Parenting Toddlers

Today was perfect. Sunny, warm, just a slight breeze to take the sweat off. It was popsicle weather.

I remember as a kid we had those refillable popsicle holders … one of the best inventions on the face of the earth, (and one which I am convinced actually put Tupperware on the map in the first place). We’d pick which flavor we wanted (but naturally reserved the right to change our mind as least three times), and tear off, popsicle in hand, to see just how quick we really were. After all, it takes some serious practice to actually be outside in the heat, maintain proper play speed, AND eat your popsicle before it completely melts all over you.

And while thinking how wonderful one of those popsicles might be, I also stumbled upon an absolutely stunning popsicle recipe today, one that I can’t wait to try out, mostly because it’s just so darn easy.

Now pay attention …

Take orange juice.

(Still with me?)

Mix it with pineapple juice.

(I know this is heavy, but hang in there.)

Fill your handy dandy popsicle holders, insert handles … and …

here comes the REALLY hard part …

put them in the freezer.

A few hours later … voila!! Yummy, health popsicles that you AND your toddler will love.

Now get outside and start licking, no napkins allowed!!

popsicle recipe, toddler treats, orange juice, pineapple juice

I was on the phone the other day with a friend, and she could hear my son Alex babbling in the background.

“What’s Alex up to?” she asked.

“Eating lunch. He’s talking to his carrots at the moment.”

My response was met with a stunned silence before she squeaked out … “He eats CARROTS???” On the disbelief register it ranked right up there with me saying, “I just won the swimsuit competition for the Miss America pageant.”

Well of course Alex eats carrots. Why wouldn’t he? He also eats peas, ham, turkey, pasta, fruits, and occasionally a bite of dog food if I’m not quick enough, but what’s so shocking about that?

“My son won’t eat anything except yogurt and mac and cheese.”

She confessed this is a stage style whisper, as if we were two CIA agents passing on the street and vital information on the TFO (Toddler Food Operation) needed to be exchanged in a hurry.

As a mother to a child who may not eat a LOT of one thing, but who generally tries most anything I put in front of him, this blew my mind.

“When did he start doing that?” I admit to selfish reasoning behind this question. If my son was going to soon randomly start deciding that yogurt was his primary food group, I needed to know about it. I also needed to know exactly WHEN to expect this dramatic change.

“About a month ago. He just started shaking his head and saying no to everything I put in front of him. He’ll go hungry rather than eat any veggies or meat. It’s killing me, but what do I do? He’s got to eat, right?”

So I thought about it. And I thought about it some more.

And then I gave up and asked my pediatrician. He had no idea.

Then I got smart and asked a family friend who’s been babysitting toddlers for years. She’s also someone who’s been a secret operative for the TFO for decades, so she clearly had the best answers.

First, and most importantly, (she said), never let them see you sweat. Convince them that it’s no big deal to you if they eat or not. This eliminates the “rebelling against food gets mommy worked up and that’s fun” game.

Second, use your food processor liberally. If they want mac and cheese, give them mac and cheese, but grind up some veggies to mix in with the cheese sauce. A totally unexpected, and totally CIA type move.

Third, try cooking veggies or meats differently. Try covering fresh veggies with parmesan or spices and baking in the oven. Try baked chicken instead of grilled. If all else fails, throw the meat in the processor too. Add ground meat to spagetthi sauce (even if it’s for spaghetti-o’s) or cheese sauce to put over veggies.

Fourth, make it fun. Now this part of the information is highly classified, so be forewarned, I’m going to tell you, but I may have to kill you afterwards if you misuse it. Kids like fun. Who knew? Dust off those cookie cutters and put them to good use. Anything and everything that you can cut out and make into fun shapes, do it. Use peas or carrots to decorate cooked chicken or fish (be sure your toddler has been cleared by your pediatrician to eat fish as it’s a high allergy food). A great way to make this work is to cover the chicken with sliced provolone or mozzarella and melt the cheese a bit. This gives the veggies something to stick to. (See I TOLD you this was classified info).

