Sunday, June 30, 2013
SR has croup
A quick post from my phone. One day until baby brother enters our world. And SR has her first case of croup! I'm really hoping it's short lived because she must be in daycare on Tuesday so my parents can be with me at the hospital. She's being so affectionate today too. Lots of changes coming. I've been having contractions every night so sleep hasn't been happening, and now I will listen to her cough all night and run to her side a lot. So much for sleeping before baby brother arrives. Tomorrow I hope to blog more and show pictures of my foot, although the pictures just don't do it justice.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
A very long day at Labour and Delivery...
...but not because I was in labour!
I have one foot that is severely swollen - so swollen that the skin is now tearing off my foot because it can't stretch that much. I had a doppler on Friday and there is no blood clot.
Then this morning I was talking to a teacher at school about her watching my students so I could run down to the bathroom (one of many many many trips in a morning). But then I froze...I couldn't see - it felt like my eyes were going cross-eyed. I told my colleague and she confirmed that my left eye was indeed going inwards towards my nose.
Of course when it stopped (and after I returned from the bathroom), I went to google to look it up - vision problems could be a sign of preeclampsia - along with swelling and high blood pressure. I know I haven't had any blood pressure issues thus far, but it did say online that it can start suddenly after 37 weeks - and I am 38 weeks tomorrow.
Off to labour and delivery I went - was hooked up to all sorts of fun monitors (for 5 hours) and was told I was contracting - I had no idea.
My blood pressure was higher than my normal blood pressure but in the normal range. There was some protein in the urine, so I had to have blood work done. Freaked me out b/c my arm immediately filled with fluid after the blood was drawn and looked all deformed - like my foot on the same side.
The doctor ordered another doppler for my foot and I was treated to a ride in a wheelchair down to and up from the ultrasound. No blood clot again. Felt like SR must feel being pushed around in the stroller - no wonder she hates it so much.
The update is the doctor thinks I'm exhausted - finishing a school year, packing up, parenting a toddler, insomnia, swollen feet, swollen belly, late nights - and that's why my eyes went weird - was responding to blogs at 3:30am last night :)
In any case, I'm okay and even went to my staff party tonight. But it's 9:30 and I should try to get into bed to read - been a long day and I have 1.5 school days left and 3 work days left.
WAIT, one more thing...SR is potty training herself! Just like I knew she would and just like she did everything else. This past weekend she started saying she had to go and hasn't looked back. At school she does the same thing - asks to go and then goes. She's still in diapers for the most part because she's moving in with my parents next week and I don't want her to regress or my parents to have to deal with washing underwear. But she wears underwear with me on the weekends. But she isn't having problems knowing when she is wet or dry. Yay, SR...maybe only one in diapers after all (except for sleeping, of course).
I'm off to bed, but...
Okay, as a quick finish, can someone tell me, if I use blogger, am I affected by this google reader thing? I'm so confused by some of your blogs.
I have one foot that is severely swollen - so swollen that the skin is now tearing off my foot because it can't stretch that much. I had a doppler on Friday and there is no blood clot.
Then this morning I was talking to a teacher at school about her watching my students so I could run down to the bathroom (one of many many many trips in a morning). But then I froze...I couldn't see - it felt like my eyes were going cross-eyed. I told my colleague and she confirmed that my left eye was indeed going inwards towards my nose.
Of course when it stopped (and after I returned from the bathroom), I went to google to look it up - vision problems could be a sign of preeclampsia - along with swelling and high blood pressure. I know I haven't had any blood pressure issues thus far, but it did say online that it can start suddenly after 37 weeks - and I am 38 weeks tomorrow.
Off to labour and delivery I went - was hooked up to all sorts of fun monitors (for 5 hours) and was told I was contracting - I had no idea.
My blood pressure was higher than my normal blood pressure but in the normal range. There was some protein in the urine, so I had to have blood work done. Freaked me out b/c my arm immediately filled with fluid after the blood was drawn and looked all deformed - like my foot on the same side.
The doctor ordered another doppler for my foot and I was treated to a ride in a wheelchair down to and up from the ultrasound. No blood clot again. Felt like SR must feel being pushed around in the stroller - no wonder she hates it so much.
