Our little family has produced more snot in the last three weeks than an elephant with a sinus condition. Tissues litter my bedside and I’ve signed the Pseudoephedrine log at the drug store more than I care to admit. (To the state of NC: I promise I’m not making meth. I just needed Mucinex D. That other kind of “decongestant” you don’t have to get from the pharmacy doesn’t work.)
We infected our extended family while celebrating over the New Year. The Neti Pot saved Greyson and I, but Charlotte is coughing and all boogery again this weekend. I wish we could Neti Pot our little girl to help her out. But, I think Neti Potting a baby would be akin to water boarding, and thus child abuse. Besides, I want to save that torture for when she’s a teenager. (I’m joking. I’m joking.)
According to a study by the American Academy of Otolayrngology (Ear Nose and Throat doctors), the average child will have 8 to 10 colds per year lasting 10 to 14 days each.
Are you kidding me?! Do you know how many boogers that is?!
The study goes on to say that most of those colds are in the winter. If the child gets eight colds from September through March and they each last two weeks, then the kid is sick more than half of the winter.
I seriously cannot believe that Charlotte has gone 14 months with no ear infections or RSV. The AAO-HNSF also says kids in daycare are 4 times the number of episodes of Otitis media. (That’s middle ear infections. I didn’t know. I had to look it up too.) Now that she’s no longer breastfeeding, I worry about her little immune system even more. We try to wash her hands a ton and keep her home anytime she gets a little fever.
What are families supposed to do, especially during the winter? Should we have quarantined ourselves and hid out during the holidays? Oh, yeah, that would have gone over well. I’m not going to cancel every play date until April because Charlotte has a cough. Every kid in her class and every kid everywhere seems to have the snots.
Posted in Uncategorized
Two months ago our child was a baby with a small, but quality collection of toys and books. After her first Birthday and second Christmas a mere 7 weeks apart, she’s a baby/toddler hybrid with every beeping, singing, blinking, plastic, plush plaything you can buy a child.
I’m grateful to our generous family and friends, but short of tearing up the floorboards in our house, I’m not sure where to store all of this. The pink and purple princess Kozy Koupe courtesy of Grandaddy presents quite the storage snafu.
Her feet barely touch the ground and we have to help her in and out. Yet, somehow she still manages to be hell on wheels. She loves this thing! Fred Flintstone’s got nothing on my kid!
This face makes my heart swell so much I could probably stuff some rogue toys in it. But, parents, seriously, what do you do with the toy excess? Where do you put it? When is it too much?
Posted in baby milestones
I’m dropping my blog restriction to never talk about work. It’s a new year and I’m feeling squirrelly. Besides, this post is about new years, so it’s appropriate.
I rang in 2010
reporting live at Raleigh’s annual Acorn Drop. It’s the funny and charming way the City of Oaks rings in each year. We had just counted down to the new decade and
THIS happened!
2010
In my mind, this guy climbing the rafters and planting a liquor-scented kiss on me was not the highlight of this night. For me, the highlight was watching that big copper nut in the freezing cold with thousands of loud revelers and knowing silently in my peaceful heart that 2010 would be the year I had a baby. I was right, and it was wonderful.
2011
We rang in 2011 barely keeping our eyes open. Parents of newborns can relate. The highlight of this night was not getting giddy and punchy as we posed our sleepy newborn with an open champagne bottle. For me, the highlight was knowing in my apprehensive, but happy heart that 2011 was the year I would get my feet under me as a new mother. I did, and it was wonderful.
2012
We rang in 2012 with our goofy, funny, amazing friends playing games and telling inappropriate jokes. We counted down the “Baby New Year” at 8:00pm and put our one-year-old to bed.
The thing that was different this year was uncertainty in my heart. I just don’t know what’s next. Do I take the leap to make changes? What is coming? I’m only four days into 2012 and I’m already feeling discontented and impatient with everything. I have a suspicion I’ll be barreling through the next 361 days. One day soon in 2012 I’ll be taking a leap, possibly a blind jump of faith into the unknown next phase.
Fortunately the past two years of pregnancy and new motherhood have made my heart strong enough for whatever life brings annually. I hope it’s wonderful.
Posted in motherhood, mothers
We have Auld Lang Syned a lease on another year. Once again have not utilized my time well to write a well-crafted blog post. I’ll make “Better Time Utilization” resolution #2,012.
Posted in Uncategorized
Our Christmas was more special than we ever could have hoped for. We were with Greyson’s family in Colorado. Life was good. The children made it magical.
Santa came through the snow and found us.
Families are funny how they come together at Christmas.
Matching clothes on cousins. We can’t wait to show their prom dates these pics.
This is the happiest wagon ride I can remember.
Fish have never made me feel so giddy.
My heart feels like it’s going to burst when I look at these pictures and reflect on last week. Here’s to a great 2012!
Posted in Uncategorized
