Aargh!!! We just got back from the Dr yesterday where Ace was given a clean bill of health and then last night Ace woke up crying and upset and refused to be comforted and then when we finally decided to let him cry himself back to sleep he cried for so long that we knew something was not right. B took him outside and finally got him calmed down and back to sleep, but it was an ordeal. Today Ace woke up with a runny nose and coughing. I am beside myself. When will his immune system finally kick in? The Dr. told me that it will be fine and that Ace is just building up immunity and that kids who don't go through this in day care end up going through it in preschool or kindergarten, but it makes me worried. My sister in law ended up pulling her kids from day care because they got sick so often.
I just feel so bad for Ace. He clearly has a sore throat and is not happy. I just want him to feel well for longer than a week. He is such an amazing little person when he is feeling well. Plus, we head off on vacation with B's family this Sunday. I don't think they have seen Ace in good health since he was a tiny baby.
So frustrating!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Hand Foot Mouth Surprise!
We were recently introduced to the most atrocious childhood viruses that we have encountered so far: Hand Foot and Mouth Disease. I love that it is called a disease, as if it will never go away, instead of the virus that it is. It totally looks and acts like a disease. A disease that will eat your poor little toddler up entirely.
Here is what it entails. My son had little bumps on the soles of this feet and a few on his legs and pubic area (or groin, not crotch - the only word I could think of at the time when I was on the phone with the pediatric nurse - "yeah, he's got bumps on his crotch" I felt very sophisticated after that!). I thought they were bug bites, so I gave the cat his anti flea and tick medication, washed all the sheets and went about my business. Then a large blister showed up on his heel and I thought, "Huh, that's odd. Who knew babies got blisters? I did put his shoes on the wrong feet the other day." Then day care pointed out that he had these little bumps on the palms of his hands, but they did not tell me what they must have already known. I just worried all day and when my husband got home from work, I asked him what he thought about these bumps, and the fact that Ace now had a fever. We decided to call the pediatrician in the morning. We are very smart, see?
My husband jumped on Google and we had a few guesses, including Hand Foot and Mouth, but Ace didn't have any bumps on his mouth. "No, you won't see them," the pediatric nurse tells me, "They are on the inside of his mouth and it is like having a mouth full of canker sores." Oh, so that would explain why my son has been so incredibly unpleasant the last few days. I thought it was because we weaned him from the pacifier. Wait, we weaned him from the pacifier while he was going through this most uncomfortable ordeal, not just uncomfortable, but very painful? Oh, the guilt!
I'm over the guilt now. I realize that there was no way that I could have known that Ace was crying out in pain and not in frustration. Now that he is back to his awesome self and sleeping through the night once again, I know that he doesn't permanently hate me because of my lack of parental knowledge on that one. I'll know for the future.
I can't believe that there is the possibility that he will get this virus again. Day care, how I love, yet deeply despise you.
On the bright side, Ace is weaned from the pacifier. I used the technique where you cut the nipple on the pacifier down a little each night. By the third night, Ace was annoyed with it and threw it aside. There were tears but whether they were from the lack of pacifier or onset of painful mouth sores, I do not know.
Here is what it entails. My son had little bumps on the soles of this feet and a few on his legs and pubic area (or groin, not crotch - the only word I could think of at the time when I was on the phone with the pediatric nurse - "yeah, he's got bumps on his crotch" I felt very sophisticated after that!). I thought they were bug bites, so I gave the cat his anti flea and tick medication, washed all the sheets and went about my business. Then a large blister showed up on his heel and I thought, "Huh, that's odd. Who knew babies got blisters? I did put his shoes on the wrong feet the other day." Then day care pointed out that he had these little bumps on the palms of his hands, but they did not tell me what they must have already known. I just worried all day and when my husband got home from work, I asked him what he thought about these bumps, and the fact that Ace now had a fever. We decided to call the pediatrician in the morning. We are very smart, see?
My husband jumped on Google and we had a few guesses, including Hand Foot and Mouth, but Ace didn't have any bumps on his mouth. "No, you won't see them," the pediatric nurse tells me, "They are on the inside of his mouth and it is like having a mouth full of canker sores." Oh, so that would explain why my son has been so incredibly unpleasant the last few days. I thought it was because we weaned him from the pacifier. Wait, we weaned him from the pacifier while he was going through this most uncomfortable ordeal, not just uncomfortable, but very painful? Oh, the guilt!
I'm over the guilt now. I realize that there was no way that I could have known that Ace was crying out in pain and not in frustration. Now that he is back to his awesome self and sleeping through the night once again, I know that he doesn't permanently hate me because of my lack of parental knowledge on that one. I'll know for the future.
I can't believe that there is the possibility that he will get this virus again. Day care, how I love, yet deeply despise you.
