Hello Everyone,
Yes I know I am a slacker.... you don't have to tell me twice. I actually have every blog post written back to January on my computer but I've been too lazy to upload it and match it with pictures. However it's a major goal of mine in the coming weeks!
In preparation for the big update I think it's time I put some security measures in place. Avi is getting older and I feel a little guilty putting his entire life out on the internet for all to see and read. He has a right to some safety and security so I figure it starts here.
Please email me at alreillygator AT yahoo DOT com if you would like to be included on the list of readers. I'll need your email address to be able to contact you once I secure the site. Also, please let me know your name, how I "know" you (in person or online), and your blog address if you have one.
Thanks everyone for understanding! I'll see you on the other side LOL
:-) AL
and it's now completely updated - back to July,
I will do my best to keep it updated
in a timely fashion from now on!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Being sick is no fun
Well Avi woke up every 2 hours last night to nurse until 3am and then slept until 8am. He had a 104 fever when he woke up this morning so it was back to the doctors we go. He tried to take a nap this morning but the darn phone rang - which of course lead me to pull out every phone upstairs where I couldn't shut off the ringer. We saw our favorite doctor today and she was terrific.
She gave Avi a once over again and commented that he has zero symptoms to go with this fever - so she too thinks that it's viral.... And that in a day or two the fever will break and he'll break out in a rash. She did a throat culture (just to make sure it's not strep) and said she could do an x-ray to rule out pneumonia - but given the fact that he has no symptoms she doesn't recommend it (which we were totally ok with him NOT having x-rays). She also said she could give him a shot of antibiotics, but if it was her kid she wouldn't (which we agreed not to as well) as she isn't sure it would help at this point. We told her that when he woke up this morning he drank exactly 1 cup of water and seemed to start to feel better. She told us to just let this run it's course and if he still has a fever on Monday to please bring him in.
It was pretty cold today so I had him bundled pretty good on our way too and from the doctor... Here he is in the new coat I made for him and his fleece monkey hat:
"Sick? Who me? I'm not sick":
Avi was fussier today and after his morning fever he was cool all day (that is no fever). I couldn't bear to have him in the house much longer so we took a trip out to Wal-mart (again his fever was down to nothing so we needed some fresh air). He was pretty good for our little shopping trip and even, for the first time, discovered the toys on the shelves... Actually requesting one!!!
So I let him hold a truck set for his age as we walked around the store. He was so good with it and was totally take with the colors and the box. If it wasn't for the fact that a) the toy was plastic b) the toy was made in China and c) I don't want to start a bad habit - I would have bought it for him just for the cute factor.
As we were checking out he got fussy again and I could tell his fever was back up. So I let him actually sit in the buggy (as opposed to sitting in the seat of the buggy). Well he just thought this was great and as we were leaving he stood up to "ride" - check it out:
Here he is standing up riding the cart:
"Gosh this shopping stuff is really boring":
"OK OK I'll wave hi":
We got home and it was fuss, fuss, fuss with a ton of "mama, mama, mama." He ate a little (his appetite is still down) and then it was off to bath and bed. He did better peeing/pooping on the potty today and seems to be getting back to his old ways (actually he seems to be holding his pee a little better and having more dry diapers). I nursed him and put him to bed only to have him call for me over and over again. So I went back in and nursed him some more - and read him a book that he was requesting. He then sat up facing me and grabbed my head to pull it close to give me a kiss!! Oh it was so sweet. I asked him for a hug too and he stood up and hugged my head! Then he sat down, looked at me and gave me another kiss! Gotta love this kid!
She gave Avi a once over again and commented that he has zero symptoms to go with this fever - so she too thinks that it's viral.... And that in a day or two the fever will break and he'll break out in a rash. She did a throat culture (just to make sure it's not strep) and said she could do an x-ray to rule out pneumonia - but given the fact that he has no symptoms she doesn't recommend it (which we were totally ok with him NOT having x-rays). She also said she could give him a shot of antibiotics, but if it was her kid she wouldn't (which we agreed not to as well) as she isn't sure it would help at this point. We told her that when he woke up this morning he drank exactly 1 cup of water and seemed to start to feel better. She told us to just let this run it's course and if he still has a fever on Monday to please bring him in.
It was pretty cold today so I had him bundled pretty good on our way too and from the doctor... Here he is in the new coat I made for him and his fleece monkey hat:
"Sick? Who me? I'm not sick":
Avi was fussier today and after his morning fever he was cool all day (that is no fever). I couldn't bear to have him in the house much longer so we took a trip out to Wal-mart (again his fever was down to nothing so we needed some fresh air). He was pretty good for our little shopping trip and even, for the first time, discovered the toys on the shelves... Actually requesting one!!!
So I let him hold a truck set for his age as we walked around the store. He was so good with it and was totally take with the colors and the box. If it wasn't for the fact that a) the toy was plastic b) the toy was made in China and c) I don't want to start a bad habit - I would have bought it for him just for the cute factor.
