New Diet

Today Eli had his four month old check-up.

The good news: He looks healthy, is very strong and has excellent head/neck control.

The bad news: He's only gained 7 ounces in the past month (he should have gained between 1 - 1 1/2 pounds), is still spitting up a lot and I saw blood in his stool today. Based on all of these factors, the doctor thinks he might have a dairy allergy. The best way to find out is for me to eliminate dairy from my diet for a few weeks and see what happens. So starting now, I am dairy-free. No more ice cream, cookies or cheese for me. It's unfortunate, but I am happy to do whatever it takes for my son to be healthy. The doctor said that if he does have this allergy, he could outgrow it between the ages of 2 and 3. So that's good news.

If anyone has any good dairy-free recipes for me, please send them my way. Tonight I was going to make corn chowder for dinner. It's made with lots of milk. Guess I'll have to come up with a new plan.

Today Was Brought to Me By the Number Three

THREE DAYS
Tali's been in camp for three days now and she's already sick. Today she came home and threw up (what seemed like an entire watermelon) before her nap. Later that afternoon, she felt warm and was a bit shaky. Her fever steadily rose from 100 to 101 to 102 before bedtime. I'm hoping it's a quick virus and she'll be better tomorrow. I'm also hoping Eli doesn't get it.

THREE WEEKS
Eli had his first bottle today at three weeks old. Today I saw a lactation consultant due to pain from breastfeeding. She advised that I pump for a week and give Eli a bottle so that I can heal. It took him a few minutes to accept and drink from the bottle, but he did. I just hope he doesn't start to prefer it over breast feeding.

THREE NAPS
The number of naps Eli hasn't taken (or taken well) today. Instead, there was lots of crying.

Tomorrow will be better, right?

Taking Deep Breaths

Yesterday evening Tali's little cold invited a fever to join in and after recommending some a combo of Advil and Benadryl to get her to sleep, the doctor asked that I bring her in today for an exam. Turns out Tali has her first ear infection, along with the cold. Yipee!

For being sick, Tali was pretty well behaved at the doctor's office. But that's where my luck ran out. As soon as we go to the pharmacy to fill her prescription, Tali turned into a monster. She threw the biggest tantrum to date and there was nothing I could do to calm her down - even the new tips the doctor gave me didn't work. She was literally kicking and screaming so much that the group of mentally disabled people in front of us were all staring. Then, as if it wasn't bad enough, some scary looking old lady came over and said "come to Grandma, I'll take care of you" and tried to pick her up! Of course, Tali would have none of that and the tantrum got even worse.

After I dropped off the prescription and got her registered in the system, I decided to take her next door to the deli for a treat while the medicine was filled. A mini chocolate muffin will make any kid happy, right? Nope. I finally calmed her down, gave her the muffin and she took one bite then started her tantrum all over again. After a few minutes, we left the deli (I figured it was more rude to disturb customers in a deli than a drugstore) and went back to the pharmacy, hoping the prescription was ready.

We only waited a few minutes (which seemed like an eternity) at the pharmacy and then we were off to the car. Tali had been asking, through tears, to go home so I thought I was in the clear. But seconds later Tali decided that all the bones in her legs had simply disappeared and she dramatically crumbled to the floor of the store. So I picked her up - kicking, screaming and trying to wiggle out of my grasp - and barely made it to the car.

 Tali's tantrum in the car.

For the first half of our car ride home, she continued with tantrum. Then, as if someone flipped a switch, she suddenly passed out. Of course, I had to wake her when we got home so that we could walk to our apartment (I ended up carrying her halfway - kicking, screaming and wiggling again). Oh, and did I mention it was raining the whole time?

Finally, some peace and quiet!

I'm not sure how I made it home with her still alive, but I did. If I were about three months further in this pregnancy, that little incident would've probably put me into early labor. I know she doesn't feel well and it sucks for her, but sheesh! Enough is enough already. I'm exhausted.

Progression of a Cold

Tali has another cold (if you're not keeping track, that's the third one this season) and I've started to see a pattern in how she reacts to my "care" during a cold.

Day 1: She'll tell me if her nose is running and happily accept me wiping her nose. She'll also let me use the nose syringe a few times a day.

Day 2: She prefers to wipe her nose on the back of her hand or on her sleeve. Or, she'll wipe it with a tissue if I offer one to her. She will let me wipe her nose if I come by with a tissue. She opposes the nose syringe but will finally give in and let me do it.

