The old saying goes... "No news is good news"... well, not always in my findings.
No news just means everything is the same. Good or bad...just same.
In my case, that's not so good. We are trying new bottle styles with Grant this week and am planning to deprive him of food this weekend. Not really but... Someone I know recommended a book called "The Baby Whisperer". This book recommends the following: Offer your baby nothing but a bottle for 48 hours, offer it every hour until he drinks from it. This is based on the premise that he will eat if he gets hungry enough. I SINCERELY HOPE SO! I'm not sure I can take the screaming if it doesn't work. Anyway, the theory goes that after the 48 hours, as long as you offer a bottle once a day the baby will never have a problem drinking from them. It worked for my friend. I think I might call my pediatrician and see what they think of my intentional torture of my infant son.
Brianna is good. Cranky though. I think she realizes that most of my attention and time is being spent trying to figure out Grant's stuff. She knows she's getting the shaft and is acting out to get attention. She's not doing anything major, but sometime the little annoying things are worse than one big thing. She likes to put toys in her mouth. She knows that's not what she's supposed to do but... she puts them in her mouth and then turns to me and mumbles... "look at me mommy" and grins like the devil! I tell her to take it out and she does for a while, until she feels silly again.
Adam is not doing so good. He doesn't tolerate Grant's temper tantrums well. He gets REALLY frustrated and just needs to get away. When he's stuck, he gets angry. I know he only wants to make our kids happy but he scares me a little when he's angry around the kids. I don't want them to learn that yelling is the way to get things done. He's working on it.
ME, I'm just same... sleep deprived, a little sad, and V.E.R.Y. busy!
Tomorrow I'll try and look for happy things to post.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Friday, February 24, 2006
Bottles and formula
Please let as many moms as you know about today's post... I need as many temporary readers as I can get so I can get lots of advice.........
Quickly about me for those who don't know me:
I have a daughter Brianna who is now 2 1/2. I also have a 4 month old son Grant. He is my concern today...
He refuses formula! I have been nursing thus far but am having a very hard time balancing work and pumping and want him to take formula at school then I will (ideally) nurse at night. When his teachers try and give him bottles he arches his back and turns his head repeatedly. They really have to "fight" with him to get him to eat. I have noticed this same behavior at home when my husband is bottle feeding him... at at this point we are bottle feeding breast milk.
Consequently, he is very unhappy at daycare, and is not gaining weight the way he should. He only gained 1/2 pound in the last month.
On top of his reluctance toward bottles, he seems to hate formula. We have tried 2 types of standard formula, these make him throw up. He seems to have a problem digesting them. He reacts ok to soy formula but hates to take it.
HELP!
Any suggestions for types of bottles that might be better?
Or similar experiences that I could share with my Dr.?
I am currently thinking that I might just have to go to all bottles and all formula! Sudden switch style. I can only imagine that this is the only way he will get hungry enough to eat and get used to the formula. That would make me very sad though...
Quickly about me for those who don't know me:
I have a daughter Brianna who is now 2 1/2. I also have a 4 month old son Grant. He is my concern today...
He refuses formula! I have been nursing thus far but am having a very hard time balancing work and pumping and want him to take formula at school then I will (ideally) nurse at night. When his teachers try and give him bottles he arches his back and turns his head repeatedly. They really have to "fight" with him to get him to eat. I have noticed this same behavior at home when my husband is bottle feeding him... at at this point we are bottle feeding breast milk.
Consequently, he is very unhappy at daycare, and is not gaining weight the way he should. He only gained 1/2 pound in the last month.
On top of his reluctance toward bottles, he seems to hate formula. We have tried 2 types of standard formula, these make him throw up. He seems to have a problem digesting them. He reacts ok to soy formula but hates to take it.
HELP!
Any suggestions for types of bottles that might be better?
Or similar experiences that I could share with my Dr.?
I am currently thinking that I might just have to go to all bottles and all formula! Sudden switch style. I can only imagine that this is the only way he will get hungry enough to eat and get used to the formula. That would make me very sad though...
