raising kids and my son does not currently exhibit any signs of trouble so I'm certainly not one to say what the best course of action is. I do know that I don't want my son hurt, and I don't want him picking up bad habits like biting and hitting. I also live in the real world and know that children bite, children hit, and he will in all probability need to learn how to fight eventually. Is one year old too young to learn self defense?
Development
I stopped reading what normal development is for my son's age, simply because he sure seems normal to me. I do compare him to the children in daycare, and he seems pretty much up to snuff. He is developing his walking skills little by little. Over the past weekend I had him out in the yard with me for about an hour. The yard has a downhill slope and the ground is covered in close cropped grass with trees along the edges. Ruckus handled the downhill/uphill walking parts fairly well, and only stumbled a few times. He does not know how to run yet, thankfully, and seems to be a little cautious when it comes to walking, probably as a result of numerous falls that he took early on. He was fascinated for quite a while with pulling leaves off of the trees and feeling the different textures between leaves and pine needles. He did not try to eat any of the leaves, which is a nice change from not so long ago when every single thing within reach went into his mouth.
Ruckus actively plays with toys now, pressing buttons with one finger to hear the sounds the toy will make instead of mashing it with his fist or palm. He picks blocks out of his dump truck, and puts them back in. He is learning to throw things deliberately, although he has not quite mastered his aim. His favorite toy right now is an inflated ball (this one has Batman on it) which he likes to bounce on the kitchen floor, chase around the house, and charmingly, bounce back and forth with a partner across a table top. He is coordinated enough to 'catch' the ball and bounce it back to you and this is awfully cute. He also likes to roll a bottle or cup across the table to you, and have you roll it back to him. This often will illicit an otherwise elusive giggle from him.
Ruckus knows when bedtime is and will make himself scarce in order to stay up later. I don't know if this is just his internal clock or if I'm giving off bedtime signals, but he usually will 'disappear' to his Uncle's room for a few minutes more of playtime. He loves to surprise people in their rooms, and once he locates you, he'll come marching right in to help you with whatever it is you are up to in there.
Ruckus also has learned how to sneak things. He isn't allowed to play with the TV remote, for obvious reasons, so he will wait until you aren't looking or have left the room, and then makes a beeline for it. Quick as a flash, it is in his hand and being carted off to the kitchen where he can play with it in secret. Little does Ruckus know that pushing buttons while out of range of the TV does little good.
He likes to sneak-snack on the dog's food. I busted him with four pieces of kibble in his mouth the other morning and he was very angry when I pried it out. He held on to the last piece for quite a while, not daring to chew, until I finally realized he was up to something and there must be more in his mouth.
Bath time these days is in our regular tub, since Ruckus has outgrown his baby tub. He has a few bath toys he enjoys playing with in amongst the bubbles, but does not seem to enjoy a long bath. I wash his hair, hands, feet and face and by then he is usually ready to get out, and I have to gently force him to stay seated in the tub while I finish washing the rest of him. He stands up and comes to the side, lifting his arms as if to say 'Out now please!'. So I have to hurry up and finish before he slips and falls.
In general he seems to be much more a kid now than a baby. He still can't do most things himself, but compared to a year ago he is much more capable these days. He holds his own bottle or sippy cup. He feeds himself chunks of fruit and other foods, and can chew it all up with those brand new teeth that are slowly filling his mouth. He walks, and can pick himself up when he falls down. He plays independently and needs us less and less each day. I feel like the little baby days went by so quickly, and I suppose they did. A year is not very long at all. But these new little boy times are so exciting, and I can't wait to see what's next. I hope it's talking!!
Recent Events
There hasn't been much going on. Last week Ruckus threw up a few times and we got to take the day off of work/school and take him to the doctor to get checked up on. He had a virus. I was told to switch him to Pedialyte and soy milk for 24 hours, which I did, and to not feed him for a day, which I ignored, and he was back to his normal self the next day. I say normal self but in reality it's his new normal which involves having a perpetual cold and sinus congestion with an alarming cough. According to his doctor, this is also a virus and nothing to worry about.
I have purchased a vaporizer and placed it near his bed to hopefully counteract the effect of the heater running all night. I know that coughs and colds can be aggravated by dry air and we have plenty of that without the added drying effects of central heat.
