Thankfully Jeanne's fever has passed. It has been replaced with a very stuffy and runny nose though, but that's better than a fever. She is still in good spirits, and happy for the most part, well at least until you try to put her to sleep at night.
Naps are no problem though, she will drink her milk (we've switched back to almond milk, now we're thinking the soy is, uh hem, making her a stinking mess, and upsetting her belly and bottom even more), listen to her books, and very quickly fall get sleepy and will let me put her into bed still awake. She will then sleep anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 hours long. The trouble is, she takes an equal amount of nap time to be put to sleep at night. So if she slept for 2 hours, it will take us 2 hours to be the darling to bed! So she's been going to bed later and later everyday, often at or later than 9pm, which gives hubbers and I no time to be together, relax, or gasp clean the house and get ready for the next day.
I think, hubbers and I are going to get through this illness relatively unscathed. I do have a sore throat most of the time, and last night it was hard to get back to sleep because I kept coughing, but it wasn't a hacking or gross cough, and right now, I just feel like some good juice and really cough drops are all that I will need.
Needless to say, when she got her fever last Wednesday, I stopped taking Jeanne out to play and be with other kids so she wouldn't spread her germs around, and so she could conserve her energy. Yesterday, though, we just had to go outside. Sunday was a high of 68F. Yep, I said 68F. We went just down the road about 3 minutes to this great toddler sized playground and large open field around 1130am (61F at the time), and the playground was filled with ubber happy parents and children playing and climbing. It was great to see Jeanne outside and playing, although, she has realized lately that she can't do the things she once did, since she keeps bonking her head (she's grown taller, not so much heavier though).
It won't be in the 60's today (but will Wednesday), but will be in the 40's more or less. This is what I expected for weather in Raleigh. Hubbers and I agreed yesterday, that we will need lots more summer clothes to live here if it can reach in the 60's in January. Which in some ways is a shame, since I have so many nice wool hats, mittens, handknit sweaters and such. I'll have to figure out what I can knit for summer clothes.... I've never looked into those...
I hope you are all well! (I did see the news yesterday, and saw that another blizzard will be hitting up most of country..... so sorry).
Monday, January 31, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Fever night 2
Lets just say night two was much, much worse, despite having help from hubbers. Jeanne didn't eat much all day, but kept hydrated well. She just did. not. want. to. be. alone. So after much fussing, screaming, tantrums, arms and legs flailing, we took her to our bed. We did this knowing that she still wouldn't fall asleep for a long while, and that it was likely we wouldn't sleep much at all, as she is a total bed hog, and sleeps fitfully on the best of nights. She tends to sleep perpendicular to hubbers and I, which means one of us is being kicked mightily for awhile before we switch her.
Recently, as in the last 6-8 weeks, she's been regressing a lot, and wants to be held like a 'baby'. Unfortunately for hubbers, that means she needs to be snuggled in real tight into his arms, and he can't move. That's how she slept most of the night, if not curled up tightly against my back (as I wouldn't let her kick my belly).
I'll only mention the 12:30am diaper change and tyleonol fiasco that resulted in a wicked screaming session from Jeanne when we were not allowed to touch her or help her, only listen to the screams.
Today, hubbers and I are understandably exhausted, and both have a bit of a sore throat, but the good news is her fever has broke, and we are left with a runny nose and sleepy toddler. Hopefully she naps longer than 20 minutes today.
Recently, as in the last 6-8 weeks, she's been regressing a lot, and wants to be held like a 'baby'. Unfortunately for hubbers, that means she needs to be snuggled in real tight into his arms, and he can't move. That's how she slept most of the night, if not curled up tightly against my back (as I wouldn't let her kick my belly).
I'll only mention the 12:30am diaper change and tyleonol fiasco that resulted in a wicked screaming session from Jeanne when we were not allowed to touch her or help her, only listen to the screams.
Today, hubbers and I are understandably exhausted, and both have a bit of a sore throat, but the good news is her fever has broke, and we are left with a runny nose and sleepy toddler. Hopefully she naps longer than 20 minutes today.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Fever
Well, Jeanne has a fever. It was 102.2F at 4pm today and she only had a half nap. I gave her tylenol before bed at 730pm, and she woke at 1am shaking and a fever of 103.1F.
I gave her some juice, and brought her to bed with me. However, since we’ve moved her into her own bed, we actually don’t sleep well together anymore. So she had been awake, tossing and turning from 1:00am to 2:45am. I finally took her temp (orally this time) twice and it was 100F. Her skin was still warm, but no longer HOT. I brought her back into her own bed and have been sitting up, just in case she refused to be alone. I checked on her 15 minutes after lying her own and she is asleep, finally, but her back is very warm.