On the bright side, Ace is weaned from the pacifier. I used the technique where you cut the nipple on the pacifier down a little each night. By the third night, Ace was annoyed with it and threw it aside. There were tears but whether they were from the lack of pacifier or onset of painful mouth sores, I do not know.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
A Few Things
We went to B's parents' home a few weeks ago and I was very nervous about flying with a sixteen-month-old. Turns out it was not too bad. I brought brand new books, new snack food, a few new toys - including a small wind up toy - and random things like stickers and tape. I also bought two Sesame Street DVDs in case of emergency. We only ended up watching about five mintutes of one DVD. Ace was really very good. Considering that we flew during his first real illness - a virus with an ear infection that was diagnosed two days before we left, and that he had a fever of about 103 and was taking Motrin and antibiotics - he did really well. At some point during the flight I noticed that Ace was breaking out in a rash, so after talking to the doctor we added Benadryl to his mix of medications.
Ace survived and got over his illness. He is still taking antibiotics, but I think we are down to our last dose tonight.
I flew back alone with Ace and he was great. He got over tired and wouldn't fall asleep, but then he bumped his head and leaned into me to cry about it and within seconds he was sound asleep. We had an open seat next to us, so I laid him down with his head on my lap. That worked well for a glorious hour or so, until the toddler behind us kicked the seat and knocked down the arm rest, which hit Ace in the head. I was livid. I glared at that two-year-old like a crazy lady. Then I felt bad about it, but my baby was hurt, just a little.
Man, it is hard to travel alone with a toddler! I had the stroller and just two bags, but it required a lot of figuring. I managed to eat and not lose it, but Ace was none too happy about being stuck in his stroller and off of his schedule.
The fact that we can not get a direct flight into B's parents' city is not a good thing, either.
Speaking of not good things, our trip included being yelled at and we may not be going back to B's parents' again. We are going on a family vacation with them in a few weeks, so we will see how that goes. Some things that are wrong but still ok when you don't have kids suddenly become totally wrong and not okay when you have your child there with you.
Another disturbing thing that happened while out of town involved Ace and his love of water. He LOVES it. He had no fear, just wants to get in the water. We really need to get him swimming lessons or water survival lessons. Here is why: we went to the baby pool at B's sister's country club and Ace was in heaven. The pool is a big round pool that is never deeper than 1.5 feet, so he can stand and play and was trilled. Then he tried to walk across the pool. The first time he was successful. The second time he did it he was chasing a ball and when he leaned forward for the ball he lost his balance and fell face first into the water. And then he stayed like that for a while. I thought for sure he would struggle and kick or something, but no, he just laid there and I jumped in and got him. He wasn't even upset about it really. I couldn't stop thinking that what he looked like floating there was probably what poor parents see when they don't realize until too late that their child has fallen in to the water. I had trouble sleeping later that night. I kept flashing on the image of Ace floating there.
Now we are back home and summer is racing by. I have been weaning Ace from the pacifier and that has led to some tearful days. Today being one of them. Instead of napping he cried for one hour. So I went and got him out and now he is asleep. I guess our afternoon plans can wait for another day.
Ace survived and got over his illness. He is still taking antibiotics, but I think we are down to our last dose tonight.
I flew back alone with Ace and he was great. He got over tired and wouldn't fall asleep, but then he bumped his head and leaned into me to cry about it and within seconds he was sound asleep. We had an open seat next to us, so I laid him down with his head on my lap. That worked well for a glorious hour or so, until the toddler behind us kicked the seat and knocked down the arm rest, which hit Ace in the head. I was livid. I glared at that two-year-old like a crazy lady. Then I felt bad about it, but my baby was hurt, just a little.
Man, it is hard to travel alone with a toddler! I had the stroller and just two bags, but it required a lot of figuring. I managed to eat and not lose it, but Ace was none too happy about being stuck in his stroller and off of his schedule.
The fact that we can not get a direct flight into B's parents' city is not a good thing, either.
Speaking of not good things, our trip included being yelled at and we may not be going back to B's parents' again. We are going on a family vacation with them in a few weeks, so we will see how that goes. Some things that are wrong but still ok when you don't have kids suddenly become totally wrong and not okay when you have your child there with you.
Another disturbing thing that happened while out of town involved Ace and his love of water. He LOVES it. He had no fear, just wants to get in the water. We really need to get him swimming lessons or water survival lessons. Here is why: we went to the baby pool at B's sister's country club and Ace was in heaven. The pool is a big round pool that is never deeper than 1.5 feet, so he can stand and play and was trilled. Then he tried to walk across the pool. The first time he was successful. The second time he did it he was chasing a ball and when he leaned forward for the ball he lost his balance and fell face first into the water. And then he stayed like that for a while. I thought for sure he would struggle and kick or something, but no, he just laid there and I jumped in and got him. He wasn't even upset about it really. I couldn't stop thinking that what he looked like floating there was probably what poor parents see when they don't realize until too late that their child has fallen in to the water. I had trouble sleeping later that night. I kept flashing on the image of Ace floating there.
Now we are back home and summer is racing by. I have been weaning Ace from the pacifier and that has led to some tearful days. Today being one of them. Instead of napping he cried for one hour. So I went and got him out and now he is asleep. I guess our afternoon plans can wait for another day.
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