Talking Take Off

Avery said her first three word sentence before bed tonight. "Mommy, milk please." Which sounded like, "Mama, muck pees." She has been saying a new word daily this month, but the last week or so, she's saying multiple new words each day. It's like she's a parrot copying so many things we say.

Usually Avery associates animals with the noises they make, and yesterday while looking at a book, she said all of the animals by name. I was shocked to hear her say 5 new words in a row. Now, like an average (almost) two year old, she won't repeat a word when you ask her to, unless she feels like it. When she's reading though, she says so many words, and has a lot of her books memorised. She hasn't been letting me read out loud to her, and mostly wants to read to herself. I often find her in her bedroom, where she's closed the door, and sitting on her little stuffed princess chair. She looks up and smiles like I shouldn't be suprised to find her reading to herself. It's amazing to see. There's no doubt that reading is Avery's most favourite thing to do. Before Rowan was really into the toy box, I would barely have to clean anything up but books at the end of the day.

I do think Avery having a regular digestive track helps, but more so in the happy personality side. of things. She is all around a happier toddler, and it makes the small tantrums much easier to handle because before we had all day tantrums. I honestly didn't know if I could deal with two babies so close in age, if Rowan might turn out like that.

I am meaning to do a post about making baby food, tips, and the simplicity of the process. I'll have to get that done this week. Lots of friends have asked me about it. Hope everyone is having a great weekend! :)

Top Chompers.

I didn't have any photos on the computer when I wrote my last post, so now that I actually just organised the monthly shots to be sent into Walmart for printing, I thought I'd share a picture of Rowan with her two top teeth. It really makes her look so much older, and the baby days will be soon behind us. Wow. She sure is the sweetest thing, and she's handling the nonstop teething better than the first two bottom teeth. ( Click picture to see it bigger.)

In other news, I'm going to see "The Lovely Bones" with my good friend tonight. I used to own the novel, but somebody lost it. I would have liked to reread it, especially because I last read it at least 5 or 6 years ago. I do remember I read it in 2 days, and loved every page. I don't usually tear up while reading, but it did pull the heart strings. Uh-oh, my friend I'm going with is pregnant. Ha, at least I'll be watching it with someone empathetic.

We took the girls, last night, to Steve's parents house for his Dad's birthday supper. His aunt picked up Avery her own little tub of rice ice cream, gluten free, and I just brought her own little dinner. We ate Chinese, and black forest cake. I won't lie, I stuffed my face, and felt sick all night. I guess eating gluten free for the last couple weeks, and skipping my yoga class to eat crappy food made me feel like garbage. Hopefully I can sub the missed class via drop in Thursday night.

We also went out with the girls on Saturday evening. Steve has a big group of friends from high school, and they were all getting together because two special girls were bringing their babies into town. It was a perfect reason for a potluck. I made a red lentil hummus, and chocolate cranberry oat squares. The treat was the best part because I was the only one to make or bring a sweet. And I love baking! I actually love watching people enjoy whatever I made.

So that's about it, I think. Until next time...

Pooh

Avery's ultimate new most favourite thing ever is watching "Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree." We actually don't own it on dvd, but I found all the 10 minute bits on youtube. She watches it while I make breakfast, or lunch usually. This buys me enough time to make hot cereals, and not have her under my feet.

I thought I'd try Bambi, seeing as she has books with him, but she cried, and said, "Pooh Pooh." She especially loves the first video with the theme song. I think because her mobile played the song? And she loves the heffalumps and woozles part, which is pretty scary. It's really sweet to watch her light up and smile while watching, and it's not a commercial filled t.v. program, and I watched it when I was little, too. Heck, my mom probably watched it, it came out in 1966.


I have this picture here of Avery watching Pooh. She's enjoying an afternoon popsicle. I pureed strawberries, with a splash of apple juice, and froze it into the popsicle molds. She loves them, and she's eating fruit, which she doesn't really like. I think they will become a regular thing here, with all of this teething going on.