The update is the doctor thinks I'm exhausted - finishing a school year, packing up, parenting a toddler, insomnia, swollen feet, swollen belly, late nights - and that's why my eyes went weird - was responding to blogs at 3:30am last night :)
In any case, I'm okay and even went to my staff party tonight. But it's 9:30 and I should try to get into bed to read - been a long day and I have 1.5 school days left and 3 work days left.
WAIT, one more thing...SR is potty training herself! Just like I knew she would and just like she did everything else. This past weekend she started saying she had to go and hasn't looked back. At school she does the same thing - asks to go and then goes. She's still in diapers for the most part because she's moving in with my parents next week and I don't want her to regress or my parents to have to deal with washing underwear. But she wears underwear with me on the weekends. But she isn't having problems knowing when she is wet or dry. Yay, SR...maybe only one in diapers after all (except for sleeping, of course).
I'm off to bed, but...
Okay, as a quick finish, can someone tell me, if I use blogger, am I affected by this google reader thing? I'm so confused by some of your blogs.
Friday, June 21, 2013
A VERY quick update
It's 6:42 am and I need to get ready for work before SR gets up and I have to get her ready and out the door. I just had a couple of minutes to write a quick update.
I have one week left of school.
Just over one week until baby boy arrives - July 2nd.
Baby boy is weighing approx. 6 lbs, 11 oz. They predict by July 2nd he will be 7 lbs, 11 oz. If I make it til then I'm curious to know if they are correct.
I have ONE very swollen foot - as I did with SR, but it's gotten to the point where it gets painful to walk and when I take off my flip flops (as those are the only shoes my foot fits into), the fluid pools into the front part of my foot and I can't move my toes.
My OB sent me downstairs to the u/s lab for a doppler yesterday, but they can't see me until Wednesday - if it is a blood clot, that would be too late...it's probably not a blood clot. Now I have a new requisition to go to the hospital, so I'm hoping they can fit me in today - I just haven't booked a supply teacher yet as I don't know when I can get an appointment...and there is a shortage of supply teachers so it means there will have to be internal coverage at school.
If there is anything wrong with my foot, baby boy will come early - as this is the same week SR was delivered (but only b/c my OB was going on vacation). He did ask me yesterday if I just want to deliver early, but I want to finish off my school year - and really, I'm not ready yet - but will I even be ready next week?
SR has had some difficulties this week - she is struggling going down to sleep. She is struggling going into the classroom at school. She is struggling during nap time at school. I think as much as she talks about being a big sister, and talks about sleeping at her grandparents' house when mommy has baby brother, she is dealing with a lot of potential changes.
I have left her daycare most days in tears. I haven't been happy with how one of the teachers has been dealing with the drop off, although I know they are the "experts" and think they are doing what is best. The shifts are always different from week to week, and they combine the toddlers and preschoolers in one room during drop off because there are less kids and less staff. This week it has been one of the preschool teachers greeting at the classroom in the morning. She is LOVELY and SR really likes her. I have always been excited about her going into the preschool room with her.
But SR has not been happy in the mornings. She's called "huggies" and she's cried and cried. At first I thought it was her dealing with me and the new baby coming. The teacher kept saying, "this happens with potty training." I said, "it's not about potty training. She's barely potty training. It's the new baby coming." And so she lifts her from my arms and says "don't come in, it just makes it harder on her and she will expect you to take her back all the time."
Except my baby doesn't react this way at school - she will sometimes put on a good show that she doesn't want me to leave, but then she happily goes inside to play. The other day, as she was lifted from my arms, SR arched her back and banged her head on the metal door frame. I immediately asked for her back. She is still my baby.
Once she is in the room, I stand just to the side of the room, usually crying and crying. How will I cope when I am in the hospital for three days and don't see her at all????? I can't stand the thought of that.
Yesterday morning, I asked her why she is crying in the mornings and she said the names of two of her teachers - neither of whom were on the early shift at daycare this week. So yesterday we went in a few minutes later than normal and one of those two teachers was in the room. SR was thrilled. She hugged me and skipped and jumped right in and right over to the teacher. Once again, I know my child.