As we were checking out he got fussy again and I could tell his fever was back up. So I let him actually sit in the buggy (as opposed to sitting in the seat of the buggy). Well he just thought this was great and as we were leaving he stood up to "ride" - check it out:
Here he is standing up riding the cart:
"Gosh this shopping stuff is really boring":
"OK OK I'll wave hi":
We got home and it was fuss, fuss, fuss with a ton of "mama, mama, mama." He ate a little (his appetite is still down) and then it was off to bath and bed. He did better peeing/pooping on the potty today and seems to be getting back to his old ways (actually he seems to be holding his pee a little better and having more dry diapers). I nursed him and put him to bed only to have him call for me over and over again. So I went back in and nursed him some more - and read him a book that he was requesting. He then sat up facing me and grabbed my head to pull it close to give me a kiss!! Oh it was so sweet. I asked him for a hug too and he stood up and hugged my head! Then he sat down, looked at me and gave me another kiss! Gotta love this kid!
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
The fever is still high
Avi was up a lot last night and still has a high fever today (104+). I had to nurse him several times during the night to get him calmed down and back to sleep. By the 5th or 6th time I went in he was nursing in his sleep - more of a comfort nursin - which was ok by me. We went back to our doctor today where she checked him over and couldn't find any reason for his fever. The cultures they were growing on his blood/urine are all negative so far - so there is no explanation for his fever. It's assumed at this point that it's viral but that doesn't get us anywhere. It was too early for another shot of antibiotics (which was ok by us) so we were sent home with the instructions to give him more Motrin for the fever and if it's still over 102 tomorrow to bring him in.
Avi's appetite is different/less today. He'll eat but not a lot. And he is very thirsty. We actually discovered that when his fever is high if he just drinks water it helps bring it down a bit (and usually helps him to stop shivering). He hasn't gotten back to fully peeing on the potty but I know that might take some time. He is still telling us when he needs to go, but sometimes we just sit there (which is ok). He started requesting that Michael play "piggies" with his toes but pointing to his toes over and over again. Oh and yesterday in the hospital he started requesting the verse from the wheels on the bus song "the mommies on the bus say sit down please" by shaking his finger up and down.
So that's it from here. Today has just be a yo-yo day of his fever going up and down, up and down. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.
Avi's appetite is different/less today. He'll eat but not a lot. And he is very thirsty. We actually discovered that when his fever is high if he just drinks water it helps bring it down a bit (and usually helps him to stop shivering). He hasn't gotten back to fully peeing on the potty but I know that might take some time. He is still telling us when he needs to go, but sometimes we just sit there (which is ok). He started requesting that Michael play "piggies" with his toes but pointing to his toes over and over again. Oh and yesterday in the hospital he started requesting the verse from the wheels on the bus song "the mommies on the bus say sit down please" by shaking his finger up and down.
So that's it from here. Today has just be a yo-yo day of his fever going up and down, up and down. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Avi's first trip to the ER
It's been a crappy 2008 and we are just one day in....
I went in to Avi's room at midnight and he was on fire again (by feeling his head) but since he was sleeping I didn't wake him (I hate when I am feeling horrible and someone wakes me). So I went to sleep on "alert" -- around 3am he woke up crying so I got him and took his temp - 104 F... we changed him, nursed him and gave him more meds. He was signing for food so we took him to the kitchen and fed him whatever he wanted (which included his favorite food - banana). We then went back up, nursed again and he went to sleep -- until 5am (again, changed him, nursed him and put him back to bed where he slept until 10).
When he got up at 10am he had 103.2 again - so again more meds. He was pretty much back to his normal self around an hour or so after that (but not as great as he was yesterday).... well then around 1:45pm the bottom dropped out again. He was besides himself upset.... It wasn't time for more meds yet (Motrin) since it hadn't been six hours.... but he had 104.5 -- I called the Children's Hospital Nurses line again and after dealing with them I decided I was tired of just watching the temp go up and down (and by down I mean to 103) and it was all too high for me...
So we took Avi in to the Children's Hospital ER this afternoon. They were (for the most part) wonderful. But it was a VERY rough day!!! They had to draw blood from his right hand and that was traumatic. It was traumatic because we had to hold him down, because it hurt, and because the vein just flowed so slow that it took a while to get anything. And then they were afraid that he has a UTI (he had his first diaper rash a few weeks ago after I gave him oranges for the first time -- and it developed into a sore on his scrotum -- our Dr said it was just a little yeast and gave us some cream on Wednesday - but has yet healed) so they insisted on a catheter. We convinced them to let us try and get him to go pee in a cup and if we get urine that way they can test it first.
Well we didn't have his potty with us and we couldn't get him to pee for anything (and I mean ANYTHING). We must have looked so silly, sitting there reading to him while he sat diaperless with us hold up a cup so we can catch his pee. So after hours of trying they did a urine catheter.... the nurses were great and it only took a minute or two but WOW it was horrible.... And I mean horrible. I can't even imagine what it must have felt like to him and he just screamed in pain.