Rowan has her two bottom teeth and two top teeth. I should mention she's been non stop grinding them. Shudder/ gag. It's pretty torturous. She looks like a whole new girl. She's mastered pulling herself to stand, and gets down. It took about a week, and I'd bend her knees for her when she'd cry, to show her how to get down. She's done a slow version of creeping along the furniture, which seems too early at 8 months, but I guess she's met all of her milestones pretty rapidly. I guess I'm just sad knowing her toddler time is about to happen.

Well I hope everyone has a great weekend! :)

Happy Girl

It's now been 4 days gluten free for Avery, and I've got to report the kid has changed like night and day. She still has tantrums, like any other kid her age, but the all day, raging melt downs are over. Yipee! Avery has been pooping, too. I think her belly isn't hurting, and she's feeling so much more herself, and I should mention she never did get sick. :) Thank goodness!

Steve hasn't been bringing the laptop to work this week, so I've been spending my spare time reading everything I can about celiac, and recipe ideas. I really think the toughest thing will be omitting bread, though the easiest solution. And while she's still little enough, it will be pretty manageable. I have been thinking about when Avery's older, it will be hard for her when other kids are eating processed/ junky foods. Maybe certain things won't bug her, when she's in tune with her diet, and she will digest some of those things; who knows. I shouldn't over analyse, just something I tend to do.

Another element hugely part of the change is every meal does have to be planned. This is fine and normal for most families, but because we live out of town, I have previously gone to those golden arches, in a pinch, like when grocery shopping takes too long, and the monster needs lunch. Luckily, there's great healthy options for a quick snack via Atlas, or Zen Zero. I always think it's a good idea at the time, not having to unload the girls from the car, but actually feel an empty fullness that is not satisfying.

I baked a rice flour banana bread today, and it turned out great. I'm feeling more optimistic today than yesterday. I'm just thinking we may eliminate bread type food as a staple all together. I think of all the other people in the world, who don't rely on bread so much. I'm also feeling pretty energetic, and I hope the diet has positive effects on Steve, too.

Maybe changing into a gluten free family is a blessing in disguise.

Gluten Free

Life has been nothing short of chaotic around here the last week. On Friday I came down with a very nasty cold. A little boy ran over to Avery and I on Wednesday, at the kindergym class, and coughed all over me. Great. Just when I told Steve not to worry, we would be fine. (Him being the germaphob.) And of course, it had to be the first class. We obviously didn't attend yesterdays class, seeing as I wouldn't want to get someone else sick.

So just as I have been feeling a bit better, the cold moved from my head to my chest, Rowan is sick. Nothing is sadder than a poor oozy little baby. She has been given plenty of Tylenol, it's the only thing helping, and with her top teeth all coming in, she has been refusing to nurse. A lot of crying, pain for her, and one cranky snot face. Avery on the other hand, seems to be without the cold until last night, she woke up crying a couple times. She didn't try to jail break, no throwing her cribs contents on the floor, just laid there sniffing a stuffy nose. She was sneezing a bit yesterday, which is how it started for everyone else. Yes, Steve is sick, too.

Besides this lovely quarantined family setting, Avery had her pediatrician appointment on Tuesday morning. I wrote last summer about her ongoing constipation problems. (Click the text to read about it.) I left Rowan with Steve for the appointment, and took Avery by myself. The waiting room had a pretty cool little play house, and a bunch of books. The office we were in had a whole toy box of toys, and we'd brought a couple books in. Avery couldn't handle it. I don't know if she was hungry, she was refusing the snacks I'd brought along, in my diaper bag. I don't know if it was simply wanting to be playing in the play house, or if the doctor, as sweet as she was, being someone new, but Avery was freaking out. It built up into a gigantic tantrum.

The doctor was noticing that Avery didn't really ever acknowledge her, or make eye contact, and that is a bit unusual. She kind of played in her own little world the whole time, and didn't really say any words, which concerned the pediatrician. Well, I have heard Avery say a new word every day, for quite a while now. I guess at least over a month now, she's also said 3 or 4 two word sentences, so I am not concerned with her speech development; although, if you ask Avery to say words, she screams at you. She is very difficult to handle, with her raging tantrums, and irritable attitude. Now, this could be from constipation, upset stomach, gas, who knows. But the doctor is putting a referral in with the child development people to check her out. I don't want to over react about that. It might give some really positive answers on handling her tantrums, and piece of mind with her inner health.

