Sick Little Boy

It has been a week of sickness in this house.  Last weekend Evan was just not himself.  He was super clingy, wouldn’t sleep in his crib, wouldn’t nap, and didn’t want to be put down.  This made life quite difficult – especially bedtime.  I had a very tired little boy.  And because he didn’t want to sleep in his crib at all and was waking up all night with a fever, I didn’t sleep much either.

What?  Me?  Cause problems?  Never!

By Monday night he seemed to be back to normal, minus a severely runny noise.  I got him to go down pretty easily and he was fine at my sister’s on Tuesday.  Then he started coughing – one of those wet, congested coughs.  And he coughed all night long – little coughs that wracked his tiny little body.  So I stayed home with him today, took him to the doctor, and am trying to nurse him back to health by giving him lots of steam baths.

The doctor checked him out and ruled out an ear infection (the fever + him pulling on his ears made me think maybe an ear infection or teething – neither it seems).  She gave him some meds to put in a nebulizer if he starts coughing at my sister’s house (however, he’s not going back there until Monday…hopefully he’s better by then).

What are you talking about?  I’m the cutest thing around town!

Sick babies cause lots of stress.  And not just stress because it’s horrible to have a sick baby, but the stress of trying to balance work and family.

Yes, the dreaded work-life balance.  A stressful balance here in the United States of America.

I work for a great organization that recognizes that family is very important.  That’s definitely made my life so much easier.  I can work from home a couple days a week, I can adjust my schedule as needed, I can take Evan on my work trips (although someone always comes with me to watch him).  However, it is still hard.  All night long Evan was coughing and coughing and coughing and I kept thinking: do I work or do I stay home?  Do I stay home and take Evan to the doctor?  Do I go to work and hope he’s ok?  Is he well enough to go to daycare?  Can I take him to the doctor on Friday (when I work from home)?  I already had Monday off and I worked from home on Wednesday – if I don’t go to work today then I will have only gone one day this week.  What’s the right choice in this situation?

It’s always better to stay home and play with me!

Yes – all this was running through my head at 2am.  I don’t want to be a slacker at work and I don’t want to be a mom that works when she should stay home with her sick baby.  That balance is SO HARD.  And honestly, I never really imagined these types of things when I was growing up.  I guess in my head I thought maybe I’d stay home with my kids, like my mom did.  Then I wouldn’t have had to make choices like this on a daily basis.  But I went to college and grad school and Peace Corps and I love my job and I love working.  And there is NO WAY we can afford for me to stay home and take care of the little one. 

But on days like these – I kind of wish I could.  When there is no relief from the guilt – guilt for not going to work or guilt for sending my baby to daycare when he’s sick.  Either way, there is guilt.

Look at me – I can move around now!  I make life more challenging!

I guess I’ll just have to get used to that guilt because I have a feeling I’ll be struggling with these issues of work vs. family for a long time.  Unless I win the lottery.  Which means I should probably buy a ticket because although the lottery is pretty impossible to win – it’s even more impossible to win if you don’t have a ticket.

And another thought – why is it so much easier for me to take off work than for my husband???  It is so much harder for him to ask for off, so I usually end up taking the day off unless I’ve taken a bunch of time off already.

Such is life.  And no matter what – this little angel always comes first!

I’m a little angel and I like to smother you with kisses and hugs!

It’s a Wrap!

A few people have asked about what type of baby carrier I like, so I thought I would do a quick review of each one.  Just like breast pumps, I think I have tried just about ever baby carrier out there.  Ok, so that’s not true.  But I have tried and used a lot.  I have a Baby Bjorn original, a Maya wrap, a Moby wrap, an Ergo, a Kelty Summit Backpack, and a Baby Mei Tai.  I didn’t buy all of them and some of them I bought used, but I have tried them all. 

Evan loved the Baby Bjorn when he was little, and he really loved that he could face out (although some say this is bad for a baby).  I used it a lot when I went grocery shopping or walking the dog.  Then Evan got big and it started to hurt my back.  So I don’t use it any more. 

Using the Baby Bjorn while visiting my parents in Vermont.

The Maya wrap was given to me and I never actually used it.  It was too complicated.  I watched a few videos on You Tube on how to use it, but if I have to practice it a lot of time before getting it right – it’s not really for me.

