babyblog

Say CHEE!

So far so good

Today is Day 4 of no longer taking Zoloft and Day 4 of switching to Cymbalta. Looking back at earlier entries from when I gave it up last time, I seemed to start to have withdrawal symptoms on day 4 or 5, but maybe having switched to something else I will avoid them this time? Fingers crossed. Otherwise, I don't feel bad or miserable (touch wood). This may of course change tomorrow - being a Monday and all. Then again G has said that now that his project is underway he won't be so busy (remind me, where have I heard that before? Oh yes, a million times).

Had a nice day out yesterday though - we all went shopping to a local mall for the first time in eternity. Had lunch and also popped to an outlet mall to get a few things- mostly shoes! They have a 'Stride Rite' outlet there which is great for decent kids shoes at cheaper prices (think 20 bucks instead of 60). I got Harry some new trainers which have a flashing fire engine on when he takes steps - you can imagine how thrilled he is! Also got him some summer sandals. Dylan also got new trainers - velcro instead of laces which he still struggles with at school. They too flash when you walk. He was very torn between going with his desire for flashing shoes and 'what will my friends think, will they think these are babyish?' which was funny. Finally, I some new running shoes from the Nike Outlet (79 bucks instead of 160) which claim to absorb shock better than any other. They are pretty hideous but if they cure these Shin Splints I have, I'll wear them!

We also managed to pop into the Gap Outlet where you can pick up jeans and shirts dirt cheap...... I bought some in size (cough) and am delighted to report that they are on the big side having been working out like a demon and (mostly) cutting sugar out of my diet of late.

Downer

I've been on a real downer today.

Since I started taking Zoloft again a few months ago my mood improved quite alot and I stopped feeling 'depressed' for the most part but for the last 3 months or so I've started to suffer rather horrendous PMS symptoms which last around a week and drag me back into gloomtown for the duration. I've also started to suffer some miserable side effects, the details of which I will spare you. On top of all this I've got a litany of aches and pains from carpal tunnel in my arms and wrists to 'shin splints' from running on the treadmill. I went to the Doc and have been put on some new anti depressant meds - this time 'Cymbalta'. We'll see how that goes but I'm expecting a couple of weeks of unpleasantness while my body accustoms itself to the change.

I have been feeling really anti social today (despite being very sociable and seeing plenty of friends). I'm going through this crisis of confidence where I don't feel that I fit in, where I don't think my friends could possibly like me. I also feel a bit lonely as G has been working round the clock. The sort of day I'd be better off getting into bed and sleeping through. I hope tomorrow is better.

Oh for a nights sleep

Harry has woken at least twice a night for the last few, clearly in pain with these back molars coming in, hysterical with crying and refusing to go back to sleep for at least half an hour. It's like having a newborn again! Then today Dylan decides he's got a cold and can't go to school. V tired.

Took the boys swimming yesterday afternoon which was fun. D practised his moves - he's moving up to the 2nd level of swim classes after meeting all the requirements to 'graduate' from the first level and can now swim a few feet with his face in the water.. excellent. H floated about in an inflatable ring and had a great time. H is now enrolled in Aquababies class on Sunday mornings starting soon!

Teething

For the first time, Harry is showing serious distress while some back molars come in. We had a bad day on Sunday with him in quite a dire mood, and again today. He keeps chewing on his finger and crying. This morning he wouldn't stop and thank goodness for Teletubbies which has managed to distract him away from the pain.

In other 'words' news he now says 'WHAT?' (lovely), and DYLANNNNNNN!! On long journeys in the car we have a DVD player and Harry is very fascinated by this. When we went to Vancouver at the weekend he was allowed to watch 'Blues Clues' and thought it was marvellous. The TV in the car is now known as 'DAT!'. Every time we get in he shouts and points at 'DAT!'. He can also say 'lookadat!'. Of course none of these words get a look in compared to 'CAR'.