She is under a blanket, but certainly not the warmest, its doubled crocheted, so lots of holes, but I can still feel heat emanating off her. I can never remember, should you dress extra warmly if you have a fever, or dress in less clothes…?
Ill check her temp rectally next time shes awake, and give tyelenol at 5am. Hope she feels better soon!
... edited to add,
I've decided to just sleep on the futon in her room so I can hear if she fuses sooner. She's been asleep for about 35 minutes now, so hopefully she'll stay asleep.
I gave her some juice, and brought her to bed with me. However, since we’ve moved her into her own bed, we actually don’t sleep well together anymore. So she had been awake, tossing and turning from 1:00am to 2:45am. I finally took her temp (orally this time) twice and it was 100F. Her skin was still warm, but no longer HOT. I brought her back into her own bed and have been sitting up, just in case she refused to be alone. I checked on her 15 minutes after lying her own and she is asleep, finally, but her back is very warm.
She is under a blanket, but certainly not the warmest, its doubled crocheted, so lots of holes, but I can still feel heat emanating off her. I can never remember, should you dress extra warmly if you have a fever, or dress in less clothes…?
Ill check her temp rectally next time shes awake, and give tyelenol at 5am. Hope she feels better soon!
... edited to add,
I've decided to just sleep on the futon in her room so I can hear if she fuses sooner. She's been asleep for about 35 minutes now, so hopefully she'll stay asleep.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Can you say "Thank you"?
Hi all, sorry its been a little while since the last post.
Jeanne had a great visit with Granmommy this past weekend, everyone slept fantastically, which I really appreciated! Things are looking good for her to move down here in a couple of months too, so we're all excited about that.
Jeanne is learning to be quite the polite little girl. Often prompting is needed, but she will say 'please' for items she wants. But we have had a mix up when trying to learn the order of "Thank you" and "Your Welcome". We can go through several rounds of back and forth.
Me: Jeanne, can you say 'blue'?
Jeanne: "blue"
Me: Can you say 'monkey'?
Jeanne: "monkey"
Me: Can you say 'thank you'?
Jeanne: "Welcome!"
Me: ...sigh
The other night, when I was getting Jeanne back to sleep after her first wake up, I noticed she was very tightly curled into my body as I held her. Instead of holding her, I laid her down in her bed and put a warmer blanket on her then she had previously. Then I heard a very soft "Welcome" come from her throat. I stifled a giggle and held back a tear, how precious (you stupid hormones making me tear up!).
Jeanne is enjoying her Montessori/Art class, and I am appreciating the tips on how to use/make art items more available to her on the cheap. This week, we did 'texture art', which really meant adding shaving cream to the paint to make it puffy, then sprinkling on fake snow (I thought it was shaved soap, which would work well too). The woman running the class also uses regular dish soap to dilute paint too and washable markers to make happy faces on hands, are much cheaper then the almighty sticker.
Unfortunately, Jeanne had a very short nap today, and I thought she felt warm. When I took her temperature (Jeanne called it a 'boo boo', and was very unhappy about the whole thing. She kept asking me if she was going to get another 'boo boo' every time I changed her diaper the poor thing!), she had a 102.2F. So Tylenol and extra hugs were in order. She went to bed fairly easily tonight, but she seems stuffy, but is also too tired to actually wake up. I expect she will end up in my bed tonight for the extra cuddles and the incline of a pillow to help her breathe.
I'll try to post again sooner!
Love you!
Sorry to you Northerners who are getting lots and lots of snow! Got to say... I don't miss it one bit. Waking at 4:30am or 5:00am to shovel and have hubbers 'attempt' to start the snow blower that only works when there is less than 2 inches of snow on the ground. Then making my slow and painful way into Boston, because they NEVER cancel school at UMB, the drive taking 3+ hours. Only once I arrive at 9am, hearing that school will close at noon. Gah!
Nope, don't miss it.
You should all move here. We've got biotech, Duke and UNC hospitals for Claude, all the retail in the world for Lee. Tons and tons of great schools for their kids, as well as amazing after school and between school programs. Libraries galore for Eileen, and construction is on the rise here, James could work for the 'Caryites' and live close to the shore or the mountains to please his love of open air. Laurie loves the shore, and I hear the beaches here are wonderful! CJ has been working a year at his job, so he could always be looking to 'diversify' his resume!