Then with all that Avi usually goes to bed around 7pm and we were there ALL DAMN NIGHT! It wasn't their fault (except when they misplaced the urine sample and didn't send it to the lab) but it just took way longer than I would have liked (and it didn't help that we waiting a few hours for Avi to pee in a cup). Avi was besides himself upset every time a nurse came into the room we were in - since there we usually coming to "hurt" him - so then just peeked in and he cried. Then he wouldn't let us put him down on the crib because, of course, every time he was on there he got "hurt", and he didn't even want to be in the room after a while, just wanted to be in the Ergo while we walked the halls.
Well we found out that from the blood test they know that Avi has "some" kind of infection in his body - his white blood cell count is very high. There is also some protein count that is also very high which signals infection. Then the urine we found out - it's neither here nor there.... it's not nothing.. but it's not an infection. They don't know -- they are going to culture it and see if anything grows to see more. Since they know he has some kind of an infection (which is why his fever is crazy high too) they had to give him not one but TWO shots in his leg of antibiotics (we made it 14 months with no drugs and now this).... and they did them at the same time - it was awful, just awful.
Then all thought the day he kept wanting to go potty but I didn't bring his little potty with us and they didn't have anything for him (because really who potty trains a 14 month old), so we tried on the big bathroom but no such luck (and after the catheter he wouldn't even go in his diaper). And he was hungry (which was a good sign) but I only had snack food with me... So my poor sick child had goldfish, freeze dried peas and a fruit bar to eat for dinner - plus lots of water.
Anyway - we are home and I put him to bed only to have him wake up 30 minutes later screaming... he hadn't pee'd since the catheter.... and I've had a LOT of UTIs and know what that pain is like - so we knew that he needed to pee and it must hurt like hell (if it's a UTI or just from when the catheter). Well he was besides himself screaming and carrying on and he wouldn't sit on the potty. So I ran a warm bath for him and he sat in there and cried and cried until he shot the biggest pee out, while screaming. After that it was if a weight was lifted from him and he enjoyed the bath for a while, before we put him back to bed.
We have to go back to the Dr (or the hospital if my office is still closed) to try and figure out what the infection is from. The fever (the Dr. said) shouldn't go away with his white blood cell count where it is - for at least 48 hours. And we're to just give him meds to make him comfortable. UGGGGGG -- my poor baby!!!
(OH and of course I had to get two pictures of Avi's first run to the ER. Here he is in the tiny hospital gown....)
I went in to Avi's room at midnight and he was on fire again (by feeling his head) but since he was sleeping I didn't wake him (I hate when I am feeling horrible and someone wakes me). So I went to sleep on "alert" -- around 3am he woke up crying so I got him and took his temp - 104 F... we changed him, nursed him and gave him more meds. He was signing for food so we took him to the kitchen and fed him whatever he wanted (which included his favorite food - banana). We then went back up, nursed again and he went to sleep -- until 5am (again, changed him, nursed him and put him back to bed where he slept until 10).
When he got up at 10am he had 103.2 again - so again more meds. He was pretty much back to his normal self around an hour or so after that (but not as great as he was yesterday).... well then around 1:45pm the bottom dropped out again. He was besides himself upset.... It wasn't time for more meds yet (Motrin) since it hadn't been six hours.... but he had 104.5 -- I called the Children's Hospital Nurses line again and after dealing with them I decided I was tired of just watching the temp go up and down (and by down I mean to 103) and it was all too high for me...
So we took Avi in to the Children's Hospital ER this afternoon. They were (for the most part) wonderful. But it was a VERY rough day!!! They had to draw blood from his right hand and that was traumatic. It was traumatic because we had to hold him down, because it hurt, and because the vein just flowed so slow that it took a while to get anything. And then they were afraid that he has a UTI (he had his first diaper rash a few weeks ago after I gave him oranges for the first time -- and it developed into a sore on his scrotum -- our Dr said it was just a little yeast and gave us some cream on Wednesday - but has yet healed) so they insisted on a catheter. We convinced them to let us try and get him to go pee in a cup and if we get urine that way they can test it first.
Well we didn't have his potty with us and we couldn't get him to pee for anything (and I mean ANYTHING). We must have looked so silly, sitting there reading to him while he sat diaperless with us hold up a cup so we can catch his pee. So after hours of trying they did a urine catheter.... the nurses were great and it only took a minute or two but WOW it was horrible.... And I mean horrible. I can't even imagine what it must have felt like to him and he just screamed in pain.
Then with all that Avi usually goes to bed around 7pm and we were there ALL DAMN NIGHT! It wasn't their fault (except when they misplaced the urine sample and didn't send it to the lab) but it just took way longer than I would have liked (and it didn't help that we waiting a few hours for Avi to pee in a cup). Avi was besides himself upset every time a nurse came into the room we were in - since there we usually coming to "hurt" him - so then just peeked in and he cried. Then he wouldn't let us put him down on the crib because, of course, every time he was on there he got "hurt", and he didn't even want to be in the room after a while, just wanted to be in the Ergo while we walked the halls.
