Facing Fears

In the last few weeks I have started to believe that Ellie has a serious case of White Coat Syndrome because every time I have taken her to the pediatrician's office, even for a simple well check, the girl loses her mind. I have sung to her, played with her, rocked her and made a fool of myself in an attempt to keep her calm -- all to no avail.

This was major issue when it came time to have her blood drawn for her one-year check. We made it a family affair as Brian was due for a blood draw himself. After giving the lab assistant Ellie's info I reminded him that I needed a heat pack for her heel. He replied, "Oh no, they'll be taking it from her arm." "Wha-what?!?!" I stammered, because I was under the delusion assumption that Ellie was too little for that and it would most certainly be a heel stick. The assistant assured me that everything would be fine. Sure.

I have a feeling Ellie knew what was going on right from the start because as soon as we sat in the chair and the lab techs pulled out the elastic band, she started whimpering. Her whimpers quickly turned into wails when they wrapped the band around her arm in an attempt to find a vein. This went on for 15-20 minutes, with them switching back and forth between her arms. Meanwhile, I was holding Ellie's legs between mine, grasping whichever flailing arm the techs weren't putting the tourniquet band around, all the while trying (and mostly failing) to keep her relaxed.

There was one funny part to this story. When Brian (who came in separately from Ellie and me) was finished he came over to us and as Ellie was crying told her, "Don't worry, sweetie, it'll be okay." Then he started patting her leg. After some very suspicious glances from the techs, who assumed he was a stranger and a nut for coming over to a mother and her child, he said, "Maybe this is a good time to tell you that I'm her father."

After what seemed like an eternity they finally found a good vein and, thank goodness, were able to get the needle in on the first try. By now my legs were shaking as I was trying to keep Ellie still. She calmed down somewhat while they drew her blood, after which they patched her up and we stood up to leave. As soon as we were upright (faint of heart or stomach stop reading here), Ellie immediately threw up all over the lab floor, my jeans, jacket and in the side pocket of my purse. I stared in disbelief, speechless. Not even two seconds later, in what seemed like a scene straight out of The Exorcist, she projectile puked everything else that might have been in her stomach.

Let me interrupt right now and tell you that I am NOT a person that has EVER dealt well with getting sick to my stomach, especially anyone else getting sick either. In fact, I can count on one hand how many times I have been sick to my stomach that I remember, and I have always dreaded the moment when I would have to deal with my child having an upset stomach. Veteran parents have always told me that, while yes it would still be really gross, since it was my child it would be different.

Once I got past the amazement and slight fascination that my one-year-old had just turned into Old Faithful (I know, so gross), I forgot all about the "ick" factor and could only think about was how incredibly worked up she must have been to illicit that kind of reaction. Her face was white as a sheet -- poor thing. :( The lab techs were all so kind and told us not to worry. One of them told me, "Honey, I've had grown-up patients get sick before. Just get your little one cleaned up and we'll take care of this." Thank goodness I don't work in a lab, or in any type of clinical setting for that matter.

Ellie whimpered on the way home but seemed to cheer up once we got her changed and gave her some water -- she even took a two hour nap afterwards. Seems like immunizations might be a breeze after this experience.

Jinxed

I completely jinxed myself in that post about getting over illnesses in this house. The tickle in my throat that I woke up with on Friday has quickly turned into a very raw, sore throat, congestion and overall fatigue. My husband is particularly amused that I sound like Bea Arthur every time I open my mouth -- he then sarenades me with a few bars of "Thank You For Being a Friend." I feel like I'm going through box after box of tissues and chugging gallons of tea. Ellie is still dealing with a drippy nose, but it seems to be easing up a bit.

We also started the transition to one nap over the weekend -- maybe I need to work on my timing. Ellie spent most of yesterday looking like this (although not with the avocado face mask).

I know the transition won't happen overnight, but oh, how I wish it could be that simple! Now please excuse me while I hook up my chicken soup IV. :)

Story Time

January Catch-Up

Are we really more than halfway through January already? Somehow between putting away Christmas decorations, buying a new car, selling the Jeep and the revolving door of illness in this house (Ellie's first, although mild, ear infection, runny nose and my head cold that hung around for almost two weeks), this month has almost passed us by! Brian has been on R&R since last week and it has been wonderful to have a good chunk of time off with him and not be going anywhere. We got just about everything done on our almost never-ending to-do list just in time for Brian to go back to work tomorrow!

Having Brian home gave me the chance to get a few projects done around the house. My friend Sara just had her second baby (another boy!) so I sewed a hooter hider for her based off of the one my best friend made me when Ellie was born. I love the fabric she chose!

