Sunday, July 28, 2013
Monday, July 22, 2013
On The Move
This is what it looks like when Edward gives me a break so I can make dinner without a baby slung over my shoulders:
Three toddlers in a stroller, one baby in a carrier and an awful dog on a leash.
Daddy = Super Hero
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Purple Tongue and Sore Tummy
We're hanging in! We had a few extra challenges thrown on our plate this week. It started off with me experiencing a lot of pain while breastfeeding Malcolm. The pain was very intense during one overnight feed, to the point I felt dizzy and nauseous. So, I called Maryline, our postpartum doula who is also a lactation counsellor, and she made a quick visit later that morning and diagnosed thrush.
I decided to try a natural treatment, gentian violet, which is usually effective although very messy. I had to paint the inside of Malcolm's mouth with the tincture, which turned it bright purple. Then, he'd nurse and I'd turn purple, too. We now have a lot of purple tinged baby and adult clothing, receiving blankets and towels, although I've been told that will fade within a few washes. I also got a prescription for an ointment that contained a small amount of medication to ease some of the pain. Within a few days, we were on the mend. I wish I'd taken a picture of Malcolm with purple tongue/lips/chin/cheeks//ears/nose... It was quite a sight to behold.
Then, we noticed that Malcolm was having some digestive issues overnight resulting in some very messy diapers. Two days later, the problem was a little better, but Malcolm had a low-grade fever. I took him in to the pediatrician, who told me it was likely a virus. I wasn't entirely satisfied with his answer; and Malcolm, although no longer feverish, was increasingly gassy and fussy. Having had a colicky baby, and two babies with reflux, I understand gassy, fussy babies. It's almost a given that newborns will be both, a lot of the time. However, Malcolm was taking it to a different level. On Friday evening, I realized that he had cried almost every minute he was awake. In the early mornings, he'd writhe and shriek in serious discomfort. I suspected he might be lactose intolerant; Keith had been, as an infant, so I knew to look for blood in the stool. Sure enough, on Friday afternoon, the evidence was indisputable. I promptly went off all dairy. So far, we have noticed an improvement in both his gassiness and fussiness, but it will take another few days for his gut to repair.
Otherwise, our little Muppet continues to eat well, and is still gaining a lot of weight. The pediatrician weighed him at 10 lb 8 oz on Thursday. He's able to hold his head up for long periods of time, probably because he's in the sling for almost all of the day when he's not nursing, so he gets a lot of tummy time. He's still feeding every 2 to 3 hours, although we have had one 4 hour stretch the past two nights, so we might be slowly moving into more of a routine. Or not. We're taking each day at a time, and our expectations are pretty reasonable (read: non existent).
Today, Edward and The Ducklings are enjoying the first cool weather we've had in a while - we were dealing with hot and humid temperatures that felt like it was in the mid 40s for the whole week. This culminated in a series of massive storms that left us unscathed, but my sister in Petawawa has been without power since Friday afternoon, with damage to her house. And my aunt and uncle are marooned at their cottage in Muskoka, unable to get through the roads blocked with fallen trees and other debris. It was just a total fluke that they weren't injured.
I'm off to finish making their lunch, and then fingers crossed they'll nap for a bit in the afternoon. They're having macaroni and cheese, which is still a hit - although last time, Keith insisted on being served pasta with "visible cheese"... well, at least they know what they like!
I decided to try a natural treatment, gentian violet, which is usually effective although very messy. I had to paint the inside of Malcolm's mouth with the tincture, which turned it bright purple. Then, he'd nurse and I'd turn purple, too. We now have a lot of purple tinged baby and adult clothing, receiving blankets and towels, although I've been told that will fade within a few washes. I also got a prescription for an ointment that contained a small amount of medication to ease some of the pain. Within a few days, we were on the mend. I wish I'd taken a picture of Malcolm with purple tongue/lips/chin/cheeks//ears/nose... It was quite a sight to behold.
Then, we noticed that Malcolm was having some digestive issues overnight resulting in some very messy diapers. Two days later, the problem was a little better, but Malcolm had a low-grade fever. I took him in to the pediatrician, who told me it was likely a virus. I wasn't entirely satisfied with his answer; and Malcolm, although no longer feverish, was increasingly gassy and fussy. Having had a colicky baby, and two babies with reflux, I understand gassy, fussy babies. It's almost a given that newborns will be both, a lot of the time. However, Malcolm was taking it to a different level. On Friday evening, I realized that he had cried almost every minute he was awake. In the early mornings, he'd writhe and shriek in serious discomfort. I suspected he might be lactose intolerant; Keith had been, as an infant, so I knew to look for blood in the stool. Sure enough, on Friday afternoon, the evidence was indisputable. I promptly went off all dairy. So far, we have noticed an improvement in both his gassiness and fussiness, but it will take another few days for his gut to repair.