Well we found out that from the blood test they know that Avi has "some" kind of infection in his body - his white blood cell count is very high. There is also some protein count that is also very high which signals infection. Then the urine we found out - it's neither here nor there.... it's not nothing.. but it's not an infection. They don't know -- they are going to culture it and see if anything grows to see more. Since they know he has some kind of an infection (which is why his fever is crazy high too) they had to give him not one but TWO shots in his leg of antibiotics (we made it 14 months with no drugs and now this).... and they did them at the same time - it was awful, just awful.
Then all thought the day he kept wanting to go potty but I didn't bring his little potty with us and they didn't have anything for him (because really who potty trains a 14 month old), so we tried on the big bathroom but no such luck (and after the catheter he wouldn't even go in his diaper). And he was hungry (which was a good sign) but I only had snack food with me... So my poor sick child had goldfish, freeze dried peas and a fruit bar to eat for dinner - plus lots of water.
Anyway - we are home and I put him to bed only to have him wake up 30 minutes later screaming... he hadn't pee'd since the catheter.... and I've had a LOT of UTIs and know what that pain is like - so we knew that he needed to pee and it must hurt like hell (if it's a UTI or just from when the catheter). Well he was besides himself screaming and carrying on and he wouldn't sit on the potty. So I ran a warm bath for him and he sat in there and cried and cried until he shot the biggest pee out, while screaming. After that it was if a weight was lifted from him and he enjoyed the bath for a while, before we put him back to bed.
We have to go back to the Dr (or the hospital if my office is still closed) to try and figure out what the infection is from. The fever (the Dr. said) shouldn't go away with his white blood cell count where it is - for at least 48 hours. And we're to just give him meds to make him comfortable. UGGGGGG -- my poor baby!!!
(OH and of course I had to get two pictures of Avi's first run to the ER. Here he is in the tiny hospital gown....)
Monday, December 31, 2007
New Years Eve 2007
Today Avi woke up from his morning nap with a very high fever - 102.9. He was quite upset, fussy and just burning up. We gave him some Motrin and after an hour or so he was back to his old self - even better. He was happy as a peach, pushing our kitchen chairs all around the first floor as he used them as a walker. This was something he has hardly done before - so it was nice to see him exploring on two feet. It was as if he was discovering the house all over again - but this time up right. We have stopped guessing when he "may" walk and we just enjoy the tiny steps he takes in that direction.
Well after a nice afternoon Avi's fever was back up - this time to 103.2. It had been hardly 5 hours since he got Motrin so we put him in a bath and then gave him more. He nursed to sleep quite easily but it was a rough evening as it was clear he didn't feel good. He doesn't have any other symptoms that usually come with a high fever (no cough, cold, runny nose, etc) so we aren't sure what is wrong.
I called Avi's doctor around 7pm (to try and catch the Dr. on call without ruining their New Years Eve) and I got the nurse on call system for our local Children's Hospital (our Dr. office is so small they sometimes route their after hours call there). I went through everything with them and they told me "a fever is just a number" and that as long as meds bring it down and he is back to his old self then not to worry... HA - that logic doesn't sit well with me but ok for now since he's sleeping.
We had already lined up a neighborhood gal to baby-sit as we were planning to go one house down to a get-together for a while. We decided that we would still go as since we were next door we could be home in a flash. We ended up staying just under two hours and we are home in plenty of time to watch the ball drop.
We're looking forward to a fun, healthy and blessed 2008!
Well after a nice afternoon Avi's fever was back up - this time to 103.2. It had been hardly 5 hours since he got Motrin so we put him in a bath and then gave him more. He nursed to sleep quite easily but it was a rough evening as it was clear he didn't feel good. He doesn't have any other symptoms that usually come with a high fever (no cough, cold, runny nose, etc) so we aren't sure what is wrong.
I called Avi's doctor around 7pm (to try and catch the Dr. on call without ruining their New Years Eve) and I got the nurse on call system for our local Children's Hospital (our Dr. office is so small they sometimes route their after hours call there). I went through everything with them and they told me "a fever is just a number" and that as long as meds bring it down and he is back to his old self then not to worry... HA - that logic doesn't sit well with me but ok for now since he's sleeping.
We had already lined up a neighborhood gal to baby-sit as we were planning to go one house down to a get-together for a while. We decided that we would still go as since we were next door we could be home in a flash. We ended up staying just under two hours and we are home in plenty of time to watch the ball drop.
We're looking forward to a fun, healthy and blessed 2008!
