Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Crutches

1. My Ergo

2. Alcohol

3. Amazon prime streaming

4. Blackest black espresso

5. Driving aimlessly through the burbs in my minivan because I've forgotten where it is we're trying to get to. Truly.

Enough with the listing though. This week has started out on a rough note. Suspected RSV in the wee one (mercifully not, but still sleepless in Seattle.), a potentially broken finger in the medium one (x-rays on a one-year old are surprisingly do-able.), and endless amounts of willful tantrum throwing and truly horrifying behavior from the resident pre-schooler. Except he's not in preschool yet. But God knows he should be, because he asks me all day long one million and one questions about life and its intricacies, bosses his poor brother around like an indentured servant, and begs me to teach him how to read.

Honey, mommy hasn't taken a shower since Friday, phonics are not happening this winter. Or possibly ever, as the price of tuition leads me to believe.

Even now as I try to string a meager 200 words together he is at my elbow, shoving a chapter book in my face and  dumping shelled pistachios in my lap in some bizarre attempt to capture my attention. I know it's all he wants, my attention, but sleeplessness and nursing and work and dishes and too many demands on a mama's time = go watch more Curious George. Except please don't, because I truly hate the sound of that monkey's voice.

(Oh good, the doctor's office just called with reports of swelling but no fracture in JP's finger. I heart American medicine.)

So just to review: little sleep, few 'wins' in the engaged parent department, and pistachio shells littering the entire main floor of our house. Also, does anyone have an opinion on relieving nighttime congestion in newborns, aside from the usual and obvious? We even bought a nose frida…we're those parents, now. I read one mommy message board advocating straight up mouth-to-nose suctioning, so I'm not feeling completely disgusting…yet.

And finally, Downton: you're dead to me. Honestly, I am in no state to entertain that kind of trauma. I'm still getting over Matthew. How can you be so cruel?

13 comments:

  1. Saline drops can help the nose frida work better (we're those parents too). Your daughter will hate you for it, but its what the nurses in the NICU would use for better suction. Some nights, I really wish I had the wall suction they have there, no parent mouths involved. Also, you could ask your pediatrician if the wee babe is candidate for the synagis vaccine, it's straight up RSV antibodies. Preemies are high risk, so Isaac's got the hook up, I don't know how freely they'll give it otherwise, but that might help in the peace of mind department.

    As for Downton, I could forgive Julian Fellows for Matthew's death, given stubborn actors and their contracts, but this was over the top and cruel, for everyone.

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  2. Oh, I'm sorry it's been such a rough week for you. I'll pray that you get a little more sleep, a lot less infant congestion, and some modified behavior from your less-little guy. Best to you.

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  3. I agree about downtown. Im switching allegiance to pysch on USA. I have 6 past seasons to catch up on.

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    1. You will LOVE Psych! My husband and I are huge fans of that show.

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  4. livin the dream! ;p i've been stuck in this mode for about 6 months now. tell me when it gets easier after baby #3! please! someone... ;p

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  5. In addition to the suctioning (which i never have gotten the knack of), it sometimes works to let the baby sleep in the baby carseat, assuming you have the pop out carrier kind. That way, she's propped up a bit and can breathe easier.

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  6. Yes on Downton, and vicks vapor humidifier thingy is a game changer in this house. and not that expensive.

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  7. I am a past NICU nurse--Amen to the comment about the wall suction; I always wished I had one at home! The saline drops will help loosen the secretions and increase the effectiveness of your suctioning. I must say that even as a nurse, I still need help and inspiration in the "health" department of parenting--sometimes knowing too much is not a good thing! I have gotten a lot out of askdrsears.com when my kids have been sick and I am in need of some pointers on things to do to help them feel better as well as when exactly to call the doctor. I hope that helps! Praying for a quick recovery for your sweet girl!

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  8. If you're nursing, freshly expressed breastmilk instead of saline drops in the nose is a great option, since in addition to loosening the congestion, breastmilk can fight whatever is causing it.

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  9. I enjoyed Jim Gaffigan's take on teaching kids to read. His 4 year old kept asking, "What does this word say, Daddy?" He replied, "It says: Learn to Read!"

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  10. we have had SUCH a rough week here too. I never want Owen to become a toddler! Also, he is three months old and I still don't care how much tv my kids are watching. Don't care. They are too little to entertain themselves aaaallll day long and I can't entertain them allll day long either. You're doing a great job.

    Oh and I I use an all natural decongestion chest rub for my kids. I find it to work well, even for the littlest one.

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  11. Okay, re: learning to read, you *might* be able to buy yourself some time if you get him the leapfrog fridge phonics toy that lets him build his own 3-letter words, plus watching any leapfrog videos (heeeeeey netflix streaming!) will make you feel like at least he's learning something when he's watching TV (something besides "Cats are named gnocchi" because every time we have gnocchi for dinner and Cecilia tells me we're eating cat I lament the fact that I ever let them watch curious george...).

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  12. I sure hope your little girl is feeling better by now! If not, here is what we do in the middle of the night: I stop up the bathtub, toss about 20 drops of eucalyptus essential oil and peppermint essential oil in the tub, turn the shower on hot, and let the steam decongest her. Works every time for us, the trick is keeping the tub stopped up so the oils don't go down the drain.

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