Oh, one final update - I don't think I explained that I asked at my "parent/teacher" conference what the particular teacher meant when she said SR was "too sensitive." I was in the room with the ECE (main) teacher, and the one who made the comment. The teacher who made the comment explained that because SR is so clear with her language and can speak and explain everything perfectly, she EXPECTS that she is able to use her words and explain exactly how she is feeling all the time and not cry. For example, if someone takes her toy away.
I am very glad the ECE was in the room - she seemed mortified by that comment - as did I! I said, "even though she speaks beautifully, she is still 2!!!!! She doesn't have to always express herself perfectly." I don't want her to have to live up to some weird expectations that she needs to act like a school aged child. She's only 2. She is allowed to cry when something upsets her. A gentle reminder to use her words is usually all she needs. But she is 2! I'm so glad I mentioned that.
SR is starting to stir. It's almost 7. I'm not dressed. And I need to get her ready. I have to phone the hospital at 8 sharp to try to get an appointment for my foot.
I'm still lurking and reading your posts....I wish I had more time/energy to blog regularly. I have so much going on and so much to write about.
I'll end with this one...SLEEP DEPRIVATION IS THE WORST.
I have one week left of school.
Just over one week until baby boy arrives - July 2nd.
Baby boy is weighing approx. 6 lbs, 11 oz. They predict by July 2nd he will be 7 lbs, 11 oz. If I make it til then I'm curious to know if they are correct.
I have ONE very swollen foot - as I did with SR, but it's gotten to the point where it gets painful to walk and when I take off my flip flops (as those are the only shoes my foot fits into), the fluid pools into the front part of my foot and I can't move my toes.
My OB sent me downstairs to the u/s lab for a doppler yesterday, but they can't see me until Wednesday - if it is a blood clot, that would be too late...it's probably not a blood clot. Now I have a new requisition to go to the hospital, so I'm hoping they can fit me in today - I just haven't booked a supply teacher yet as I don't know when I can get an appointment...and there is a shortage of supply teachers so it means there will have to be internal coverage at school.
If there is anything wrong with my foot, baby boy will come early - as this is the same week SR was delivered (but only b/c my OB was going on vacation). He did ask me yesterday if I just want to deliver early, but I want to finish off my school year - and really, I'm not ready yet - but will I even be ready next week?
SR has had some difficulties this week - she is struggling going down to sleep. She is struggling going into the classroom at school. She is struggling during nap time at school. I think as much as she talks about being a big sister, and talks about sleeping at her grandparents' house when mommy has baby brother, she is dealing with a lot of potential changes.
I have left her daycare most days in tears. I haven't been happy with how one of the teachers has been dealing with the drop off, although I know they are the "experts" and think they are doing what is best. The shifts are always different from week to week, and they combine the toddlers and preschoolers in one room during drop off because there are less kids and less staff. This week it has been one of the preschool teachers greeting at the classroom in the morning. She is LOVELY and SR really likes her. I have always been excited about her going into the preschool room with her.
But SR has not been happy in the mornings. She's called "huggies" and she's cried and cried. At first I thought it was her dealing with me and the new baby coming. The teacher kept saying, "this happens with potty training." I said, "it's not about potty training. She's barely potty training. It's the new baby coming." And so she lifts her from my arms and says "don't come in, it just makes it harder on her and she will expect you to take her back all the time."
Except my baby doesn't react this way at school - she will sometimes put on a good show that she doesn't want me to leave, but then she happily goes inside to play. The other day, as she was lifted from my arms, SR arched her back and banged her head on the metal door frame. I immediately asked for her back. She is still my baby.
Once she is in the room, I stand just to the side of the room, usually crying and crying. How will I cope when I am in the hospital for three days and don't see her at all????? I can't stand the thought of that.
Yesterday morning, I asked her why she is crying in the mornings and she said the names of two of her teachers - neither of whom were on the early shift at daycare this week. So yesterday we went in a few minutes later than normal and one of those two teachers was in the room. SR was thrilled. She hugged me and skipped and jumped right in and right over to the teacher. Once again, I know my child.
Oh, one final update - I don't think I explained that I asked at my "parent/teacher" conference what the particular teacher meant when she said SR was "too sensitive." I was in the room with the ECE (main) teacher, and the one who made the comment. The teacher who made the comment explained that because SR is so clear with her language and can speak and explain everything perfectly, she EXPECTS that she is able to use her words and explain exactly how she is feeling all the time and not cry. For example, if someone takes her toy away.