Harry - 21 months

Wow, Cool! So goes ones of your favourite and oft repeated phrases of the month Mr Harry! That, along with 'Car!' and 'Oh no!' and 'Byeeee!!!' - all very entertaining and sweet to listen to. You definitely seem to understand everything said to you now, it's quite amazing to ask you questions and have you say "Yeh!' or 'No!' in answer quite clearly and definitely.

I think 21 months is heralding the beginning of the Terrible Two's. You're getting quite fed up if you don't get your own way and we have some screaming fit scenes occasionally that are thankfully very quickly over but boy you make your opinion clear. Taking you into any kind of shop without being in your stroller is an absolute no no as you will immediately pull everything off the nearest shelves and then scream if you're stopped. Similarly with trying to take something away from you that you are wanting to hang on to or attempting to change your nappy. Oh fun, and this till you're 3 so the theory goes...... which of course are then followed by the 'Fucking Fours' that nobody tells you about when you have kids....... joy!!

At the moment your temper is also quite brittle due to some nasty big molars coming in. Your face is red and you've been waking in the night - very unusual for you - crying.

Last week we had our friend Andrew visit from the UK and you took a real shine to him. While he was here we did lots of touristy things and were out and about non stop which interrupted your usual routine and consequently you didn't get enough sleep for a week which is something we need to focus on getting you back into. After a week of catching 20 mins nap in the car or stroller you have now decided not to nap in your crib at all - a habit which will be broken next week if it kills me :-)

Reading is still a favourite activity - you'll say 'Book!' and bring one over and ask to be read to. Cars remain a firm favourite too, they're absolutely your favourite thing especially police cars or any other emergency vehicles, preferably with loud sirens to press.

Your eating is marvellous, you will eat anything and everything and love fruit in large quantities. I have no doubt this will change as you sink deeper into the Terrible Two's but right now I have no complaints :-)

The woman who runs the day care at the Pro Club - the gym we attend three times a week - says you are her very favourite child.... and always expresses amazement at how happy and easy going you are, and at how nicely you play. She says you are never any trouble and she wishes all the kids were the same. The two gruff men who run the desk on the way in often comment as we walk past 'That's the cutest kid that comes in here' as you wave and shout HI and BYEEEE to them on the way past. Although somewhat bias :-) I agree! You are incredibly cute and sweet and everyone that meets you loves you to bits. You are a child that everyone instantly warms to and that's wonderful to see, and I am sure this is a quality that you'll retain as you grow up. You're a pleasure to be around!

Love you big boy.

Mummy xxxx

Continuing with the DIY..

I'm really hopeful that this is our last DIY weekend for a few weeks. On Wednesday another visitor comes, this time family friend Andrew, for a week and the bathroom will, yes WILL, be finished by then.

Gareth is finishing up with the last few tiles which need doing and then going to grout them, sand down the remaining walls and paint the ceiling. Then it'll be the walls tomorrow morning, followed by the fitting of toilet, sink, and various other fixtures that need putting in there. Photo's to come of the finished product, it looks grrrreat.

Meanwhile the rest of the house is a tip but I just don't have the energy to clean it today while G treks a constant stream of dust, mortar and goodness knows what else across every available floor space.

Once this bathroom is done we're going to have some time off - let G spend a bit of time with the kids for once - hang out and look around (Vancouver next weekend!) and explore this place a bit more, something we've not really had a chance to do since we got here. Then back to the grindstone to start a few more major tasks that need doing (2 more bathrooms, a kitchen, various rooms needing decorating, and loads and loads of trim work)

Depression

Regular readers will know that I've suffered occasionally with bouts of depression. The first was shortly after moving to Canada, the second after being victimised by some highly unpleasant individuals, and the third a while after moving here. Each time I've struggled and tried to deal with it and 'get over it' but been utterly unable to and found myself feeling totally isolated, desolate and wretched until I've given in to the DR's suggestions of taking the damn Zoloft already.