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Married 8 years
Today Michael and I celebrated our 8th wedding Anniversary. It's hard to believe (most days) that it's been 8 years! Sometimes it seems like we've been together forever, other days it seems like it was just yesterday. But at least all of the days we spend together are wonderful days - in good times and bad. For our anniversary we decided early on in our marriage that we wouldn't buy lavish gifts for each other because, after all, if we each want something we can just get it rather than do the "you buy me this and I buy you that" year after year. So each year we do a play on the traditional and modern wedding gifts. This year the traditional gifts are pottery and bronze, while the modern gifts are linen and lace.
I bought Michael a new spandex cold weather workout shirt as the gift for bronze/pottery, with the explanation of.... Someday his body will be revered and molded in clay or cast in bronze - so this shirt was to help him achieve that status. (Ok it's a stretch I admit - but it works!) He bought me new shoe laces and some gator "bling" to put on my running shoe laces (get it - he did laces for lace) and then he also bought me some candy laces too. Well Avi thought they were the coolest thing ever - and he played with them for 15 minutes before he even tasted them (and he's never had candy before so this was all new to him)...then he would suck his thumb while holding the candy laces - it was all too cute. Check out the cute pictures:
Sucking his thumb holding the candy laces...
"Hmmmm I wonder what they taste like":
"HAHAHA - I knew they were good":
Well after that fun it was off for our 7 mile run where Avi was fantastic in the jogging stroller (we went running late so it got dark early on our run - he slept most of the time). When we came home we all hit the showers and before I got in (we have two shower heads in our master bathroom shower so it's totally built for 2+) I snagged some pictures of Avi....
Here's to a great day and a fantastic 8 years... I can't wait to see what the next 92 have in store!
I bought Michael a new spandex cold weather workout shirt as the gift for bronze/pottery, with the explanation of.... Someday his body will be revered and molded in clay or cast in bronze - so this shirt was to help him achieve that status. (Ok it's a stretch I admit - but it works!) He bought me new shoe laces and some gator "bling" to put on my running shoe laces (get it - he did laces for lace) and then he also bought me some candy laces too. Well Avi thought they were the coolest thing ever - and he played with them for 15 minutes before he even tasted them (and he's never had candy before so this was all new to him)...then he would suck his thumb while holding the candy laces - it was all too cute. Check out the cute pictures:
Sucking his thumb holding the candy laces...
"Hmmmm I wonder what they taste like":
"HAHAHA - I knew they were good":
Well after that fun it was off for our 7 mile run where Avi was fantastic in the jogging stroller (we went running late so it got dark early on our run - he slept most of the time). When we came home we all hit the showers and before I got in (we have two shower heads in our master bathroom shower so it's totally built for 2+) I snagged some pictures of Avi....
Here's to a great day and a fantastic 8 years... I can't wait to see what the next 92 have in store!
Saturday, December 29, 2007
MA MA
Yesterday and today have been so much better days then what we've had in a few weeks - it's like I have my pleasant son back. I think the diaper rash was really bothering Avi to the point that it made him a pill to live with and deal with. But now that it's really starting to clear up, he is a joy again. Smiling when he wakes up to smiling when he goes to bed, and everything in between.
We have been working on him to say "Eema" (Hebrew for Mother) since he has more than mastered "Aba" (Hebrew for father). He just can't do the "EE" part so we have been working on "MaMa" -- well yesterday and today he has been doing pretty good with "MaMa" and each time he says it I answer him with "yes Avi" (which is how Michael answers him when he calls for Michael). It still doesn't quite flow from his tongue like Aba does - but that's ok... it will in time. Yesterday it was Aba, Aba, Aba when he was waking from his nap, but when Michael came in to get him all he wanted was milk (and he told him so by signing "milk" and not letting Michael pick him up). So at least I am wanted (if only for my boobs).
Today we started singing "Old McDonald" and each time I got to an animal "....and on that farm he had a horse" Avi would do the sound... "neigh"... and I'd say "with a....." and he'd say "neigh" and so on.... He did this for cow, horse, duck, dog, cat, monkey, cat and gorilla (this one he pounded his chest). He will also sing the "EIEIO" part too! Michael has been singing a Hebrew song "Hiyda" with him and Avi will sing along. And I could swear yesterday that he sang the "L M N O P" part of the alphabet song with me.
Oh and I made him a doll when I was at the hotel earlier in the week (it's really ugly) just to see if he'd like the doll - well it's been a huge hit! We keep it with his kitchen set and he loves to drag the doll around. So it looks like I will be making him a nicer looking doll really soon!
We have been working on him to say "Eema" (Hebrew for Mother) since he has more than mastered "Aba" (Hebrew for father). He just can't do the "EE" part so we have been working on "MaMa" -- well yesterday and today he has been doing pretty good with "MaMa" and each time he says it I answer him with "yes Avi" (which is how Michael answers him when he calls for Michael). It still doesn't quite flow from his tongue like Aba does - but that's ok... it will in time. Yesterday it was Aba, Aba, Aba when he was waking from his nap, but when Michael came in to get him all he wanted was milk (and he told him so by signing "milk" and not letting Michael pick him up). So at least I am wanted (if only for my boobs).
