Parenting Toddlers

Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone. Hope you are all spending some quality relaxation time with the family. Don’t worry, the laundry will be there in a few days, I promise.

Here’s the Sunday Sixteen for this holiday weekend!

1. Alex’s took his very first steps all on his own this week. He walks like a pro everywhere, but still refuses to let go except for these few steps so far. He insists on at least having someone’s finger to hold on to, though he hasn’t figured out yet that the finger isn’t really helping him any.

2. Yesterday I got a tick bite. Haven’t so much as seen a tick in almost a decade, and sure enough, I get bit when I’m pregnant. Lyme disease can cause all sorts of problems for a developing fetus, some of them very, VERY serious, so were being very watchful for any symptoms at all. Luckily, so far we seem to have escaped safely. Please pray for my little developing one that things stay that way!

3. Because of #2, I have moved into SUPER CLEANER mode. Everything that can possibly get bleached or washed or changed or wiped, etc. is getting it. The idea that a tick got on me just makes me feel …. ewww …. yucky.

4. On better news, hubby and I went out and got ourselves a new mattress this weekend!! It is superbly comfortable and they’re delivering it today!! I can’t wait.

5. Alex’s favorite foods this week, blueberries, beef ravioli, grilled turkey and cheese, and steamed veggie mix (green beans, carrots, corn and lima beans).

6. Still no morning sickness for yours truly!! I’ve had one or two bouts of feeling a bit queasy, but it only seems to last a few minutes and disappears as fast as it appears.

7. Easy recipe for this week: Cream Cheese and Chive Pasta Skillet. I’ll post the recipe for everyone in the next day or so.

8. Best Mom Beauty helper: easy enough, a new Simmons Beautyrest Pillowtop Mattress! I need to catch up on my beauty sleep!

9. To date we have had no more ear problems, no fevers, no anything since Alex’s ear tube proceedure. I know it’s only been a couple of weeks, but it’s a big step since we couldn’t go more than two days without something previously!

10. Alex has suddenly become deathly afraid of changing stations in restaurants or gas stations, or even the mall. You know what I’m talking about, those fold down from the wall changing tables that are available in most public restrooms. Alex has suddenly started getting upset and clinging to me for dear life whenever I try to use one to change him. I’m guessing he’s got more depth perception and suddenly realizes he’s high up?

11. Standing in the bathtub has become a challenge once again. Alex understands he’s not allowed to stand in the tub, but he continues to push the envelope and then get extremely aggravated when he’s made to sit down every time regardless.

12. I think we’re in the process of moving from two naps a day down to one. It’s hard to tell though, since Alex’s only meltdown mode is usually late evening around 6pm, at which time it’s only an hour or two before he goes to bed for the night anyway.

13. I can tell I’m getting well into my second month of pregnancy, because I am suddenly getting extremely tired. It’s funny, I’m up and ready to go in the morning, but by the time Alex’s nap time comes around, I could fall asleep standing up!

14. Unfortunately, as of the end of the month, I won’t be here at Parenting Toddlers anymore. I’m simply getting too swamped with my part time work, keeping up with Alex, and especially staying rested during this pregnancy. I will continue to post when I can on my personal blog, Toddler Tactics, so feel free to check in and visit Alex and I there when you get a chance.

15. I miss sushi. Did you know you shouldn’t eat sushi when you’re pregnant? Actually, from what I’ve researched, it turns out there’s pretty much about the same risk of getting sick when you are pregnant as there is when you’re not, but when it comes to pregnancy, I’ve just never been a big risk taker.

16. This is the last official Sunday Sixteen, hope you enjoyed them!

Did you know that kids, toddler’s especially, are more likely to actual eat more veggies if they are home grown in their own backyard? Apparently being involved in the growing process, helping mom weed, or helping water, etc., can lead to healthier veggie eater along the way.

