toddler cooperation

thank you to sandy for the idea and template for attempting to get more cooperation from our very feisty toddler.  introducing chloe's star chart, which i hope to begin implementing today.  all that is missing are the reward stickers, which i will get a little later today.  i'm hoping that this will challenge her to behave better, and to be more cooperative... i'll let you know though...

Grommets

Ok, here we are. There was no choice in the matter. Chloe is a bit miz as she's hungry. Thank goodness the new environment is distracting her. I'll be glad when it's all over.

Babies and ear infections

So, Chloe and I have been pretty sick for the last week and a bit, and now Paul is getting the same thing, which isn't great. Chloe has an ear infection in BOTH ears! And the second one got infected while she was on antibiotics. So anyway, I have made an appointment for her to see and ENT specialist to find out if she needs gromits, and hopefully get to the bottom of all the infections.

I am really stressing about it though. I am already at the operation stage and thinking about my poor little baby with needles in her arm and oxygen masks on her face, in that cold operating theatre, scared and no Mommy there to be with her. I guess though, if it will help her in the long run not to get so sick all the time, but as mother you always worry about your children.

I will post again as soon as I know more, and after the appointment on Wednesday.

Definitly my child

I decided that this morning I was going to have popcorn for breakfast, and gave a little to Chloe, now I've lost the whole bowl! At least she has good healthy taste.

A toddler and a puddle

This is what happens when a toddler comes across a 1cm x 2cm puddle of water and given 10 minutes to explore it!

Gimme the camera!

Playtime

Chloe has this amazing desire to always climb into things. Here she's in the lid to our cooler box with her blocks.

Chloe the bookworm

I thought it was really cute. She pulled down 3 books and was paging through one. Hopefully it lasts!

Chloe and the paddle pool

This was one of Chloe's Christmas presents. The weather seemed excellent for a paddle except Dad made the water ice cold so Chloe wasn't interested in paddling. Hopefully it won't last.

Tooth no. 8...

... Has arrived!

--
Sent from my mobile device

For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the
strength I need. Phil 4:13

If you're having trouble thinking out the box, then you're probably in
the wrong box.

http://www.kimswanphotography.co.za/

http://kim-happy-day.blogspot.com/

Fevers Part II

Ok, so after a torrid night, I took Chloe to school. She was ok, except she kept getting a fever. Took her to the doc and he confirmed my suspicion of a sinus infection. So, our little noo-noo is on antibiotics. Hopefully she'll be well in a few days.

Fevers

It's late and Chloe has a fever which I'm battling to get under control. I pray that it breaks and that she is well in the morning.

Firsts....

Well there have been a lot of things going on in little Miss Chloe's life.

On the 15th November she had her first taste of the sand at home. She loved it though!
She let me brush her teeth (properly) for the first time the other day.
She took her first 2 steps yesterday morning, (no repeat performances though).
She had her first haircut this morning... it was long in some places and short in others, so I thought I would even it out.
It will be her first Christmas this year. On Friday next week they will be having Father Christmas there at school handing out presents (which we send to school). I have already arranged that Mel takes some pictures with the camera I will send with to school.
Next week Thursday we will also be having the swimming parade, so Paul and I will get to see Chloe swim for the first time. Apparently the children do play up with the folks are there so we will have to see how that goes.

She also decided that it was necessary to empty the washing basket this morning... She has seen me doing it when I am going to do the washing, so she thought that she would assist :) Got to love it!

Paul is away again for another night, but will be back tomorrow. Last night was terrible as she was awake more than asleep, or at least that is how it felt, but I think that is because she is teething, I could see one trying to push through at the top this morning, but being in the grizzly mood she was she wouldn't let me look too closely. I will check again later if she is in a better mood.

We are going away soon, and I can't wait! It is only for 4 days but it will be really good to get away from home and to be able to go for walks in the "bush" and just relax some. I think Paul is also looking forward to it.

I'll post again soon xxx

Finally a doctor who cares

Yesterday, after speaking to my friend Ruth, I found a doctor who really cares about his patients and takes the time to listen to the problems, and get to the bottom of them, and explains the medications that he has prescribed and how they should work and how soon they will work and also what is wrong with you or your child. He's a homeopath here in Durban, so if you would like his details then email me and I will gladly give you the details.