Ruckus received his last round of shots without much fuss, in spite of receiving six separate shots, three in each leg. I think they threw a bonus immunization in there just for fun because he was only due for four, and I opted him in for a flu shot but that's still only five... anyway, he should be good to go for a few months and then he'll need just one more shot and nothing else for a long while. I think. It's hard to keep up on because there are so many things they want to inoculate children against. A few of these six shots were combination shots, so his little body must have been just inundated with germs but he responded well and only developed a small fever the next day.
He has been doing well at daycare, and still seems to enjoy his time there. In the past two months he has been bitten by other children at least twice, one time they didn't mention it at all and the next time there was a long conversation with one of the caregivers about it. They won't come out and say which child did the biting but subtly point fingers at a little boy named Rodney. He is a cute thing and seems like a sweet boy, but when I went to pick up Ruckus yesterday I saw Rodney hitting Ruckus on the head. It wasn't hard and Ruckus didn't cry, but I think that Rodney has some troubles dealing with frustration and needs... something. I have no idea what. I'm new at raising kids and my son does not currently exhibit any signs of trouble so I'm certainly not one to say what the best course of action is. I do know that I don't want my son hurt, and I don't want him picking up bad habits like biting and hitting. I also live in the real world and know that children bite, children hit, and he will in all probability need to learn how to fight eventually. Is one year old too young to learn self defense?
Development
I stopped reading what normal development is for my son's age, simply because he sure seems normal to me. I do compare him to the children in daycare, and he seems pretty much up to snuff. He is developing his walking skills little by little. Over the past weekend I had him out in the yard with me for about an hour. The yard has a downhill slope and the ground is covered in close cropped grass with trees along the edges. Ruckus handled the downhill/uphill walking parts fairly well, and only stumbled a few times. He does not know how to run yet, thankfully, and seems to be a little cautious when it comes to walking, probably as a result of numerous falls that he took early on. He was fascinated for quite a while with pulling leaves off of the trees and feeling the different textures between leaves and pine needles. He did not try to eat any of the leaves, which is a nice change from not so long ago when every single thing within reach went into his mouth.
Ruckus actively plays with toys now, pressing buttons with one finger to hear the sounds the toy will make instead of mashing it with his fist or palm. He picks blocks out of his dump truck, and puts them back in. He is learning to throw things deliberately, although he has not quite mastered his aim. His favorite toy right now is an inflated ball (this one has Batman on it) which he likes to bounce on the kitchen floor, chase around the house, and charmingly, bounce back and forth with a partner across a table top. He is coordinated enough to 'catch' the ball and bounce it back to you and this is awfully cute. He also likes to roll a bottle or cup across the table to you, and have you roll it back to him. This often will illicit an otherwise elusive giggle from him.
Ruckus knows when bedtime is and will make himself scarce in order to stay up later. I don't know if this is just his internal clock or if I'm giving off bedtime signals, but he usually will 'disappear' to his Uncle's room for a few minutes more of playtime. He loves to surprise people in their rooms, and once he locates you, he'll come marching right in to help you with whatever it is you are up to in there.
Ruckus also has learned how to sneak things. He isn't allowed to play with the TV remote, for obvious reasons, so he will wait until you aren't looking or have left the room, and then makes a beeline for it. Quick as a flash, it is in his hand and being carted off to the kitchen where he can play with it in secret. Little does Ruckus know that pushing buttons while out of range of the TV does little good.
He likes to sneak-snack on the dog's food. I busted him with four pieces of kibble in his mouth the other morning and he was very angry when I pried it out. He held on to the last piece for quite a while, not daring to chew, until I finally realized he was up to something and there must be more in his mouth.
Bath time these days is in our regular tub, since Ruckus has outgrown his baby tub. He has a few bath toys he enjoys playing with in amongst the bubbles, but does not seem to enjoy a long bath. I wash his hair, hands, feet and face and by then he is usually ready to get out, and I have to gently force him to stay seated in the tub while I finish washing the rest of him. He stands up and comes to the side, lifting his arms as if to say 'Out now please!'. So I have to hurry up and finish before he slips and falls.
In general he seems to be much more a kid now than a baby. He still can't do most things himself, but compared to a year ago he is much more capable these days. He holds his own bottle or sippy cup. He feeds himself chunks of fruit and other foods, and can chew it all up with those brand new teeth that are slowly filling his mouth. He walks, and can pick himself up when he falls down. He plays independently and needs us less and less each day. I feel like the little baby days went by so quickly, and I suppose they did. A year is not very long at all. But these new little boy times are so exciting, and I can't wait to see what's next. I hope it's talking!!
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