I also finished the curtains I had been working on for Ellie's room, which happens to be on the south side of the house and always gets a lot of sun. It hasn't affected her ability to nap so far, but I really wanted to soften the little bit of bright light that still comes through the blinds, so I really wanted to get these done before Brian went back to work. I'm just the embodiment of domesticity. :)

Last weekend, Ellie had a visit from Maggie (her NICP nurse), who was very pleased with her overall development -- she's right on track! Ellie weighed just over 16 pounds at this visit, so Maggie suggested we add a few more full-fat, high-calorie foods like ice cream and milkshakes to Ellie's diet. Really? Ice cream and milkshakes? What kid wouldn't love those foods? :) We're not planning to go too overboard with full-fat foods, but putting just a little more weight on her tiny frame wouldn't be such a bad thing.

We went out for gelato at Frost a few days later. Ellie was a big fan of their vanilla flavor.

We also went to Zinburger for dinner last week although not on the same day as Frost -- that would have been a bit ridiculous. I wouldn't be surprised if we got some dubious stares while Ellie shoveled grilled cheese and sweet potato fries in her mouth while slurping down a milkshake. I may be seeing things, but she looks like she's putting on a little weight already. Don't worry, she gets plenty of vegetables and fruit at home.

Since our Tucson winters are so mild, we have been trying to get outside as much as possible to take advantage of the weather. We've made a few trips to the park and even though Ellie isn't running around yet, she always has fun on the swings -- Daddy taught her to give high fives!

She still enjoys practicing her yoga.

In other news, Ellie has started cruising around the furniture downstairs in the last two weeks, and in a few brave attempts has tried to move between two of our dining room chairs. She does not, however, desire any assistance from either Brian or me and will promptly pull her legs up to sit down if we try to help her walk. Her speech is coming along very well, and most recently she has started saying dog (sounds like "da") whenever she hears one barking. We don't own a dog, but her frequency of using "da" is a very good indication of how many dogs there are in the neighborhood, and how often those dogs are barking.Ultimately, all that playing, cruising and talking leaves our peanut all tuckered out. 

Little Clicks

Ellie started imitating us clicking our tongues about two months ago, and it occurred to me the other day that it would be a good idea to get a clip of it!

Hiking Sabino Canyon

Finally got the hiking backpack out of the closet and she loves it!

Miss Manners

Like most kids her age, Ellie has started pointing to things -- only she doesn't use her index finger but rather her middle finger.

Here's an example... a little blurry, but you get the point.

Obviously, this can become problematic at times and can sometimes come off as downright offensive, although naturally, it's never intended and usually ends with hilarious results.

This particular incident was relayed from Brian since I was in the aisle over and wasn't a witness to it:

We were doing our grocery shopping earlier this afternoon at the commissary (fancy name for the base grocery store), which was much more laid-back since Brian was on hand to help out, and as a result takes half the time. However, 'tis the season for snow birds here in Tucson so the commissary was fraught with senior citizens, motorized carts and oxygen tanks. As we were finishing our shopping and Brian and Ellie were going down the last aisle of frozen foods, Brian saw an older woman complimenting a young mother on the good behavior of her son.

This was how their conversation went:
"Is this your little boy?" the older woman asked.
"Yes he is."
"Oh, he's so well behaved!" the woman fawned. "I was walking down the aisle and he stepped aside to let me pass and he was just so pleasant! That means you're a good parent."

She immediately turned around to see Ellie, flashing not a smile, but her middle finger. Needless to say, there were no compliments and Brian made a bee-line for the check-out registers, but there were some good laughs between the he and I on the way home.

Good News and Bad News

The good news: We sold the Jeep today, less than 24 hours after we put the ad up on Craigslist! I also started the weaning process with Ellie this past weekend and it's coming along so much better than I expected -- no discomfort for me and she seems completely unfazed by the whole thing.

The bad news: I've become somewhat of an emotional tinderbox as a result of these two events happening within days of each other and Ellie isn't even fully weaned yet (I also learned I was way more attached to the Jeep than I originally thought).

A New Addition

For the record, I'm not pregnant (that massive sigh of relief you hear is coming from my husband). Besides, the thought of having another child right now makes me want to either laugh hysterically or run and hide. Brian's Jeep of nine years finally died on us the week after Christmas (sniff), and I mean died like it lost power steering, all electrical power and was leaking fluid all over the driveway -- not pretty. Truthfully it had been on its last leg for the last 2 1/2 years when we first lost the A/C. Did I mention my husband has been driving it, in Tucson, during the summer, with no air for the last two years? What a man. :)

We finally had it towed to the repair shop this morning.

Over New Years weekend, we bit the bullet and finally got a new car. It was a tough pill to swallow no matter how prepared we were for the change. Surprisingly, Brian has come to terms with it better than me.

Here's a hint to what we got (basically a dead giveaway):

That's right, we got a Honda Odyssey!

After Brian and I swore we would never be van owners, we decided with all the road trips we want to take and moves we'll have down the road, it was the most practical option for our family. Two weeks in though, I'm getting used to all the buttons, lights and especially size of our new car (I've been driving a Corolla for the last six years and was fully ready to drive it into the ground -- now Brian gets that pleasure) and I just might say I love it! Ellie is also enjoying the new digs, and she even got a new convertible car seat to celebrate the occasion.

