Today was the big day. Tyler had his appt. this morning at 7:15 am to get tubes in his ears.
Our instructions were no food or drinks after mid-night, we had to bring his blanket and favorite toy, a clean diaper and empty sipper cup for after the surgery.
We arrived early, but their was another boy ahead of us, 19 month old Evan. Tyler was happy and playing with his cars, watching Sponge Bob and playing with the nurses. When it came to Tyler's turn, they took him back, and we waited nervously. The Dr. came back and told us everything went well and Tyler was good. He said that Tyler would be asleep when they brought him back, but he would wake in a few moments. When Tyler woke up in my arms he started thrashing around and whining. His breath smelt of the anesthesia. They told us he wouldn't be able to see straight and would be very confused. He kept rubbing his eyes, crying and biting his blankey(this comforts him). I felt terrible. This poor little guy, what did we put him through. He kept asking for daddy so Jim took him and walked him around, but he kept crying and whining. They got him some juice, but he wasn't too interested, he just wanted to go "bye-bye". The nusre finally let us go, which was probably about 10-15 mins after coming out. By the time we picked up his perscription, he was feeling alot better, and walking straight. Back to his normal playful self.
Now we have to put drops in his ears twice a day for 5 days and put ear plugs in his ears everytime he takes a bath or goes swimming. That will be fun. What are the chances he will let us do that? If he does let us put them in, what are the chances he will keep them in? But if we don't he will have puss come out of his ear everytime he gets water in it and we will spend most of our days at the ENT office.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Pregnancy: The 2nd time around
When I was pregnant with our first son Tyler it seemed so much easier. I had a fairly easy time, no morning sickness, heartburn at the end, and my delivery was a cinch. Afterwards was another story.
This time I had awful morning sickness for about the first 14 or 15 weeks. I felt like it would last forever. It wasn’t just in the morning either; I was nauseous from morning until I went to bed. I was so nauseous that I could barely eat and even lost 9 lbs.
Heartburn this time has been a killer. From day 1, I have had this awful burning sensation in the back of my throat. Everything gives me heartburn! I have to take Zantac twice a day, which most of the time helps. I could also take Tums, but they make me want to yack. Sleeping at night is difficult, three pillows makes the burn bearable.
The second pregnancy you also begin to show much earlier. At 6 months I feel like I did when I was 8 months the first time. Very uncomfortable! I toss and turn at night, from side to side, trying to find a comfortable position.
Baby #2 also seems to be much more active than Tyler was too. This is scary since I have a very active toddler. We are in trouble!
This time I had awful morning sickness for about the first 14 or 15 weeks. I felt like it would last forever. It wasn’t just in the morning either; I was nauseous from morning until I went to bed. I was so nauseous that I could barely eat and even lost 9 lbs.
Heartburn this time has been a killer. From day 1, I have had this awful burning sensation in the back of my throat. Everything gives me heartburn! I have to take Zantac twice a day, which most of the time helps. I could also take Tums, but they make me want to yack. Sleeping at night is difficult, three pillows makes the burn bearable.
The second pregnancy you also begin to show much earlier. At 6 months I feel like I did when I was 8 months the first time. Very uncomfortable! I toss and turn at night, from side to side, trying to find a comfortable position.
Baby #2 also seems to be much more active than Tyler was too. This is scary since I have a very active toddler. We are in trouble!
Adventures in Toilet Training: Part 1
At Tyler’s last check-up at 18 months, his Dr. mentioned that we could now begin “potty training”. But he also mentioned that boys are tougher to train than girls and usually aren’t trained until about 3. Tyler has been fairly easy at all the transitions so far. We moved from Kingston to Dallas last spring when Ty was 9 months old and it did not faze him a bit. We took his binkey away from him one night at 11 months and he did not protest at all. At 13 months he was completely off the bottle, and at 19 months he is sleeping in a toddler bed with no problems.
So we went to Babies R Us and bought a potty chair. I took it out of the box and put it together. Tyler took it apart. He wore the inner part as a hat, and tried to get daddy to wear it too. I have read that you should let them get used to the potty chair by dragging it around, playing with it, and doing whatever else they want with it.
We decided to keep it in the bathroom. The last couple of days I have been trying to get him to sit on it a couple times a day, before he takes a bath and after meals. The first time we tried this he sat on the chair (which he thinks is great), then he gets up and runs around a little, comes back and sits for a minute or so, then gets back up. My husband puts him in the bath tub and the little stinker immediately pees.
The next time, again before his bath he sits, then runs in his room, jumps on his bed, comes back in the bathroom and gets in the tub. While my husband was bathing him, I discovered that he had peed on his bed.
Again we tried the potty chair before getting him dressed. He sits on the chair for a little bit, gets up and runs around, sits back down for another minute, gets up and pees on the rug next to the tub.
So far no such luck peeing in the potty; just the tub, his bed and the rug. I will keep you updated as to our progress.