Personally, Alex is just going to have to learn to deal with the store bought variety, since I can, quite quickly and proficiently, kill any living plant that comes within a ten mile radius. What can I say? It’s a talent I’ve had all my life. You should have seen MY terrariums in school. They were easy to pick out, they were usually solid brown and mushy.

But if you’re not blessed with the oh so desirable black thumb that I have, you may want to consider starting your own little backyard garden. It just might get your toddler eating veggies, and can always make for fun upkeep along the way!

Today’s subject is a bit touchy. Okay, maybe touchy is the wrong choice of words. Toddlers go through phases of constant change and exploration. One of the areas they start to explore is their own bodies. This exploration can sometimes be awkward for parents, especially if they’re not sure how to react at the time. I was curious myself, as Alex has started “holding” himself whenever I change his diaper (I think he’s afraid I might try to take it off?), so I checked around to see how other parents handled things.

As it turns out, this totally natural and somewhat expected behavior. Experts and pediatricians recommend allowing the behavior, and being open to any questions your toddler may have. Establishing healthy roads of communication between you and child now can do wonders to keep you in the loop later on in the teen years when this behavior actually becomes more sexually related.

So the bottom line? Don’t freak. Naturally, if you’re at a playdate and your toddler decides this is the perfect time to being some self-exploration, quick distraction is probably key. But on the other hand, you’ll be amazed at how many other parents confess that their little on is doing the exact same thing!

For anyone in the market for a new toybox, I have a solid gold find for you. Think cute yet indestructible. The toybox is made by Step 2, and looks like this:

It comes in various versions with the only change being the color of the toylid, currently offered in pink, red, or blue. The best thing I’ve found about this particular toybox is that Alex can pull on it, climb in it, and it doesn’t so much as teeter. It’s also easily wiped off with a simple Chlorox wipe or general kitchen cleaner. The storage capacity is great, and the added shelving gives me the perfect place to put Alex’s favorite books (at least until he stands up and pulls EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM back down again). Cost wise it was extremely affordable, running from about $80.00 at most of your big chain stores like Target or Wal-mart. Even better deals can be found via ebay or some online stores.

So if you’re on the lookout for a great toybox that will stand the test of time, give the step 2 a second look. You won’t regret it!

Do you still have bumpers on your toddler’s crib? (If your toddler is still in a crib that is) If you’ve taken them off how is that working out? Is your little gymnast anything like mine and determined to get various limbs stuck between the slats? If so, and you’re not quite ready to try the big kid bed just yet, here’s a solution for you.

This breathable crib bumper is actually very thin, and set up in a mesh which allows better air flow through the crib. It’s also thin enough that it should prevent your gymnast from standing on it to climb out. My hope for Alex is that it also prevents him from sticking arms and legs through and getting them stuck. I’ll keep you posted on how it works!!

If your interested in finding out more about this particular bumper, here’s the link: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/

It’s time for the Sunday Sixteen! And what a busy week it has been! Keep your tray tables in their upright and locked positions, this is going to be quite a ride!!

1. We found out Wednesday that Alex is going to a big brother sometime next January. Surprise!

2. Alex took his very first steps last night. He’s already flying through the house pushing his toys, and we knew his delay in walking was most likely related to the fluid in his ears. Last night he took two wobbly steps to the coffee table. Hubby and I made a HUGE deal about it, and I have a suspicion that it will increase by leaps and bounds from here on.

3. Alex’s favorite foods this week: Old El Paso Mexican Skillet meal (made this for the family and Alex absolutely wolfed it down), greek gyro (from the Greek Festival downtown yesterday), and diced peaches.

4. My little man is chatting away these days. He makes all sorts of sounds, and even more words, especially “HI”, “Dad-dy”, “One”, “Two”, and “Three”.

5. I found that counting the snaps on his outfits when I’m changing him helps cut down on the flailing around to get down. Plus Alex has started mimicking me when I count, so he’s actually learning his numbers too. If you have a wiggling little one during changing time, give it a shot.