The doctor is almost convinced Avery may have celiac disease. The only way to tell for sure is to do blood work. Not only traumatic, but would mean we'd have to pin her down, I did not want to even think about it. I can't say I blame Avery for not wanting the doctors to touch her, every time she goes they're trying to poke her bum, or feel her tummy, which must be sore with gas and constipation. I'm now taking gluten out of her diet completely to see how she changes. It'll really be easier to just switch the whole family. Rowan ate some rice cereal that had wheat and milk by products in it, and it totally bunged her up, too! At least a gluten free approach is going to help her, too, and I now know early enough on.

Another funny thing about the switch is Avery doesn't like the foods that are really bad like pasta and processed kid stuff. It's her own little body communicating with herself, and I do wish through this process I'd been more experienced to know symptoms/ signs, or that she had the words to tell me. I guess I shouldn't be too hard on myself, I have been to the doctor many times, and we are doing something about it now.

We have a follow up appointment with the pediatrician next month, and I really want Steve to come to it. It'll be good for him to hear answers from the lady herself. I forgot to mention that when we were leaving the appointment, I had to carry Avery out because she was tantruming. When we were in the elevator, Avery tried to run out, the door closed on her hand, and I couldn't get her fingers out until we stopped at the next floor up. It was pure chaos from then on, screaming the whole car ride. I could tell her hand was fine, but holy man. I cried in the car, too, and I know other people are sympathetic when your toddler is melting down, but I just feel really flustered. I'm glad Rowan wasn't there because I don't know if I could handle that.

So here we are, I have been trying to get some reading in, when I can, about cooking gluten free. I am exhausted with Rowan's constant crying because of her cold. I ordered a couple of cook books offline because the wait list on some of the good ones from the library is pretty big, besides it will be nice to just have them here anyway. I have no idea what to make for dinner tonight. Cooking normally is challenging, but with the sick baby, I might call Steve for help. I wish Avery liked potatoes... hmmm. Just thinking to myself there.

Well, I guess that is all for now. Until next time. Ciao.

Rant.

I've been meaning to update, but life has been kind of crazy around here. Not really positive and happy. Avery is draining me daily. She is a handful, to say the least. I hope it's a stage, or better yet, that Rowan isn't so dramatic because I might lose my mind.

I took Avery to her first kindergym class this week. It's an hour every Wednesday morning, and we went this week just the two of us. She's very shy around other toddlers, but once she saw the other kids running around, she let loose, and played on everything but the trampoline. The gym is set up with matts everywhere, balance beams, the works, just kid friendly. I didn't bring my camera, but will try to remember next week. I didn't want to be that mom taking pictures the first 5 minutes into the first class. At the end of the hour, everyone cleans up, and sits in a circle to wind down and sing a song, well Avery didn't want to stop, and she basically tantrumed until I had to carry her out to the car. I could feel every other parent watching, and I don't love that.

I have a really hard time talking on the phone these days, unless it's nap time, but I have a lot to do in that gap, I sometimes just like the time to myself. They only sleep at the same time for about 1/2 hour, if I'm lucky, so I try to get my computer time in then. Avery acts up when I'm on the phone, and I'm left wondering what other moms do; do they just give up on trying to fit a conversation in ever?

Any attention whether bad or good will suffice for Avery, if that is all I can give. Avery will climb into the windows, up on the counters, behind the t.v., on top of the table, basically anything she can to get my attention, and then she ends up in time outs. She sits in her high chair, in the corner, and I turn the stove timer onto 2 minutes. After the beep, I take her out, but it takes about 5 minutes to calm her down again, for her to turn around and do the exact same things!

