Tracking my health

With all the stress about our 20-mo son (J) not eating -- I know it's small potatoes compared to real world problems -- I decided to increase my visits to the gym to 2 times a week. I think the time away from home and also the release of some toxins will help with relieving stress. And losing a few pounds won't be so bad either ;). I hate the treadmill but I also know it'll be my fastest route to my goal weight of ah hem ma nah pounds.

Brushing?

I have a 19-mo old, and since he's had teeth, the pediatrician has said, you should brush his teeth at least once a day, or give them a good wipe. One pediatrician even scoffed at her own advice: "...and for at least 2 minutes...pfff! Just do it for as long as you can!"

Well, J sure is fast in turning his face away when we try to brush his teeth. He's really fast, and in both directions. I'm sure yours is/was too! So, that's a fail.

When I approach him with a washcloth, he let's me put it to his teeth, but then proceeds to clench down on my fingers. Baby teeth sure are sharp! Ouch!

Apparently, uninterrupted sleep for the lesser evolved

[J sleeping at 3 months. Check out how his hair has evolved!]

Ok, ok, so the article Interrupted Sleep Might Be the Best Kind says that over time, technology and lifestyle changes have caused (those of) us (lucky enough) to adopt to an 8-hour sleeping schedule. It says that history (via writings and paintings showing people working at night --yea, the latter one is really convincing!) shows people sleeping in two 4-hour stints with an "awake" period in between.

Soon to be invincible again

Here's a test to see if your kids are too sick for school or daycare that I found while searching for this image.

I have a strain of I-live-with-a-two-year-old-it is coined by Mommy Shorts. It's called I-have-an-18-month-old-in-his-first-year-of-daycare-itis because before he started daycare, I never got sick. This is also why I haven't posted anything since Friday.

Day 19: You should know, you're a biologist

NickMom.com recently posted 9 most unintentionally confusing things mom say to their kids, and it reminded of silly things I say to the hubby. For instance,

You should know, you're a biologist.

Or some derivative of that.

My most recent use was when were giving our son, J, amoxicillin for a sinus infection. We were using a syringe to give it to him. I was in the habit of first pouring the amoxicillin into one of those little plastic measuring cups they give you with cough syrup. I would then fill the syringe from the cup.

[Source: Posion.org]

Well, one time J spit out a good amount of amoxicillin (imagine that). I needed about a 1/2 mL more, so I asked the hubby to get me some. He proceeded to stick the syringe that had already been in J's mouth into the bottle of amoxicillin! Of course I yelled,

You're putting the contaminated syringe into sterile bottle of amoxicillin? What are you doing? You should know better, you're a biologist! Would you contaminate your samples at work like that?

The hubby chuckled because he and his coworkers were just joking about that their spouses use the "you're a biologist" excuse all the time. Hey, in this case, I was justified. Anyone else with me?

Sometimes, I'm not justified. I admit it. Like when I ask about a physical ailment or why the body does such and such. His response is always,

I'm a biologist, not a doctor!

Ugh, there's a difference? Hehehe...

UPDATE!
By the way, I think those little plastic measuring cups are inaccurate because 1 tsp (5 mL) in the cup was about 0.75 4.75 mL (thanks for catching that Talking Thirty!) in the syringe. I tend to believe the syringe more because I remember that we should measure our liquids in pipets/graduated cylinders rather than beakers. Anyone else remember this?

Good ol' meniscus [Source: Volstate.edu]

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Day 12: The lies they tell expectant moms about sleep

[Source: Learn Something Everyday]

It's every new expectant mom's rite-of-passage to read a lot books like What to Expect, subscribe to Parents magazine, and gather lots and lots of advice from mommies...at least I did. Besides how many diapers and onesies will I need?, the other questions I had were related to sleep.

How much will my baby sleep? How do I get him to sleep? Do I let him cry himself to sleep? When can I expect to get eight hours of uninterrupted sleep? I know...selfish! And according to What to Expect, if my objective after having a baby was to get him to sleep through the night, I shouldn't be should rethink why I'm having a baby. Uh-oh.