Yep, gotcha all covered. Just start looking into moving vans now.
Jeanne had a great visit with Granmommy this past weekend, everyone slept fantastically, which I really appreciated! Things are looking good for her to move down here in a couple of months too, so we're all excited about that.
Jeanne is learning to be quite the polite little girl. Often prompting is needed, but she will say 'please' for items she wants. But we have had a mix up when trying to learn the order of "Thank you" and "Your Welcome". We can go through several rounds of back and forth.
Me: Jeanne, can you say 'blue'?
Jeanne: "blue"
Me: Can you say 'monkey'?
Jeanne: "monkey"
Me: Can you say 'thank you'?
Jeanne: "Welcome!"
Me: ...sigh
The other night, when I was getting Jeanne back to sleep after her first wake up, I noticed she was very tightly curled into my body as I held her. Instead of holding her, I laid her down in her bed and put a warmer blanket on her then she had previously. Then I heard a very soft "Welcome" come from her throat. I stifled a giggle and held back a tear, how precious (you stupid hormones making me tear up!).
Jeanne is enjoying her Montessori/Art class, and I am appreciating the tips on how to use/make art items more available to her on the cheap. This week, we did 'texture art', which really meant adding shaving cream to the paint to make it puffy, then sprinkling on fake snow (I thought it was shaved soap, which would work well too). The woman running the class also uses regular dish soap to dilute paint too and washable markers to make happy faces on hands, are much cheaper then the almighty sticker.
Unfortunately, Jeanne had a very short nap today, and I thought she felt warm. When I took her temperature (Jeanne called it a 'boo boo', and was very unhappy about the whole thing. She kept asking me if she was going to get another 'boo boo' every time I changed her diaper the poor thing!), she had a 102.2F. So Tylenol and extra hugs were in order. She went to bed fairly easily tonight, but she seems stuffy, but is also too tired to actually wake up. I expect she will end up in my bed tonight for the extra cuddles and the incline of a pillow to help her breathe.
I'll try to post again sooner!
Love you!
Sorry to you Northerners who are getting lots and lots of snow! Got to say... I don't miss it one bit. Waking at 4:30am or 5:00am to shovel and have hubbers 'attempt' to start the snow blower that only works when there is less than 2 inches of snow on the ground. Then making my slow and painful way into Boston, because they NEVER cancel school at UMB, the drive taking 3+ hours. Only once I arrive at 9am, hearing that school will close at noon. Gah!
Nope, don't miss it.
You should all move here. We've got biotech, Duke and UNC hospitals for Claude, all the retail in the world for Lee. Tons and tons of great schools for their kids, as well as amazing after school and between school programs. Libraries galore for Eileen, and construction is on the rise here, James could work for the 'Caryites' and live close to the shore or the mountains to please his love of open air. Laurie loves the shore, and I hear the beaches here are wonderful! CJ has been working a year at his job, so he could always be looking to 'diversify' his resume!
Yep, gotcha all covered. Just start looking into moving vans now.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Night number two
Looks like I will just be awake now from 230am on this week. Jeanne woke at 220, I changed her and she went back to bed within 5 min. At 315 she was awake and called me. Since I was awake I jsut lied next to her in the futon. At 4, when I thought she was finally asleep, I tried turning to my other side, but apparently she was awake and this pissed her off. She turned in to a ball of kicking slapping fury and screamed milk. I told her it wasn't milk time, which only got me more kicks to my ribs. So I got her her milk.
Its now 430 am, again. I'm cold, tired, and now quite hungry. Loki has been awake too, and his movements have been feeling, well wrong lately. Instead of them just being disruptive and weird, they hurt more, and I feel him bouncing or something in all weird places.
Do I eat? Do I attempt to go back to sleep, knowing that no matter how many blankets I lie under I will be cold? Do I knit? Oh, this is not fun.
Its now 430 am, again. I'm cold, tired, and now quite hungry. Loki has been awake too, and his movements have been feeling, well wrong lately. Instead of them just being disruptive and weird, they hurt more, and I feel him bouncing or something in all weird places.
Do I eat? Do I attempt to go back to sleep, knowing that no matter how many blankets I lie under I will be cold? Do I knit? Oh, this is not fun.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
A fun filled day!
Jeanne and I had a jam packed day, and a large cup of coffee helped me get through it well. Even though Jeanne didn't go back to sleep after 5am milk, we still had a great day.