I am very glad the ECE was in the room - she seemed mortified by that comment - as did I! I said, "even though she speaks beautifully, she is still 2!!!!! She doesn't have to always express herself perfectly." I don't want her to have to live up to some weird expectations that she needs to act like a school aged child. She's only 2. She is allowed to cry when something upsets her. A gentle reminder to use her words is usually all she needs. But she is 2! I'm so glad I mentioned that.
SR is starting to stir. It's almost 7. I'm not dressed. And I need to get her ready. I have to phone the hospital at 8 sharp to try to get an appointment for my foot.
I'm still lurking and reading your posts....I wish I had more time/energy to blog regularly. I have so much going on and so much to write about.
I'll end with this one...SLEEP DEPRIVATION IS THE WORST.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
I wanted to blog this yesterday...
...but exhaustion got in the way!
My day started off with me leaving SR's school crying. Call it lack of sleep (pregnancy wakes me SEVERAL times a night) and hormones and stress, or call it one of her teachers really upset me for no reason.
First of all, SR is in a wonderful daycare - I have been mostly thrilled with her care, with a few exceptions (bruising in her legs that I wrote about was dealt with positively, along with other issues that have surfaced). One of her teachers has been working at this centre for 7 years. She is a lovely lady. She is also a woman who had a career in her native country but is not able to practise that career in Canada - this is unfortunate b/c I have heard that she was a scientist and is now in a field (child care) completely unrelated to her field. She has grown children, and she is in school part time in the Early Childhood Education field, so she is trying to better herself in this new career that she is in. But she is not my favourites of SR's teachers.
When I pick SR up each day, she insists that I stay to play for a little while...so I observe a lot. This teacher is quick to raise her voice at the toddlers. She jumps to conclusions when there is a "battle" over a toy and makes assumptions over which 2 year old started it. She has made several comments to SR in front of me that I have quickly said were not true - "SR, your mommy is leaving and you are staying here." - when I am trying to get SR to finally pack it up and leave. I always say, "No, mommy is not leaving you. I am waiting for you." Or something along those lines. I don't threaten her or pretend. That's just not how I parent.
There's the background information so you can understand my story:
SR had a restless sleep Thursday night/Friday morning...I wasn't sure why, but there was quite a bit of moaning in the night. When she woke up she told me she bit her tongue. I'm such a giving mommy - if I kiss her knee when there's an ouchie, I certainly can kiss her tongue (NEVER KISS A TONGUE THAT HAS BEEN CLAIMED TO HAVE BEEN BIT!!!). I did look at her tongue first, and there was a little tiny mark on the tip that looked like a little bite.
We got to her school and her big news to tell all her teachers was that she bit her tongue. I should have clued in that she doesn't normally linger over things like this and it was probably bothering her a lot, but she also likes to share everything these days. She went from teacher to teacher to say "I bit my tongue." This particular teacher didn't hear her, and I always like SR to feel validated or that she's not being ignored and what she says is important. So I said, to the particular teacher, "SR is telling you she bit her tongue." Her response to me was something like this:
"Mommy, you worry too much. The only one you should worry about now is the new baby on the way. SR is too sensitive to every little thing. She also knows what every child is doing all the time."
Call me sensitive but I left and cried the whole way to school and then again when I saw a colleague who would get it. I also texted another mom from the classroom b/c she's had her issues with comments from this teacher before.
First of all, I wasn't worrying at all over a bit tongue. Secondly, I will never only worry about one child over the other and SR is here now, and the baby is still growing (rapidly) in my uterus. Third of all, SR is not sensitive. In fact, she rarely cries, and is always smiling and happy. She will ask for a kiss and a hug if she gets a boo boo and then will say "I'm all better now." Yes, she is very aware of the other children - and I'm so glad about that. She has chosen her "friends" to be the children who are not aggressive and do not pull toys or hit or bite or push. She knows every sesame character on every child's diaper at any given time - hope she doesn't make a habit of looking at children's underwear as she grows up ;) She is sensitive in the way that at the Paediatrician yesterday (I'll get to that), she kicked me in the face while being examined, but after stroked my face and said on her own, "I'm sorry I kicked you in the face, mommy." So if that's sensitive, then I'm fine with that.