6. With this pregnancy so far I haven’t had any real symptoms (knock on wood) so far. We’ll see how long that lasts. With Alex I had horrid morning sickness for almost six months. Hopefully I’ll skate through this time with little to no morning sickness. Wouldn’t that be great!!

7. Pandora, our cat, has been all about loving me like crazy this past week. I swear she can detect the change in hormones or something, because the usally rather stand offish cat also mothered me like crazy the whole time I was pregnant with Alex.

8. Diesel has found a new home. It was time, and especially with our upcoming summer situation, I think he be much happier. His new family is very nice, and Diesel really seemed to take to them well. They also live here in town so we can check in every so often and see how he’s doing.

Alex’s Get Away with Anything Face

9. Best Mom movies this week: Deja Vu. Still haven’t seen it, but I want to, and I’m a big Denzel fan, so I know it’ll be good.

10. Best Mom beauty helper this week: Palmer’s Cocoa Butter. If you can deal with the smell that long, using Palmer’s on my tummy every night kept me from getting any ugly stretch marks when I was pregnant with Alex. I’ll be using the same stuff again with this pregnancy. My husband is not a fan of the “beachy” scent, but he’d be even less of a fan of big stretch marks, so he lives with it. Plus who really wants to contradict a pregnant woman anyway?

11. Greek Festival. We visited the Greek Festival downtown yesterday here in Greenville. Except for the scorching sun, it was a total blast! They had dancers, cultural exhibits, authentic food (which was awesome) and even play areas for the kids.

12. My toddler is becoming more independent every day. He knows when he wants to get down, when he wants to get dirty, when he wants to eat, etc. And he’s certainly not shy about letting us know it, even if it’s at the top of his lungs.

13. Alex has developed a new habit of raising his arms to anyone who stops to talk to him. Strangers, family, it doesn’t matter. You’d be amazed at how many people are more than willing (and deleriously excited) about picking up Alex when he does this. So far, as long as the person doesn’t look too sketchy, we’re just rolling with it. We’ll definitely have to teach him about strangers in a few years, but for now, it’s better for me (especially right now!) that he doesnt mind spending time with friends.

14. Last night was Alex’s first full bath since his surgery (he’s been getting wiped down with the “ready bath” wipes that work without water) and we had to use the ear plugs the doctor gave us. Luckily, they seemed to work really well, we relatively easy and Alex didn’t seem to mind them in the least.

15. Alex’s favorite book this week, Winnie the Pooh’s Sleepytime Hum from the Winnie the Pooh’s Sweet Dreams collection. It’s a board book that talks about sleeping and dreaming and getting ready for bed. Alex loves to turn the pages, and though it has a good amount of words, it’s still short enough to keep Alex’s attention. Perfect for his before bed story.

16. I know I usually do the must read blogs of the week, but as you can tell, this has been one crazy week. I simply haven’t had the time to check everyone’s blogs out. But I should be back in the saddle and ready to go for next week, so be prepared!!

I have to admit I woke up this morning feeling pretty sorry for myself. I didn’t sleep well at all last night, just couldn’t get comfortable for some reason, and this morning came way too early. I have tons of work to catch up on, both around the house and writing related. Alex was whining, the dogs were scratching at the door, and the cat was yelling at me to get her breakfast already. I thought seriously about just getting in the bed and pulling the covers up over my head. But as a mom, our instincts will not allow us to do anything except what needs to be done. We go about the day, making sure our little ones are taken care of, doing loads of laundry, wiping down kitchen counters to prevent germs, adding things to the grocery list to make sure everyone has what they like to eat. We are pretty impressive CEO’s when you really start to think about it. And as I started thinking of myself in that light, I realized I have so very many things to be thankful for.