Anyways, I let that particular comment go. Because, very much like that comment, many things that books and magazines and even *gasp* moms tell you about sleep are...wait for it...lies! Ok, maybe not lies but certainly not-always-applicable truths! Let me try to put into one paragraph the lies I was told. 

--- If your baby won't go to sleep on his own, try to have as little physical contact with him as possible. Try speaking to him first, then maybe patting his back. If all else fails, you may rock him, but only for the minimum amount of time necessary because if you coddle him too much, he'll never learn to sleep on his own, have sleep issues into his childhood and even into adulthood. He won't survive college (because he can't fall asleep of course) and will move back home with you, where you'll have to rock him to sleep every night. ---

Oh my goodness, I was sooo afraid to coddle my son too much! I talked to him -- no luck. I patted his back -- no luck, especially when he's supposed to sleep on his back! I rocked him for 5 min., let him cry for 5 min. Repeat rinse repeat. No luck!

Sleep-deprived and out of options, I weighed my alternatives. I certainly don't want my son to have sleep issues into adulthood...But I really want him (and me!) to get some much needed sleep...So, I'm just going to rock him as long as needed, and if that doesn't work, I'm going to hold him. I just knew that I'd regret these decisions -- he's going to be 30 years old and still need me to rock him to sleep!

Well, ya know what?! Even after all those combined hours of rocking and coddling, he's been falling asleep on his own pretty well starting around 5 or 6 months. There are times, of course, when he still needs a few hugs at 18 months. And we've been known to sit in the rocking chair sometimes as he tries to fall asleep. When he wakes up in the middle of the night because of nightmares or teething, we do go in and rock him a bit.

But you know what?! I enjoy it most of the time. Sometimes, I just him to hit the sack immediately. I've had a long day and don't have the patience for rocking, singing, and waiting! I enjoy the times I need to soothe him because he rests his tiny head on my shoulder, wraps his arms around me, breathes in and out so deeply -- it's just all so heartwarming. Usually, he'll have "enough" of all the coddling, lean towards his crib, and I'll know he's ready to go back to bed. So it seems like no harm, no foul! Whew!

I know every child is different, and maybe I just got lucky, but I just think that some advice is given with these warnings that are way too exaggerated! I mean that stuff about sleep issues into his college years, I actually read somewhere! So, expectant moms:

Take all advice with a grain of salt!
Follow your instincts and your heart!
Get your baby (and yourself) to sleep anyway you want/can!

P.S. The only advice I really take is try never to wake a sleepy baby!  Show some love. Leave a comment below
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Day 9 : The answer to "what's that smell?" is "I have an 18-month-old"

They say that the sense of smell is heightened in pregnant women, which is why some of them are constantly fighting their gag reflex. Lucky me, my sense of smell is heightened all the time! It must be because I have impeccable taste (*cue cheesy drum roll*) (if you don't get my joke, too bad, I made myself ROLF anyways *wink*).

Back to the question that'll forever be asked (whether out-loud or silently) of passengers in my car...

What is that smell?

Now, I can't blame it entirely on J -- my almost 18-month-old -- because it's not his fault. He was sick. But it only takes one "situation" for that smell to forever impregnate the interior of a car. No matter how hard you try, you're going to miss a spot on the carpet, upholstery, and/or car seat (seriously, how many nooks and crannies are in this thing? I really don't want to make my husband uninstall it and take it apart to clean it).

So, currently, my car smells like:

Lysol dual-action wipes | Resolve carpet cleaner | Febreze
Plus, I believe, oatmeal, milk and goldfish crackers

By the way, the Lysol dual-action wipes were great because one side of the wipes is rough (has "teeth"), which was good for trying to dig out what's encrusted into the nooks and crannies of the carseat's safety belt. Gosh, why can't they be smooth, like the belts they use in cars? Is there another industry for making child safety belts/harnesses? Did they all decide that the belts have to be grooved and thus harder to clean? Thanks so much!