And should all that fail, you have only one choice left.

Start stocking up on yogurt and mac and cheese, you’re going to be in it for the long haul.

For more kids foods and recipe ideas, check out Tansy’s ideas over at Kids Dish.

toddler food issues, vegetables, picky eaters

As the primary caregiver for your child, when was the last time you actually sat down and had five minutes just to yourself? I mean, no jumping up to save the bookshelf from the impending threat of massive redecoration, no sorting more clothes and linens than most prison laundrys, and no responding to “Mom, Mommy, Mama, MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!” Can you remember?

I’m guessing the last time was coincidentally right before your child was born. Am I right? Of course I am, I’m just that good.

As parents, we tend to welcome our adorable little ones into the world, and then suddenly forget that as individuals ourselves, we have basic needs as well. You know, eating, sleeping, occasionally speaking in full correct English.

I for one treasure my “alone” time. And I am lucky enough to have a husband that realizes that giving me that alone time keeps me, and thus the rest of the household, much happier and easier to get along with. As toddler parents however, we also realize that there will no longer be money for anything, whatsoever, because it all goes to our son. Alex has some type of inner radar which tells him exactly how much money is currently sitting in our savings account. He then can somehow manage to alter his body (he must have some sort of bionic tendencies) so that a doctor’s appointment is needed, or endless supplies of groceries must be purchased. Regardless, it is his primary duty to make sure there are only severely limited amounts of money on hand at any given time.

So you find yourself in a quandry. How do you rejuvenate without spending a lot of money?

For me the answer is milk.

One warm milk bath with a good book or the magazine I’ve been trying to read for over two months. Now, I’m not talking Cleopatra here, I don’t warm the milk and use JUST that, but I do put one cup in a nice bath, and the moisturizing help is amazing. Plus you just can’t pass up an opportunity to lock the door and retreat into your own little world!!!

personal time, milk bath, rejuvenating

Alex is a stuffed animal kind of guy. We have Bob, the Blue Monkey, Leo the Lion, and even Crush the Sea Turtle. But we are soon to add a new member to our stuffed toy family. We haven’t decided just yet what to name him, but we’re throwing around Oobi since we’re such a big fan of the tv show. Oobi is actually a “Snuggly Doll” , a handmade lovey that can (and will!) be personalized with a cursive or block “A” for Alex. He’ll look something like this …

Our Oobi will be blue, because, well, because Alex is a boy and blue is just where it’s at. But you can actually get Snuggly Dolls in Pink, Blue, Green, Yellow, or White. The sizing on these little guys are great. Big enough for your little one to carry around, small enough to fit in a diaper bag. Great for using as a makeshift pillow in the stroller, and no hard pieces (like stick on noses or eyes) that you have to worry about your toddler popping off and eating.

Snuggly Dolls are also great for newborns, as they work great for “propping” just under a shoulder, or against the side to keep a tiny one in the same place while sleeping.

If you’d like more info on Snuggly Dolls, feel free to email Amy at brycenamy1@yahoo.com.

And when Oobi arrives, we’ll make sure we’ll be sharing pictures with you all!!

Oobi, Snuggly Doll, toddler toys

I’m sure most of you have heard by now that there is a massive recall of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter going on. In case for some reason you haven’t heard about this, if you buy Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter, check the lids. If the product code stamped on the lid begins with “2111″ THROW IT OUT. This batch, manufactured by ConAgra Foods in a single factory in Georgia, has been shown to contain salmonella bacteria and IT WILL MAKE YOU SICK. If you want to find out more about this, check it out straight from the FDA at this site.

This is of special concern to those of us with toddlers, since peanut butter ranks right up there with hot dogs in the toddler “I want” diet. Suddenly as parents we find ourselves wary of everything our kids put in their mouths (other than random toys, dirt and whatever might be found on our kitchen floor). I know I for one am thinking … if this can get through to the stores, indeed to our very kitchens, and no one catches it until AFTER it’s made hundreds of people sick, what ELSE could be contaminating our foods that we don’t know about?