Thursday, February 23, 2006
2 is a teenager minus 10
I am working on a theory that children aged 2 are actually just practicing teenagers.
Similarities:
They want to do everything by themselves.
They will scream and fight you if you don't let them do it themselves.
They start fights with you for fun.
They are temperamental and moody.
Two minutes after they are arguing with you, they are hugging you and happy.
They are completely self-centered.
You love them just a little more than you can't stand them.
If I am right, I am completely screwed in 10 years!
Similarities:
They want to do everything by themselves.
They will scream and fight you if you don't let them do it themselves.
They start fights with you for fun.
They are temperamental and moody.
Two minutes after they are arguing with you, they are hugging you and happy.
They are completely self-centered.
You love them just a little more than you can't stand them.
If I am right, I am completely screwed in 10 years!
Friday, February 17, 2006
scaleyboy and stoplightgirl
I love calling my kids by nicknames. (Thanks to Jamie for the ones above). Very seldom are they actually Brianna and Grant. Other people also call my kids by nicknames. Is this common in other houses, or am I certifiable?
Today Jamie made me crack up by calling them "anklebiters". Nothing new just really funny today for some reason.
We have taken to calling Grant "The Owl" because of his love for trying to spin his head as far as he can in either direction. Someday he will star in "The exorcist" without special effects needed!
We used to call Brianna "Little Lizard" because of her love of sticking out her tongue. I don't think we have a picture of her between 2 months and 10 months old withOUT her tongue sticking out!
Other names:
Brianna------- Grant------------- Shared
Bri Bri---------- G.------------------ Pumpkin
Silly Goose ------Senior Stinky ------Sweetheart
Miss Muffet----- Slugger------------ Bub/Bubber
--------------------------------------Short Stuff
....And so many more.....
Today Jamie made me crack up by calling them "anklebiters". Nothing new just really funny today for some reason.
We have taken to calling Grant "The Owl" because of his love for trying to spin his head as far as he can in either direction. Someday he will star in "The exorcist" without special effects needed!
We used to call Brianna "Little Lizard" because of her love of sticking out her tongue. I don't think we have a picture of her between 2 months and 10 months old withOUT her tongue sticking out!
Other names:
Brianna------- Grant------------- Shared
Bri Bri---------- G.------------------ Pumpkin
Silly Goose ------Senior Stinky ------Sweetheart
Miss Muffet----- Slugger------------ Bub/Bubber
--------------------------------------Short Stuff
....And so many more.....
Thursday, February 16, 2006
K.I.S.S
Keep it simple stupid!
I think Grant is Itchy! I wouldn't be happy if I was itchy and didn't know how to scratch!
I took a good look at Grant last night and he doesn't just have the ezcema break outs on his face, they are on his arms and legs as well. (Those aren't nearly as bad since they are covered all the time and don't get irritated). He also has plain old dry skin on his belly and back! I feel like a silly mommy for not thinking of that!
I feel so much better today because I have a plan!
1. Get the outbreak under control with warm soaks in the tub and a good sensitive skin lotion in addition to the medication.
2. Start playing with foods and chemicals to see what causes outbreaks... maybe the daycare teachers lotions.
I love having a plan!
I think Grant is Itchy! I wouldn't be happy if I was itchy and didn't know how to scratch!
I took a good look at Grant last night and he doesn't just have the ezcema break outs on his face, they are on his arms and legs as well. (Those aren't nearly as bad since they are covered all the time and don't get irritated). He also has plain old dry skin on his belly and back! I feel like a silly mommy for not thinking of that!
I feel so much better today because I have a plan!
1. Get the outbreak under control with warm soaks in the tub and a good sensitive skin lotion in addition to the medication.
2. Start playing with foods and chemicals to see what causes outbreaks... maybe the daycare teachers lotions.
I love having a plan!
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Teardrops and Roses
So, What do you want first? The good news or the bad news?
Good News... Adam did my favorite thing for Valentines day, he brought me roses. He even had the kids help give me them. It was very sweet and my kitchen smells great!