However, there might be a little resistance. When Brian pulled it into the garage the day we picked it up he said, "I'm a van owner now. Do I mail in my man card or just burn it myself?"

Down With the Sickness

Greetings from the land of restless nights, high temperatures, runny noses, sore ears and an overly-sensitive little girl (and her mommy) -- but I think we turned a corner today and are on the road to recovery! Considering we made it this long without Ellie getting sick, I'm counting our blessings, but the first go-around with a sick little one is no walk in the park. To make matters worse, I caught a touch of a head cold myself over the weekend. Apparently my body never got the memo about not being allowed to be sick when my child is, too.

Ellie has always been a good sleeper, so when she spent Friday night tossing and turning, I had an inkling something was not right. She seemed better on Saturday, playing, babbling away, but still not napping very well. After we came home from running errands all afternoon, I pulled her out of her car seat and could immediately tell she had a fever, so I took her temperature and sure enough, it was over 102. Not enough to warrant a trip to the ER, but enough to cause me great concern. The last time Ellie spiked a fever even close to that was the result of getting three vaccines at once when she was four months old (which I vowed would never happen again).

After a call to my father (a doctor who always gets the pleasure of a phone call from his kids at the slightest sniffle -- he's a saint), I gave her a dose of Tylenol and hoped for the best. She tossed and turned on Saturday and Sunday nights, with her fever going up to and down, but never falling below 101. Napping was just as bad, but her disposition was, for the most part, very happy and bubbly. On Monday, when she woke up with no improvement, I thought it best to get an appointment with her pediatrician, just to get Ellie checked out. We astonishingly got a 9am appointment, and as it turns out she had an ear infection in her left ear. After a trip to the pharmacy to pick up her prescription for amoxicillin (remember "bubble gum medicine"?), we got home in time for a mid-morning snack and a nap to follow. Poor thing only slept for an hour before she was back up again. The rest of the day she was pretty tired and cranky, but she slept a little more soundly Monday night and yesterday she took a two and a half hour nap in the morning.

Today, her fever is all but gone and she took two hour and a half naps today! She was in such a cheery mood when she got up. Now if we can go another year without her getting sick again... that will be a miracle.

The Not-So-Easy Road

Just when I think I have things figured out, I'm reminded how much I have to learn about this adventure called parenting. There were so many times during those first few months of Ellie's life, while in the throes of sleepless nights, round-the-clock feedings and cleaning spit up for the millionth time, when I would close my eyes and tell myself that this wouldn't last forever (in fact, praying it wouldn't last forever). I would also tell myself that as a parent, I would never have it as easy as I did at that moment, and looking back, it's so true. In those early days, all we had to do was take care of the simple needs of our newborn: food, shelter, dry diapers/clothes, and love which, in my opinion, has always been the easiest to provide. There was no need to discipline or teach her right from wrong.

Lately, I feel like Ellie realizes she's a year old and finds it necessary to up the parental ante by making life a little more difficult around these parts. In the last few weeks, she has started purposely dropping food from her tray, spitting food out of her mouth while being fed, and always going directly to the most dangerous objects she can find while crawling (there aren't many, but I swear there must be a magnetic pull!). Sometimes I wonder if I use the word "no" more than I should -- it passes my lips at least 100 times a day. My mom assures me I do not. I have to fight Ellie to wipe her gums off after every meal, and there's no way to convey to a one-year-old that there's a good reason I do all the things that I swear in her little mind equate to torture. When did my sweet, innocent, *perfect* child (yes, I said perfect but don't parents all think that way?) start testing my limits, blowing raspberries at me with wild abandon, wailing through her afternoon nap (maybe it's time for just one) and dangling that one piece of bread over the edge of her tray with that I just dare you to scold me look?

Maybe we humans have a tendency to exaggerate the negative instead of focusing on the positive. In spite of that, even on the worst days (which really aren't that bad), I realize there is so much good and wonderful about my life as a mom. With bigger challenges come even greater rewards. Ellie gets things now -- she plays games with us instead of just observing. She understands what "no" means, even if she keeps trying to touch/play with/eat whatever it is I try to distract her from. I remind myself that I must praise the good as much as I admonish the not-so-good. And I know I do. So even though it may seem right now like there's no clear winner in our battle of wits, I think in a few years we'll discover that we both came out ahead. So with that in mind I can face each day knowing that although I still have much yet to learn, I am so very lucky to have Ellie as my teacher.

Happy Feet

I took this video while we were still in Ohio, but Ellie does this EVERY NIGHT after her bath while we're getting her ready for bed and most mornings when getting her first diaper change of the day. After watching this again just now, how am I surprised she weighed just shy of 16 pounds at her 12-month well check?