Of other special concern is a recall of Earth’s Best Organic Baby Food. Most toddlers are completely off baby food by this point, but in case you have younger kids or still give this as a treat every so often, here’s more information.

The FDA is also currently working on some issues with a new asthma medicine, Xolair. They want an insert put in the package to mention that some people may have an allergic reaction to the medicine causing anaphylaxis. ANAPHYLAXIS?? Are you kidding me? My kid has asthma. He’s never been on Xolair, thank goodness, and I understand that only “some” people “may” have such a reaction, but to me that’s just too much of a chance to take!!

Unfortunately, until we are all self-sufficient organic farmers, and can magically destroy any and all bacteria and unwanted organisms along the way, we’re stuck with the way things are. So appaerently we simply have to wait for people to get sick, or have massive reactions to medication.

In the meantime, keep your eye on the FDA recalls page for breaking news on the food and medicine front.

peanut butter recall, FDA, toddler foods, Earth’s Best Organic Baby Food, Xolair

OUR THANKS TO COLE FOR BEING A GREAT TODDLER OF THE WEEK!

Child’s Name: Cole
Loves to: Throw balls and chase them/ walk & climb everywhere!
Hates to: Be out of Mommy’s sight for even a minute!!
Favorite toy: Little Tikes Basketball Goal
Best Toddler Tip From Mom: I finally moved my pots and pans to a higher cabinet and put Cole’s toys in the lower cabinets. Now I don’t have to worry about him pulling everything out onto the kitchen floor!

ABSOLUTELY FED UP

I am so far past fed up I don’t know what to do. Alex had a fever of 103 yesterday afternoon. This followed about a week’s worth of runny noses which I mistakenly thought were getting better. I am starting to think I should buy stock in Children’s Tylenol and Children’s Motrin.

Something has a hold of my son, and it won’t let go. Some virus, some infection, some … something. It grabbed my son shortly after we moved here to Greenville in August of last year. Since then it works it’s evil magic by making my son sick every two to three weeks. Runny nose, sometimes coughing, then BAM, high fever, and occasionally asthma issues. My son has been seen numerous times by two different pediatricians, been in the hospital once, and regularly sees an asthma and allergy specialist. He has been allergy tested and shows no allergies whatsoever. We’ve been told he “may” have “illness-induced-asthma”, but that “cannot be confirmed until he has another attack severe enough to land him in the hospital” (I’m not making that up, that is EXACTLY what the doctor told us). His blood has been tested and his counts are normal, he is not anemic. He has essentially not gained any weight in the last four months. He’s not lost any significant weight either. He eats well, and takes a daily multi-vitamin, yet his immune system seems to be on strike while this “thing” is in control. But whatever this “thing” might be, it has seriously underestimated Big Bad Mamma.

First thing today we have an appointment with Alex’s newest pediatrician, a man who has been extremely easy to talk to and very helpful. He has no idea what he’s in for. He is about to get the most detailed patient history ever, and he is also about to find out that Mamma is through taking this laying down. We are about to hunt this thing out of it’s hiding place and a la Will Smith in Men In Black, OBLITERATE it once and for all.

And once it’s dead, I’m going to dance on it’s metaphorical grave.

kids health, health issues, sickness in kids, pediatrician

COLE IS OUR TODDLER OF THE WEEK!!

Child’s Name: Cole
Loves to: Throw balls and chase them/ walk & climb everywhere!
Hates to: Be out of Mommy’s sight for even a minute!!
Favorite toy: Little Tikes Basketball Goal
Best Toddler Tip From Mom: I finally moved my pots and pans to a higher cabinet and put Cole’s toys in the lower cabinets. Now I don’t have to worry about him pulling everything out onto the kitchen floor!