I am thankful:

- that I have a roof over my head and plenty of food to eat
- that my family and I have good health
- that I have a loving husband who is excellent at making me laugh
- that I have an adorable son who thinks sharing a banana with mom is the neatest thing ever
- that I have pets who give me affection and warn me every time the UPS man comes to the door
- that I have this new, amazing little life growing inside me
- that I can still find the most enjoyment out of the little things, like legos, sloppy kisses, and sleeping toddlers

As a mom and a wife, our job is often a thankless one. But if you look a little deeper, the rewards are immeasurable. If you get a spare minute today, take a moment to make up your own list. You’ll amaze yourself at how truly blessed you are.

You are not going to believe this.

No trust me, you aren’t.

I know because I didn’t believe it at first.

Let me put it this way … have you ever had something come flying out of left field and hit you upside the head so fast you almost peed yourself in surprise? Now imagine it was a solid, yet incredibly soft pillow. It was completely unexpected and yet also somehow amazing in it’s gentleness.

Wanna know what it is? Crawling to the end of your seat yet? Ready? Are you sure?

Yours Truly is pregnant.

I’ll give you a moment to pick yourselves up off the floor or clean the dribbling breakfast off your chin. Because that’s pretty much the same way I reacted. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited about this, thrilled even, I just wasn’t expecting it AT ALL. As I slowly adjust to the idea though, I find a soothing warmth spreading through me, calming me and putting a silly little smile on my face.

Welcome to existence little one. What a journey we will share.

Well, it’s done. Alex now has ear tubes, and his adeniods are floating somewhere in a jar waiting to be disected for the betterment of medical science. Either that or they just got thrown away in one of those orange bio-hazard bags. Either way, they are no longer lodged, swollen and irritating, in the back of his throat. And his ears are now drained of, in the doctor’s own words, “a WHOLE LOT of fluid in each,” and are vented with tiny little tubes. Recovery went as expected, he woke up upset and uncomfortable, but once we got home he fell asleep again, and upon waking was back to his normal busy little self. He’s eaten well, and thoroughly enjoyed being the center of attention for 24 hours straight. Today he’s essentially back to his normal self already, with the exception of a few raspy coughs here and there (they had to put a tube down his throat, so there’s probably some irritation), and a being a little more tired than normal, which is totally expected and understandable. If anything, I’m amazed at how quickly Alex has bounced back from all this. The procedure itself was fairly typical, but I’ll outline it for any of you considering having this done for you little ones.

6:50 am - arrived at the outpatient surgery center
7:00 am - filled out additional paperwork while Alex flirted with the other people waiting in the waiting room
7:45 am - taken back to the pre-op area - Alex switched his pajama top with a blue hospital gown, and got a ankle band with his info on it
7:50 am - We meet the nurse who will be with him throughout the surgery, his anesthesiologist (okay, I have NO IDEA if I spelled that right, but you get the point) who explained how things would work through the procedure, and his ear nose and throat doctor (who we obviously had already met) checked in as he is the one to actually do the surgery
8:00 am - by this time, Alex has figured out that something is going on, and he’s gotten very, very quiet. He sits quietly on my lap or hubby’s, and just watched the nurses run around doing things - flirting is still vital however, since whenever they get close enough he holds out his arms to them to be picked up (he got picked up and cuddled by three different nurses at last count, must be the big blue eyes)
8:10 am - Alex’s nurse takes him back to surgery, and hubby and I go out to the waiting room to nervously flip through random magazines that we won’t really be reading
8:45 am - still flipping and getting more antsy by the moment - I have interspersed pacing with magazine flipping - hubby just looks at me with a smirk (I can’t help it, he’s my BABY!!)
9:00 am - we are brought back and talk with Alex’s ENT doc, who explains that they did take the adeniods, and that there was quite a bit of fluid in both of Alex’s ears - he explains that Alex may have some blood tinged drainage from his ears for a few days, and that he needs drops three times a day for at least 7 days - we are also to keep water out of his ears completely until after his post op checkup at the end of the month
9:05 am - we are taken back to recovery to be right by Alex when he wakes up - he is sleeping, covered with a blanket the nurses warmed for him (guess it pays off to be flirtatious after all!) - he has an IV in his foot (for the deeper sedation needed to take out the adenoids), and a gizmo attached to his toe that reads his pulse and blood oxygen level
9:15 am - Alex starts waking up - he is understandably upset and confused, and sounds very, VERY raspy - Daddy holds him and once he is fully awake he is allowed to have apple juice
9: 30 am - the crying has subsided to mostly whimpering, and the pacifier definitely helps - we change Alex back into his pajama top, and head home - he falls asleep in the car almost immediately

