babyblog

Dear Tabitha - 10 months old

Dear Tabby

Happy 10 months lovely girl!

What a little lady you're turning into. You're on the cusp of crawling (or potentially the 'bum shuffle' I am thinking) and issuing toothy grins at everyone... no longer a small baby but not quite a little toddler yet!

This month we're all about the food again. I've done lots of research (as usual) and I'm allowing you to set your own pace for eating - aka 'baby led weaning' - rather than stuffing you down with puree's before you're ready.

I've not got a handle on making food for you in the same way that I did for your brothers - largely due to lack of time and instead giving you attention - but the theory is to let you feed yourself at such point that you can do so, and not before.

Today you had some blueberries - mostly everywhere but in your mouth!

The bad news on the food front is that since I reintroduced dairy into my diet you've become horribly and painfully constipated, crying out & suffering with the effort. I've now given up dairy again and hope it doesn't take another 3 weeks for it to pass through your system again :-(

In other news, you're totally a daddy's girl and light up as soon as he comes into the room.

You do still want Mummy there though and cry when I leave your sight! Harry can entertain you for hours and you're obsessed with his toy cars, trying to steal them off him at every opportunity. And if you get the attention of both of your big brothers, all the better. You don't nap well and you need constant stimulation when we're at home and I am finding that I am able to give it to you. I spoke with someone today who expressed dismay for me that I don't 'get a break'.....but I realised that while this would have left me aghast a few years ago, I don't actually mind in my old age ;-) I'm just enjoying you and am painfully aware how quickly these fleeting months are passing by.

Sleep is still a challenge. You now come into our bed at some point during the night where you will snack on & off every couple of hours. YAWN. You do go back to sleep quite easily at least, but I am tired!

In good news, you havent' had another ear infection - touch wood! I'm very pleased about this and actually you've had a good run without illness for the last handful of weeks- marvellous! You're such a happy little girl when you're not suffering, although we've had the tummy issues they haven't upset you overall!

We switched you into your big car seat this month - when we got the new car it made sense to install it. You are pretty happy in there, you wish you could turn forwards though but I'm planning on leaving you rear facing for quite some time yet - it's so much safer if we have an accident so you'll have to just live with it!

Anyway munchkin, must sign off..... keep smiling, I love you !! :-)

Mummy xxx

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Ergo Baby Carrier

I've been considering buying a baby carrier for a few weeks. When Tab was little we used the Baby Bjorn (which she and I didn't love) and I used a ring sling sometimes (not often because I couldn't get to grips with it).

Last week I went to a class where they showed us several different carriers which would work for babies as they get older and I was mostly struck by the Ergo.... also another lady at the class uses one and I loved how she would put her baby in for a nap, put the hood part over the baby and the baby would just snuggle down and go to sleep. UNLIKE MY DAUGHTER WHO NEVER SLEEPS! I also like the idea of wearing her on my back so I can maybe get things done around the house during those hours where she won't be put down.

Anyway - I found that they sold the Ergo at a store near us so I took G there at the weekend. I got the display model out and tried it & tried Tab in it and she seemed so comfortable and there was absolutely no strain on my back. Then I put her on G front and back and he just loved it and said 'we have to have this'. So we had it.

G then insisted we went to a mall to try it, lol. (In fairness it was snowing so outside walking wasn't the best idea) so we did... and when we got there he put her on him in the front position. She cooed and gurgled happily then after about 20 mins FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HER LIFE, went to SLEEP, WITHOUT COMPLAINT!!! She slept the whole way around. Astonishing.

Yesterday we went to Ikea to look for a rug and I tried putting her on me...... sure enough after walking around for 10 mins she WENT TO SLEEP WITHOUT GRUMBLING!!!

Hurrah for sleep.

Grossest. Thing. Ever.

G & I were in Macy's yesterday. We passed through the mens dept and on the right of the aisle was a display of Armani mens underwear on a rack.

I could not help but notice, that the pants had a POO STAIN ON THEM.

And of course I took a photo

He won't walk

Harry is really REALLY freaked out about his foot. He will not walk at all. He is crawling everywhere or demanding to be carried and if we suggest he walks he cries and throws a massive screaming fit.

He won't let anyone touch his foot and hates it even to be looked at. He wants to wear a sock on it at all times and freaks out of the sock is taken off.

I don't think it's hurting him because he's sleeping well enough and playing well enough on the floor without complaint, I think it's an emotional reaction.

I have tried bribery, cajoling, threats, promises, persuasion, you name it. Any mention of trying even one step results in floods of tears.

What to do !?!?!??

Poor Harry

Harry had his surgery today.

We had to be at the hospital at 6am. We dropped Dylan off with a friend at 5.30 and made our way there, Harry still in his PJ's.

He was in great spirits not really understanding what was going on - loved the fountain in the lobby at the hospital.