I took Chloe to see him yesterday because she was coughing to the point of vomiting and her nose was running more profusely than before, and I was worried that the incredibly sore throat that I have, I had passed to my poor little cherub. I had been giving her a homeopathic remedy called Cataro which was working a treat, and "detoxing" her sinuses, hence the runny nose, but it was the cough that was worrying me, as well as the thrush that seems to be getting worse in her mouth. So, we arrive at his rooms, and the receptionist was amazingly friendly (I'm sure Chloe's cuteness does help with that) and we were seen on time, which is another pet hate I have for most medical practitioners, and he introduced himself, so that you know who you are dealing with, and then does a complete background information gathering session, followed by the actual "check up". Chloe loved him, and was all smiles except for when he was trying to have a look at her throat. She is very anti anything in her mouth at the moment, because of all the medicines that have been forced down her throat. Anyway, after fighting to look into her ears (she wanted to play with the in-ear-looking-thingy) he said that she has infection of the Pharynx (see picture) and a shotty nose, which may be aggrivated by the dairy formula that she drinks. So, to make a long story short, he gave me 2 sets of drops to give her and some other SUPER probiotics to help with the thrush. I have to rub the probiotics into her mouth which ends up with her crying and unhappy, so that is not the best part. But, the very cool part was that he said that she looks very well and healthy. The other amazing thing is that you can call him at any time to ask him something if there is something you are unsure about or, he asked me to phone him with an update on her progress today so that he knows what is happening. I am also just really happy that the school are so good at administering her meds as well so I know that she will get them when she needs to.

So, I have to monitor her again tonight and see how she does, and then let him know in the morning and then we will take things from there. I'm just glad that we are getting somewhere, and I can get to see him rather than fight with unpleasant receptionists who tell you there is a 3 day waiting period to see the doctor, and usually it's not the one that you want to see anyway.

An update on Chloe

Chloe has been doing so well at school, and I can't believe the amazing development only one week has made. She is definitely a child who needs lots of stimulation. She went from not really being interested in toys to holding them and playing with them. The other development was a runny nose which gets so blocked at night that the poor baby can't breathe properly and wakes up all upset. I took her to the homeopath yesterday and she has given me some drops which should clear her nose up by Thursday. I knew it was inevitable that she would get something at some stage, but I think the worst part of her being sick is there is nothing that I can do to really help, she can't blow her nose (they only manage that from about 4 years of age, or so I have read), the saline that we spray in her nose, helps to some degree, but it isn't a lasting solution and well, the sleep deprivation doesn't help me much either. I will have to wait and see how she has been today. I know that she was sneezing out a whole bunch of snot, which is good, because then it is coming out but at the same time, it means that there is still a lot in there. I guess the drops must be working though, because she wasn't sneezing like this before, and the Doc did say that it would clear out her nose. I guess I didn't think that it would do so with sneezing.

Chloe has also had a sudden growth spurt. I know this because clothes which fit her last week no longer do. I was trying to put on a pair of leggings and they just wouldn't get to her waist, in fact only half way up her bottom, so she has put on some length. I would be interested to know how long she is now. I am sure I can wait another week, she has to go for her next set of jabs on Friday next week. It is a sad thing, knowing that she will be feeling miserable and sore afterwards. But, at least I know the vaccines are ones which work.

I received a note from school to say that there was a strain of Meningitis doing the rounds in Pietermaritzburg, and that we should get the babies vaccinated, and after 2 days of trying to contact my paed, he was away on business, he confirmed that I needn't fork out the money for the vaccine, as it doesn't work. Go figure. Sometimes you have to wonder why they make them when they don't know that they really work. A comment from the receptionist there was that they hadn't given that vaccine in ages. At least I know that I can trust him. This man is really passionate about babies and their health, so I think that I have an amazing paed.

Well that is all for now. Till the next post.

