2009: Year In Review (Bloggy-Style)

The first paragraph from my first substantive post from each month of 2009, complete with links to the full posts, if you want to refresh your memory as to what the hell I was talking about.

January 3 - I Walk the Floor
Peeper's been having some gassy-tummy issues lately. (Does anyone know if she can take mylicon and gripe water at the same time?)

February 1 - Snuggle Bear's Big Adventure
It was a beautiful, sunny, "warm" (50s) day here, so we bundled Peeper up in what we're now calling her "snuggle-bear suit" from Vee and Jay, stuffed her into the wrap (in a new, "big-girl" carry! - mostly because she wasn't very bendable in the suit, so wouldn't go into her usual position) and went for her very first family walk around the neighborhood with the doggies.

March 2 - Overheard: Bye-Bye Bottle Edition
Today, we started "practicing" for Learning Center Online, and for me having to pump while Peeper's not able to nurse during surgery time, and for her doc wanting her to get the first couple of post-op feedings by bottle, so they can monitor her intake.

April 4 - Daily Peep: Out and About
It's a beautiful, sunny day, so Peeper and I took a little walk in our neighborhood. It was still pretty windy and chilly, so we didn't go far, but it was nice to get out for a few minutes.

May 3 - More Practice
So, now that Peeper's introduction to solid food is imminent - We're thinking the end of next week, based on a variety of factors, including banana ripening (It needs to be good and squishy.), our schedules (We have to find a time when we've got nothing else going on for a while, since the first time will be a Big Deal requiring Full Parental Participation - and a bath.), and neuroses too ridiculous to admit (Yes, mine. They are always mine.) - we're thinking we should at least pretend that we're eat-at-the-table kind of folks, because that was one important characteristics of the "better people" who we were supposed to magically become when we had a kid.

June - Trial by Cheese
We've decided that, now that Peeper's seven-and-then-some months old, it's time to do some experimenting to see if she's outgrown her dairy sensitivity.

July 3 - Spoke Too Soon
That Daily Peep photo from the wee hours is of Peeper lying on the floor giggling, after having fallen over backwards.

August 1 - Daily Peep: You Gotta BelieveNine months of breastfeeding. . . and counting.
As you know, Peeper and I got off to a very rough start with breastfeeding, but we hung in there and nine months later, we're still going strong.

September 5 - Whatchu Talkin Bout, Peeper?
A couple of days ago, Peeper and I were having a snack, and a chat. I said, "I love you," to which she responded "Ah-la-ya."

October 2 - It's Go-Time!
I heard from BabyBro a couple of hours ago, saying that SIL would be induced as soon as the perinatologist stopped by and signed off on it. He was expecting them to start within the next hour or two.

November 2 - Apple Cinnamon Pancakes
Okay, the kid's a year old. Maybe it's time to start getting our shit together around here.

December 3 - Daily Peep: Jolly Old St. Nick
Peeper and I went to visit Santa Claus this evening. Given the way she generally reacts to anyone other than me or Shrike holding her, I was kind of expected to come home with an official Bad Santa Photo, but she did amazingly well.

Daily Peep: In Texas

We made it to Texas safe and sound. Shrike will be here through Sunday, and Peeper and I will be staying another week after that.

Here she is, getting ready for bed.

Daily Peep: Catch-22

Can't pack with her "help."

Can't pack like this, either.

Daily Peep: Flower Girl

Here's Peeper modelling one of my recent Target impulse buys. . .

. . . while reprogramming the thermostat.

Which, actually, would be great. It's set to turn down to 68 degrees in the middle of the night, and I wake up huddled under the comforter, freezing, every morning.

Then look over at the uncovered baby sleeping next to me and feel like the Worst Mother Ever.

Tonight's impulse buy (at Kohl's, actually, not Target) was a pair of warm jammies.

Daily Peepr: Babywearing Meets Baby Led Weaning

As I've mentions, Peeper's not been much for the chewin' food lately, since she's been sick. She's also been very clingy cuddly over the past week.

