Although this picture is over a year old, it is one of my all time favorites.
Today my boy is 4. How in the world did that happen? More on the big day to come...
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
On Notice
Sen. Clinton's confirmation hearing for the Secretary of State position is on and I'm glued.
I'm so excited and proud of her. Quotes are making headlines about violence in the Middle East, Iran and nuclear power issues, N. Korea and her "smart power" strategy to renew U.S. leadership in the world and to strengthen U.S. diplomacy.
What makes my hope float to the top today are her comments about women's rights and specifically a very important issue which is near and dear to my heart. Clinton stated, "Violence against women is criminal, not custom or culture." She speaks of fighting human trafficking. She's putting A LOT of abusers, in our own country and internationally, on notice. And my heart sings.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Up Goes the Sun
Sophie and I have been doing a lot of patty cake, itsy bitsy spider, and rock-a-bye bear lately. Lots of times she will grab my hands and clap my hands together, her signal to start patty cake. I do the singing and either do the motions myself or move her hands. We begin clapping together, but usually that's all the motion she will do.
Last night in the bath she was putting her hands together above her head. I was slow on the up take but quickly came to realize that she was saying "Up" when doing this. As in "up goes the sun and dries up all the rain." Yipee!!!!
Friday, January 9, 2009
Croup Be - GONE!
I'll take a kick to the head over croup any day. So, I did. Last night Soph slept (SLEPT!) all night with minimal coughing next to me and laying down!!! Most of the time she had her little feet in my chest or even in my face, but I didn't mind. I did have a strange dream though. I have always been a vivid dreamer and can remember at least one usually per night. Pregnancy has added a level of bizarre to them. I was at my parent's houe and the family was all there having a pool party in summer. (It was not their house in real life). We watched in horror when an air raid began as war on American soil, in a big way, took us all by suprise. Stress much?
My conversation with Sophie's ped this morning went well. As Soph is not barking so much today as she is coughing up wet ickiness, we decided to stop the steroid after today and not continue for the full 5 days of meds, totalling 3.5 days of Prednisalone. It's not like needing to finish antibiotics for effectiveness and I don't want her taking any more than she needs.
As for the nebulizer, let's just say I didn't have to bring out mama bear to get Doc to see things my way. He's on board for next time with the steroid (Pulmicort) through a nebulizer and saline/distilled water with the neb only as a secondary comfort measure (as in during an attack at night versus going to the ER). Since she is on the mend and already has an appointment with Dr. D (ped lung specialist) next week, we'll either get the new script from him, or the ped agreed to write it.
Thanks to all who have supplied articles, support, and strength. Momologists Unite! On another note, Maybe seems to love my morning glass of orange juice and is moving like crazy!
My conversation with Sophie's ped this morning went well. As Soph is not barking so much today as she is coughing up wet ickiness, we decided to stop the steroid after today and not continue for the full 5 days of meds, totalling 3.5 days of Prednisalone. It's not like needing to finish antibiotics for effectiveness and I don't want her taking any more than she needs.
As for the nebulizer, let's just say I didn't have to bring out mama bear to get Doc to see things my way. He's on board for next time with the steroid (Pulmicort) through a nebulizer and saline/distilled water with the neb only as a secondary comfort measure (as in during an attack at night versus going to the ER). Since she is on the mend and already has an appointment with Dr. D (ped lung specialist) next week, we'll either get the new script from him, or the ped agreed to write it.
Thanks to all who have supplied articles, support, and strength. Momologists Unite! On another note, Maybe seems to love my morning glass of orange juice and is moving like crazy!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
It's as Easy as Breathing
Except that sometimes breathing is definitely NOT easy. When it's your baby struggling with breathing, it's downright scary.
Monday Night: Tale tell signs of a cold appear in Sophie.
Tuesday Morning: Yep a cold, but will we avoid the 4th croup since November?
Tuesday mid-afternoon: No we won't and I'm not waiting to start the oral steroid, Prednisolone 5MG/5ML. She'll only get one of the 2 doses today, 9 ML each, as we started so late.
Tuesday Night: Not good. Coughing increases. Sleep is pitiful.