Chloe's First Day

What a start to the day... Firstly Chloe slept from 6pm to 4 am, which is a new thing, and then I had to wake her to get her ready for school. Typical I thought, school starts and she sleeps in... :o) At least I know she is normal. Then I dressed her and got everything ready, trying to remember everything I had to pack for the day and as stock for nappy changes and the like. Bundled her into the snug, and then to the car, but it wouldn't open... then it wouldn't start. So, being optimistic, I tried roll starting it... what a laugh, the battery was so dead the engine didn't even turn over. So, unpack everything again and phone for help. An hour later the new battery arrived with the technician, on a motorbike... not what I was expecting, and then the car started perfectly. I packed the car again, and off we were. About half way to school Chloe started crying, which didn't help matters. I got to the baby room and there were only 2 babies still awake, and they said that it was nap time so at least I know they get some sleep. Melanie picked Chloe up and she stopped crying, as it was a new place and very interesting to have a look at. But, then after chatting a while, Chloe decided enough was enough and started to cry again... so Melanie put her to sleep, a relief. I think the biggest relief I had was that Chloe isn't the only child to be rocked to sleep. There was another cutie pie there and he wasn't interested in being put down for a second. They said that he had been home for a week and all the routine training they had been doing had been undone... note to self, try keep the same routine when at home.

Anyway, I left the school feeling alright, I didn't cry which I thought I would... and I felt kind of weird not having a child in the car, not having to worry about it being too hot in the car... or when she will need a feed.

Now the wait to go and fetch my little one. In the mean time, I have rearranged the study, and let Octavia clean the house in peace, and I went to visit my folks, and then shopping for a new pair of jeans, the other pair I have make me look like a clown they are so big for me... not sure when that happened, because they fitted just fine before I was pregnant. Yay for breastfeeding! I also had to try to find a lift to the Barnyard Theatre tomorrow night to save having two cars there, and I did manage to find one, so after putting Chloe to sleep I have to get to the supermarket where I will be collected and then have a bit of fun. Shame, poor Chloe, starts school, so no Mommy all day and on the second day she has no Mommy pretty much half the night as well. Hopefully she will be sleeping so she won't know the difference. I will finish this post tonight, and then let you know the rest of the story after I have been to fetch Chloe and get the feedback from Melanie on how her first day was.

Well, Chloe's first day was alright I think. Melanie said that she was good, and napped well, had all her milk and only cried when she was tired really. So I guess she will be alright. I still feel sad because it means that she is growing up and that she isn't such a little baby anymore, but I guess that is life. At least she seemed happy to see me, and when I was putting her to sleep this evening, she was dreaming and I imagine she had a busy day from the movements. I was a little worried that she seemed to get frights, but Melanie did say that she woke with frights from her naps, probably due to the new noise environment.

The end of a season

Tonight I am feeling very sad, as tomorrow morning our little cherub starts at her school, and I know that I am going to take it very badly. I imagine she will take some time to settle down there, and get used to the people who are caring for her, but at the same time it is going to be very difficult for me to get used to the idea.

There are several reasons that I will be taking such strain...

- It means that she is growing up.

- I don't know that she will even miss me at this age.

- I feel a little jealous that there will be someone else who will be her "primary caregiver" and I will no longer fill that roll daily.

- I don't know how she will cope with the environment, and how she will cope with the people and all the other babies.

- She is definitely likely to get sick very soon after starting there.

- They will never care for her the way that I do (which could also be seen as an advantage by some).

It is going to be very difficult and I think that tomorrow is going to be a terribly hard day. I was washing the dishes just now, and thinking I have to sort out the new computer workstation (we have ditched the computer stand and turned the dining room table into the new desk, and now I have to get everything into a suitable place where it all works well and comfortably) and thinking that it will be difficult with Chloe, and then I remembered that I won't have her here with me, and I think that it will be very empty here without her. I am going to miss cuddling her, and loving her, watching her nap, and I think I'll even miss her crying.

I was speaking to a friend at church today, and she said that Chloe would be fine, and yes they will never look after her the way that I do, but they will take good care of her, and they will have a routine of things that they do with the babies, so she will get into the groove soon and then be fine. She did however say that it takes about 3 to 4 weeks for them to settle down, which is different to what they said at the school (2 weeks) but I will have to see. She said that I should tell them what I am expecting, and that they are offering a service which I am paying for so I have to make sure that I am happy, and be assertive about how they care for her. So, I will see what happens.