We had our first Montessori class today. I was a little worried when the first 5 minutes were filled with the most hokey of hokey children songs. I almost left after that... blech.
Then, however, the rest of the hour was filled with playing different musical instruments, dancing, 3 different artwork stations (the theme today was snow), a book reading tent, a train set, then we finished the day with a puppet show, that all the kids loved. The class is geared for 18-36 month olds, and thankfully, Jeanne did well with the other children.
After that we had a Dr.'s appt for Jeanne with her new pediatrician. She's been having intestinal distress since Dec 29th with no other illness symptoms, so we were trying to figure it out. As of right now, the best guess my myself and her doc (and several negative tests) is that she may be lactose intolerant, and or her diet is 'too' healthy, and doesn't contain enough fat. The problem there, is that most food items recommended for children in the low weight category are given many milk products to help them gain weight, and get more fats. SOoooooo, if she is lactose intolerant, we need to find other fat sources.... The Dr. said that children her age should be getting about 50% of her calories from fat, and I know she gets no where near that. Perhaps 20%, on a really, really good day, but no where near 50%. Although the Dr. was pleased to hear that Jeanne ate no junk food, we were still in a pickle in how to choose more foods for her, as we were both unwilling to introduce fast food or foods including any high fructose corn syrup.
After that appointment we went food shopping and looked for some fatty foods to get her. In our bags home included, 'in house' made sausage, peanut butter covered pretzels, yogurt covered banana chips (which were gross in my opinion, and she hasn't eaten one yet), 'ritz' like crackers made with butter and are uber yummy(!), and soy 'cheddar' cheese, soy chocolate and vanilla pudding, and lastly, chocolate peanut butter 'ice cream' made with coconut milk and is dairy free.
We tried the soy pudding for lunch, and it was pretty good! Jeanne ate an appropriate portion along with her egg noodles (slathered in butter), but she didn't seem to eat the soy 'cheddar'.
Dinner included the sausage, which she ate a bunch of, applesauce, a beet, warmed pineapple with cinnamon, then some of the 'ice cream. Man oh man, was that coconut cream FANTASTIC. It includes EVERYTHING I love, chocolate, peanut butter and coconut, holy hooka was it yummy! Mind you, do not even look for this item unless you want to gain, as it has 210 calories per 1/2 cup and 13 grams of fat. I did buy it specifically for Jeanne to get more calories and fat in her diet. I gave her a few spoonfuls after dinner, and she literally danced in front of me each time she circled back for more. Ohhh, too good!
Hopefully, with her belly full of protein and fat, she will sleep well tonight (and me too, please, oh please, oh please!)
Hubbers is away on a business trip, and so far the only one I've been jealous of. He is attending a meeting in a biosphere, surrounded by mountains and wilderness. (sigh). Oh well, at least Jeanne and I are keeping busy, and are expecting granmommy this Friday.
Hope you are all well!
~us
We had our first Montessori class today. I was a little worried when the first 5 minutes were filled with the most hokey of hokey children songs. I almost left after that... blech.
Then, however, the rest of the hour was filled with playing different musical instruments, dancing, 3 different artwork stations (the theme today was snow), a book reading tent, a train set, then we finished the day with a puppet show, that all the kids loved. The class is geared for 18-36 month olds, and thankfully, Jeanne did well with the other children.
After that we had a Dr.'s appt for Jeanne with her new pediatrician. She's been having intestinal distress since Dec 29th with no other illness symptoms, so we were trying to figure it out. As of right now, the best guess my myself and her doc (and several negative tests) is that she may be lactose intolerant, and or her diet is 'too' healthy, and doesn't contain enough fat. The problem there, is that most food items recommended for children in the low weight category are given many milk products to help them gain weight, and get more fats. SOoooooo, if she is lactose intolerant, we need to find other fat sources.... The Dr. said that children her age should be getting about 50% of her calories from fat, and I know she gets no where near that. Perhaps 20%, on a really, really good day, but no where near 50%. Although the Dr. was pleased to hear that Jeanne ate no junk food, we were still in a pickle in how to choose more foods for her, as we were both unwilling to introduce fast food or foods including any high fructose corn syrup.
After that appointment we went food shopping and looked for some fatty foods to get her. In our bags home included, 'in house' made sausage, peanut butter covered pretzels, yogurt covered banana chips (which were gross in my opinion, and she hasn't eaten one yet), 'ritz' like crackers made with butter and are uber yummy(!), and soy 'cheddar' cheese, soy chocolate and vanilla pudding, and lastly, chocolate peanut butter 'ice cream' made with coconut milk and is dairy free.