The most she's eaten in one "sitting" has been a couple of times that I've shared something with her, while standing at the kitchen counter and wearing her.

Tonight it was tortellinis.




Of course, even with the baby-led approach, there is some spoon- (fork-)feeding allowed.

Fourteen Months

Dear Peeper:

You are fourteen months old today. I'm happy to reach this milestone, because I've felt kind of silly saying "thirteen months," because it seemed like I should just call you "one," but you are so different - already - than you were on your birthday, that it just didn't seem right at all.

This has been a huge month for you, developmentally. You've started walking, and your signing vocabulary has just exploded.

If you count things like waving hello and goodbye, clapping - which you'll do if you hear "yay!" or "hooray!" or other people clapping, pointing to things, you have over twenty signs, at least half of which you've learned in the past month.

You also sticking out your tongue when asked, "Where's your mouth? and - new today - raise your hands when we ask "Where's Peeper?"

On a less exciting note, you've also been sick, off and on, for the past month. Which totally sucks.

Mostly, you've had a runny nose and felt icky, but the past week, you had an ear infection, and then an allergic reaction to the antibiotics. That's no fun. You should stop that. Really.

Along with being sick, you've not been real interested in "chewin' food," and earlier this week, you were eating so little and nursing so much that your diapers were looking like the old days.

You've not gained much weight lately - four ounces from twelve months to thirteen, and nothing since then.

When I asked the nurse about it, she was sort of noncommittal, saying that well, the scales vary, and yes, if you'd not been eating much that would make sense, and so on.

Then I mentioned that you'd learned to walk in the past few weeks, and she said, "Oh! That explains it!"

I suppose if I'd started the kind of walking program than you had, I would've maintained my weight over the past month, too, huh?

I'm looking forward to getting your height measured at your checkup next month, because you seem alot taller.

When you look taller up against furniture, it might have to do with standing up straighter, but your jammies are also getting awfully snug in the neck-to-toes direction, so I don't guess it's just a matter of perspective.

You are definitely changing from a baby-shaped person into a toddler-shaped person.

Which is fitting, because you are totally a toddler now, what with the walking and the signing and the understanding what we say, and everything else.

And we are loving (almost) every minute of it.

Now, stop being sick, so we can love the rest of it, too.

Get well soon, Roo-Roo.


love,
Mama

Christmas, Again

This afternoon, we had Christmas festivities with Shrike's extended family, at her parents' house.

It was us, her parents, grandparents, sister, her partner and kids, aunt and uncle, mom's cousin and his wife, and cousin, her partner and son.

A good time was had by most.



Nah, Peeper actually did pretty well, considering that she's still under the weather. She wasn't as sociable as usual, and needed a nap in the middle, but she seemed to enjoy opening her presents.



So did Shrike.

Daily Peep: Panda Pics - 14 Months (60 weeks, 6 day)

"Hello, Mr. Panda. Peeper Shrike-Whozat, damn glad to meet'cha!"

Daily Peep: Feeling Better

(But not quite all better.)

And here she is with her kitties. Who each still outweigh her. By almost a third.

Back to the Doctor

At about eleven thirty this morning, Shrike came into the bedroom, where Peeper and I were sleeping, and started talking loudly about the doctor calling us back.

"Shhhh!" I said, "She's asleep!"

"No. They want to see her. They close at noon. Get up!"

Oh crap!

So, up we got, and dressed and diapered and out the door, before the doctor and her staff went home for the day.

We saw a different doctor today, one we've not seen since, hmm, maybe when Peeper was a newborn?

Although Peeper's rash is much better, she was able to see enough of it to confirm that it looks like an allergic reaction to the amoxycillin, as we thought.

She took another look in Peeper's ears, and says that the right one still looks fine, and the left one looks much better than it did on Wednesday.

She said that the antibiotics wouldn't have made it better that quickly, so it must actually have been a viral infection, so she did not give us a new antibiotic.

She confirmed that, for bigger kids, they usually watch and wait a couple of days to see if an earache gets better on its own, but that with babies, they go ahead and give antibiotics, "because they can't tell us if it feels better."