Poor Chloe was very grizzly today, and I think that she may be teething, or starting to, and seemed very unhappy with anything that we did to keep her busy, but I went to visit Pat and she put a blanket outside on the grass and we sat outside for a while and Chloe loved it. First we had her on her tummy for some leopard crawling practice and then we flipped her over (when she was too frustrated to carry on) and she chatted with us for ages, until she got hungry, and tired (bed time). I am hoping that the lady at the school will be able to shed some light, as I am sure that looking after 10 babies you would know when they are beginning to teeth. Shame, all these changes. I forgot to tell you all that Chloe has graduated to her camp cot in her own room, and she has been sleeping alright. I have also stopped getting up every time she wakes up. I get up if she starts to cry, which is normally around midnight. She does wake up in the middle of the early morning, but I leave her, and she goes back to sleep without me. It means that there is less disruption of my sleep and she tends to eat better in the morning when we get up. So many changes for this little girl, I hope that she can cope, and I pray that she is safe in the hands of the people I felt God wanted her in. I know that I felt certain that she was meant to be in the school I have put her in, and I hope that she really blossoms there and does well, I am sure the interaction with the other children will help her become more independent and confident rather than being a recluse at home (almost like her mother).

I'll keep you posted with developments.

An update

Everyone must be wondering what has happened to the updates that came around so regularly, and since Chloe was born there has been nothing to speak of really. Well, that is because spare time has been very scarce, and motherhood has been a very tiring, daunting, and yet amazing experience.

Chloe has been growing quickly and is almost 6kg already, and at 11 weeks I think she is doing very well, according to the clinic sister. She is also beginning to get really cute, "talking", and smiling and generally making it harder to not fall in love with her. She is really developing a personality that matches her irresistible looks. She has managed to charm most people who have seen her, and even people walking past in the shopping centres can't resist a closer look. She does have her mothers dislike for the camera, and it is hard work to get even a little smile out of her when taking pictures, but I have managed one or two, but, I have yet to capture the full smile that I get in the mornings, usually in the middle of her feed and then it is all over. She won't eat after that, because she is too busy chatting and making my heart melt.

She will be going for her 10 week jab this week, and I'm hoping that it will be alright, as last week she was so miserable when I was at the clinic we decided against giving it to her. She didn't seem to react too badly to the first one at 6 weeks, which was a relief, and I am hoping that it will be the same this time around. She is also on formula, and I am no longer breast feeding, for my sanity and also because in about a month's time I will be back at work, and I can't imagine trying to express milk in the bathroom at the office and then having 40 odd people checking out the milk in the fridge there. Formula is just easier.

Other than that, all I can say is that NOTHING can ever prepare you for motherhood, and how all consuming it is, and how hard it is. All the stories and advice etc, aren't even a speck on the screen when you are in the situation, and to all the moms-to-be reading this, it's worth every second, but it is the toughest job you will ever have!

Hot days and screaming babies

OK, today's entry is going to be more a collection of snippets than a long story. Right now I have about 20 minutes to get something going before it is time to get Chloe up from her beauty sleep for a feed and then hopefully I can get going with the shopping I need to do... However this morning the washing machine decided that it would break down, and now I have to wait for Craig to come and have a look at the machine, but the initial over the phone prognosis was pretty bad. Possibly that the drum on the machine has snapped... not a great time for this to happen really. But, what can I do.

Overheard: "My episiotomy stitches tore after the second day and they said that they don't restitch them any more." Eish!

6:30 am hair cutting sessions
This morning while Chloe was still sleeping from her very early in the morning (the birds were singing outside though), Paul and I cut his hair. I say we did it, as he did the initial chop it all off with the clippers and then I had to tidy it up with scissors, so by the end of it he looked pretty good, and his hair was certainly a lot neater than it was before we started. But, have you ever heard of trimming your hair before work as part of your ablutions... Except of course if you are my brother who shaves his head weekly at least!

The aviary
Well, at the moment we are waiting for the mesh for the aviary to arrive from Cape Town. I am hoping that it will get here today, as Paul paid for it n Tuesday last week and was expecting it on Friday already. I think if I had the guys number I would have followed up already to say where is the tracking number I want to know where the parcel is. But, I have left it alone, as I don't think that he would like me to interfere at the moment and he is stressed out enough at work today.

Hot days and screaming babies (in the car)
On Saturday we decided to get out the house for the afternoon and went to visit Inanda Dam, which was pleasant enough. The shady spots were nice and cool and when we got there the wind wasn't blowing very hard, but it got progressively worse (in my books, Paul said there was no wind, but then he was looking at it from a wind surfing perspective). I am not a big fan of wind though, it blows my hair into my face, and irritates me, and I think that Chloe was picking up on these dislike vibes, as well as just being in a completely new environment, and started getting niggly, which only added to my stress levels, and my already splitting headache. It was a pleasant enough outing in the beginning, but by the time we decided to pack up and leave, we had a screaming baby which no one could console. Thank goodness I managed to soothe her at home though, and she had her bath and I fed her comfortably and then sat with her in the cool bedroom in the near dark with "Majors for Minors" playing softly in the background.