So we went to Babies R Us and bought a potty chair. I took it out of the box and put it together. Tyler took it apart. He wore the inner part as a hat, and tried to get daddy to wear it too. I have read that you should let them get used to the potty chair by dragging it around, playing with it, and doing whatever else they want with it.
We decided to keep it in the bathroom. The last couple of days I have been trying to get him to sit on it a couple times a day, before he takes a bath and after meals. The first time we tried this he sat on the chair (which he thinks is great), then he gets up and runs around a little, comes back and sits for a minute or so, then gets back up. My husband puts him in the bath tub and the little stinker immediately pees.
The next time, again before his bath he sits, then runs in his room, jumps on his bed, comes back in the bathroom and gets in the tub. While my husband was bathing him, I discovered that he had peed on his bed.
Again we tried the potty chair before getting him dressed. He sits on the chair for a little bit, gets up and runs around, sits back down for another minute, gets up and pees on the rug next to the tub.
So far no such luck peeing in the potty; just the tub, his bed and the rug. I will keep you updated as to our progress.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Ear Infections
My son Tyler seems to have chronic ear infections. Starting at 7 months old when he had his first infection up until now at 20 months with his ninth. He has been on antibiotic after antibiotic. Not to mention how much Tylenol and PediaCare we have gone through. We found out he was allergic to amoxicillin when he was on his second round and broke out in hives. We even tried taking him to our chiropractor which is supposed to release some of the fluid. The chiropractor did help for a while, but the infections just keep coming back.
My husband and I learned how to predict whether Ty had an ear infection or not.
1. Tyler will be up on and off all night long screaming; this is not like Tyler, he usually sleeps through the night with no problems. When we go in his room and pick him up and rock him, he will go right back to sleep. However the moment you put him down, he wakes up screaming again. Repeat process as long as it takes.
2. Tyler is constantly picking at his ears and sometimes has scratches or scabs inside.
3. He has started to tell us his ears hurt and wants us to kiss them to make them better.
4. He acts up more often when his ears are bothering him. Tyler throws more tantrums, hits more and isn’t satisfied no matter what we try.
5. Ty stops eating. He refuses food and sometimes drinks.
Well after 9 ear infections (2 in the left and 7 in the right), 9 antibiotics, lots of Dr’s apts. And countless chiropractor apts. We decided to take him to an ENT (Ear Nose and Throat Specialist). The ENT, Dr. Mariotti suggested getting tubes in his ears. Tubes will allow the fluid that keeps getting re-infected to pass through to give Tyler some relief. The procedure takes about 2 minutes, 1 minute for each ear. Afterwards he we feel nothing, no pain, no recovery time, we just take him home.
Hopefully this will cure Tyler’s ear infections and give us some relief too. I will keep you updated!
TIP: I was recently talking with a friend about my son’s problem with ear infections and we were wondering if there was some kind of device that parents could buy to find out if their child had an ear infection before going to the Dr.’s. He sent me an email with a website for just that. It’s called Ear Check. Check it out!
http://www.earcheck.com
My husband and I learned how to predict whether Ty had an ear infection or not.
1. Tyler will be up on and off all night long screaming; this is not like Tyler, he usually sleeps through the night with no problems. When we go in his room and pick him up and rock him, he will go right back to sleep. However the moment you put him down, he wakes up screaming again. Repeat process as long as it takes.
2. Tyler is constantly picking at his ears and sometimes has scratches or scabs inside.
3. He has started to tell us his ears hurt and wants us to kiss them to make them better.
4. He acts up more often when his ears are bothering him. Tyler throws more tantrums, hits more and isn’t satisfied no matter what we try.
5. Ty stops eating. He refuses food and sometimes drinks.
Well after 9 ear infections (2 in the left and 7 in the right), 9 antibiotics, lots of Dr’s apts. And countless chiropractor apts. We decided to take him to an ENT (Ear Nose and Throat Specialist). The ENT, Dr. Mariotti suggested getting tubes in his ears. Tubes will allow the fluid that keeps getting re-infected to pass through to give Tyler some relief. The procedure takes about 2 minutes, 1 minute for each ear. Afterwards he we feel nothing, no pain, no recovery time, we just take him home.
Hopefully this will cure Tyler’s ear infections and give us some relief too. I will keep you updated!
TIP: I was recently talking with a friend about my son’s problem with ear infections and we were wondering if there was some kind of device that parents could buy to find out if their child had an ear infection before going to the Dr.’s. He sent me an email with a website for just that. It’s called Ear Check. Check it out!
http://www.earcheck.com
Dry Winter Skin
Like with most people, during the winter months I get dry winter skin. Dry skin drives me nuts! I have been itching like crazy.
This morning on Good Morning America, they had a segment on about dry winter skin; what causes it and how to get rid of it.
Causes:
- A lack of moisture in the air mixed with the dry was forced heat in our homes.
- Taking long hot baths or showers.
Suggestions:
- Do not take a hot shower or bath. Take a 5 minute or less warm bath or shower.
- Use unscented non-soap body washes such as Dove or Aveeno.