Otherwise, our little Muppet continues to eat well, and is still gaining a lot of weight. The pediatrician weighed him at 10 lb 8 oz on Thursday. He's able to hold his head up for long periods of time, probably because he's in the sling for almost all of the day when he's not nursing, so he gets a lot of tummy time. He's still feeding every 2 to 3 hours, although we have had one 4 hour stretch the past two nights, so we might be slowly moving into more of a routine. Or not. We're taking each day at a time, and our expectations are pretty reasonable (read: non existent).
Today, Edward and The Ducklings are enjoying the first cool weather we've had in a while - we were dealing with hot and humid temperatures that felt like it was in the mid 40s for the whole week. This culminated in a series of massive storms that left us unscathed, but my sister in Petawawa has been without power since Friday afternoon, with damage to her house. And my aunt and uncle are marooned at their cottage in Muskoka, unable to get through the roads blocked with fallen trees and other debris. It was just a total fluke that they weren't injured.
I'm off to finish making their lunch, and then fingers crossed they'll nap for a bit in the afternoon. They're having macaroni and cheese, which is still a hit - although last time, Keith insisted on being served pasta with "visible cheese"... well, at least they know what they like!
A gratuitous picture of Keith and Colin, at the Arboretum a few weeks ago.
Malcolm, taken this morning. Most of the strawberry blonde hair he was born with has fallen out, leaving just a fringe around the sides and back. The hair growing in looks almost white.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Adapting To Life With Four Under Three
No pictures with this post - it was either I write a few words and get this on the blog, or wait an untold (and, likely, protracted) period of time to take pictures, upload them and write a few words.
The other day, Edward and I went to a lovely get-together at a friend's house with our entire brood. It was the first time we'd attempted such an outing with all four- in and out of the car, a sling for Malcolm, holding little hands while crossing busy streets, meeting new kids and adults - getting there and back in time for lunch was an accomplishment of logistical beauty. Anyways, while we were at the party, I realized that while we attracted a crowd with three, we've upped the ante with number four. Everyone was very polite about it, but when Edward was in the kitchen with Evelyn, someone asked him if he was "the guy with all the kids". And when we were leaving, I overheard a lady telling her little boy as they watched us from the edge of the driveway that "aaaalllll those children" were going to get into that van and drive home to have lunch. I had an immediate mental image of a clown car. And the sobering thought that I do, in fact, live in a circus.
So, not surprisingly, we get a lot of questions about how we're managing this latest major life adjustment. And, frankly, we're still at the figuring-it-out stage, and likely will be for the next two (or twenty) years. It's like it was when we had The Ducklings at home as newborns. How do you do it? You just do. There isn't much choice. Majority dictates that our priority is to maintain Colin, Keith and Evelyn's schedule. This means we have to feed them breakfast, lunch and dinner at reasonable hours, get them outside to play during the day and get them to bed before anyone collapses from exhaustion. Malcolm's feed schedule is still very random, so for example, while I usually have a chance to make dinner, I won't have the chance to eat it; or vice versa. Edward is taking 7 months off, so he's here to step into the breech as required, which is a life (and sanity) saver. There is no way we could do this without him and my mother, who is here every weekday. The other day, Edward noted with some amazement that the three of us adults were working flat out all day, and that we were still barely hanging on. To say we appreciate all the help we receive is an understatement. I shudder to think what our lives would be like without it.
Malcolm isn't very complicated at the moment - he's still mostly eating or sleeping. However, The Ducklings are nearing that age when naps - even though they are desperately needed - are not regular occurrences anymore. Irrespective of Malcolm's arrival, this development is a hard adjustment for us all. We're still working out the logistics of what to do with them when one or more of them strike their naps. If we leave them in their shared room, they tend to party large, which isn't ideal. It's just not reasonable to ask three almost-three-year-olds to play quietly in their cribs. Separating them is the answer at the moment, but we quickly run out of safe places for them to play. So, one or more adults are shoehorned into supervising them, which, when you have two precious hours a day to accomplish a million chores and shovel food down your throat, isn't the most popular option for said adults. And, of course, when naps don't happen, bedtime is a nightmare. We've tried to stream-line the procedure by introducing showers instead of baths, eating dinner earlier, and cutting out their bedtime snack. It's working quite well from a logistical perspective, but when you factor feeding Malcolm into the equation, it means that Edward is usually on his own for the entire routine. Trying to shepherd three hysterical, contrary, sobbing, howling and exhausted toddlers though the process night after night by yourself is a feat of pretty epic proportions.
Once we have dealt with The Ducklings all day, we deal with Malcolm all night. There is no doubt it's grueling, but somehow, Edward and I have managed to keep our sense of humour and our focus. Because if you're not laughing, you're crying. And I've done some of that, too. It's hard, but we know how fleeting this is. Eventually, we'll work out the non-napping issues. Eventually, Malcolm will feed less often and more regularly. I know that we have these challenging situations because they are all small, and there are so many great things that come with them being small. Almost-three-year-olds, even ones who are so exhausted they fall asleep at dinner, are hilarious. And babies, even ones who feed for 5 hours at a time and who shun sleep, still make the cutest mewling noises and facial expressions. The caveat to both is: when they aren't screaming.
So yes, life for four kids under three is just as loud and busy and crazy as you'd imagine. But in the grand scheme of things, life is still good. That being said, am I ever happy that I can have a sip or two of wine again!