As Gumby currently crawls around under, over, and around EVERY SINGLE TOY in the house, I find myself chasing around behind him cleaning a drippy nose that ever so quickly can end up on a sleeve, a cheek, or worse yet, a random, unsuspecting toy. My son has earned the nickname Gumby lately as he seems determined to twist, bend and stretch in every unconceivable direction, regardless of the limits of the human body. These feats of muscular and skeletal excellence come about because unagreeable toys and animals seem determined to find their way into the tiniest and most inconvenient places.

Meanwhile, Gumby is also “talking” to these wayward toys, giving them a thorough piece of his mind, which sounds suspiciously like something I once heard once on a Star Wars movie.

Getting him to eat during the course of this whole head cold issue is almost impossible. Breakfast still goes well, but any other food is generally tasted, then removed for inspection, suddenly found desperately lacking, and tossed happily to the floor. At which point the dogs gleefully step in (wanting only to help me with the housework, of course) and take over.

Luckily, Gumby still finds any type of drink acceptable, and at least I don’t have to worry about him getting dehydrated during his gymnastics routines.

COLE IS OUR TODDLER OF THE WEEK!!

Child’s Name: Cole
Loves to: Throw balls and chase them/ walk & climb everywhere!
Hates to: Be out of Mommy’s sight for even a minute!!
Favorite toy: Little Tikes Basketball Goal
Best Toddler Tip From Mom: I finally moved my pots and pans to a higher cabinet and put Cole’s toys in the lower cabinets. Now I don’t have to worry about him pulling everything out onto the kitchen floor!

DEALING WITH TODDLER TANTRUMS

We are starting to enter into a new phase in Alexville. Tantrums. The man knows what he wants, and he wants it NOW, regardless of whether it’s the stereo, a sippy cup, or the shower curtain. And when Mommy and Daddy, for the sake of keeping him safe and themselves sane, dare to tell him no, or remove him from the situation, a full scale meltdown is usually the result.
If you’ve never seen a toddler tantrum, it’s vaguely reminiscent of the end of the world as we know it. There is lots of screaming, screeching, flailing limbs and shaking heads. And that’s usually just me.

Okay, I’m kidding, but toddler tantrums are no fun for anyone. And when I went in search of ways to ease these tantrums, I found the exact opposite of what I was hoping for. Every pediatrician, every mother, even every behavioral expert I found declared emphatically that these tantrums are completely and totally normal. They are also to be expected as a toddler usually has not yet learned how to control extremes in emotion. This was NOT what I wanted to hear. I wanted the magic trick that would immediately calm my screeching son when I have to take him away from the VCR for the fifteenth time that day. But there is no magic trick. There is however, a greater likelihood that any toddler will have a meltdown if they are tired, hungry, stressed, or somehow frustrated. Knowing this gives us all a better chance of avoiding these tantrums at certain times.

Making sure Alex has eaten BEFORE we go out to a restaurant for instance, ensures that he’s not having to sit around the table, hungry and not understanding why he can’t eat right away (Though in truth I have to give proper credit for this idea to Grandma and Grandpa Remeta, who gave me that suggestion WAY before I read it in any book! Thanks guys!).

Redirection also works well. If your toddler always throws a tantrum in the middle of the grocery store, try figuring out just what is setting them off. If your little one is just too overstimulated at the store (all those choices, colors, and people can be a bit much for some kids), give your spouse grocery duty, or put them on babysitting duty so you can shop alone. If that’s not feasible, try redirecting your little one with specific questions. “Should we have meatloaf or chicken for dinner?” “Do you want noddles or broccoli to go with?” This often requires some quick thinking on your part, but the engaged toddler who feels a part of the decision making process is well worth the mental strain. Make sure however, to be specific in your questions, using an either or scenario, rather than “What should we have for dinner?” Open ended questions are too broad and can further frustrate your little one.

Stick to a schedule. No one can continuously stick to the same schedule, but make it a point to stick as close as you can whenever you can. Naptimes should be the same time every day whenever possible. Avoid running errands just before your toddler is due for a nap or right before mealtimes. Try to run errands around the same time every day so your toddler knows what to expect ahead of time.

All that being said, expect a tantrum every so often, just to keep you on your toes. There are a few simple and easy rules to follow when dealing with a tantrum, to prevent them escalating in the future.