And that’s pretty much it. Once we got home, we gave Alex Tylenol for discomfort and he laid right back down in his bed to sleep for almost three hours. When he woke, he was hungry, but otherwise smiling and happy like usual!

So a ways back I did a post about dealing with the static cling, for when your toddler gets clingy. Most of these situations I THOUGHT would be related to having to leave your child somewhere, or having to be out of their sight. MY son however, chooses to be the exception from the norm.

Alex has his clingy times, just like any other child. When he’s tired, when he’s not feeling well, or right after he gets in trouble for something. All of those I understand, and can handle appropriately. When he’s tired or not feeling well, he gets snuggles and loves and whatever else he seems to want. When he’s running to me after he’s gotten in trouble with Daddy, he gets a “You know you weren’t supposed to be doing that.” or “You could have hurt yourself.” or whatever other message is appropriate at the time. After a few minutes he gets consoled (usually with diversionary tactics) by my husband or myself.

But now we’ve reached a whole new level of cling. And it’s NOT separation anxiety. When we are out somewhere, if I have to be out of Alex’s sight (perhaps we’re at a friends, or at a playdate somewhere) he could literally care less. He’s very secure, very confident, and seeks out others to play and interact with. But when we’re home ….

The last couple of weeks Alex has had a major case of the “Mommy Carry Me’s”. He wants my full attention 24 hours a day. And though he often gets it for the majority of the day, it makes doing things like going to the bathroom, or changing clothes, or showering, or cooking meals virtually impossible. He’ll do this when Daddy is home, and when he’s not, so it’s not a “I need attention from someone” thing, it’s a “I want Mommy to carry me all the time” thing.

So you know me, when I have a question or am wondering about something, I want an answer. Or at least a reasonable idea that might have some merit. I didn’t find any of that, but I did find a pretty good website, BBC-Parenting that had some pretty good ideas on the subject. Either way, I’ll not be doing anything about the issue for a week or so more, as Alex will be recovering from his ear procedure. And after that, even if he doesn’t need me to hold him, I’ll need it.

So you’re thinking about getting family photos made? Going to a sit down place or having a photographer come in? What will you be wearing? How will you dress the family? What if the kids get fussy? Should you get family photos once a year? Multliple times a year? Once a decade?

The answer is, there is no real answer. Every family is different. Some put more stock in pictures and mementos than others. Some have family who can’t visit often, making pictures an absolute must.

We recently got our family photos made, and I have to admit, we’re one good looking family. My guys are the best looking of course, with their matching blue eyes that would turn any woman’s heart to mush. I decided that since we were getting photos made by a photographer, and we were taking them outside at a local park, that white shirts would be best. And, if I do say so myself, it was a mighty fine choice. Just check these out!! (Some are a bit stretched, but I finally got tired of resizing and resizing over and over)

One Handsome Boy

Good Looking Family, Aren’t We?

There were actually baby ducks swimming in the creek below us!

We even got some great ones in black and white!

Long story short, it really pays to find a good photographer when looking to get family photos done. If you’d like to see more of our photographer’s work, feel free to check out her website here.

Until next time, here’s looking at you kid!