Day 3: As soon as she sees me come near her with a tissue, she says "no" and runs away. I must tackle her to the ground to wipe her nose. If I offer her the tissue she'll dab her nose for a second (getting nothing off) and then throw it on the floor. No nose syringe.

Day 4: Usually, this is the day she starts to get better and I don't have to chase after her with tissues. On this day, she'll accept the occasional wipe of the nose. That will be tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

Nursemaid Elbow

Today, Tali partially dislocated her left elbow for the second time in two weeks. The injury is called Nursemaid Elbow and is a common occurrence in preschool children and usually happens when the child is being swung by her arms or pulled up/away from something. It occurs more often in girls and usually with the left elbow. For some children, it happens often and for others it just never happens. The doctor said that her ligaments are simply more loose but that over time she will grow out of it.

The first time it happened, Tali didn't want to leave preschool and sat on the ground in the middle of the parking lot. I pulled her up and snap! We actually went to the grocery store and it wasn't until she started saying "arm" in the cart that I realized something was wrong. She wouldn't move her arm and complained when I picked her up or tried to move her arm into the car seat strap.

Today, Tali was trying to go to a puppy who I don't let her play with. This time, I felt it snap. We went home, had lunch (the doctor's office was closed for lunch) and then went to get her elbow relocated (and a flu shot, since we were there). On the way there, Tali was saying, "elbow," "doctor" and "again." It was kinda funny.

This time, the doctor showed me how to do it myself as it will likely happen again. It's very easy. So if you take care of Tali, please remind me to show you how to fix her elbow.


NOTE TO THE GRANDMOTHERS: This is really no big deal so please don't freak out! It doesn't seem to hurt Tali that much and is easily fixed. She will tell you when it happens by saying "elbow" and "doctor" and if you know what to do, then it'll be fixed in seconds and she's on her way. Just like putting a Band-Aid on a scraped knee.

Coxsackie

Today I learned that Tali has coxsackie. It's a highly contagious virus in children under 5 years old and very prevalent in the summer. Her first symptoms appeared on Saturday. She threw up Saturday morning and in the evening she developed a fever of 102. By Sunday the fever was gone. On Monday, she developed an usual diaper rash that looked more like chicken pox than a rash. I was told to give it three days and then go to the doctor if it didn't go away. But yesterday she developed blisters on her feet. I thought it might be from her shoes but decided to take her to the doctor today if they didn't go away. I had a feeling that all of these things were related but just didn't know how. In about 5 seconds, the doctor told me Tali had coxsackie. Then she looked at the blisters (there's also one in her mouth) and confirmed that is what she has. Unfortunately, there is no medicine for this. It just has to run its course. It usually takes a week.

I am trying hard to figure out how she got this. It's most common in playgrounds and swimming pools - neither of which she's been to recently. My best guess is that she got it at the grocery store. I put a cover on her cart, but she often lifts it up and touches the handle. Guess I need to start disinfecting the handle before I put he cover on.

Sick Update

Wow. Tali's cold hit me hard. By Sunday I could barely move (again). I took Nyquil Saturday night so that I could sleep but it had the opposite effect. I was so parched that I woke up every hour to drink. So by morning I was groggy and still stuffy. Luckily, Tali spent the night at Savta's and Saba's so I had the morning to sit on the sofa. H went to pick her up that afternoon and so I only had a few hours of a high-energy toddler for the day. I got a bit better on Monday and today I'm mostly better - just a bit of a cough and blowing my nose (which Tali finds hysterical) every so often. So that's seven days of sickness for me. I've had enough, thank you very much.

Oh, and Tali still has a runny nose and occasional cough. She's mostly better, though.

Typhoid Marys

This week illness has struck the females of our household.

On Tuesday, Tali came down with a cold. It wasn't as bad as last month's cold, but it's lasted longer. She's still not better. It has caused her to wake up multiple times a night and we're all suffering from lack of sleep.

On Wednesday, I developed some kind of 24-hour bug. I was in so much pain that I could barely move. I laid on the floor of Tali's room while she played. At one point, she took her blanket and pacifier and cuddled next to me. It only lasted about 30 seconds but it was so sweet. H had to come home early to help me with her.