The other day, Edward and I went to a lovely get-together at a friend's house with our entire brood. It was the first time we'd attempted such an outing with all four- in and out of the car, a sling for Malcolm, holding little hands while crossing busy streets, meeting new kids and adults - getting there and back in time for lunch was an accomplishment of logistical beauty. Anyways, while we were at the party, I realized that while we attracted a crowd with three, we've upped the ante with number four. Everyone was very polite about it, but when Edward was in the kitchen with Evelyn, someone asked him if he was "the guy with all the kids". And when we were leaving, I overheard a lady telling her little boy as they watched us from the edge of the driveway that "aaaalllll those children" were going to get into that van and drive home to have lunch. I had an immediate mental image of a clown car. And the sobering thought that I do, in fact, live in a circus.
So, not surprisingly, we get a lot of questions about how we're managing this latest major life adjustment. And, frankly, we're still at the figuring-it-out stage, and likely will be for the next two (or twenty) years. It's like it was when we had The Ducklings at home as newborns. How do you do it? You just do. There isn't much choice. Majority dictates that our priority is to maintain Colin, Keith and Evelyn's schedule. This means we have to feed them breakfast, lunch and dinner at reasonable hours, get them outside to play during the day and get them to bed before anyone collapses from exhaustion. Malcolm's feed schedule is still very random, so for example, while I usually have a chance to make dinner, I won't have the chance to eat it; or vice versa. Edward is taking 7 months off, so he's here to step into the breech as required, which is a life (and sanity) saver. There is no way we could do this without him and my mother, who is here every weekday. The other day, Edward noted with some amazement that the three of us adults were working flat out all day, and that we were still barely hanging on. To say we appreciate all the help we receive is an understatement. I shudder to think what our lives would be like without it.
Malcolm isn't very complicated at the moment - he's still mostly eating or sleeping. However, The Ducklings are nearing that age when naps - even though they are desperately needed - are not regular occurrences anymore. Irrespective of Malcolm's arrival, this development is a hard adjustment for us all. We're still working out the logistics of what to do with them when one or more of them strike their naps. If we leave them in their shared room, they tend to party large, which isn't ideal. It's just not reasonable to ask three almost-three-year-olds to play quietly in their cribs. Separating them is the answer at the moment, but we quickly run out of safe places for them to play. So, one or more adults are shoehorned into supervising them, which, when you have two precious hours a day to accomplish a million chores and shovel food down your throat, isn't the most popular option for said adults. And, of course, when naps don't happen, bedtime is a nightmare. We've tried to stream-line the procedure by introducing showers instead of baths, eating dinner earlier, and cutting out their bedtime snack. It's working quite well from a logistical perspective, but when you factor feeding Malcolm into the equation, it means that Edward is usually on his own for the entire routine. Trying to shepherd three hysterical, contrary, sobbing, howling and exhausted toddlers though the process night after night by yourself is a feat of pretty epic proportions.
Once we have dealt with The Ducklings all day, we deal with Malcolm all night. There is no doubt it's grueling, but somehow, Edward and I have managed to keep our sense of humour and our focus. Because if you're not laughing, you're crying. And I've done some of that, too. It's hard, but we know how fleeting this is. Eventually, we'll work out the non-napping issues. Eventually, Malcolm will feed less often and more regularly. I know that we have these challenging situations because they are all small, and there are so many great things that come with them being small. Almost-three-year-olds, even ones who are so exhausted they fall asleep at dinner, are hilarious. And babies, even ones who feed for 5 hours at a time and who shun sleep, still make the cutest mewling noises and facial expressions. The caveat to both is: when they aren't screaming.
So yes, life for four kids under three is just as loud and busy and crazy as you'd imagine. But in the grand scheme of things, life is still good. That being said, am I ever happy that I can have a sip or two of wine again!
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Canada Day Weekend
Edward's parents and sisters spent the long weekend with us. For The Ducklings, having one-on-one personal attention was a huge plus, and of course they also love spending time collectively with Grammy and Grampy, Aunt Benny and Aunt Jane. In addition to taking advantage of their hotel's kiddy pool, they also took them - along with Edward - to the Museum of Aviation on Saturday. My parents hosted a brunch for everyone on Sunday at their house, and Malcolm spent the weekend getting tons of cuddles and kisses. We were thrilled to introduce Malcolm to Edward's family!
A few pictures from our various adventures:
Keith in the kiddy pool - it was great, only a few inches deep with lots of water jets and a "shower"
Evelyn and Colin playing with a water jet
Evelyn splashing around
Keith wearing Grammy's glasses - when he put them on, he exclaimed "I can see!!"
Keith and Evelyn play with the pedal airplanes at the Aviation Museum. Their legs were too short to reach the pedals, so here is Keith giving Evelyn a helpful shove.
Colin and Grampy discuss the Swordfish exhibit
Colin admires a propellor
Colin in a cockpit
Malcolm getting kisses from Aunt Benny
Malcolm and Aunt Jane
Malcolm and Grammy
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