(Although, I think that Peeper has quite clearly let us know that she feels better. Not all better, by any means, but definitely much better than a few days ago.)

When I talked to LadyKay last night, she told me that her kids always got Auralgan, which is basically benzocaine eardrops, and she looked it up and found out that it's still available, and still prescription-only.

On Wednesday, when I asked if there was any kind of analgesic eardrop available, that doctor told me that there wasn't. When I asked about the Hyland's drops, she said, basically that they, "Can't hurt, might help," but they really didn't seem to help much.

So, I asked today about Auralgan, and she said, "Oh, that's over-the-counter now?"

"Really?" I asked, "Because my sister looked it up on WebMD, and. . . ."

"Yes, the pharmacy should have it."

So, off we went downstairs to the pharmacy, where they know Peeper by name.

I asked one of the girls there for help finding it, but all they had on the ear shelf was the same not-Hylands homeophathic stuff that we already have, and some "ear oil" which is essentially the same as the olive oil that we'd already tried, also to no avail.

So, I asked the pharmacist about it and he said it was only available by prescription.

He was kind enough to try calling up to the doctor's office, but they weren't answering the phone, because it was after noon.

So, I left Shrike and Peeper at the pharmacy and ran back upstairs, knocked on the window to be let in, and asked for a prescription.

When the nurse came back with it, she told me that, "Here you go, but she (the doctor) says it's over-the-counter. They might just not have it. It's hard to find. If you can't find it, you'll just have to let it go, and let it run it's course."

She didn't seem to believe me that the pharmacist had told me that he'd be happy to give us some if I could show him a prescription.

So, back to the pharmacy, to get the prescription filled, and then we were on our way.

I put a few drops in Peeper's ears, and now she's napping.

What we got isn't actually Auralgan brand, but it's the same stuff. If you're interested in getting some for your kid who has an earache, here's what you're looking for:



In case you missed that:

Second Christmas

Dear Peeper:

Today is your second Christmas, and you are sick. You have an ear infection, and now an allergic reaction to the antibiotics. I am so sorry.

I just keep telling myself that we'll be able to look back on this and, well, maybe not laugh, but at least say, "Remember that one crappy Christmas when Peeper was a year old, and had an ear infection? That was awful!"

At least you're too young to have any expectations for Christmas, so you don't know to be disappointed that you're sick.

I guess that's some sort of consolation.

Other than feeling yucky the past few days, I hope that you've enjoyed yourself this holiday season.

Actually, it's really just getting started for us, as we've still got both the big family events to go, so hopefully you'll be feeling better for those.

You did about as well as could be expected last night at dinner and at church. I wish you'd been able to sleep all the way through the service, but at least you rallied long enough for us to go at all.

Of course, Santa Claus came last night, and this morning you found your presents from him - a train, a Dressy Bessy doll, your very own (toy, non-photo-taking) camera, two 2-CD sets, and a toothbrush - and opened your presents from Mommy and Mama - a turtle tambourine / washboard, two books and some baby cookie/crackers, and from a couple of friends - a guitar, a piano and a panda mug.

It looks like you're about ready to start a band!

Unfortunately, Mommy had to go to work, so you and I are on our own for the evening. So far, we've mostly napped and nursed and felt yucky, and lather, rinse, repeat.

Tomorrow, we get a break from the festivities, and then on Sunday we'll go to Eena and Papa's house to open gifts with Mommy's family. Then, on New Year's Eve, we'll fly to Texas to do it all over again down there.

I sure hope you're feeling all better by then.

I am so, so sorry that you're sick, honey, but I hope you've had a Merry Christmas anyway.

I love you, my little elf!


love,
Mama

Perspective

As crappy as Peeper might be feeling on this Christmas, she's doing a lot better than she was on St. Patrick's Day.

Daily Peep: How Festive

As if the red ears weren't enough, Peeper thought she'd get even more into the holiday spirit by adding some little red dots all over her body.

A reaction to the amoxicillin, we're assuming.