- Stay calm.
- Don’t react with anger or shouting.
- Don’t give in to your toddlers demands.
- Do comfort your toddler as much as possible.
- Do express that you understand the problem.
- If possible, do remove your child from the situation.
- Afterwards, don’t punish a toddler for a tantrum. Instead, soothe them as much as possible and work on explaining that they will not always get what they want.

Armed with this new information, I am off to stand guard over the VCR!!

tantrums, behavior issues, toddler tantrums

COLE IS OUR TODDLER OF THE WEEK!!

Child’s Name: Cole
Loves to: Throw balls and chase them/ walk & climb everywhere!
Hates to: Be out of Mommy’s sight for even a minute!!
Favorite toy: Little Tikes Basketball Goal
Best Toddler Tip From Mom: I finally moved my pots and pans to a higher cabinet and put Cole’s toys in the lower cabinets. Now I don’t have to worry about him pulling everything out onto the kitchen floor!

ANGELS WALK AMONG US

I’d like to introduce everyone to Morgan Kathleen Ownby. Morgan was not really a little girl, but actually a beautiful angel, given to this earth for only a short time to bring joy and happiness to all who had the pleasure of knowing her. I never had the privelege to meet Morgan face to face, but I kept up with her Mom (a high school friend of mine) and enjoyed regular photos and updates.
Over the course of four years, I developed an attachment to this angel. Every time I saw her photo, regardless of what was going on in my own life, a smile would jump to my face. A warmth would spread through my heart. Whatever worries I had weighing me down would suddenly lift and I’d feel this amazing sense of calm. Unfortunately, God can only loan us his truest angels for a short time, and Morgan returned to her heavenly home on January 30, 2006. I often wonder if she hung on to send her silent love and support (through angelic channels of course) to my own son, Alex, who arrived January 21, 2006 after a somewhat complicated delivery.

Morgan has a beautiful website dedicated to her life and her memory. It’s called Heaven’s Brightest Star, a fitting name for such a bright moment in time.

I recently met another angel who walks among us. His name is Ben, and like Morgan, he has a soul of pure light. Also like Morgan, the physical body he was given to use while walking among us has a few flaws. It is simply a testament to his true character that he is strong enough to handle physical issues that most of us could not. Ben has a website as well, called A Work of Art, where he shows off his artwork, and occasionally let’s his dad post a story or two.

Over the course of my life I have met many angels. From the kids I used to work with in high school in the STAR (Students Teaching Art Resources) program, to exceptional children I meet everyday at the park or in the grocery store. I am humbled every day by their innocent spirits, and forgiving souls.

And I am ashamed of the rest of us.

Too many times I’ve seen people turn away from these special kids, averting their eyes or moving as far away as possible. Or the other extreme, people who display shock or revulsion clearly on their face with no thought to feelings. I cannot imagine the inner battles the parents of these precious angels must fight on a daily basis. All I can do is help remind the rest of us that these children are not “contagious”, or “evil” or “creepy”. They are beautiful, strong-willed, precious kids who live every day simply to make this world a better place.

You may not have seen it on her face, but Morgan knew every time someone avoided eye contact with her or her Mom. Ben knows every time someone crosses to the other side of the grocery aisle, or the sidewalk to avoid “accidentally” touching him. Looking at it in the third person, how would this make YOU feel? Because these children are different would you wrongfully assume they don’t enjoy a friendly smile, or a simple hello? On the contrary, I think we should be doing everything in our power to show these amazing children what breathtaking respect we have for their beautiful, selfless spirits. Despite all the extra hardships they have endured, they are still babies, and kids, and teenagers. They still find comfort in love, touch, and simple friendliness.

One would think we could all be clear headed enough to recognize angels when we see them.

*Side note: I have written this post from the inner workings of my heart, and have not (as I probably should have) discussed speaking of Morgan or Ben with either of their parents beforehand. I hope they will forgive my rudeness in this, and take this post as it was meant to be taken … as a symbol of my utter and unfailing respect for their absolutely amazing kids.

angels, special needs children, Heaven’s Brightest Star

WELCOME TO OUR TODDLER OF THE WEEK, COLE!!