Wednesday Day: No fever (she never has a fever with croup). Nap time fails. Can't lay down to sleep, even propped up as coughing increases.
Wednesday Night: 2 vaporizers in our room. Still, we hit a new level. The cough is not good and that it so obviously hurts her, hurts me. What makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck is her attempt to inhale during a coughing spell. Attempt. Try. Not happening. Choking, gasping, her expression and my inability to stop it - pain. We've got a new sound with this inhale and that sound is fear. It passes. My fear does not.
We sat in the bathroom with the shower on hot for our Poor Man's Sauna (to breathe in the steamy air) while Mark talked to the nurse. A trip to the ER tonight? It could go either way and so the ER dance begins. Do we or don't we? Ran out of hot water and transitioned to where we would be for the night. The living room rocker/recliner. She's upright and doing better. Call a friend in "the know." ER? It could go either way.
11pm we record this for the docs. The room was dark so you can't see anything. The inhale is better and the sound of fear isn't there. Still, I pack the diaper bag and start the car. She settles down. She's sleeping soundly on her daddy's lap in the crux of his arm and breathing is good. No coughing. I turn off the car and Mark begins the first shift. He makes me lay down after midnight and begins reading another book about Russia.
4:15am her coughing wakes me up. She's been fully upright and asleep for 4 hours. On and off for 10 minutes she coughs. I bundle us up and we dance outside on the front porch for a few minutes. We call this Shock the Monkey, as in breath in cold air to calm down the inflamed airway, like icing a swollen ankle. It works or she stops on her own. Who knows?
My shift begins. Mark is to riled to sleep until 5am. I assume the position in the chair. Since there is no way I can keep up the fully upright position, we settle for Soph on my chest as inclined as I can stand. It occurs to me that we are three, me, Maybe, and Soph, snuggled in and breathing together. Soph's breath effects mine which effects Maybe's oxygen. I try not to watch the clock.
Thursday: Another Poor Man's Sauna as we clean up. Dr. sees us near 11. Weight: 21 lbs. Temp: 99.1 O2: 97 Lungs: clear. We play the recording of her cough. Doc agrees it's croup. Duh. Ask for a new remedy, up the steroid dosage, nebulizer, something. Yet, we are given No change in treatment. Doc says a neb is used to help the lungs and Soph's issue is in in her breathing tube (obviously not in these terms - give me a break I'm tired). He says a neb could do more harm than good. I think he meant a neb with epinephrine, which we haven't asked for or even Albuterol. Yes I know she doesn't have asthma or pneumonia. I've heard and read that a neb with steroid (and we're already giving oral steroids) or even a neb with just with saline can be quite helpful.
We get an appt. with Dr. Lung next week so this ped lung specialist can have a look. We're tired, frustrated, expected Something to change and nothing did. Doc says the ER probably wouldn't do much either (give oxygen and monitor her) but go in tonight if we feel it's needed. ? Not letting the nebulizer decision go quite yet. Any info is appreciated.
Refill meds and ask Mr. Bojangles (pharmacist) why I can't find the BabyLax suppositories. They stopped making it. Now they only have Pedialax for ages 2-5 and it's a liquid suppository vs. gel glycerin. We have to have it on hand as 1 missed dose of Miralax (given near bedtime as part of our routine that occasionally isn't done before she conks out) causes Painful constipation within 1.5-3 days. Sometimes introducing new foods or illness causes it too. Fine, I settle for Pedialax.
At Culver's for lunch we sit in a booth with giant window next to the train tracks and sure enough Alexander gets to see a freight train. He also, out of the blue informs me, "Mom you're not fat." I'm quite sure we don't talk much about being fat so I thank him and ask him what fat means. I got a jumbled reply, something about being different? I'll take the compliment anyway.
Soph is still sick and snot is coming out of her nose and right eye but nap time yielded a short and much needed rest. She's also saying her favorite new word a lot this evening, Uh-oh.
So tonight? ER? Poor Man's Sauna or Shock the Monkey? We'll see. Tomorrow I'm speaking to her ped to give an update and I plan to forward on some info about nebulizers for croup. Hope mama bear doesn't have to come out.