Bad News... Grant has ezcema, and it's getting worse. I just don't know what to do with it. The medication works but then I'm supposed to stop using it and within 2 days at daycare, his skin looks horrible again. I am doing all sorts of research and I thought I had it narrowed down to a short list of possible irritants to try eliminating. HOWEVER... today, his teachers told me that he is spending increasing amounts of time unhappy at daycare. By unhappy, he is either crying or needing to be held and rocked individually, he's only happy for 10-15 minute stretches, or when he's sleeping. They also added that he fights them when they are giving him his bottle, he squirms and arches his back and they are actually afraid they will drop him because he's moving so much.
I sat in my car and cried this morning. I am very glad that the daycare is finally being honest with me about how his day is going but I am SO sad that he is unhappy. Worst of all, I don't know if I can do anything about it. I have to work, he can't spend 24/7 with me. (He doesn't behave that way with me). I feel so helpless. There is no amount of research that can make this better fast enough.
He has a regular doctor appt. on Monday and I will be talking this all over with his dr then. Until then, I will try not to cry too much.
Good News... Adam did my favorite thing for Valentines day, he brought me roses. He even had the kids help give me them. It was very sweet and my kitchen smells great!
Bad News... Grant has ezcema, and it's getting worse. I just don't know what to do with it. The medication works but then I'm supposed to stop using it and within 2 days at daycare, his skin looks horrible again. I am doing all sorts of research and I thought I had it narrowed down to a short list of possible irritants to try eliminating. HOWEVER... today, his teachers told me that he is spending increasing amounts of time unhappy at daycare. By unhappy, he is either crying or needing to be held and rocked individually, he's only happy for 10-15 minute stretches, or when he's sleeping. They also added that he fights them when they are giving him his bottle, he squirms and arches his back and they are actually afraid they will drop him because he's moving so much.
I sat in my car and cried this morning. I am very glad that the daycare is finally being honest with me about how his day is going but I am SO sad that he is unhappy. Worst of all, I don't know if I can do anything about it. I have to work, he can't spend 24/7 with me. (He doesn't behave that way with me). I feel so helpless. There is no amount of research that can make this better fast enough.
He has a regular doctor appt. on Monday and I will be talking this all over with his dr then. Until then, I will try not to cry too much.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Motherhood is about torturing your kids
Grant is allergic to daycare. I mean this quite literally. In the weeks after starting daycare he developed a very nasty, crusty, dry skin meets open sores kind of rash. We noticed that it would get slightly better over the weekend and by Wed it was back in full force. I took him to the doctor who said it was excema. If all my research is right, this means he has an allergic reaction to something that is causing his face to dry out and chafe. The daycare very graciously switched to the same detergent I use at home. No dice. I have to use this nasty greasy cream on his face and then I can't kiss his wonderful little cheeks!
I am sad. He is itchy.
I really hope at his next dr. appt. the new dr. has something better to say!
I am also torturing Brianna by working. She is the smallest little girl in her class and there is a little boy who is picking on her. Everyday she tells me what he did today. (She calls him Goga, this is not his real name but a version of how she hears his last name). "Goga pusha me down".
"Goga hit me". Etc. Her teachers are quite aware of the little 2 year old bully but there are only 2 teachers and 15-18 kids in the room. They can't watch every minute.
I've taken to buying her cookies and am stopping myself just short of telling her to hit him back. The teacher in me won't condone fighting in any way. But maybe soon...
I am sad. He is itchy.
I really hope at his next dr. appt. the new dr. has something better to say!
I am also torturing Brianna by working. She is the smallest little girl in her class and there is a little boy who is picking on her. Everyday she tells me what he did today. (She calls him Goga, this is not his real name but a version of how she hears his last name). "Goga pusha me down".
"Goga hit me". Etc. Her teachers are quite aware of the little 2 year old bully but there are only 2 teachers and 15-18 kids in the room. They can't watch every minute.
I've taken to buying her cookies and am stopping myself just short of telling her to hit him back. The teacher in me won't condone fighting in any way. But maybe soon...