Another Sunday rolls around, but what a special one it is!! Happy Mother’s Day Ladies!! Where has the time gone? I did not think a single week could fly by so very fast. Next week is going to be even more hectic around here, but here’s wishing you and yours a nice, peaceful Sunday full of rest and relaxation!

THE SUNDAY SIXTEEN

1. This coming Tuesday Alex gets his tubes put in. With as much pulling on his ears and smacking at the side of his head as he’s been doing, we can’t wait until he gets some relief!

2. We got our family photos back and they are awesome. I’ll be putting in a link to our photographer’s website and posting some of the photos as soon as I can get them correctly resized to work on this page.

3. Alex has learned how to pull himself up on the couches. Every day is full of up, giggle, down, giggle. Up, giggle, down, giggle. And so forth.

4. Best Mom movies this week: Dreamgirls. There is some seriously amazing singing in this film. Jennifer Hudson proves that American Idol judges don’t know jack squat.

5. Alex’s favorite foods this week: homemade macaroni and cheese (just like his mom), Gerber Graduates Turkey Stew, White Cheddar Cheez-its, and of course, strawberries.

6. New words we’ve tried this week: puppy, apple, and please (which comes out more like peas).

7. Hubby found out this week he’s going to have to work the summer in Charleston. Good on some points, but Alex and I will still miss him like crazy during the week when he’s not here!

8. Alex continues to get himself stuck between the slats on his crib (with or without his bumpers, it’s the same). He has the worst looking bruises on both his legs (he usually gets stuck up around his thighs). He’s only 16 months. To me that’s too early for a toddler bed right? But I don’t think I can keep running the risk that we’ll have to cut the crib to get him out next time, or that he might break his leg flailing around to get loose. So now what do I do? Any tips?

Alex and his Daddy

9. Everything needs to be clean according to Alex. He cleans off the coffee table with one big sweep of his hand. He’s cleared out the DVD rack, the bookshelf, the toybox, and even the drawers in his room (apparently the clothes should be out and on the floor, NOT neatly folded in the drawers).

10. Alex got his first “professional” haircut this week. We went to a Snip-Its here in Greenville, and he was a perfect angel! They even used the buzzer on him and all he did was giggle!

11. Muggy, muggy, muggy. It’s been rainy, hot, or both here this week. Not sunny enough for the little pool, but still okay for occasional wagon rides around the block.

12. Alex’s favorite book this week, Baby’s First Library ABC by Yo-Yo Books. It’s a board book, and teaches the ABCs. Very colorful, very durable, and apparently, also very interesting to a 16 month old.

13. I got a neat little latched basket for my sewing stuff for mother’s day. It’s so neat. Before you get the wrong idea, I don’t sew as in darning, I just do cross-stitch. Don’t got thinking I’m domestically talented or anything.

14. Great Saturday for yard sales! We hit a few community yard sales and racked up! New toys for Alex, a golf bag, a pitcher for the excessive amounts of sweet tea I drink every week, and a game called Fact or Crap. Anyone played this?

15. We’ve started doing time outs when Alex misbehaves. So far it usually just ends up with more screaming, and Alex never sits in one place very long, but he is definitely getting the idea that he did something wrong.

16. Best Blogs to read this week - Mama Doggy Love - her post What’s In a Name? had me rolling, it’s so much like my hubby and me, only with the roles reversed! (except for the sleeping in of course), Plus her Poopy Girl reminds me so very much of my own Abby Labby. Toy Bender - he keeps me updated on all the IMPORTANT toys, more specifically, the ones I remember from when I was a kid! Just For Kids - this one has some awesome links, and some great, great posts.

Chinese Freeze tag- 10 Interesting Facts about me
I was tagged by at Twisted Cinderella at Ever After … My Way and I need to tell 10 interesting facts about myself. I’m so excited! What’s more fun than telling you about my old cotton underwear collection? (Okay, THAT was a joke) So have fun here goes…

1. I just turned 31 and have decided from here on out I’m not going any farther. Next birthday will be Happy 31st Number Two!