Then on Sunday we took the plunge and took her to church for the first time, which ended up in pretty much the same way, except I had managed to express some milk before we had left so I was able to feed her in the car when we were outside the shops while Paul ran in. The milk was a life saver, but wasn't enough to satisfy her so when we got home I had to excuse myself from our visitors and feed her... but that didn't stop the niggles till she fell asleep a little later. She had been so hot in the car, I know, she lost a lot of fluid through perspiration.

They weren't kidding when they said that the first 2 weeks are hell....
Need I say more, I have never suffered from sleep deprivation, bladder infection, temperatures reaching 40.5 C, rapid weight loss, extreme perspiration, uncontrollable hormones which have you in a ball of tears at the drop of a hat, and complete feelings of being out of control and not knowing what is wrong with the precious bundle that is screaming her lungs out because she has a need.

Chloe is 2 weeks old today!!!!!!

I have just had the easiest feed and nappy change ever! OK, so she was sleeping, but I never said that it had to be while she was awake!

The Cygnet became a Swan...

Nothing could ever have prepared me for the birth of our daughter Chloe, or the sheer bombardment of emotions that go along with becoming a mother. From the time that I found out that we were going to become parents I was excited, you all know, and if you read my blog you will see the excitement all the way through. However the most traumatic time of her journey into this world started on Sunday night while we were watching TV. Paul decided that to avoid any trouble I was not allowed to go to be till late, just in case labour was setting in (I had been feeling crampy and sore most of the evening), and well, the contractions started, and I knew that this was for real, and all of a sudden I really was scared about what I had to do. I was scared of the imminent pain, as well as the thought that I might not be able to finish what we started. Paul took me to the hospital at around 2am and I was already feeling strong contractions and the midwife on duty said that I was only 2.5cm dilated. However, by around 4am I was in so much pain I couldn't focus on anything, and Paul knew there was no way that I would make it through the rest of the labour without an epidural. There was no way that I was planning to be a martyr at this stage of the game. Dr C came to check up on me around 6am and said that he estimated another 3 hours before I would be ready to begin stage 2... pushing out the baby... needless to say he would out by an hour, as after about 8 contractions, and some very hard pushing, Chloe was born at 08:25. She weighed 3.42kg and was 47cm long (which has had comments of how short she is, but she hasn't exactly got giants for parents).

Paul asked me to describe the feeling when she was born, and it's difficult to describe, the actual feeling of a baby passing from inside your body to the outside. But, I don't think that I will be willing to describe the feeling on my blog. All I can say is it was an amazing experience, and intensely satisfying one, and incredibly emotional. It was surreal initially, all of a sudden having this tin little angel in your arms, while the doctor and midwife are rushing around you sorting out the carnage from the exit, and also making sure that both Chloe and I were safe and healthy. But, the more I am left alone with my thoughts the more emotional I find myself getting, and I keep getting time warped to her future thinking about things that will happen eventually.

The stay in hospital was amazing, the staff were brilliant, and always helpful, and I was always amazed at how the nursery sisters could hear a baby and then appear as if from no where and calm the child, knowing that the mother was stressing something serious as they have no clue as to what the problem is. It was also good to be able to "rest" in hospital and have the staff and nursery there when you needed them and to be able to get some good sleep.

Our first night home was quite traumatic with Chloe not sleeping much at all, and I had no idea why, but last night Paul made sure that she did go to sleep and I only fed her every 2 hours, which made a world of difference, to my sanity and that of my husband. Since then we have been able to settle a little, but I know that it will take a little while to get into a routine, considering that there hasn't really been a routine for the little on ever, and we haven't had to have a strict routine.

I'm sure that there will be more instalments, and if you don't get many updates on email, you know where to find my blog. There will be updates there.

--
For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need. Phil 4:13

If you're having trouble thinking out the box, then you're probably in the wrong box.

http://www.kimswanphotography.co.za/

http://kim-happy-day.blogspot.com/