Today we started singing "Old McDonald" and each time I got to an animal "....and on that farm he had a horse" Avi would do the sound... "neigh"... and I'd say "with a....." and he'd say "neigh" and so on.... He did this for cow, horse, duck, dog, cat, monkey, cat and gorilla (this one he pounded his chest). He will also sing the "EIEIO" part too! Michael has been singing a Hebrew song "Hiyda" with him and Avi will sing along. And I could swear yesterday that he sang the "L M N O P" part of the alphabet song with me.
Oh and I made him a doll when I was at the hotel earlier in the week (it's really ugly) just to see if he'd like the doll - well it's been a huge hit! We keep it with his kitchen set and he loves to drag the doll around. So it looks like I will be making him a nicer looking doll really soon!
Thursday, December 27, 2007
All of Avi's signs and language skills to date
Lets see - Avi can sign: more, eat, milk, all done, work, music, play, banana, book, bath, please, gorilla (he pounds his chest), bye/hi... and he understands the sign for fishy, water, and Aba. As for his spoken language, he can verbalize: Aba, Papa, More, Hi/Bye, Uh Oh, and we're working on Ema (says "ma). He loves to make animal sounds and he can currently do: dog, cat, cow, sheep, horse, duck, bird, monkey, lion, bumble bee, wolf, owl, Muttsy (his stuffed dog - he says it says "uh oh").
Today was a much better day. The diaper rash seems to be getting better and he was much happier all day. He did wake up last night be it was around 5am (which is better than 1am). He took one nap this morning and then had some quiet time in the afternoon in his crib (which is code for "he didn't want to nap but he just hung out in his crib"). He had a fun time playing in his play room and he LOVES to go down the Little Tykes slide we have in there - HEAD FIRST. He insisted that I read the Sandra Boynton book "Opposites" several dozen times today and he also discovered the stuffed animal Rubbermaid tub - which when I opened it he went nuts with all the fun toys in there. Oh and he also spent a portion of the day pulling all the spices off of our spice drawer (a favorite past time these days).
At night we joined our favorite neighbors and their twin 5-year olds for dinner at a local restaurant and Avi was a doll. He ate, and ate, and ate (not that it's a surprise) and he sat so nicely as the rest of us ate (he was munching on some bun that we gave him taking small bits off but loving the fact that he had food in each hand). He even got a little tired and would rest is head down to me and I'd scratch his ear - he kept doing it ... it was just so nice!
Oh and today while we were teaming up to change his diaper (the rash is getting better but he still doesn't want to be wiped during diaper changes as the skin is raw) I was singing to him to get him calm. He'd say "ma" and then sign music - as he was asking Eema to sing more music!! Yeah for small steps towards saying "Eema."
Today was a much better day. The diaper rash seems to be getting better and he was much happier all day. He did wake up last night be it was around 5am (which is better than 1am). He took one nap this morning and then had some quiet time in the afternoon in his crib (which is code for "he didn't want to nap but he just hung out in his crib"). He had a fun time playing in his play room and he LOVES to go down the Little Tykes slide we have in there - HEAD FIRST. He insisted that I read the Sandra Boynton book "Opposites" several dozen times today and he also discovered the stuffed animal Rubbermaid tub - which when I opened it he went nuts with all the fun toys in there. Oh and he also spent a portion of the day pulling all the spices off of our spice drawer (a favorite past time these days).
At night we joined our favorite neighbors and their twin 5-year olds for dinner at a local restaurant and Avi was a doll. He ate, and ate, and ate (not that it's a surprise) and he sat so nicely as the rest of us ate (he was munching on some bun that we gave him taking small bits off but loving the fact that he had food in each hand). He even got a little tired and would rest is head down to me and I'd scratch his ear - he kept doing it ... it was just so nice!
Oh and today while we were teaming up to change his diaper (the rash is getting better but he still doesn't want to be wiped during diaper changes as the skin is raw) I was singing to him to get him calm. He'd say "ma" and then sign music - as he was asking Eema to sing more music!! Yeah for small steps towards saying "Eema."
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
A really bad diaper rash
We took Avi to the doctor today as the diaper rash he had got REALLY bad over the long weekend. It's a slight rash on his belly (where his diaper is) and on the upper part of the butt crack - but he has a sore on his testicles (too much information?) and his penis is all red. The poor guy! We now wonder if his night waking is because he pees at night and it burns the sore? He fusses when we change his diaper so maybe? He has been very very crabby the last few days, coupled with the waking up every night - so it was time for a doctor visit.