Anyways, even though I'll be knocked senseless every morning by the mixture of smells, because of my impeccable sense of taste *wink*, I'll get used to it within a minute. Isn't the nose/brain both amazing and kinda easily fooled?



Making a paste of baking soda and water 
is too many steps, even if it'd help. So...
Please only share your easy suggestions 
for getting that smell out of my car ;).

Day 7: Hopefully it's a short-lived stomach virus

For those with a weak stomach, feel free to click-away from this post ;).

J, my 17-month old, threw up twice yesterday -- once on the way to daycare. Great, now we're never going to get that smell out! So I cleaned him up when we got to daycare -- changed his clothes, gave his jacket a rinse in the sink -- meanwhile, one of the teachers whispers to me There's a stomach virus going around. Yesterday, so-and-so had diarrhea...so I'm just telling you...we'll call you if anything happens.  

GREAT! Right after J gets over his sinus infection, another illness comes right along to take its place. I just knew that I'd be receiving a phone call from daycare later that day. I did.

I spent the rest of the day slowly giving J water, which he threw up half hour later. I also gave him yogurt, which he threw up an hour later. And that night, he threw up again. It's a good thing we have a good supply of sheets and SleepSacks.

Luckily, he seems to be doing better this morning. He's keeping down milk, water, Cheerios, rice and potatotes. He's napping right now, and I'm hoping he doesn't throw up and we can all get some rest! I mean, look at this face! I wish I looked this good with a stomach virus. I feel a bit queasy, but I was sure to wash my hands a lot yesterday and today so hopefully I stay well.

via Instagr.am (lisacng)

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Thanks, Amazon wishlist

Thank you, Amazon wishlist for being there for others to use even when I've forgotten about you.

My sister (real-estate-agent-extraordinaire) went to the trouble of finding my "kids" wishlist on Amazon and got J....

Splashimals!

By Milliwik

$10.95 per set

By the power of adhesion, these cards stick to the bathroom wall and tube when wet. J isn't old enough to read but he sure loves to put these up and take them down! When he's old enough, he'll be able to create his own animal names, like penphant above. How about a liger (Napoleon Dynamite's favorite)?

What my A-type personality loves most about these cards is that all the drawings line up. The drawing of the left half of that penguin above will line up perfectly with the right half of the elephant. I tried it all different cards and they match every time. I appreciate the company's attention to detail.

Other variations available are:

• SplashJack (slap jack for the tub $12.95)
• SplashJack Royal (slap jack for the tub but with traditional card faces -- I actually thought it was poker! That wouldn't be kid-appropriate $12.95)
• SumBodies (make your own characters $10.95)

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Enter here for the LeapFrog LeapPad Giveaway. But don't even bother because we're destined to win given the image of the device above *wink*.

[Video] New play kitchen

This video maybe long kinda boring because J is just playing quietly...but he's doing it for 3 min which is like eternity in the toddler world!! The play kitchen was only $20 -- it's a bit wobbly and doesn't have any sounds or lights. Speaking of awesome play kitchens, check out what That'sSoHuang's husband did with an Ikea EFFEKTIV furniture and LED lights. Show-off, just kidding, love them!

From IhackEA (husband's blog), More photos here

Anyways, my husband's like, "Maybe we should buy a more expensive one that has sounds and lights since J likes this one so much...He could have two!" Let the spoiling begin...

Importance of reducing a fever

[source]

This post is gonna be short because it's been a long day. For myself, I tend to either under-medicate or use no medication at all. I admittedly try to do the same for J.

But not after today. Today, I came to fully understand the importance of keeping a fever down in a young child.

Right now, J is on a cycle of ibuprofen and acetaminophen -- we will even wake him up to give it to him. I know, I would gasp too if it weren't my own son.