I've already called Anonydaddy about it, "Hi, Merry Christmas. Peeper has a rash," and he said to stop giving to her, and call her pediatrician so they can switch her to a different antibiotic.

I've left a message with their office, but don't expect them to hear it and call me back until tomorrow.

Which is fine, I suppose, since we can't get the new prescription filled until then anyway.

In the meantime, we won't give her any more, and we'll keep an eye on her (as though we don't always have an eye on her anyway) to make sure that the rash is the only reaction she's having.

Santa Was Here!

Now, we just have to wait for Peeper to wake up and see what he brought!

Ready for Santa!

Our gifts to and from each other and Peeper, plus a couple for Peeper from other people.


Santa likes a little "nog" with his 'nog.

Visions of Boobs Sugar Plums

Daily Peep: Merry Christmas Eve

Peeper's about the same as yesterday, I suppose. We've added Motrin to the mix, per Shrike's sister, who is a pharmacist and a mommy.

She rallied enough to be sort of okay and semi-sociable for Christmas Eve dinner with the family, and enough to convince us that it was okay to go church.

We are, as you might have noticed, not "church people," but even I think it seems like you ought to go on Christmas Eve. For the past several years, Shrike's sister and her partner have had the family over for dinner and then we all go to their Unitarian Universalist church together.

The Unitarians have a special place in my heart, since Shrike and I held our commitment ceremony in a UU church, back home in Texas.

I didn't used to "get" the point of a church without a dogma, but over the years I've come to understand it, and to really like the idea of being able to have that sort of spiritual fellowship, without being told what to believe.

Not that I actually want to have that sort of spiritual fellowship myself, but I like that it's available for those who do.

I also like any church who doesn't think that my wife and I are going to hell for loving each other.

Anyway, Peeper was pretty fussy when we got there, but she nursed to sleep before the service started.

If I had any hesitation about that (which I really didn't) it was completely alleviated when I looked over, right after she got latched and settled, to see a two-year-old nursing across the aisle from us.

I thought we were home-free when she fell asleep, but she but woke up midway through and we went out into the foyer for the duration.

She fell back asleep on the way home, and when we got back into town, Shrike hopped into the front seat at a red light and we drove around looking at Christmas lights and talking for a while.

When we got home, Peeper woke up and cried, more or less hysterically, while we got her jammied and medicated. We nursed for a while, but she was done sleeping for the time being.

Shrike, because she is the best wife ever, ordered me into a hot bath and they are still in the living room playing while I decompress a bit more.

It's been a long few days and I am so ready for her to feeling better and back to her usual "put me down now so I can play, Mama!" self!

Of course, we took a few photos over the course of the evening.

Here we are at dinner . . .

. . . and at church.

Shrike "won" her nine-year-old niece's drawing to "get to" wear the elf hat to church.

Actually, the elf hat was second prize. First prize was a Santa hat.

Technically, Shrike's dad won the first drawing for the elf hat, but Niece said, "No, Papa can't make a fool of himself at church. It has to be one of the ladies."

To which, Shrike's sister's partner said, "What ladies? I don't see any ladies."

Which is funny, because she's the most ladylike of us all.

So, point being, here we are singing at church.

And lets say that this one is "soft focus," because I really wanted to post the one of Peeper asleep and nursing in my lap during church.

Now, if we can just get Peeper to go to bed before Santa passes us by!

What She Said

Please take a moment to visit Peaceful Parenting and watch a beautiful montage of art depicting Mary breastfeeding Baby Jesus, set to the song Mary, Did You Know, which is rapidly becoming one of my favorites.

Daily Peep: The Best Medicine

The Stockings Were Hung...

Last Christmas, Peeper was saved from her no-shit-together-having mothers by her "Aunt" Frappa, who made her a beautiful stocking.

This year, I commissioned coordinating stocking for us, as well.

To be honest, I sort of expected that she'd give them to us during our visit next week, but they arrived in the mail today, in time for Santa to fill!

Peeper likes them, too!




And they look great with hers!


Luckily, since we still don't really have our shit together, Santa (or possibly his buddy, Hanukkah Harry) has already hooked us up!