I'm taking them now and I'm feeling pretty well, but in the last few months I have developed some seriously moody PMS symptoms and I wondered if anyone else reading this had same and could offer any advice. I've never really suffered this in my life but I've noticed that now in the week or so prior I am getting really negative, down, miserable, moody, and in short suffering from most of the depression symptoms that I used to have. Once it all starts, they disappear in a puff of smoke and I feel great, positive, lively, until the next month. They feel quite severe, these symptoms. I've done a tad of research and it says that they often prescribe anti depressants - duh, that isn't obviously going to work as I'm already on them but why would I suddenly get this now? What is up wtih my hormones? And is there any kind of 'natural' remedy that might work? Or is this just 'normal, get on with it'? Suggestions please.

Peace and Quiet (in short supply this week)

Any dream will do

I don't like many musicals. As a musician ...they often offend me. Especially those which inexplicably sell out for years (Les Miserables is a good example of this) when their entire score is one note sung either quickly, slowly, loudly, softly, solo or en masse. I have walked out on some west end musicals as they've been excrutiatingly tedious, 'Fame' being one and *'Sunset Boulevard'
another.

I do have one overwhelming favourite musical of all and that is 'Blood Brothers' which I've seen 3 or 4 times. I also enjoyed 'Phantom of the Opera' a couple of times in the West End, and Joseph and his Amazing Technicoloured Dreamcoat a couple of times (Jason Donovan AND Phillip Schofield). I like a couple of musical movies, The Sound of Music, The Rocky Horror Show and Moulin Rouge being firm favourites. However, 'Chicago' and 'Rent' and 'The Producers' and even the POTO movie, all left me cold.

As a kid I was exposed to more musicals than most as mum was (and still is) obsessed and active in local amateur operatic societies. Gilbert and Sullivan were trilled daily and while I recall protesting loudly at the time I now harbour a secret liking for their music, it's clever.

Gareth, my darling husband, loves musicals. And, sadly, is completely tone deaf. He listens to musicals in the car, or from his PC speakers. Mostly really awful ones. Obscure ones that probably only ran for a week or two before being closed FOR A VERY GOOD REASON. He sings along. Loudly. Pity me, dear reader.

* I once worked for Andrew Lloyd Webbers company 'The Really Useful Group'. Part of my job involved going to all of the musicals to see what they were about. Matinee productions instead of working in an office - it had it's benefits. That said, Starlight Express was absolutely pants. Cats, while having a great score, is *the* most tedious show on the stage. Sunset Boulevard was one I was required to attend along with the rest of the staff at the office because Elaine Paige was opening in it and they hadn't sold out the house. Desperately bad show, made worse by sitting behind Anita Dobson and Brian May from Queen - both of whom had enormous permed hair. We left at the interval, job be damned.

Seattle has a very cultured society and The Arts are a big deal here. This is nice, after Toronto. I saw Mama Mia a few weeks ago with a friend and thought it was a bloody funny and clever stage show, and then last week went to see Joseph and his Dreamcoat whatsit. I had agreed to go without giving it any thought or researching who was in it so when I arrived at the Theatre I was surprised to see that the Narrator part was being played by Amy Adams, one of last years American Idol contestants. I don't watch much Reality TV but I do like a bit of 'Idol'. Amy Adams was my least favourite member of the top 12 last year and I'd boo her off as soon as she came on the stage much to G's amusement. Anyway, seeing an 'Idol' live on stage - call me sad but I was quite impressed.

Unfortunately and surprisingly given it was opening night in Seattle, she didn't come onstage and the understudy took the part of the Narrator. The main part of the show. The most important role. And horror of horrors she COULD NOT SING. It was excrutiating, listening to a cat being strangled at least half a tone sharp throughout the show. My friend and I sat with our fingers in our ears every time she was on stage. All in all, a very disappointing show. Next up - Chicago!