I bought a used Moby wrap because when Evan was little he liked to cuddle really close to me.  I used it a few times but it was very complicated and so much fabric.  I was also never sure if Evan was in correctly or not, when he was tiny.  I know a lot of people who love the Moby though, so who knows.  I gave it to a friend of mine who was pregnant (along with the Maya wrap).

Evan in the Moby – disregard my hideous hair and dirty mirror!

The Ergo was my sister’s and it was her favorite baby carrier of all time.  She used it a ton with her first two kids.  I tried it when Evan was little, but the infant carrier was too complicated for me.  I did use it when he got older and he didn’t mind it too much.  It is a little bulky to carry around (didn’t fit so well in the diaper bag), but it is super comfortable.

Evan and me using the Ergo – and getting poured on.  Again, disregard my face.

The Kelty Backpack was given to us by one of Ivan’s co-workers.  I like it and downloaded the
instructions off the internet (it can be a bit complicated to adjust, etc.).  It reminds me of the college days when I was in Army ROTC and we had to walk/run around with ruck sacks.  Sometimes I put Evan in there when he wants to be held but I have to cook dinner or wash the dishes.  We haven’t used it hiking yet, but I am excited to try it out.  Evan loves being so high and able to see everything.  He’s never cried while in there.

On our balcony after washing dishes.

The Baby Mei Tai is my newest baby carrier.  My sister took back the Ergo to use with her daughter so I wanted something easy that I could put Evan in both on my chest and on my back.  I had heard good things about the Mei Tai and I went to our local consignment shop and tried it out.  The lady there gave me a demonstration on how to use it and I was hooked.  It is not too complicated to put on and folds up really small.  Evan loves it so far and goes in it both on my back and on my chest.  I use this all the time now.  It’s also a thin piece of fabric so I don’t think it will be too hot to use during the summer (at least no hotter than just holding him – I’m sure we’ll get all sweaty).

After a particular downpour – we always seem to use a carrier when it starts pouring out!

Evan asleep on my back in the mei tai – he’s a bit far down but if he’s too close then he pulls all my hair out!

So that is my review – not too detailed, but hopefully thorough enough.  My suggestion would be to try them out before buying them.  I think different people prefer different ones, so it’s good to get a sense of what would work best with you.  It’s also important to think about your baby’s personality.  My friend’s son hated being cuddled and never liked any baby carrier because he wanted more space to move around.  I tend to use the wraps more around the house than actually outside.  I like the BOB for going on walks because it’s easier with the dog (the stroller can block him from other dogs – he wants to play with every dog we pass), and Evan likes being able to move around and play with his toys.  I do use the wraps for grocery shopping a lot and for running errands – it is super easy to fold up in my diaper bag and grab if Evan starts getting antsy in the shopping cart.

What baby carrier did you use?  Like best?  Wish you had tried?

Five Question Friday

Just typing the word Friday makes me very happy when I have a three-day weekend ahead of me.  One extra day to relax.  One extra day to get things done.  It’s amazing how wondering that feels.  Yay for holiday weekends!

I felt like doing Five Question Friday today, in honor of relaxation and good things to come.  If you want to participate, hope over to Five Crooked Halos and link up!

1. Do you wake before the alarm or stay in bed until the last possible moment?
   Well, that depends.  If I am getting up for work, I rarely wake up before my 4:30am alarm goes off.  Unless Evan wakes up and wants to eat.  Which happens often.  I am usually so happy to be in bed that I wait until the last possible moment to get up – five seconds extra rest can be the difference between a good day and an exhausting day!
   
2. Who should get a baby shower?  Is it just the first baby or all babies?
   I know a baby shower is traditionally to shower the new mom with new stuff for the baby.  However, I believe that baby showers are a great time to shower moms with love.  My sister has had three kids and I’ve given her a shower each time.  Of course, not huge showers with registries or anything – that was what we did for the first one.  For the other two they were more intimate gatherings with a few gifts.  I kind of feel like each child is worthy of some sort of celebration!
   