Child’s Name: Cole
Loves to: Throw balls and chase them/ walk & climb everywhere!
Hates to: Be out of Mommy’s sight for even a minute!!
Favorite toy: Little Tikes Basketball Goal
Best Toddler Tip From Mom: I finally moved my pots and pans to a higher cabinet and put Cole’s toys in the lower cabinets. Now I don’t have to worry about him pulling everything out onto the kitchen floor!

FAMILY FUN

Yesterday, as I lay half-dying with the flu, I discovered something that I will treasure always. I found something that keeps Alex entertained for hours. That’s right, I said HOURS. What was this beacon of perfection to all of toddlerhood?

Our aerobed.

In an effort to get some type of rest and yet still be a part of the family yesterday, I pulled our aerobed out into the living room so I could relax and still be in the midst of things.

Obviously I didn’t get much relaxing done (what mom does?), but I did get to enjoy watching my son bounce, slide, and giggle himself half crazy playing on the aerobed. After about two or three tries, he also became very adept at the Dukes of Hazzard style slide off the side of the bed onto the carpet. This of course, also incited gales of laughter.

Later on we all watched the Daytona 500 as a family. Well, my husband and I watched, and Alex watched whenever he saw a particularly colorful car he liked. The race was great, and if you missed it, you can catch all the highlights over on Scott’s site, The PitStop Report. If you have no interest in the Daytona 500, then you are clearly not the Nascar obsessed fan that I am, and while I can commend you for that, I cannot claim that it makes any sort of sense to me.

Irregardless of the race, and in spite of me hacking, sneezing and coughing through most of the afternoon, it was still a very enjoyable family day.

As for the aerobed, it still sits in the living room, ready to enjoy a full round of bouncing after breakfast.

aerobed, fun with kids, toddlers

Alex and I are miserable. Nefer won ob us kin breafe out ob owr dose. We are also both achy, have tummy problems, and generally just want to curl up into a little ball and stay there. Well, at least that’s what I want to do. Alex is a firm believer that the show must go on, and despite rocketing what looks like cream of chicken soup out of his nose every few minutes, his morning is proceeding as usual. Yummy breakfast, yummy juice, fun playing with toys, clean behind. What more could a guy possibly want? I do have a sneaking suspicion however that we will both be taking longer than average naps this afternoon.

I’m just hoping mine gets to start in the next half hour or so.

OUR TODDLER OF THE WEEK KARI AASLAND

Childs name: Kari Aasland
Loves to: Chase the dog with her toy stroller
Hates to: Have her teeth brushed
Favorite Toy: Anything Elmo
Best Toddler Tip From Mom: Go with the flow…know when to give a little and when to take a stand…in other words, choose your battles and you will both be happier.

TODDLER TEETHING PROBLEMS

First and foremost, for those of you who have children who cut teeth quicker and easier than Justin Timberlake changes girlfriends, I envy you. I also need you to pick out my next lottery numbers, because apparently you are one of the luckiest people on the planet. The rest of us are tired of feeling helpless when our little ones are uncomfortable, tired of trying to choose between thousands of “possible” teething medicines, and just plain tired overall.

The doctors, the books, and the experts say there is no direct correlation between teething and having a runny nose, diarrhea, or slight fever. As all knowing as I might be (sarcasm being the key to that statement), I can’t tell you who’s right. What I can tell you is that Alex is currently cutting two more teeth, and he has all the issues listed above. I don’t know if one caused the other or not, and frankly, I don’t care. All I want to know is how to fix it. We’ve all been there, (except those lucky punks we mentioned in the beginning) our normally vivacious, over-active, last-nerve straining toddler is suddenly a whimpering, pitiful baby who desperately needs Mommy or Daddy to make it better. Here’s how to do just that.