The NP was very nice and looked him over. She said it wasn't infected and it didn't look like any kind of staph infection (which is good) - she thinks it's just some yeast - which can happen from the area being moist. So she prescribed some anti-fungal cream and instructed us to mix it with a tube of polysporin, and a tube of zinc oxide diaper rash cream and apply to the area. If it doesn't clear up in a few days then we should come back in. We were so happy to hear that it wasn't anything major and we were even happy to get some lotion to put on it! Hopefully this will help and it must be very painful for him as he screams through diaper changes - not something he usually does.
On a side note - he weighted in at 20 lbs and 13 oz (fully clothed WITH a heavy sweater on and a cloth diaper)... but hey he is gaining weight!
The NP was very nice and looked him over. She said it wasn't infected and it didn't look like any kind of staph infection (which is good) - she thinks it's just some yeast - which can happen from the area being moist. So she prescribed some anti-fungal cream and instructed us to mix it with a tube of polysporin, and a tube of zinc oxide diaper rash cream and apply to the area. If it doesn't clear up in a few days then we should come back in. We were so happy to hear that it wasn't anything major and we were even happy to get some lotion to put on it! Hopefully this will help and it must be very painful for him as he screams through diaper changes - not something he usually does.
On a side note - he weighted in at 20 lbs and 13 oz (fully clothed WITH a heavy sweater on and a cloth diaper)... but hey he is gaining weight!
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
A new jacket sewn by me
They picked me up today and I must admit it was nice having the few days to myself. I sewed, sewed, sewed my little heart out and made Avi a bunch of stuff - namely a doll (to see if he'd like a doll), a diaper, wipes and pants for the doll, and a kick a*s lined fleece jacket (that rocks).
Well he does like the doll (and likes to kiss it - it's cute) and the jacket is so cute on him... look:
Well he does like the doll (and likes to kiss it - it's cute) and the jacket is so cute on him... look:
Monday, December 24, 2007
Avi looking cute in his sweatsuit
Michael dressed Avi up in an adorable sweatsuit that someone gave us when Avi was born. Neither of us are a fan of brand names on clothing - but this outfit is just too cute:
Avi and Michael came by the hotel to swim and I joined them for a little bit. When Avi saw me walk by the window he waved at me. For the most part he is a dad's boy (except in the morning and before bed when it's time to nurse). It doesn't help that he doesn't really say Eema yet (Hebrew for mother) and that he LOVES to say "Aba" (all day long) so it's as if his entire world revolves around Michael. I was secretly hoping that he would miss me enough to jolt an Eema out of him but no such luck. It's Aba all the way!
Avi and Michael came by the hotel to swim and I joined them for a little bit. When Avi saw me walk by the window he waved at me. For the most part he is a dad's boy (except in the morning and before bed when it's time to nurse). It doesn't help that he doesn't really say Eema yet (Hebrew for mother) and that he LOVES to say "Aba" (all day long) so it's as if his entire world revolves around Michael. I was secretly hoping that he would miss me enough to jolt an Eema out of him but no such luck. It's Aba all the way!
Sunday, December 23, 2007
A little mommy vacation
This afternoon Michael and Avi dropped me off at a local hotel so I could get a little R&R. I have never been away from Avi for longer than a few hours - so being gone for two nights is going to be rough. But I am having a hard time with Avi waking in the middle of the night, not listening and throwing fits at everything. I am not at all for parents abusing their children (and I would NEVER abuse my child) nor do I condone that behavior beyond a spanking, but I do understand now how parents can get so frustrated with their children that they beat them. (Again there is NO EXCUSE for that behavior - but I can see how some parents loose their temper and get there.) The constant whinning, the crying, the fussiness - I want to help and make it all better but nothing I do puts him in a happy mood. So it's time for a mini-mommy vacation!
I am spending two nights at a local hotel, just me and my sewing machines. Michael will be home with Avi. Just as I have never been away from Avi for this long - Michael has never been alone with Avi for this long (I am when he travels but since I don't travel I am always home).
I cried when I said goodbye to them at the hotel today. I watched them get in the car and it was as if my entire life was in that car driving away - if anything happened to them I'd never forgive myself! But I am going to try and enjoy the two nights I have. Michael is going to bring Avi by tomorrow to use the pool and I might join them for a while - but I want to at least nurse him tomorrow (so he is nursed each day and doesn't decide to wean on me). We'll see how it goes.
I am spending two nights at a local hotel, just me and my sewing machines. Michael will be home with Avi. Just as I have never been away from Avi for this long - Michael has never been alone with Avi for this long (I am when he travels but since I don't travel I am always home).