3. How will you spend Memorial Day?
   I have a wedding on Saturday (my bus friend’s wedding – that’s how much time I spend commuting to work…I’m going to the wedding of a woman I met on the commuter bus!) and then on Monday we are having a small BBQ.  I love BBQs so I am excited.  I hope the weather cooperates!
   
4. Do you have a storm/tornado/hurricane/fire plan for your kids/house?
   No.  We should, but we don’t.  We don’t really live in an area that has many natural disasters though – at least not yet.  With global warming who knows what the next ten years has in store for us.  My fire plan would be to exit through the front door and if the fire was in the way of that, to go to one of the bedrooms, put a wet towel under the door, and wait for the fire engines.  We are on the fourth floor so jumping isn’t really an option.  I should get an escape latter, but I haven’t yet.
   
5. What is your favorite morning drink?
   Coffee with cream and sugar.  I love coffee in the morning – I love the idea of it more than I actually like the drink, but a nice creamy warm drink in the morning is the best feeling.  When I was pregnant I hated the taste of coffee so I drank tea every morning (and sometimes just hot water) and it worked too.  But there is just something special about coffee.  And I drink decaf so it’s not really the caffeine.

 

What are your Memorial Day plans?

Do you have a long or short commute to work?

An Update on Evan’s Eating

I thought it was about time that I posted an update on how Evan’s eating’s been going.  It has definitely been a difficult road.  It is starting to get better though.  When I posted last time we were unsuccessfully trying to get Evan to eat a few purees.  We failed miserably. 

After doing a lot of reading, I decided to skip purees and do baby-led weaning.  Basically, the philosophy is that instead of pureeing food, you just give babies the same food you are eating.  You put a few options in front of them and they pick up things, put it in their mouth, spit it out, gag a bit, and hopefully swallow it eventually.  It was a bit nerve-wracking at the beginning because I was really afraid he’d choke.  He’d put a bunch of stuff in his mouth and start gagging, but he never choked (as of yet).  This wasn’t a 100% turn-around though.  It’s not that Evan started chomping down and eating like a pro.

Not at all.

He played more often than ate and spit out way more than he actually swallowed. 

Evan eating (aka playing) with his dinner of tomato and broccoli.

If he swallowed anything at all.  The books and internet all said that baby-led weaning babies tend not to really eat much until about 8 months and before then they are just learning about food and practicing chewing (but not swallowing).  Since he consistently refused purees, I was thrilled that he actually put food in his mouth from his tray or my plate, even if he wasn’t swallowing it.  Food close to his mouth = progress.

For the most part, he wasn’t eating too much but I cleared it with the pediatrician and she said that babies don’t need too much nutrition-wise, aside from breast milk, until they are 1 year old.  So we persevered and kept putting food on his tray and hoping he’d one day start shoving food into his mouth.

Chomping on some chicken.

To tell you the truth, it is HARD feeding him.  I didn’t realize that I ate so erratically.  During the week I eat breakfast at work because I leave the house at 6:10am and there is no time for breakfast in the morning.  Even when I work from home on Wednesday, Ivan still takes Evan to my sister’s at 6:15am, so there is no breakfast time.  Evan’s lunch is always done at my sister’s house (except Friday), so dinner is pretty much the only meal time I have with him.  And I used to eat dinner after Evan went to bed, but now that he’s suppose to be eating solids, I try to eat with him before bed.  This is hard.  I get home at 6:30pm and I usually like to play with him for a while, walk the dog maybe, and give him a bath between 7pm and 7:30pm.  Well, cooking dinner can take up to an hour.  So, I try to find quick things that we can enjoy together or we munch on left-overs.  But then I also need to try and find something for him to eat for lunch. 

Eating asparagus and strawberries.

