the babe « Fancy Pantsy

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bad news…good news

October 31, 2009 · Filed under health, pity party, the babe

Bad first:
I have been so sick. My fever is not high, but I am achy and miserable all over, especially when my Advil wears off. When I am on it, I am okay as long as I don’t over exert myself-which is difficult. The girl would not get off me or leave me alone all day… and she was so annoying to my achy head AND I am worried about passing it onto her (which is probably unavoidable anyways…but I still feel bad when she is climbing all over me, lying in my bed…etc). Thankfully she has a Halloween party and sleepover tonight. The mother did not mind her coming in spite of my illness, she is a teacher and figures whatever she can get exposed to, she already has. I don’t know if it is H1N1, I really have no way to find out as there is no way am I going to the hospital. Since I do have a fever, aches and (now) a cough and soreish throat…I am sorta assuming it is, but it may well not be. Either way I am sure it is a contagious virus I would prefer not to pass around!

I am hoping that the little 2 days fever Charlotte got was it, and that maybe it was so mild because of BFing? When the girl was nursing, Adam and I go two AWFUL stomach flus (you know, the both ends variety???) and she did not catch either. There were also several times that the entire playgroup got some sort of virus except her…BFing really did seem to help her immunity system a lot. Hopefully the same is true for Charlotte!

Well, I am about 5 hours from my last dose of Advil right now, cross your fingers that I feel a bit better than last time it wore off, and am on the mend.

Then Good:

I can eat dairy!!! I have been allowing trace dairy (like if the ingredients say “may contain trace” or if it touched dairy) into my diet for a few months now, with no problems.

Then Thursday at a play date the mom offered me cheese buns, with milk, cheese and butter. I ate one. Okay, 2. It was pure ecstasy. That night Charlotte did not poo.

Then yesterday I ordered a hamburger at one of my “safe” places for lunch…but they gave me a cheeseburger by mistake. I decided to eat it anways.

Then today….da da da da…Charlotte pooped. A normal, brownish yellow, peanut butter poop. No blood or mucous in site. Smelly, but it was normal poop smell…not the rotten second coming stink of allergy poop.

Woot! I still plan to take it slow (maybe have a little dairy every day or two for the next few weeks and keep and eye on things), both to ensure that it does not start to bother her again when it builds up, and that my recurrent tonsillitis that the dairy elimination killed does not come back. But it is progress…and it is nice to know that even if too much dairy does cause a problem for her (or me), it seems an occasional treat no longer will. I have decided to stick with rice milk as my “milk” at home. I don’t want to overdo it on the dairy (no matter what happens with Charlotte) because of my tonsils, and figure just that will cut out a lot of dairy from my diet. I am used to it and like the flavor (I use enriched vanilla) that is gives my coffee, tea, cereal and baking anyways! Actually, after all this, the thought of cow’s milk grosses me out a little anyways. Cheese and things cooked/baked with dairy are all good, but I really feel no desire for real milk, and am pretty sure I am better off without it anyways. I used to be a milk fiend…several cups a day plus coffee, tea and cereal. No wonder my tonsils and throat were a mucousy mess!

I am not trying soy until she is at least a year though, since she still cannot seem to tolerate even trace soy protein (oil or lecithin are okay if they are near the end of the ingredients) and soy was worse for her than dairy. Dairy gave green and mucous…but it was soy that gave blood!

I was dairy free for 8 and a half months!! I can hardly believe it…that I did that, or that it is (hopefully) over!!

Update, on various topics

August 17, 2009 · Filed under The girl, a day in the life, babywearing, jewellery, parenting, pics of me, pity party, the babe, update

1) It is hot. Too hot. I know a lot of people have complained about how cool the summer has been, but I am not one of them. I hate the heat. I am hot and crabby and sweaty and anti-social in the heat. Blech.

2) Charlotte is teething. Or has a virus. Or both. She has been feverish and fussy for days. She also HATES medication, to the point that she makes herself throw up if I force it into her…so it has been difficult to keep her temp down and pain under control. Daytime has been okay (with a lot of baby-wearing and nursing) but nights have been hellish. Besides waking a lot more than usual, getting her to sleep has been a chore. Usually she nurses to sleep between 8-8:30pm quite easily, but not in the last several nights. Instead, she has fussy and tired and WILL NOT NURSE (even though she nurses fine all day). She’ll latch for like 2 seconds, then pull off (sometimes after biting me) and starts screaming and crying until she calms down, and nurses again, repeat. Last night she did this for 2 hours, and then the man walked her up and down the stairs until she fell asleep. Seemed to be on the same cycle tonight, but she did eventually settle a bit more easily than last night. Fingers crossed that this is an indication of improvement. She is lucky she is so cute:

3) I have had to wear Charlotte a lot. I mean, I always have out of the house since it is easier than lugging a stroller all over (I reallly only use one for places like the mall, for quick trips or to go to places I will be setting her down anyways, I never do) but these days she likes to be close to me always and I have had to wear her at home a lot too, mostly on my back since I cannot get anything done with her hanging from my front. I have a new (to me) Storch and am working on my back carry (not easy). Luckily I can get her on my back in the Mei Tai very easily.

4) Did I mention I am hot and grumpy?

5) I am really into silver these days. Ihave been wearing a pile of silver bracelets I got, and a silver necklace with some Brighton charms my mom got me. I was always a gold girl in the past, but these days for some reason silver is winning me over!

6) I am very very hot. Hot and sweaty and miserable because I am so hot.

7) The girl has morphed into a dramatic, sassy, attitudy, non-listening wannabee tween. Luckily, she is cute too (I don’t have a recent picture you have not seen, loads on the previous post though).

8. Hot. Very Hot.

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back from Muskoka

August 8, 2009 · Filed under The girl, a day in the life, family, the babe, travel

we had a great time, but I am too tired and achy (I got a cold…I always get sick when I travel…grrr) to write much now. so I will leave you with some pictures…

Random Pictures:

i gave her the pickle as a joke…joke was on me she sucked it for at least 30 minutes

Pics from Santa’s Village:

The grounds at our resport (The Baldwins…we really enjoyed…more later):

beach pics (a little cool for Charlotte, so I stayed out with her):

Pics from the Aspen Valley Wildlife Santuary (amazing place):

Photo-shoot on our last evening, when we walked to the beach:

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7 month old self-feeder, 6 year old swimmer

August 2, 2009 · Filed under The girl, advice, the babe

late again, but here is my big baby girl, who turned 7 months old on Thursday:

and last month:

I don’t think she is much bigger, but she sure looks older.

Talking about getting older, the girl has finally learned to swim, without water wings!!! She was making some progress in the shallow end a few weeks ago, and today she just went for it. She was even jumping into the deep end of the pool (with me or her father right there in the water, of course) and then swimming to the shallow end! Sniff, my big girl is growing up. I am so proudof her though!!! Too bad we did not have the camera. She is sure ot get some practice on our little trip next week though, and I`ll get some pictures then!

Like me, her swimming is not the most aesthetically appealing, not much style there, but she stays afloat and has fun and that is what matters!!!

As for Charlotte, not so much is new. She is eating solids now, but does not touch baby-food. It is sorta funny…baby-led weaning was my original plan for Charlotte (basically giving her a bit of whatever age-appropriate foods we are eating, and letting her eat what she can or wants to eat) but then because of her (dairy and soy) allergies, I decided to go the traditional route of starting with pureed foods at 6 months.

Well, she was not a fan and was barely eating anything (which was fine with me, I just kept offering once a day but did not really force or encourage her, just offered it on a spoon at her lips), and then a couple weeks ago she grabbed a french fry and went to town on it!!! Not the best food choice, but it was pretty clear that she preferred feeding herself, and was able to do so. So I started offering her whole foods to finger feed instead, and she loves it. So much easier for me too…no feeding her, just putting food on her try, and eating my own dinner while she (sorta) eats hers.

Now, she does not eat an awful lot…but since she still breast-feeds about 8 times a day and at this age solids are more for practice eating and accepting new foods than for nutrition, no worries.

Some things she likes to eat are rice cakes, pita, avocado, banana, mango, watermelon, broccoli, asparagus, potato, sweet potato, carrots and egg yolk. Since I have a freezer full of purees, I am spreading them on her rice cakes and pitas…and plan to make soup and sauces with them in the fall and also use them as dips when she has the ability to do so. I also sometimes (when we are out and she is eating in the stroller and not with a tray or table) use the mesh feeder for softer foods like banana and avocado.

So, while it is not full on BLW (I do need to keep on eye on what she eats and introduce new things slowly and avoid things with tonnes of different ingredients to catch any intolerances, and I will not give her things I consider wholly inappropriate for a baby this age like cake or chocolate, and I do use the mesh feeder on occassion as well as continuing to spoon feed her applesauce at her pace) it is pretty close and I wholly recommend it!!!