1) Let them chew. Teething rings, cold wet washcloths, anything they want to chew on, let them (provided it’s not your stereo equipment or your cat). Chewing will do the most to help the offending tooth cut through the gum, and cutting it through is our ultimate goal.

2) Let them drink cool, icy fluids. Cold milk, ice water, chilled juice. Keep the fluids flowing, the temperature not only helps to soothe enflamed gums, but if your toddler has diarrhea the extra fluids are always helpful. Avoid sugary sodas or sports drinks as these can make diarrhea worse, and aren’t good for those teeth we’re working so hard to get in the first place.

3) Ease the pain. If your toddler is having enough pain that they’re having trouble sleeping at night, a child’s tylenol or other pain reliever won’t hurt. Make sure and contact your doctor or pharmacist though, for the proper dosage and frequency.

4) Keep them clean AND comfortable. Babies and toddlers both tend to drool more when teething. As parents, we constantly wipe, clean, swipe, dry, etc. This extra attention and extra moisture is likely to cause some drying or redness on your child’s face. Use soft cloth’s (your baby washcloths are great for this) or kleenex for cleaning, and make sure to soothe irritated skin with a baby safe moisturizer. Aquaphor by Eucerin is a favorite in our house, and a regular size tube lasts forever.

And perhaps the best, and most fulfilling way to help …

5) Baby your toddler. Offer plenty of extra cuddles, or some extra rocking before bedtime. Love always seems to help the most when soothing the hurt.

teething, sleep issues, toddlers

OUR TODDLER OF THE WEEK KARI AASLAND

Childs name: Kari Aasland
Loves to: Chase the dog with her toy stroller
Hates to: Have her teeth brushed
Favorite Toy: Anything Elmo
Best Toddler Tip From Mom: Go with the flow…know when to give a little and when to take a stand…in other words, choose your battles and you will both be happier.

SHOTS = SLEEP ISSUES

Yesterday our doctor’s visit went fairly well. Alex loves his pediatrician, and he tolerated the shots fairly well. We had no real problems until last night.

It went something like this:

6pm - Alex is sound asleep on my lap - dogs barking, tv on, etc. doesn’t matter
6:15pm - I put Alex in the bed to catch a short nap (he doesn’t usually nap that late in the evening, as he goes to bed at 8 )
7:00pm - I get Alex up so he can eat dinner - he’s hungry, and eats well, but still sleepy
8:00 - Alex goes back to bed - but doesn’t lay right down like he usually does, so I rock him for a bit and he dozes off
8:30 - Hubby and I sit down with a glass of wine to celebrate Valentine’s
9:45 - Alex wakes up, whimpering as if he’s in pain, so we give him Tylenol to help with the muscle pain from the shots (3 in the legs, 1 in the arm)
10pm - Alex goes back to sleep, hubby and I curl up on the couch to enjoy Valentine’s

2am - Alex awakens again, again, seems to be muscle pain aggravating him, rocking calms him down and he dozes back off
4:30am - Guess who’s up again? More tylenol and rocking doesn’t seem to help, so we break a cardinal rule and give him a little milk to comfort him - little more rocking and by 5:30, everyone is finally asleep back in their own beds
7am - Alex is awake and grinning. Mom is … awake.

Alex has been through the getting shots routine before, and it’s never quite affected him this way. If anything he’s usually exhausted and sleeps a little longer. Do any of your little ones have trouble sleeping after getting shots? Is there anything you do extra special to help ease their discomfort a little? We have to do this again in three months, and I’d like to avoid as much pain for him as possible.

Throughout the night I even tried the tips I have found for getting little ones back to sleep, but nothing worked. My poor little guy was sore, and as he does tend to move around a bit when he’s sleeping, I think a large part was he was most likely rolling over on his “owwie’s” and waking himself up. At the moment however, he is laughing hysterically as he chases the cat around the living room. So at least one of us is feeling chipper this morning!

toddlers, shots, sleep issues

TODDLER OF THE WEEK KARI AASLAND

Childs name: Kari Aasland
Loves to: Chase the dog with her toy stroller
Hates to: Have her teeth brushed
Favorite Toy: Anything Elmo
Best Toddler Tip From Mom: Go with the flow…know when to give a little and when to take a stand…in other words, choose your battles and you will both be happier.