These are some of the things I’ve given him:

• Broccoli (roasted if I’m organized or just frozen – thawed of course)
• Asparagus (he loved this for a while)
• Tomatoes
• Romaine lettuce
• Pasta with olive oil (an easy kind to grab, like penne)
• Rice and beans (his new favorite)
• Fruit (oranges, bananas, strawberries)
• Soup (I’ve tried tomato and lentil)
• Bread (his absolute favorite thing – French baguettes, tortillas, bagels)
• Couscous
• Sweet potatoes (roasted)
• Chicken tamales
• Pancakes
• Scrambled eggs
• Salmon
• Picadillo (Cuban ground beef dish)

I’m sure I’ve given him other things, but I can’t think of anything else right now.  He’s also eaten some “processed” foods like Ella’s Yum Yummy bars (loves these), Happy Puffs, Little Duck Tiny Fruits, and Happy Yogis Yogurt Drops.  He likes all of those but has a hard time picking up the dried fruits.  The hardest thing is trying to make sure he doesn’t get a lot of salt – the pediatrician said too much salt in babies can harm their kidneys.  Well, food has a lot of salt in it (soups, bread, tamales) and even though I’m not a big salt person (I never add salt to food), a lot of the food I eat does have salt in it…and sometimes a significant amount.  So, although I feel like I eat fairly healthy, it’s not quite healthy enough for Evan.

Eating some salmon.

That’s pretty much the food update.  Now that he is 8 months old he is starting to eat more and more and that makes me a bit relieved.  The other night he shoved some rice and beans in his mouth and actually swallows the tortillas.  This morning he ate a bunch of tortilla and eggs.  I’m hoping that now that he’s gotten a bit more used to moving food around his mouth, he’ll start eating a bit more.  Baby-led weaning has really worked for us and I’m glad we went that route.  Although it would have been a lot easier to puree a bunch of foods and be done, it’s been a lot more fun seeing him eat “adult” foods.  And supposedly baby-led weaning babies turn into less picky eaters – so we’ll see about that!

Someone in the house LOVES the fact that Evan is starting to eat…

Dolce cleaning the high chair and making sure no food goes to waste!

If you have kids, what foods did you feed them when they were little? 

Do you eat a lot of salt? 

Do you feed your dog “human” food?
Dolce doesn’t usually get any human food, but I do let him clean up some of Evan’s food, if it’s healthy…like broccoli, eggs, tomatoes, oranges, etc.  No grapes, onions, or garlic though – all poison for doggies!

Five Question Friday

It’s been a while since I’ve posted on this little blog.  I got sick, then Evan got sick, then I got tired and busy and it just didn’t happen.  I’m back now though.  A month later.  And if you are still around, you should follow me on Instagram and Twitter – I don’t post a ton but I post more than I used to.  For my bday last month my hubby, sister, and sister’s family all pitched in to buy me a iPad mini.  I LOVE it and it makes it a bit easier to keep up on social media.  I don’t have a data plan so I can only hook up to the internet at home and work, but it’s something.

Ok, I thought I would make my entrance back into blog world with a little Five Question Friday (or Sunday, since it’s Sunday now).  So here it goes!

1. Do you have a doppelgänger?
   I had a doppelgänger in high school and another one in grad school (I guess I am not really unique looking!), although I didn’t think they looked a lot like me.  It was strange.  I haven’t heard of another doppelgänger recently though.
   
2. Do you keep your car cleaned up?
   Yes, for the most part.  My husband usually cleans the outside about once a month or so and then the inside maybe once every two months.  He just likes a clean car.  When I was the only person driving the car (before baby and husband) it was super cleaned because I just never got it dirty.  Dust and pollen piled up and I would wipe it down every once in a while, but I didn’t actually have any trash or junk.  Now there is a bunch of Ivan’s work clothes, golf clubs, and junk.  What can you do?
   
3. What is a current fashion that drives you crazy?
   Umm, belly shirts.  Where did they come from?  Why are they back?  They are never cute and I will never wear them.  They were popular in high school and I never wore them then and I definitely won’t be wearing them post baby!
   
4. How often do you go grocery shopping?
   Once a week.  I love grocery shopping and I would love it even more if it didn’t break the bank.  Seriously, who would’ve thought it would be so stressful and impossible to keep my grocery bill under $100.  Impossible.  Groceries – stop getting so expensive! 
   
5. What has been the best surprise of your life?
   Evan.  Hands down. 
   
   
   
   He wasn’t a surprise in the sense that we weren’t expecting to get pregnant – but every day I am so blessed that God trusted me with his little soul.  He is the absolute best baby for me.  He’s like a little angel – he gives you a little hug and everything bad disappears in your life.  He melts my little heart.

 

What about you?  What has been the best surprise in your life?  What fashion trend drives you crazy??