Monday Night: Tale tell signs of a cold appear in Sophie.
Tuesday Morning: Yep a cold, but will we avoid the 4th croup since November?
Tuesday mid-afternoon: No we won't and I'm not waiting to start the oral steroid, Prednisolone 5MG/5ML. She'll only get one of the 2 doses today, 9 ML each, as we started so late.
Tuesday Night: Not good. Coughing increases. Sleep is pitiful.
Wednesday Day: No fever (she never has a fever with croup). Nap time fails. Can't lay down to sleep, even propped up as coughing increases.
Wednesday Night: 2 vaporizers in our room. Still, we hit a new level. The cough is not good and that it so obviously hurts her, hurts me. What makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck is her attempt to inhale during a coughing spell. Attempt. Try. Not happening. Choking, gasping, her expression and my inability to stop it - pain. We've got a new sound with this inhale and that sound is fear. It passes. My fear does not.
We sat in the bathroom with the shower on hot for our Poor Man's Sauna (to breathe in the steamy air) while Mark talked to the nurse. A trip to the ER tonight? It could go either way and so the ER dance begins. Do we or don't we? Ran out of hot water and transitioned to where we would be for the night. The living room rocker/recliner. She's upright and doing better. Call a friend in "the know." ER? It could go either way.
11pm we record this for the docs. The room was dark so you can't see anything. The inhale is better and the sound of fear isn't there. Still, I pack the diaper bag and start the car. She settles down. She's sleeping soundly on her daddy's lap in the crux of his arm and breathing is good. No coughing. I turn off the car and Mark begins the first shift. He makes me lay down after midnight and begins reading another book about Russia.
4:15am her coughing wakes me up. She's been fully upright and asleep for 4 hours. On and off for 10 minutes she coughs. I bundle us up and we dance outside on the front porch for a few minutes. We call this Shock the Monkey, as in breath in cold air to calm down the inflamed airway, like icing a swollen ankle. It works or she stops on her own. Who knows?
My shift begins. Mark is to riled to sleep until 5am. I assume the position in the chair. Since there is no way I can keep up the fully upright position, we settle for Soph on my chest as inclined as I can stand. It occurs to me that we are three, me, Maybe, and Soph, snuggled in and breathing together. Soph's breath effects mine which effects Maybe's oxygen. I try not to watch the clock.
Thursday: Another Poor Man's Sauna as we clean up. Dr. sees us near 11. Weight: 21 lbs. Temp: 99.1 O2: 97 Lungs: clear. We play the recording of her cough. Doc agrees it's croup. Duh. Ask for a new remedy, up the steroid dosage, nebulizer, something. Yet, we are given No change in treatment. Doc says a neb is used to help the lungs and Soph's issue is in in her breathing tube (obviously not in these terms - give me a break I'm tired). He says a neb could do more harm than good. I think he meant a neb with epinephrine, which we haven't asked for or even Albuterol. Yes I know she doesn't have asthma or pneumonia. I've heard and read that a neb with steroid (and we're already giving oral steroids) or even a neb with just with saline can be quite helpful.
We get an appt. with Dr. Lung next week so this ped lung specialist can have a look. We're tired, frustrated, expected Something to change and nothing did. Doc says the ER probably wouldn't do much either (give oxygen and monitor her) but go in tonight if we feel it's needed. ? Not letting the nebulizer decision go quite yet. Any info is appreciated.
Refill meds and ask Mr. Bojangles (pharmacist) why I can't find the BabyLax suppositories. They stopped making it. Now they only have Pedialax for ages 2-5 and it's a liquid suppository vs. gel glycerin. We have to have it on hand as 1 missed dose of Miralax (given near bedtime as part of our routine that occasionally isn't done before she conks out) causes Painful constipation within 1.5-3 days. Sometimes introducing new foods or illness causes it too. Fine, I settle for Pedialax.
At Culver's for lunch we sit in a booth with giant window next to the train tracks and sure enough Alexander gets to see a freight train. He also, out of the blue informs me, "Mom you're not fat." I'm quite sure we don't talk much about being fat so I thank him and ask him what fat means. I got a jumbled reply, something about being different? I'll take the compliment anyway.