Yesterday, I developed a bad reaction to the pneumonia shot I was given on Thursday. I couldn't lift my arm and it was very swollen. I had the chills and generally felt icky. (Due to my asthma and compromised immune system, I was told I needed the shot. Usually people don't get it until age 65. Pathetic, huh?)

Now, I seem to have gotten a milder case of Tali's cold. It's mostly just a cough and it could very well be from lack of sleep. Savta and Saba are taking Tali tonight and I hope that I will be able to get enough rest to function next week.

What Does Your Child Do...

...when she wakes up three hours after her bedtime because she is sick with a bad cold?

Mine?

She begs for food and eats her weight in blueberries.

She rearranges the furniture.

She opens and slams (and opens and slams) kitchen cabinets.

But, most importantly, she does not go to sleep.

Trip to New Orleans

This past week, Tali and I took a trip to New Orleans. It was Mardi Gras week down there but we didn't actually go to any parades. Tali's too young to get it. Instead, we made plans to see family and friends of mine and enjoy the nice, relatively warm weather.

But, Tali had other plans. On Tuesday, Tali started to develop a bit of cold. By Wednesday evening it was awful. And that night it was so terrible that we called my cousin Michael at home (he's a pediatrician) to find out what we could do for her. After a nice chat, Grandpa went to the drugstore and came back with a bag full of tricks to help Tali sleep. We followed all of Michael's instructions and Tali was able to get a few hours of sleep. Tali's cold was just as bad on Thursday but by Friday she seemed to be on the mend. We flew back yesterday (Saturday) and Tali's cold was almost better.

Now Tali just has a bit of congestion in her chest and she's lost most of her voice from a combination of her cold and HOURS of crying.

So most of our plans in New Orleans got canceled (we did go hear Granny speak at the WWII museum about being a war bride - she was very funny!) and Tali spent a lot of time in Gran and Grandpa's house playing with Mardi Gras beads (from the parades and balls they went to over the weekend) and exploring. But because she was sick, Tali was very clingy to me and didn't really want to be touched or held by anyone else. Luckily, I was able to get out of the house a bit while she was sleeping since Gran was there to babysit.

It's no fun when babies are sick - no matter how much help you have.

Tali with Mardi Gras beads the day we arrived.

She pulled them all out of the bags right away!

Tali with Granny (and a Mardi Gras throw).

Tali with Grandpa.

Tali with Gran, at the airport before we left.

Sick

Yesterday morning was a first for us. Tali made a little noise at 5:30 a.m. but seemed to go right back to sleep (not unusual) and I didn't hear her again until about 7:30 a.m. (still normal). When I went into her room, it smelled off, like she had pooped. I got to her crib and could see something in it and thinking it was poop I turned on the light to make sure I didn't touch it. Sadly, I was wrong. Tali had thrown up in her crib - gross! The strange part was that she didn't even cry when it happened. I assume it was the brief 5:30 noise but I have no way of knowing for sure.

So I woke H up and asked for his help. He kept Tali entertained while I got her some bread and water then cleaned out her bed. He then played with her in the bath after I gave her a quick shampoo (got in her hair - gross again!) and then went downstairs to spray some Shout on her clothes and sheets and throw everything in the wash.

I'm not sure what made her sick but she definitely had an upset stomach (no fever, luckily). She didn't eat much yesterday and slept a lot but she acted just fine. Today she's on the mend and I would say she's about 80% better. She's still not eating as much but everything else seems fine.

Poor thing. I wish she could've told me she wasn't feeling well. At least it's almost over. I'm sure she'll be back to normal tomorrow.

Sick Update

Two hours after Tali went to bed last night, she woke up. Poor baby was so congested she could barely breathe! It took us about an hour to get her back to sleep - a combination of rocking, steaming and finally some Gripe Water. I prepared myself for another all-nighter but to my surprise Tali slept until 6:30 this morning! (I, of course, didn't sleep so well because I was worried about her). She's still a bit congested today but it seems like she's on the mend.

Today I woke up with a bit of a stuffy nose (and still have the sore throat), which is a big problem. Tali is now in a phase where she hates loud noises (vacuum cleaner, hair dryer, etc.) and cries whenever I blow my nose. This'll be fun.

Sick Again

Tali officially has her second cold. It started yesterday afternoon with just a few sniffles and became a full blown cold last night. She was up every few hours (so I got about three hours of sleep) and we must've used half a bottle of Gripe Water. Today we revisited the steam room from this past August and had four 15 minute sessions. In August, she sat in the Bumbo and played with a rattle or two. This time she crawled around and played with stacking cups, a book and Jackson. Much more fun!