- After your bath immediately follow with baby oil or Oil of Olay Bath Lotion and pat your body dry.
- Follow with a moisturizer such as Aveeno.
- For super dry areas such as hands and feet cover with Crisco (non buttered flavor) or Vaseline and put socks and gloves over hands and feet to keep the moisture in without making a mess overnight.
- Vaseline can also be used on dry, chapped lips.
TIP: I once read years ago in my Grandmother’s Women’s World magazine a great tip for chapped lips and it works wonders.
- cut a slit in a vitamin E pill and squeeze contents over lips (do this at night, your lips will be super sticky)
In the morning your lips will feel soft and completely healed! I promise!
I am going to try the suggestions from GMA and I will let you know how it goes! Have any suggestions of your own? Please pass them along!
This morning on Good Morning America, they had a segment on about dry winter skin; what causes it and how to get rid of it.
Causes:
- A lack of moisture in the air mixed with the dry was forced heat in our homes.
- Taking long hot baths or showers.
Suggestions:
- Do not take a hot shower or bath. Take a 5 minute or less warm bath or shower.
- Use unscented non-soap body washes such as Dove or Aveeno.
- After your bath immediately follow with baby oil or Oil of Olay Bath Lotion and pat your body dry.
- Follow with a moisturizer such as Aveeno.
- For super dry areas such as hands and feet cover with Crisco (non buttered flavor) or Vaseline and put socks and gloves over hands and feet to keep the moisture in without making a mess overnight.
- Vaseline can also be used on dry, chapped lips.
TIP: I once read years ago in my Grandmother’s Women’s World magazine a great tip for chapped lips and it works wonders.
- cut a slit in a vitamin E pill and squeeze contents over lips (do this at night, your lips will be super sticky)
In the morning your lips will feel soft and completely healed! I promise!
I am going to try the suggestions from GMA and I will let you know how it goes! Have any suggestions of your own? Please pass them along!
Choosing Names for Baby
Choosing a name for a baby can be a really difficult task. My husband and I are having our second child, second boy, and it took a long time to come up with something we agreed on and that our parents would accept.
So many people think they should put their two cents in when you are choosing a name, friends, parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and others you hardly know. I am always hearing “that name reminds me of” or “I knew some one named that and they”. My husband is a teacher and he will say “every Brandon and Ryan I know are hyper”. I have a cousin Michael and my aunt always says “don’t name your son Michael, Michael’s are always getting into trouble.”
I really like the name Max, but my brother in-law says that it reminds him of the dog on The Grinch. So? Is that supposed to be bad? Again my husband wasn’t fond of Max, and I didn’t really like Maxamillian, Maxwell, Maxim or Maximus, so that was out.
Jim and I really didn’t want to name the baby after anyone and didn’t want to take anyone’s names that are already being used by our families (we both come from really large families). We wanted something different, not the same old Jim, Joe, Bill, Tom (him and his brothers names), but not a weird name either. Another thing we wanted to consider was our son Tyler. We wanted to choose a name that sounded good with Tyler. And since Tyler will only be 23 months when the baby will be born, we need something he will be able to say easily.
We have looked at all the baby name books and nothing really stuck out at us. Then I tried looking at Irish names (my husband’s family is 100% Irish). My mom and I came across the name Bryce. Bryce was one of the names I liked when I was pregnant with Ty, but my husband didn’t like. But I thought I would try it with Jim again. And this time he liked it. So Bryce it is! My mom liked it, his parents liked it (amazing), my friends liked it, but most importantly we liked it.
As for the middle name….that we are still debating.
So many people think they should put their two cents in when you are choosing a name, friends, parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and others you hardly know. I am always hearing “that name reminds me of” or “I knew some one named that and they”. My husband is a teacher and he will say “every Brandon and Ryan I know are hyper”. I have a cousin Michael and my aunt always says “don’t name your son Michael, Michael’s are always getting into trouble.”
I really like the name Max, but my brother in-law says that it reminds him of the dog on The Grinch. So? Is that supposed to be bad? Again my husband wasn’t fond of Max, and I didn’t really like Maxamillian, Maxwell, Maxim or Maximus, so that was out.
Jim and I really didn’t want to name the baby after anyone and didn’t want to take anyone’s names that are already being used by our families (we both come from really large families). We wanted something different, not the same old Jim, Joe, Bill, Tom (him and his brothers names), but not a weird name either. Another thing we wanted to consider was our son Tyler. We wanted to choose a name that sounded good with Tyler. And since Tyler will only be 23 months when the baby will be born, we need something he will be able to say easily.
We have looked at all the baby name books and nothing really stuck out at us. Then I tried looking at Irish names (my husband’s family is 100% Irish). My mom and I came across the name Bryce. Bryce was one of the names I liked when I was pregnant with Ty, but my husband didn’t like. But I thought I would try it with Jim again. And this time he liked it. So Bryce it is! My mom liked it, his parents liked it (amazing), my friends liked it, but most importantly we liked it.
As for the middle name….that we are still debating.
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