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
The Extended Version
Whoa, Whoa, Whoa your boat,
dently drown da dream,
mariry, mariry, mariry, mariry,
wife is dut a DREAM.
(The last word is screamed at the top of Brianna's lungs, with head thrown back, everytime!)
dently drown da dream,
mariry, mariry, mariry, mariry,
wife is dut a DREAM.
(The last word is screamed at the top of Brianna's lungs, with head thrown back, everytime!)
Monday, February 06, 2006
Tiny drunk people
I have discovered recently that toddler speech is very similar to that of drunk adults. The words are a little slurred, the sounds don't seem to fit quite right, and you have to think really hard to make it make sense.
I discovered this while listening to Brianna and my niece Hannah (who's the same age as Bri) sing songs on Superbowl Sunday.... Well, then I compared them to my adult guests who were partaking of grain based beverages.
After several choruses of "Whoa, Whoa, Whoa your boat", and "The Itsy ditzy Spider" (by the 2 year olds, not the adults). We were cracking up! We then requested "Tinkle, Tinkle, wittle sta" and "The ABCDE song". Our pint sized entertainment was happy to oblige.
People, this is better satisfaction than The 'Stones any day of the week!
I discovered this while listening to Brianna and my niece Hannah (who's the same age as Bri) sing songs on Superbowl Sunday.... Well, then I compared them to my adult guests who were partaking of grain based beverages.
After several choruses of "Whoa, Whoa, Whoa your boat", and "The Itsy ditzy Spider" (by the 2 year olds, not the adults). We were cracking up! We then requested "Tinkle, Tinkle, wittle sta" and "The ABCDE song". Our pint sized entertainment was happy to oblige.
People, this is better satisfaction than The 'Stones any day of the week!
Thursday, February 02, 2006
The color of annoyance
As a normal 2 1/2 year old, Brianna is working on learning her colors. As parents who are both teachers, we use every opportunity we can to practice....
Last week we began asking her to tell us what color the stop lights were as we pass them. She began to get them right on a regular basis, so we added that Red means stop, Green means Go, and Orange means slow down (at least that's what we tell her). Brianna is now very faithful in telling us what color EVERY SINGLE stoplight is, whether I ask her or not.
And why is this annoying?
Internet... I have created the worlds smallest back seat driver!!!!
Can you hear it now?
Mommy, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP....
I swear, My town has the longest red lights ever in the history of man!
Last week we began asking her to tell us what color the stop lights were as we pass them. She began to get them right on a regular basis, so we added that Red means stop, Green means Go, and Orange means slow down (at least that's what we tell her). Brianna is now very faithful in telling us what color EVERY SINGLE stoplight is, whether I ask her or not.
And why is this annoying?
Internet... I have created the worlds smallest back seat driver!!!!
Can you hear it now?
Mommy, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP, Red means STOP....
I swear, My town has the longest red lights ever in the history of man!
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
I'm working!
I was reminded by Jamie that I have yet to post the promised Chuck E Cheese pictures... I'm working on it! I do the majority of my work on my iMac at school and the photo software offered by Blogger is not Mac compatible. I have tried another site now but it is proving to be more difficult and time consuming than I can manage right now.
Besides... I'm working this week! I don't mean that in the, I go to work sense, but in the, work is crazy and I barely have time to breathe sense!
This morning... Brianna and I were counting the school busses we saw on our drive to school (she LOVES school busses). Suddenly, she informed me that the school bus was silly. I of course asked why, she said (after thinking a moment) that the school bus tickled her! I said that SHE was silly. She started laughing at herself maniacally and saying "tickle tickle"!
Besides... I'm working this week! I don't mean that in the, I go to work sense, but in the, work is crazy and I barely have time to breathe sense!
This morning... Brianna and I were counting the school busses we saw on our drive to school (she LOVES school busses). Suddenly, she informed me that the school bus was silly. I of course asked why, she said (after thinking a moment) that the school bus tickled her! I said that SHE was silly. She started laughing at herself maniacally and saying "tickle tickle"!
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