In brighter news, J tried to take several more steps on his own today. If only it weren't for our puppy, who thought this was an invitation to jump on him, maybe J would have taken more. Oh well! Plenty of time to practice tomorrow as we stay home from daycare.

Month 15

This week, J had his 15-month well-visit. He had 3 shots coming, plus a flu shot.

I asked the doctor if J would need a 2nd one (booster) since it'd be the first time he's getting the flu shot. The doctor said, No, he had two last year.

Me: What?! He did?! How do I not remember that?!

Seriously, how do I not remember that?!

Anyways, J's growth is steady. Still big. Still tall. But not above the 90th percentile anymore!

15 month
Height 32.25 in (quarter-inch longer than at 12 months) (75th percentile)
Weight 26 lbs, 14 oz (two lbs heavier than at 12 months) (75th percentile)
Head circumference 18.5 in (no change) (50-75th percentile)

*** Online percentile calculator

At J's 9 month checkup, the doctor had suggested we call the Infants and Toddler's program in Maryland because J hadn't started crawling or using his pincer grip yet. We didn't call. At J's 12 month checkup, he had another evaluation of his gross motor, fine motor, communication, problem solving, and social skills. He scored well, so the doctor gave us no worries that time :).

This time, he suggested we call Infants and Toddler's because he's a bit behind walking. The daycare teachers say he's fine, he's a boy, and boys just tend to walk (and talk) later. But they'd be happy to host a visit from Infants and Toddlers if we want.

So we're going to schedule a visit, just to make sure. Funny thing is, he took a few steps toward me just two days ago. And my husband and I are "passing" him back and forth while he takes steps. And they practice a lot at daycare...so...I'm sure J's fine. Maybe he's just unsure or really likes to crawl and push his truck around.

When did your kids talk and walk?

We have nothing to worry about, right?

Cost of kids

According to Parenting.com, J will cost us $29,400 in the first year and $724,000 up the time he graduates college (assuming he goes to private university). Here's their breakdown:

• Housing: $202,600, not including the mortgage
• Food: $150,000
• Transportation: $52,000
• Clothing: $28,000
• Healthcare: $46,000
• Childcare & Education: $48,000 (we're well on our way with this one
• Miscellaneous: $60,000
• Higher education: $138,600, this estimate goes down to $73,000 if he attends a public university

When someone breaks it down like that, it seems daunting.

But imagine if you could put a monetary value on first smiles, first words, first hugs, first kisses, first steps, first giggles, and all the subsequent ones to follow in 18 years, I'd bet we'd come out on top!

Remembering to enjoy parenthood, 
Lisa

Always seems to be sick

I knew that J would get sick (a lot) in daycare -- it'd be inevitable. But oh my goodness, it's like one right after the other this past month. It started with a runny nose, then escalated to a fever, then a rash + fever! 

Two weekends ago, we noticed red bumps on J's inner thigh. We just thought it was an irritation from crawling around in only a onesie. But then a week later at daycare, the teachers noticed it -- this time over more parts of his body and accompanied by gastrointestinal issues.

We took him to the ped that day. Thankfully he ruled out hand-foot-mouth disease, which sounds scarier than it is, for which there was a confirmed case at the daycare a few weeks prior. Doc and the teachers both mentioned that it's common for kids to break out like that right before a fever or even after a fever has been over. So weird!

 [source]

Doc wasn't able to determine the cause of the rash except to say it is a viral exanthem and the gastrointestinal issues could just be along for the ride. Saturday morning, after a good night's rest, Benadryl, and a colloidal oatmeal bath that Daddy insisted on giving him, J's rash has subsided (and so has the gastrointestinal issues). YAY! This week, he is back at daycare, and I haven't gotten a call, so that must be good :). This past weekend was rough, but we made it through, and I was reminded that I am only a custodian of God's child, and I can be a better one with His help.

Being outdoors

For the past few weeks, J has been sick on and off -- runny nose, sinus infection, now scratchy throat, maybe also teething. It got chilly outside, so my husband wanted to keep J inside -- didn't want him to get even more sick. But I was inspired by a post on A Cup of Jo on being outdoors.