Wherever she caught this cold, I caught something as well. I have a sore, scratchy throat. I've drunk my way through six cups of herbal tea (I don't even like tea) and endless glasses of water today. It's no fun being sick and dealing with a sick baby. Tonight I gave her some Tylenol before bed so that she'll (hopefully) sleep better. I am hoping today was the worst of it and we'll both be on the mend tomorrow.

Mother/Daughter Bonding

I'm sure your first thought this morning was "I wonder how Gia and Tali are feeling." Well, thanks for thinking of us. We're both still sick but I'm on the mend - just a terrible, lingering cough. I'm hoping that Tali will begin to get better tomorrow. We were both up early today and so at 6:30 a.m. we had our first steam of the day (we did four 15-minute steams today). Nothing like a bit of mother/daughter bonding in the bathroom to get the day going. Here's a glimpse of our morning.

First Time Being Sick

Well, Tali caught whatever it is I have. She was a little congested yesterday but is very congested today. She must have slept with her mouth open last night because her nose was completely clogged. I feel like such a bad mom for getting my daughter sick but there really was no way to prevent it. When H was sick a few months ago, he stayed in the bedroom the majority of the time and wore a mask when he came out. He didn't see or touch Tali until he was better. Unfortunately, I can't avoid Tali so I am not surprised that she got sick. So far, Tali's been in pretty good spirits. She was smiling and laughing yesterday and wasn't cranky this morning. 

There's not much I can do to get her better and unless she has a fever of 101 or higher, the doctor can't really do anything either. I was told to bring her in the bathroom with me when I shower so that the steam can clear out. Then, after I get out I should "milk" her nose to get some of the mucus out. So this morning I tried that. The shower worked well for her but the milking did not. She screamed (hates being touched like that, even if it doesn't hurt) and nothing came out. Since the steam is good for me as well (yes, I'm still sick), I think my bathroom will be turned into a steam room this weekend. I'll bring some toys so Tali and I can play while the steam clears us up. (Not quite the relaxing steams Karine and I did on Saturday mornings in NYC, but I'm sure it'll fun.) I am hoping that the steams and plenty of fresh air will heal us both by Monday. That way we can enjoy H's week off of work.

Guaranteed Weight Loss Method

Anyone who is trying to lose weight will tell you that you have to burn more calories than you consume. Usually, this is done by eating healthy foods and working out. However, for those of you who are too lazy to do so, I have a new method that I'd like to call "Sick Mom." It's pretty simple, actually. Breast feed your baby (which burns up to 500 calories a day) and get sick. In order for this to work, your illness should be one that doesn't make you hungry and makes you congested enough that you can't really taste anything anyway. So now you are breast feeding to burn calories, looking after a young child (also burns calories) and not eating a lot. Presto! Burning more calories than you take in. And all without stepping foot inside a gym. I am living proof that this works. I've lost three pounds in just three days! 

Calling in Sick

Hi Tali,

I'm not feeling well and will be out sick today. Your breast milk is in the freezer and you can defrost the bags in hot water before putting it into a bottle. I've already put your food for the day in the fridge but you might need to warm it up in the microwave. You get pretty messy when you eat so wipe yourself off with some wet paper towels. You will scream, but do it anyway. When your eyes start to get heavy or you pull your left ear, it's time for you to go down for a nap. Don't forget to set an alarm so that you can wake up to eat. You can entertain yourself in the Exersaucer or just roll around on the floor. Deirdre is coming for Jackson today so he does not need to be walked this evening. Take a bath around 8:00 and Daddy will be home in time to read Goodnight Moon and put you to bed. 

Hopefully I'll be well enough to work tomorrow.

Love,

Mommy

Everybody Pukes

In the past week, everyone in this house but me has thrown up. Last week H was sick with a virus. Over the weekend Jackson threw up some of his food. And today Tali threw up. I picked her up and out it came! It went down my entire back and also splattered on the floor. (I wonder if it was her way of saying she didn't like what I was wearing.) She'd been fussy all morning so this was just icing on the cake. I checked her temperature a few times and no fever so I guess she's okay. She's still very fussy today but nothing besides a little spit up has come up since. Ah the joys of motherhood. It's such a glamorous job.