I cried when I said goodbye to them at the hotel today. I watched them get in the car and it was as if my entire life was in that car driving away - if anything happened to them I'd never forgive myself! But I am going to try and enjoy the two nights I have. Michael is going to bring Avi by tomorrow to use the pool and I might join them for a while - but I want to at least nurse him tomorrow (so he is nursed each day and doesn't decide to wean on me). We'll see how it goes.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
First time with a babysitter - fully awake
Well he is still getting up in the middle of the night and it's getting kind of old. I don't want him to get conditioned to it but I am not sure what else to do. We got up with him, nursed him and put him back down to sleep - and he slept to nearly 9 am - which on any other morning would have been fantastic, but today it was horrible as we had arranged for a sitter to come over and stay with him during his morning nap so we could go out running (we have to do 11 miles this week). We figured that we'd have the sitter over and she could just hang out while he slept - maybe having to deal with him awake for the last 30 minutes or so. But no.... Avi was wide awake when she got here at 9:30am and there wasn't a chance in hell of him going back to sleep. So we prepped the sitter and wished her luck and we went out the door (he has NEVER stayed with a baby sitter before being awake as we left - not including my mother).
I wasn't sure what we'd find when we returned - although we gave her tons of direction, defrosted milk, prepped lunch, and shared all the tricks we have up our sleeves. I was waiting, with each step I took as we ran, to get a phone call from her saying "hurry home quick." But no such call came. We did our entire run and when we got home he was happy as a peach - playing with Amanda like it was nothing! WOW - what an improvement from the child who wouldn't leave our side. I am not eager to leave him awake again but it's nice to know that he can function. She said they played and played... read book after book and ate lunch - then played and read some more. We don't let Avi watch TV - and the baby sitter listened to us and didn't turn the TV on. It was great!
I wasn't sure what we'd find when we returned - although we gave her tons of direction, defrosted milk, prepped lunch, and shared all the tricks we have up our sleeves. I was waiting, with each step I took as we ran, to get a phone call from her saying "hurry home quick." But no such call came. We did our entire run and when we got home he was happy as a peach - playing with Amanda like it was nothing! WOW - what an improvement from the child who wouldn't leave our side. I am not eager to leave him awake again but it's nice to know that he can function. She said they played and played... read book after book and ate lunch - then played and read some more. We don't let Avi watch TV - and the baby sitter listened to us and didn't turn the TV on. It was great!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Signs on Camera
Avi woke up at 1am again this morning and then again at 6am - but this time he was screaming. I nursed him both times thinking maybe he was sick or not feeling well (as he really never wakes up at night) but he doesn't seem to have a fever or anything. He did take nice one nap today but SCREAMED for the beginning of his second one. He was such a pill this morning (due to being overtired) and I knew he needed to nap - so I let him scream for a while and he fell asleep. I felt terrible for letting him cry but I went in after the first and second 10 minutes to let him know I was here and that I loved him but that he needed to nap for his own good. Lucky for us he woke up from this nap and was such a joy! (See mother knows best!)
I participate in a lot of discussion forums online (some for diaper sewing, others for crunchy-all natural mamas, and other local boards) and I recently did a secret santa exchange. Well today my gift came in the mail and the nice mama secret santa made me a new baby carried called a Mei Tai. It's a lovely shade of blue and it's perfect for putting in my purse when I don't want to take my favorite carrier the Ergo (which is bulky). Here are some pictures of Avi and I with the new carrier:
Michael and I had another training run tonight (we run three days a week) and usually before we go we each eat a Power Bar or something with a little "umph." Well tonight Avi only wanted mine (which he couldn't have) so we gave him an organic kid's cereal bar and Michael snapped some cute pictures (and what do you think of the peace pants - I made them as nap pants, not really to be caught on camera but oh well - so be it...):
We took him out running and he fell asleep (it's nice and dark out and he is bundled really warm). When we came back in he looked so cute in his sweater than my mother's friend Carla handed down to him from her little boys that we had to get some more pictures. The first picture Avi is doing his "eat" sign:
And here he is signing "banana":
And here he is signing "music":
After what was a mainly rough day Avi was a blast for his nightly shower (some nights he gets a bath and other nights he comes with us in the shower). Hopefully he'll have a better full day tomorrow.
I participate in a lot of discussion forums online (some for diaper sewing, others for crunchy-all natural mamas, and other local boards) and I recently did a secret santa exchange. Well today my gift came in the mail and the nice mama secret santa made me a new baby carried called a Mei Tai. It's a lovely shade of blue and it's perfect for putting in my purse when I don't want to take my favorite carrier the Ergo (which is bulky). Here are some pictures of Avi and I with the new carrier:
Michael and I had another training run tonight (we run three days a week) and usually before we go we each eat a Power Bar or something with a little "umph." Well tonight Avi only wanted mine (which he couldn't have) so we gave him an organic kid's cereal bar and Michael snapped some cute pictures (and what do you think of the peace pants - I made them as nap pants, not really to be caught on camera but oh well - so be it...):
We took him out running and he fell asleep (it's nice and dark out and he is bundled really warm). When we came back in he looked so cute in his sweater than my mother's friend Carla handed down to him from her little boys that we had to get some more pictures. The first picture Avi is doing his "eat" sign:
And here he is signing "banana":
And here he is signing "music":
After what was a mainly rough day Avi was a blast for his nightly shower (some nights he gets a bath and other nights he comes with us in the shower). Hopefully he'll have a better full day tomorrow.
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