A friend of hers, who grew up in Copenhagen, said "You just wrap your babies up in whatever you have.You stick them in the stroller and take them outside. In Denmark, you can't be afraid of the weather, otherwise you'd wait six months to go outside again." Heck, babies sleep in their carriages outside! I've seen it!

Also, "being indoors is both overstimulating and boring at the same time". Indoors is boring because "they replace the exciting sensations of nature (the feeling of the wind on their skin, the brilliant sun, the soft grass, etc.) with an immense stillness (flat walls, flat floors, no wind). [The indoors] bombards them with jolting experiences that kids in the past never had to deal with: crazy cartoons, slick videos, clanging computer games, noisy toys, and bright colors everywhere...which can make many little children feel stressed." I do find that J is calmer and his attention span lengthened outside.

We have our entire adult lives to be indoors 90% of the time -- college classes, in our dorms/apartments, working at a desk -- so why not let our children spend their childhood outdoors -- even if they're sick, just for a breath of fresh air?

I wonder what my husband's rule will be in the winter. Can J go out and play with snow? Gosh, I hope so!

What do you think about children being outdoors?

Seriously, the day after J turned 1...

...he's decided to sleep until 7am, sometimes 7:30am! I know, I know. Perhaps not the most exciting news, like if he were walking or speaking actual words...

He's been sleeping through the night since about 10 months, sleeping from 8pm to 5:30/6am consistently. He turned 1 and starting the next day, he's gone to bed at 8pm but slept until 7am! And with no shortage of naps during the day!

I am well-rested ;).

Month 12

This week, J had his 1-yr well visit. Our appointment was 1:30, so we got there at 1:15. We were called-in to the room at 1:45. The doctor didn't come in until 2:15. J had to sit in his diaper for about 30 min in the cold room. Luckily, I brought his hoodie and wrapped him in it. Nevertheless, this is the longest I've had to wait. By the time the check-up and shots came, J was not a happy camper (neither was I)! Urgh!

Anyways, J's growth is steady. Still big. Still tall.

Birth

Height 20.5 in (above 95th percentile)

Weight 7 lbs, 2 oz (25-50th percentile)

Head circumference ~14 in (50th percentile)

1 month

Height 21.5 in (10-25th percentile)

Weight 9 lbs, 4 oz (10-25th percentile)

Head circumference 14.75 in (10-25th percentile)

2 month

Height 22.5 in (10-25th percentile)

Weight 11 lbs, 11 oz (25-50th percentile)

Head circumference 15.375 in (10-25th percentile)

4 month

Height 27 in (90-95th percentile)

Weight 17 lbs, 1.5 oz (75-90th percentile)

Head circumference 17 in (50-75th percentile)

6 month

Height 29 in (above 95th percentile)

Weight 20 lbs (75-90th percentile)

Head circumference 17.5 in (50-75th percentile)

12 month

Height 32 in (95th percentile)

Weight 24 lbs, 6 oz (50-75th percentile)

Head circumference 18.5 in (50-75th percentile)

*** Online percentile calculator

 

At J's 9 month checkup, the doctor had suggested we call the Infants and Toddler's program in Maryland because J hadn't started crawling or using his pincer grip yet. We didn't call.

At J's 12 month checkup, J had another evaluation of his gross motor, fine motor, communication, problem solving, and social skills. 12-month-olds should score like 15-20 in each category (out of 100). Yay for J, he scored about 40-45 in each category. So, the doctor gave us no worries this time :).

To feed or not to feed

A & I are butting heads about whether or not to continue feeding J when he wakes up in the middle of the night (he slept through the night on Sat & Sun, but hasn't done so since). I've read online that at the 6-month mark (which Jacob is 2 days away from), babies can fast for 12 hours, so when he wakes in the middle of the night, he's not really hungry (WhatToExpect.com).