Soph is still sick and snot is coming out of her nose and right eye but nap time yielded a short and much needed rest. She's also saying her favorite new word a lot this evening, Uh-oh.
So tonight? ER? Poor Man's Sauna or Shock the Monkey? We'll see. Tomorrow I'm speaking to her ped to give an update and I plan to forward on some info about nebulizers for croup. Hope mama bear doesn't have to come out.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Another Look at Therapy n Stuff
Sophie has been doing really, really well in her Early Intervention (EI) therapies. She has Speech therapy (ST) at home once a week, Developmental therapy (DT) at home twice a month, Physical therapy (PT) twice a month on site, and Occupational therapy (OT) at home once a month. Her Developmental Playgroup (once a week on site) incorporates all of it and has been really positive for her. Next week her ST will begin filming Sophie and I doing everyday play. We're going to attempt to make a video that we can use in the DVD player of things like playing with different toys, saying the words and signing them too. I guess I'll have to wear something other than lounge pants next week. (Oh, who am I kidding?) Here's another look at recent therapy sessions with Sophia.
Other updates:
Other updates:
Sophie just got 2 new teeth in the past few weeks. Both are on the bottom, one is in the front/middle left, and the other is a molar on the right. She's taken to grinding them at night before going to sleep (JOY)! and she's not sleeping so great. I hope it's a passing teething thing. She's just begun refusing to eat any vegetables or meat. To make sure I had no doubt, during lunch a few days ago she shook her head furiously "NO" to the vegetables and beef and then sternly pointed (POINTED!) at the pears. If it were up to her she would live off of fruit and honey bee graham crackers.
In February Sophie has a follow up echo cardiogram and appointment at the peds cardiology clinic in town. She still had a small PDA a year ago that they want to monitor. We'll also be heading back to St. Louis Children's Hospital for repeat hearing tests. We got a good idea of her hearing last time, but this time they want to isolate each ear.
On a not so fun note, I believe we're going down the croup path for the 4th time since November. I know when the cough changes from deep and wet to a bark. Her cold came on fast this time and I'm not waiting to see, so she's on steroids, again. Good thing we had some left plus refills. Her last course was for 3-5 days, so we did 3 and she was good. Thanks to a new blog friend I was informed not to do more than 5 days on the steroids. Hopefully it won't get that bad. We had a good 2 weeks free of illness in the house that I am thankful for. Someone here has had a cold or flu bug nearly every week since the school year started in the fall. Now that Alexander is going back to preschool and our regular lives are resuming, I am prepared for the onslaught of tiny ugly germs.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
We'll Take a Cup of Kindness Yet
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne,
For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet For auld lang syne
Here's a blast from the past. Mark and I weren't even engaged yet. Here we are with his brother and his wife along with our good friend and our future son's namesake.
Skip ahead a mere 6 years. Here we are at our house in Madison with our little guy, just 2 weeks shy of his 1st birthday. We all had the flu that day.
In Madison, 2006
Last year we rang in the new year at Mark's parent's place on top of Mt. Zubba Bubba in TN. Sophie had joined the family but slept through the festivities.
New Year's Eve 2008. We made our own party at home last night complete with games, silly hats, noise makers, glow bracelets, snacks, and New Year's Rockin Eve. Can't wait till next year when Maybe joins us. This morning I looked at the calendar and realized that she's due on Mother's Day. And just maybe next year, I'll enjoy some of my favorite Andre's pink champagne instead of Diet 7 Up with Pomegranate (though that's pretty good too).
Last year we rang in the new year at Mark's parent's place on top of Mt. Zubba Bubba in TN. Sophie had joined the family but slept through the festivities.
New Year's Eve 2008. We made our own party at home last night complete with games, silly hats, noise makers, glow bracelets, snacks, and New Year's Rockin Eve. Can't wait till next year when Maybe joins us. This morning I looked at the calendar and realized that she's due on Mother's Day. And just maybe next year, I'll enjoy some of my favorite Andre's pink champagne instead of Diet 7 Up with Pomegranate (though that's pretty good too).
My how things have changed...
Happy New Year!
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