2. I wish I had come up with the idea for the kid’s show Oobi. That guy is making money now, and all he did was get worn out enough to start talking to his hand.

3. My biggest pet peeve is people who tailgate me. If someone hits me while my child is in the car, I’m probably going to jail for assault afterwards.

4. My hubby is 5 years younger than me. (I know! High five!)

5. I was in labor to have my son for 24 hours before they finally took him via c-section. The medicine made me throw up, and I got the shakes so bad I felt like a paint can at one point. Interestingly enough, I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.

Me and my precious boy

6. I play a mean game of Shanghai - at least when Mel and Dad aren’t cheating!

7. I was the first grandchild on both sides of my family. So is Alex.

8. I’ve actually been published. My story Lady Abigail (about my own lab) was in the latest Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul book.

9. I was a total tomboy growing up.

10. I’ve been writing for fun since freshman year of high school.

Now I have to tag 10 people to share their interesting facts, (optional of course!),

My Mommy’s Place

Adoption and Fire

And Babies Makes Six

Pink & Blues Blog

Tot TV Watch

All About Fatherhood

Parenting Our Children

Okay, and in cruising around the net looking for other friends to tag here, it appears that this meme is traveling around the net at breakneck speed already. Everyone else I checked had already done this one or something similar! So, if you have a blog and would like to be tagged, drop me a comment here and I’ll make sure you get tagged already!!

So next week is Alex’s ear tube procedure. You remember I told you guys about it a few weeks ago when I mentioned I Knew I Wasn’t Crazy? Anyhow, that procedure is quickly approaching. We had a pre-op appointment this past Monday, and all checked out fine. They listened to Alex’s heart and lungs, and gave us some wonderfully complicated looking ear plugs to use during bathtime and pool time afterwards.

Hard to believe such an adorable guy spends most of his time feeling down in the dumps with ear infections, isn’t it?

On Tuesday a nurse from the surgery center called. She called to get a full medical history on Alex and to give me some details about what will be going on. Alex will go in for the procedure at 8:00 am sharp. It will take 15 minutes to make small incision in the ear drum, suction out the fluid behind the ear drum, and put in the tubes. All this is done under light sedation (feeling no pain, but only lightly asleep). While in there, the doctors will take the opportunity to get a clear view of Alex’s adeniods. If they are inflamed, irritated or abnormally sized, the doctors will increase Alex’s sedation and remove the adeniods as well. If just the tubes are done and the adeniods are fine, the entire procedure will take about 15 minutes with 15 to 30 minutes in recovery before he’s fully awake. If the adeniods are removed as well, the entire procedure will take about 45 minutes, and recovery time will be 45 minutes to an hour.

So that’s the ear tube update! If anyone else ends up needing to get this done and has questions of what to expect, please feel free to email me at jnremeta@gmail.com. I can’t guarantee you’ll have the same experience we will, but I’m happy to share with you what led up to us tracking down an ENT, and what the procedure involved. Next week I’ll be posting an update on the procedure itself and how Alex comes through. The best news so far? Alex is allowed to take Bob (his favorite stuffed toy) and will have his favorite blanket with him throughout, both of which seem to have amazingly soothing effects on my little boy. Since he’s not doubt going to wake up sore and angry, these can only help.

Ever have one of those?

A Lap Day is when your toddler doesn’t want to do anything at all except warm your lap. Toys are not interesting, and in many cases simply cause for frustration. Changing diapers or going potty is suddenly an even bigger issue than ever before. Eating is a battleground. The only thing that makes your little one happy is snuggling with you on the couch, watching Sprout or PBS.

Alex is having a Lap Day today. And though it certainly puts everything I plan to do on hold, I have to say, I don’t mind that all that much. Lap Days can be fun for Mommy’s too. It’s nice to be reminded every once in a while how very important we are to our little ones.