VALENTINES DAY FOR TODDLERS

It’s time to hire a babysitter, and get some well-deserved couple time for you and your significant other. If you don’t have a significant other, it’s still time to get a babysitter, and get a manicure, a massage, or something just for yourself. But the babysitter usually doesn’t stay all day, so whatever will you do with your mini Cassanova in the meantime?

Here are a couple of ideas.

Let your little one help you in picking out their clothes for today. See how many clothing items your child can find that are red or pink.

Read a Valentine’s Story. Lots of libraries will be doing Valentine’s day specials for kids today, and if not, you can always find a cute Valentine’s kid book at your local book store.

Do you have magnetic letters on your fridge? Help your toddler spell out Happy Valentine’s a few times, just for fun.

Make your child’s breakfast pancakes or toast in heart shapes. Heart shaped cookie cutters are best for this, and can be found at your local dollar store.

Start an “I Love You” game with your little one. Every time your toddler says “I Love You” today, give them a star, a point, or a special something. At the end of the day, whoever has the most stars, points, etc., gets a special gift or dessert.

Above all, just spend time together. My most precious memories of holidays (of any kind) when I was younger was that my family was always together. Naturally Mom and Dad went out for dinner and did their own thing (who could blame them!), but they still made a point to spend some quality time with my sister and I. Oftentimes involving a marshmellow heart eating contest.
Valentine’s Day is a special day that celebrates couples, but I see no reason why it can’t celebrate families as well.

Have a wonderful Valentines everyone!!!

toddlers, Valentine’s Day, toddler activities for Valentines

TODDLER OF THE WEEK KARI AASLAND

Childs name: Kari Aasland
Loves to: Chase the dog with her toy stroller
Hates to: Have her teeth brushed
Favorite Toy: Anything Elmo
Best Toddler Tip From Mom: Go with the flow…know when to give a little and when to take a stand…in other words, choose your battles and you will both be happier.

PREPARING FOR THE DOCTOR

I have to ruin Alex’s second Valentine’s day. More specifically, his doctor has to ruin it. Poor child has had a bad track record so far with Valentine’s, his first year he was in the hospital projectile vomiting and unable to eat anything. This year might be almost as bad. We’ll be headed in for a full tune-up, and Alex will have to tolerate the weight torture machine, the annoying tape measure head check, the pokey ear thing, the cold chest domajiggy, and worst of all, the owwy sharp sticky things at the end. Afterwards we’ll have stickers (like they REALLY make the owwy’s better, sha right), maybe even a lollipop. But the best cure all comes once we get home. A nice long nap and being pampered by the doggies, who are obsessed anytime we come in and Alex smells different.
Alex and His Lab Abby, Taken Last Year

I usually give Alex a dose of Tylenol about a half hour before his doctor’s appointment, as it seems to help with the pain from the shots. Nevertheless, the whole ordeal is always very wearing on him, and we make sure and plan for a nice afternoon of quietly cuddling under the blanket and watching Diego or the Backyardigans for endless hours on TV. We also set aside special Daddy time whenever we’re under the weather, because, well frankly, Daddy is the cuddling master. He has some sort of special pheromone that he apparently releases that can calm Alex and make him pass out asleep in a matter of minutes. I don’t know what pheromone it might be, or where it comes from, or how to get it myself, I just know my husband has it, and it works wonders.

Do you do anything in particular to make your toddler more comfortable after shots?

In hindsight, if I had realized ahead of time that Alex has had two icky Valentine’s I never would have made this appointment. But at this point, what’s done is done, and I suppose it’s better to get it over and done with. We’ll be having a loving, if a bit sore, Valentine’s Day around here. We wish you and yours a lovely Valentine’s as well.

toddlers, Valentine’s Day, toddler vaccines