I'M THE ONE WHO IS SENSITIVE!!!
Anyway, at 3:45 I got a phone call from the centre saying SR didn't sleep or eat. Two clues that something is wrong. SR always eats unless something is wrong. And SR always sleeps (2 hours) unless something is wrong. Why did they wait so long to call me? And not only did she not eat or sleep, she also had blisters on her tongue - guess it wasn't a bit tongue after all.
At that time I couldn't get a ped appointment - but the message said the colleague of our Ped would be in Sat. and Sun. The girl who works the reception at the end of the day on Friday is the daughter of my parents' friends. My mom called her dad and asked if he could call her cell to get us in before they closed. The girl asked the doctor and he agreed, so we luckily got to see SR's paediatrician immediately!
He said it "might" be a mild case of Hand Foot and Mouth disease and she could go back to school Monday if there was no fever. The daycare also told me that as long as there was no fever she could be there.
To the teacher - I wasn't worrying at all - but look, I should have been worried and you made me question my judgement and made me feel bad about my wonderful little girl and it turned out to be something more than just a bit tongue after all.
Last night was brutal. SR wouldn't eat or drink. I take that back...she did eat vanilla frozen yogurt - it numbed her tongue I think - and then she would take a couple of bites of random types of food. The night was terrible - around midnight when the Tylenol wore off and I wanted to give her advil...she was hysterical!!! We calmed down in my bed watching Treehouse (tv station with 24/7 baby/toddler/preschool TV shows) for about an hour.
This morning was much the same. No food or drink and blisters on her tongue. But as the day went on, the blisters started to go away...and now there are no visible blisters. She's still crying about her tongue and I think she's scared to eat or drink. She did eat a lot more vanilla frozen yogurt - and I have not brushed her teeth in two days - I'm scared it will hurt her. I did also introduce her to freezies, which she eventually trusted me enough to take. And after the Advil kicked in before bed, she did eat some berries and drank her milk.
Yesterday she said to me, "mommy, why did you hurt my tongue?' I said, "I didn't hurt your tongue." She asked if my parents hurt her tongue, and I told her they didn't either. So she said, "Who hurt my tongue, mommy?" Poor girl. But it amazes me how articulate she is at 29 months. These sentences are not exaggerations either.
Now she has a hoarse voice...not sure what's going on. I'll see how she is tomorrow. If she's still not eating, I'm going to take Monday off work. Here's hoping she sleeps through the night...I need some sleep!
Three and a half weeks until Baby comes!!!!
My day started off with me leaving SR's school crying. Call it lack of sleep (pregnancy wakes me SEVERAL times a night) and hormones and stress, or call it one of her teachers really upset me for no reason.
First of all, SR is in a wonderful daycare - I have been mostly thrilled with her care, with a few exceptions (bruising in her legs that I wrote about was dealt with positively, along with other issues that have surfaced). One of her teachers has been working at this centre for 7 years. She is a lovely lady. She is also a woman who had a career in her native country but is not able to practise that career in Canada - this is unfortunate b/c I have heard that she was a scientist and is now in a field (child care) completely unrelated to her field. She has grown children, and she is in school part time in the Early Childhood Education field, so she is trying to better herself in this new career that she is in. But she is not my favourites of SR's teachers.
When I pick SR up each day, she insists that I stay to play for a little while...so I observe a lot. This teacher is quick to raise her voice at the toddlers. She jumps to conclusions when there is a "battle" over a toy and makes assumptions over which 2 year old started it. She has made several comments to SR in front of me that I have quickly said were not true - "SR, your mommy is leaving and you are staying here." - when I am trying to get SR to finally pack it up and leave. I always say, "No, mommy is not leaving you. I am waiting for you." Or something along those lines. I don't threaten her or pretend. That's just not how I parent.
There's the background information so you can understand my story:
SR had a restless sleep Thursday night/Friday morning...I wasn't sure why, but there was quite a bit of moaning in the night. When she woke up she told me she bit her tongue. I'm such a giving mommy - if I kiss her knee when there's an ouchie, I certainly can kiss her tongue (NEVER KISS A TONGUE THAT HAS BEEN CLAIMED TO HAVE BEEN BIT!!!). I did look at her tongue first, and there was a little tiny mark on the tip that looked like a little bite.