We were shown to his room where he had to change into some hospital PJ's (with space rockets on). He then lay in his bed and played with his new "Speed Racer" cars. The anaesthetist came along and played cars with him and got to know him a little which was nice. He came back with a gas mask (which they used to put them to sleep) with Harry's name written on and "Speed Racer" written on too....... told Harry that Speed Racers need masks! Harry was then quite happy to put it on his face (clever).

The DR came by to draw on the foot that the mole was on with his initials... explained it would not take long. Finally they came and whisked Harry away on his bed. He went quite happily. I burst into tears as soon as he'd gone (held it together for him, not so much once he was taken away from me to face a scary thing by himself). Unfortunately they wouldn't let me go with him while they put him under :-( That's the worst thing I think, knowing that your little helpless boy who doesn't really understand what is happening to him has to go through this without you.

G and I got coffee and sat and waited, very nervously. Finally after about 45 mins the DR came out & told us that all had gone fine. We have to go back in 2 weeks for the stitches to be removed, meanwhile for the next week he has to keep light on the foot & not run or jump on it.

We were then called back as he had started to wake up.... he had apparently been awake for all of a couple of minutes and he was still very groggy. The nurse said his first words were "Where's my mom" followed very quickly by "WHERES MY CARS?". As soon as he woke they whisked him back to us and they lifted him, groggily, out of the bed and into my arms so that he could come around with his Mummy...... something I think both he & I appreciated equally!!

He lay in my arms, a bit fed up by the IV and the pulseox monitor, but happy once given some crackers & juice and he watched the aptly named "Happy Feet" movie on his TV for a while. Shortly thereafter they removed the tubes and he was allowed to go home. When they removed the bandage holding his IV on,we discovered someone had written on the tape with a smiley face and HI HARRY!. He loved that. After all was removed, I think we left by 10am, so quick!

He spent the rest of the day on the sofa & being carried to the loo, then managed to play a little on the rug towards the evening. We spoiled him with new toys of course :o) He complained a couple of times that it hurt once we got into the afternoon but I gave him some tylenol.

He's such a little trooper. My independent little soul. There's some really amazing quality about Harry that draws people to him - he's sunny and he shines and he's very funny & very confident. I often feel very much in awe that I gave birth to him at all!. He refuses gestures of affection at the moment -a phase that has been going on for quite some time and one I wish would STOP. I wanted to smother him with kisses today and even with his scary operation he was having none of it, just content to deal with it in his own strong way.

New Car

Bought a new car yesterday..... the van lease is up and the thing is falling apart.

When I say car, I mean tank

We need something big to pull the future caravan that we're planning on getting..... weekends away in hotels becoming somewhat tricky now that we have 3 kids!

Nip Tuck

We took Harry to the Plastic Surgeon yesterday morning.

He was much more reassuring than the alarmist Dermatologist. He said that the chances of the mole being cancer are very slim, esp in such a young boy, but that as it is changing it must be removed. He said also that it is a good shape for removal, nice & easy as it's long & thin.

He himself was reassuring too - 6 years at Childrens Hospital doing plastic reconstructive surgery plus goes to Mexico 3 months a year to work on cleft palates for free...... that made me feel good about him.

Harry goes in on TUESDAY for his operation - we have to be there at 6am. He should be able to go home by 10am.

SCARED.

ARGHGHGHHHHH

Today I took all 3 kids to the Dermatologist.

First up, Dylan. I noticed a large mole above his right ear. Since making the appointment - as of last Thursday - he's also suddenly covered in an enormous rash.
DR diagnoses Excema. Dylan has never had this before, but we get a prescription for cream and he's instructed not to use shower gel on his body or arms, just in the 'essential' places.

Second up, Harry. I'll come back to that.

Third up, Tabitha. Tab has had since she was 2 months old, on the front of her neck, a white spot. A bit like a massive zit and quite visible. If you tried to squeeze it, it wouldn't, it felt quite hard. The DR diagnosed a Cyst. She said that it wouldn't go away on it's own..... that if it were her or I she'd remove it but wasn't sure that was the best solution for a baby who wouldn't understand why we were hurting her. She said maybe better to leave it until Tab is old enough to ask.
My feeling was that I would rather have it over & done with before she's old enough to worry about the procedure.... a very quick thing to have done and she'd never remember. I proposed this to the DR and she was very amenable so I nursed Tab while the Doc lanced the thing with a blade. This horrible white stuff oozed out. Done within 10 seconds. Tab didn't even notice. Am I a bad cosmetically obsessed mother?

Back to Harry. He has had a mole on the bottom of his foot since birth. It's long and thin and it's grown with his foot. Someone once told me that moles on feet should be looked at but I didn't take him. As I was taking the other two, I decided to ask about it & get him seen too. Anyway - the DR takes one look and announces that this must be removed ASAP because it looks VERY SUSPICIOUS and "see that darker patch there and the lines and the something"...?? Obviously at this point my heart is in my mouth and I ask does she mean this is a cancerous mole? "Well it might be, I think we need to get this looked at quickly, I'll refer you to a plastic surgeon as it'll be a deep incision to make sure we get it all, and he'll have to be sedated for it". OH MY GOD. I'm absolutely petrified. I ask, do you think it is cancer? "I don't want to take any chances" is the reply.