This all happens while Rowan is experiencing her mega teeth on the top. Her two front teeth have cut this week, but I can see the two beside them coming, and it looks like the eye teeth might even come down, too. She's pulling herself to stand all the time, and falling a lot. Poor baby, she doesn't know how to get back down. I wake up every hour to nurse at night, and it seems to be the only thing to get her back down. This is leaving me unrested and pretty tired in the day. You know, I have not slept one night through in over 2.5 years now. I quit drinking coffee when I was pregnant with Avery, but I have been sneaking a half mug in the morning, just to keep me from falling asleep after breakfast.

I should also mention that Avery hates Rowan lately. Rowan is curious about the toys Avery is playing with, and Avery doesn't grasp the concept of sharing, so baby comes near, Avery screams, and throws the toys at baby. I try to put Rowan in her playpen, to get tasks done, and she wants out, as she sees Avery playing on the floor. I think the only thing that keeps them both happy is if I sit on the floor between them, and try to keep them playing with things seperately, yet side by side.

Try cooking a meal with all of this going on. I start tasks at about 3 in the afternoon, just to have it done on time. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy cooking meals, but pulling the monster in and out of time outs, and a screaming baby wears my nerves. I'm pretty snappy by the end of the day, out of exhaustion, and then when we sit down to eat, Avery throws everything all over the floor. She hates everything it seems, and I really don't know what to do about her eating. I mean if she doesn't eat dinner, she wakes up in the night hungry. I can't cater to her and make different things for everyone eating. What do other moms do?

I guess being a mom of two is challenging for everyone, but I don't think I could handle a third baby. I now know I do not want any more. I thought, "Oh maybe one day," but really. I think I would get post partum depression, and never come out of it. If for some reason I forget all of this, it would be after they're out of diapers, I hope. I think getting a dog at that time would be nice for everyone. Pets are just like kids; you have to potty train them, too.

I wish I could have written a happy blog entry, but the truth is I'm only human, and being alone with the girls day in and day out, isn't always a walk in the park.

Fishy Fesh

I can't believe it's 2010 already. Seriously, where have the last 10 years gone? And my grad reunion next year? Wow. At this rate, it'll be 2020 before we know it.

Well we decided to use our Christmas money on a fish tank. I had a pretty big one when I lived in AB, so I'm pretty experienced with the care for fish. I thought it'd be good to get something unusual, and we could all enjoy. We bought a 55 gallon tank second hand from someone on Craig's list, for $350, and it included everything. Brand new the tank, stand, and supplies alone would cost almost $1000, so it was a really great deal.

The tank all set up. Click on picture for bigger view.

Steve went to pick the tank up on new year's day, and we set it up together when he got home, a couple hours later. Avery was "helping" too, saying, "Oooo, oooo," and taking fish statues out of the boxes, and mixing everything up. She loves the tank, and saying fish, which sounds more like, "fesh."

The tank came with some monster sized fish, an oscar that was bigger than Steve's shoe, like 14" long and scary big, two chiclids about 7" long, and an algae eater that we kept, who's about 14" long. Ew! I know it sounds weird, but if they were ours from little fish that got that big, then we'd be used to them, and not mind the huge scary yucky fish, but they freaked me out. We thought it'd be part of the fun experience to bring Avery to the fish store, and pick out new fish. The store took our old fish, too. So it all worked out for the monster steroid fish.

Here's the monster oscar fish.

Avery didn't last long in the pet store, and buying 5 different little schools of fish took longer then we thought it would. I wore Rowan, and Steve and I took turns walking Avery around to look at the different birds, rabbits, cats, etc. while the staff were filling bags of water and fish. Lesson learned, Avery just has a short span of patience, and because we missed a snack time, it was complete melt down, screaming tantrum in the car. We drove top speed to Steve's dad's house, where we were able to feed Avery some lunch, and get both girl's bums changed before driving home, and them falling asleep for nap time.

The only thing missing from the tank is the lid with light. You'll see in the picture Steve has a bulb balancing over top. I know the danger. The chords are safely tucked away, and it should be ok. The pet store has one ordered for us.

I'm not sure who loves the fish more.