We got to her school and her big news to tell all her teachers was that she bit her tongue. I should have clued in that she doesn't normally linger over things like this and it was probably bothering her a lot, but she also likes to share everything these days. She went from teacher to teacher to say "I bit my tongue." This particular teacher didn't hear her, and I always like SR to feel validated or that she's not being ignored and what she says is important. So I said, to the particular teacher, "SR is telling you she bit her tongue." Her response to me was something like this:
"Mommy, you worry too much. The only one you should worry about now is the new baby on the way. SR is too sensitive to every little thing. She also knows what every child is doing all the time."
Call me sensitive but I left and cried the whole way to school and then again when I saw a colleague who would get it. I also texted another mom from the classroom b/c she's had her issues with comments from this teacher before.
First of all, I wasn't worrying at all over a bit tongue. Secondly, I will never only worry about one child over the other and SR is here now, and the baby is still growing (rapidly) in my uterus. Third of all, SR is not sensitive. In fact, she rarely cries, and is always smiling and happy. She will ask for a kiss and a hug if she gets a boo boo and then will say "I'm all better now." Yes, she is very aware of the other children - and I'm so glad about that. She has chosen her "friends" to be the children who are not aggressive and do not pull toys or hit or bite or push. She knows every sesame character on every child's diaper at any given time - hope she doesn't make a habit of looking at children's underwear as she grows up ;) She is sensitive in the way that at the Paediatrician yesterday (I'll get to that), she kicked me in the face while being examined, but after stroked my face and said on her own, "I'm sorry I kicked you in the face, mommy." So if that's sensitive, then I'm fine with that.
I'M THE ONE WHO IS SENSITIVE!!!
Anyway, at 3:45 I got a phone call from the centre saying SR didn't sleep or eat. Two clues that something is wrong. SR always eats unless something is wrong. And SR always sleeps (2 hours) unless something is wrong. Why did they wait so long to call me? And not only did she not eat or sleep, she also had blisters on her tongue - guess it wasn't a bit tongue after all.
At that time I couldn't get a ped appointment - but the message said the colleague of our Ped would be in Sat. and Sun. The girl who works the reception at the end of the day on Friday is the daughter of my parents' friends. My mom called her dad and asked if he could call her cell to get us in before they closed. The girl asked the doctor and he agreed, so we luckily got to see SR's paediatrician immediately!
He said it "might" be a mild case of Hand Foot and Mouth disease and she could go back to school Monday if there was no fever. The daycare also told me that as long as there was no fever she could be there.
To the teacher - I wasn't worrying at all - but look, I should have been worried and you made me question my judgement and made me feel bad about my wonderful little girl and it turned out to be something more than just a bit tongue after all.
Last night was brutal. SR wouldn't eat or drink. I take that back...she did eat vanilla frozen yogurt - it numbed her tongue I think - and then she would take a couple of bites of random types of food. The night was terrible - around midnight when the Tylenol wore off and I wanted to give her advil...she was hysterical!!! We calmed down in my bed watching Treehouse (tv station with 24/7 baby/toddler/preschool TV shows) for about an hour.
This morning was much the same. No food or drink and blisters on her tongue. But as the day went on, the blisters started to go away...and now there are no visible blisters. She's still crying about her tongue and I think she's scared to eat or drink. She did eat a lot more vanilla frozen yogurt - and I have not brushed her teeth in two days - I'm scared it will hurt her. I did also introduce her to freezies, which she eventually trusted me enough to take. And after the Advil kicked in before bed, she did eat some berries and drank her milk.
Yesterday she said to me, "mommy, why did you hurt my tongue?' I said, "I didn't hurt your tongue." She asked if my parents hurt her tongue, and I told her they didn't either. So she said, "Who hurt my tongue, mommy?" Poor girl. But it amazes me how articulate she is at 29 months. These sentences are not exaggerations either.
Now she has a hoarse voice...not sure what's going on. I'll see how she is tomorrow. If she's still not eating, I'm going to take Monday off work. Here's hoping she sleeps through the night...I need some sleep!
Three and a half weeks until Baby comes!!!!
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