It is perhaps worth noting at this point that this is the Dermatologist who diagnosed me with a brain tumour back when I was pregnant.

Nevertheless, I am worried sick. I need to call this Plastic Surgeon first thing. I feel terrible for not taking him to get it looked at sooner - what if it is something sinister????????????????????????

Vacation

So we decided to go away for a couple of nights & see the Olympic Penninsula. The land which lies between Seattle & the Pacific Ocean which is reportedly very beautiful, with mountains, lakes, coastline, etc.

We get up early on Thursday morning and I do all of the packing, then get shouted at for being online while G loads the car.

Dylan announces he doesn't want to go after seeing TSUNAMI documentary which said that this area is due one.

Tell Dylan not to be silly. Become secretly concerned about TSUNAMIs.

Set off, all is going well, then we stop in the "Arse End of Nowhere" for food - the only thing availble is Burger King. It has a play area, so I think OK - we'll go, the kids can burn off some energy after being in the car for a couple of hours, I can feed Tab, she needs changing , etc.

Send G to change Tabby - no changing area in mens. This is AEOFN after all. Go to womens. None there either. Go change her in car.

Come back - sit down to nurse her. Get VERY EVIL STARES from AEOFN inhabitants. Begin to lose good humour.

Look for her baby food - discover SOMEONE FORGOT TO BRING IT.

Go to a Wal Mart for baby food which is the only store AEOFN has..... get fleeced by children for various toys and DVD's for journey. Good mood lessens more.

Set off again (now been on road for 4 hours).

Drive towards beach which I have booked hotel at for first night. Don't quite understand why ocean is on left hand side when it should be on right hand side.

Keep Driving.

Tell G about TSUNAMI fears. Get laughed at.

Finally wonder that we have been driving another hour and a half when it should only have been 30 mins drive. Decide to turn on Sat Nav.

Discover we are LOST. Need to turn around and drive back another hour the way we came.

G begins to mention TSUNAMIS alot. Points out every road leading towards "high ground". Decide he is also secretly concerned.

Get to hotel - had booked a cheap place unseen via internet. Inexplicably it is an entire HOUSE. We had the top two floors.

It is 4pm. Decide to go to beach to fly kites before dinner.

Arrive at beach - 20 mins walk in freezing cold wind. This sign is posted on beach.

Tab is not impressed with the wind.

Here is me and my kite

The boys enjoy themselves

After 30 mins we go back to house - mindful of weather and potential Tsunami.

Go out for a quick dinner. Go to bed

Tab screams all night long. G is sleeping downstairs with Harry who was restless so I get to stay awake all night with her. Worrying about Tsunami sneaking up on us in the night.

Morning arrives. Mood = Frightful.

Boys go swimming. When they get back, G announces that he had decided to go and get changed and LEAVE HARRY STANDING BY THE POOL. And HARRY HAD FALLEN INTO THE POOL. And DYLAN HAD TRIED TO SAVE HIM BUT PANICKED AND COULDNT and that G HAD REALISED AND MANAGED TO SAVE HIM but "DONT WORRY EVERYTHING IS FINE AND DONT FREAK OUT YOURE BEING RIDICULOUS ITS ALL PERFECTLY OK NOW"(!!!???????!!!!!!!)

11am: Leave house en route to 2nd destination. No hotel booked but we will get one when we get there. Mood = well, you can imagine.

Rain = Chucking Down.

Drive.

Drive more.

Drive loads more.

See a Rainbow

Tab = screaming in car.

Sing: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

4pm = arrive at destination town, described in travel guide as "a glittering waterfront of hotels, restaurants and shops'.

Destination town = slum. refuse to stop.

drive

Tab commences more screaming.

Sing: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

drive

Sing: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

drive

Sing: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Sing: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Sing: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

rain = continuing to piss down

gas tank = empty.

Approaching short Ferry journey to go home....

G says "don't worry we have plenty of gas, we will make it"

6pm Arrive at Ferry. Get on Ferry. Ferry ends. Go to car. Start engine. WONT START. NO GAS. G says "just roll down the ramp off the ferry, it will start once we're not on a hill". I do as described and discover, while rolling down ramp into oncoming traffic that BRAKES DO NOT WORK WHEN NO ENGINE IS ON. Panic. Try to stop. Put car in park. Car makes mad sound. Continues to roll. STAMP both feet on brakes. Finally halt..... causing enormous commotion behind me and cars honking me. Car starts, manage to get to gas station.

Drive home........Tab screams

Sing: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

8pm. Arrive home.

Sigh.