It may sound harsh, but I am a proponent of the Ferber (aka "cry-it-out) method (see also WhatToExpect.com), though I may not adhere strictly to it. During the day, I wait until Jacob seems tired (rubbing eyes, irritable, yawning, droopy eyes…). Before I put him in his crib, I change his diaper if necessary. Then I tuck him in and kiss him before leaving (even while he's still awake). I usually let him cry for 10 min before I go back in to re-tuck him and kiss him again. I would then wait another 10 min before repeating the process. Usually, I don't have to go back in a second time.

Our usual evening routine is solids at 5:30pm, bath at 7:00pm, and bottle/sleep at 7:30pm. The last two nights, he hasn't fallen asleep right away. Two nights ago, he must have cried for at least an hour before falling asleep (with Alan & I checking in on him every 10-15 min).

The first time he woke in the middle of the night, I was going to let him cry it out, but then A got to him, changed him, and fed him. The second time J woke in the middle of the night, I got to him within 5 min and changed his diaper. After 10 min of crying, J fell back asleep but then re-awoke when A went to make sure he was tucked in. After 5 min of crying, A decided to feed him.

I believe that the Ferber method will help J to learn to self-soothe and help J (and us) avoid sleep problems in the future. Do we really want to have our sleep disrupted for much longer? I don't think it's good for J either. I think the disruption at night also affects him during the day.

Maybe I'm over-reacting about the development of sleep problems. So what if J wants to eat in the middle of the night right now? He goes through these short spurts of sleeping through the time. We've had two of them so far. Maybe J will naturally start to sleep through the night when he is ready and who am I to force him into it? Or maybe I need to push him because sometimes I know what's better for him than he does.

Starting solids

While I was pregnant, and then also while I was pumping, I had a lot of time to read What to Expect the First Year. But now that J is taking formula, I'm either working, taking care of him/household, or sleeping, and haven't read much. Now that we've introduced some solids (rice cereal, peas, carrots, sweet potatoes), I wanted to make sure we were doing it "right". Meaning we weren't forcing Jacob into it and also weren't triggering food allergies.

Well, I finally got around to reading the Fifth Month chapter in the book where they talk about starting solids. I have to say that I'm disappointed in myself for introducing solids without reading this chapter. I don't think that J has had any adverse reaction to the foods we've given him, but we should have started off slower and introduced each food one at a time, each for a period of several days. Also, we should have started off with carrots and sweet potatoes, and then peas (since some kids can be allergic to peas, and peas have a stronger flavor which some kids reject at first). But like I said, J has been slopping up the 3 foods we've given him, with no adverse reaction. Reactions like gassiness, diarrhea, or mucus in the stool, to vomiting and rashes. Other symptoms include a runny nose, watery eyes, wheezing that doesn't seem to be due to a cold, and unusual wakefulness or crankiness — day or night. J does have a runny nose but that started before we gave him any veggies. If we notice these things, we should wait a week & try again. If after a few times, we notice the same reaction, J's probably got a sensitivity or allergy to the food & we should wait a few months before trying the food again.

So, we're going to stick with the sweet potatoes for a week & see what happens. If all is good, then we'll move to carrots and other yellow or orange vegetables. We can then go back to peas, string beans and other green vegetables. And then comes fruit (bananas, baby apple sauce, pears, but no citrus fruit until 1 year). Also, we should hold off on wheat, strawberries, and tomatoes until he's 1 year old. I think I read that nuts shouldn't be given until 5 years old.

Minced meat (chicken, lamb, turkey, or beef), mashed egg yolk (no whites), and avocado can be introduced at 7 or 8 months (and to think, I almost gave J avocado now! Eeeek!). By 9 months, we can give J  whole-milk yogurt, cheese, pasta, beans, and tofu (a Chinese favorite!). Between 9 and 12 months, J will perfect his pincer grasp (though he pinches with all of his fingers now...mostly on the neck of the person who is holding him!), he can have finger foods that he can easily gum to a paste (since not all his teeth have sprouted).