We tried the soy pudding for lunch, and it was pretty good! Jeanne ate an appropriate portion along with her egg noodles (slathered in butter), but she didn't seem to eat the soy 'cheddar'.
Dinner included the sausage, which she ate a bunch of, applesauce, a beet, warmed pineapple with cinnamon, then some of the 'ice cream. Man oh man, was that coconut cream FANTASTIC. It includes EVERYTHING I love, chocolate, peanut butter and coconut, holy hooka was it yummy! Mind you, do not even look for this item unless you want to gain, as it has 210 calories per 1/2 cup and 13 grams of fat. I did buy it specifically for Jeanne to get more calories and fat in her diet. I gave her a few spoonfuls after dinner, and she literally danced in front of me each time she circled back for more. Ohhh, too good!
Hopefully, with her belly full of protein and fat, she will sleep well tonight (and me too, please, oh please, oh please!)
Hubbers is away on a business trip, and so far the only one I've been jealous of. He is attending a meeting in a biosphere, surrounded by mountains and wilderness. (sigh). Oh well, at least Jeanne and I are keeping busy, and are expecting granmommy this Friday.
Hope you are all well!
~us
Oh me, Oh my
Jeanne last woke at 2:25 am, which is a normal enough time for her. I changed her, and she went back to bed within 5 minutes, again fairly normal for her.
What is not normal, is that I haven't been able to get back to sleep since then, and it is now 4:00am. Why? I have no idea. I am just awake. Cold, but this is normal for me. I am wearing fleece pants, handknit socks, a t-shirt and sweatshirt, then lying under a sheet, throw, quilt comforter and a goose blanket. Yep, still cold, yep still normal for me.
Why the hell am I awake?
What is not normal, is that I haven't been able to get back to sleep since then, and it is now 4:00am. Why? I have no idea. I am just awake. Cold, but this is normal for me. I am wearing fleece pants, handknit socks, a t-shirt and sweatshirt, then lying under a sheet, throw, quilt comforter and a goose blanket. Yep, still cold, yep still normal for me.
Why the hell am I awake?
Thursday, January 13, 2011
I'm begining to remember
The first two months of a newborns life, their circadian rhythms are not in sync with ours, or they actually lack them. Yesterday and today, Jeanne has been trying to 'sleep train' me, making sure I get less and less sleep to prepare for her coming brother (who she now knows is 'Oki' and is in my belly). These last two days, shes been awake several times throughout the night, and today she just refused (flat refused, even after rocking, and lying net to her for an hour) to go back to sleep starting at 4am. So, by 5a, this morning, we are up.
She must have overheard me talking with hubbers about wishing she would wake earlier and go to bed earlier.
I'm actually surprised at how well, and quiet she is playing to let daddy sleep.
She must have overheard me talking with hubbers about wishing she would wake earlier and go to bed earlier.
I'm actually surprised at how well, and quiet she is playing to let daddy sleep.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Silly Southerners
As I told someone earlier, the meteorologists here are somehow even more inaccurate than the ones in the North. This past Friday they predicted 4 inches of snow, and we got none, but that didn't stop stores and schools to close due to the 'prediction'. Yesterday they predicted upwards of a foot of snow, and we got none. We did get a very small layer of ice, and as the people here have never heard of salt or sand, all of NC is in a state of emergency (although I understand that cities other than ours actually did get some snow).
So, I'm stuck in the house. I was going to take Jeanne to BnN this morning to go play, but after scraping off our car, and seeing that the roads were still untouched by salt or sand, it really in-navigable around here. That includes our apartments complex, they too have never heard of salt or sand, so trying to get the mail scared Jeanne. I thought she would think it fun to slide all around, but no go.
So far we've played with our cookie cutters and sorted by color and objects she could name, we played with mega blocks and legos, we've played with puzzles, and at this point (12:40 p.m.) we're both terribly bored, and she's starting to act up.
Ug.
So, I'm stuck in the house. I was going to take Jeanne to BnN this morning to go play, but after scraping off our car, and seeing that the roads were still untouched by salt or sand, it really in-navigable around here. That includes our apartments complex, they too have never heard of salt or sand, so trying to get the mail scared Jeanne. I thought she would think it fun to slide all around, but no go.
So far we've played with our cookie cutters and sorted by color and objects she could name, we played with mega blocks and legos, we've played with puzzles, and at this point (12:40 p.m.) we're both terribly bored, and she's starting to act up.
Ug.
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