Will I ever lose this post baby weight? :-(

Spiders beginning to rear their ugly heads again

Waking up in the morning with my head in the clouds - literally

Spring Break

There's a definite art to filling up ones days during the school holidays - in this instance 'Spring Break' week. There's another art to doing so without bankrupting oneself.

On Sunday the boys and I went and bought a bike trailer so that the three of us could spend some time going on bike rides this week. Dylan has finally overcome his fear of his new bike and is riding like an old pro. Turned out it was in 7th gear when he first tried it and he couldn't pedal so thought he had forgotten how. He and I went for a little ride together to get his confidence up then decided it'd be good to get Harry in a bike trailer behind me and go out alot this week.

There are alot of bike trails in these parts - Redmond hails itself as 'The bike capital of the North West'. My favourite trail follows the river, it's flat and the scenery is good. We tried it out on Sunday afternoon - Harry thrilled at the concept of riding behind in a trailer and shouting 'Wheeeeeeeeee' as we pedalled along. Dylan was Mr Confident and infact got stopped a couple of times by people asking where he got his bike - it is by all accounts 'very cool' and they wanted one for their sons. This boosted his ego no end!

Yesterday we were going to go again but it was raining so we ended up going to the Library with a friend and her daughter. The library is enormous and there's a great childrens section ....Harry was in heaven as books are his absolute favourite thing at the moment.

Today we have sun so we're going to go biking again. Tomorrow we're going to either the Aquarium or the Zoo depending on the weather, with some friends. One of the really good Microsoft benefits is something called the "Prime Card" which allows employees and their families discounted entry into alot of tourist venues, museums, discounts in stores, restaurants, travel, etc. Most of the major tourist attractions cost $3 per person instead of $15, so it's really easy to pop to the zoo for a few hours or the like, and the kids love to be able to go to these really cool places regularly. Last week we went to the Childrens Museum in Seattle which is really good hands on fun for the little ones and a great place to while a few hours away at for $3.

Meanwhile we're still working away at the downstairs bathroom. Andrew, a family friend, arrives next week for a visit and as we totally failed to get the bathroom ready for dad's arrival we are aiming at a new deadline. 99% of the tiles are on the wall now with the exception of the window area and one thin edge of wall at the front of the shower. Last night G grouted the floor tiles so my task today is to clean off the excess crud and then scrape off the wall tiles so that we can grout those this evening. Then hopefully at the weekend it's only going to be a matter of fitting the few extra tiles, installing the loo, sink, lighting & mirror...... oh and painting!

Can you believe my husband has remodelled a bathroom from absolute scratch? Including plumbing? I can't!

Adz

Adz died today. Adzie was one of the earliest hosts we had on UKChat and founder of the 'Stella' team after his favourite beverage. He was such a funny guy and very quick witted and kind.

A few years ago he had an infection in his heart which made him extremely ill and he's basically deteriorated ever since. On the waiting list for a Heart Transplant he finally got the page he was waiting for on Tuesday and was taken in for the operation. Sadly, all did not go well and he spent the next few days in Intensive Care with various machines doing the work his body wasn't able to do and he passed away.

The good thing about boys

Is that I get to play with fun toys such as Scalextric! I wasn't ever a girly girl as a child, favouring toy cars over dolls and such like so electric cars are heaven for me. Dylan has alot of Scalextric stuff and Dad brought him another set 'Batmobile vs Gotham City Police car' which was alot of fun. Dad and I raced trying to knock each other off the track at the crossover point and succeeded, wrecking both cars in the process, lol. But having alot of fun at the same time!

While looking at this nearby mall website today I noticed a Scalextric shop which promises to stock 'the entire range' of Scalextric. Dylan and I immediately investigated further and discovered a new set out called 'Sport Digital' which allows you to cross onto the other persons lane and knock them off the track and we are insisting that G takes us to buy it for us immediately!