Dear Amoxicillin, DIAF. TYVM. September 22, 2010

Andrew has been pretty snot-tastic for a couple of weeks. No fever, no complaining, just snotty. As a severe allergy sufferer, I gave this the “meh” treatment, but I was on board with Mr. Aggie’s parents taking him in when the snot turned green last Tuesday.

Ewww.

Anyway, he started his first ever course of amoxicillin for a potential sinus infection. Can we just talk about how much giving him that medicine SUCKS? First of all, it’s like a dose for an elephant– 1 tsp twice a day. Toddler moms know that’s a crazy amount of liquid to get into a screaming, thrashing kid’s gob at any one time. And the medicine is apparently revolting, based on his reaction, while also being extremely sticky.

This is where I say it’s okay as long as he gets better and blah blah blah. From where I’m sitting, getting a call from daycare about my inconsolable child in the middle of the day yesterday (day 7 of medicinal hell) doesn’t exactly scream “road to recovery.” I rushed to pick him up after the summons and he just burst into tears when he saw me. He was so, so miserable.

[Insert Self-Defending Explanation for Potential Judgy McJudgertons: He is also cutting his lower incisors  the pointy teeth so that could have explained the fussy/clinginess and his fever wasn't very high, either. That's why we didn't proceed straight to the doctor's office.]

By yesterday evening, he started his ear infection cry (do all kids have one?) but of course it was too late for the doctor’s office. This morning we made our way over and I marvelled at how much easier it has gotten to take him in. What was once a feat akin to scaling Mt. Everest in stilettos is now so routine that I actually ate breakfast (in the waiting room!) alongside my chipper little buddy.

He was an absolute dream during this visit, charming and flirting with nurses and staff and even being super friendly to the pediatrician whom he usually regards with both fear and loathing.

The final tally: one sinus infection, two ear infections, one new antibiotic and one giant middle finger to amoxicillin.

And it came to pass that I took a shower alongside bits of turkey sausage September 17, 2010

That title is going to get some interesting google hits, mark my words.

Remember our morning routine? Andrew enjoys his waffles/bread and quality KERA/PBS programming while I bustle about getting things/us ready. Well Wednesday night, Andrew wasn’t feeling his best and fell asleep without touching his dinner. (Crazy, I know.) Thursday morning, he spied the (turkey) sausage and mac n cheese in the fridge and demanded  indicated with calmness and courtesy that he would like to eat that for breakfast.

Whatever, dude. If it was good enough to give you at night, it was good enough for the morning. So off to the towel-covered bed we traipsed, and he ate and giggled and all was well. I thought I removed all traces of food product from the towel (who am I kidding? I gave it a harried once-over on our way out the door. Let’s be real.) but I was wrong.

Cut to last night. So bone-tired that the idea of showering almost made me weep, I dragged myself and said towel back to the shower anyway.  I did the tasks on auto-pilot (but still completed all steps, unlike some people) but also with my eyes closed most of the time.

So that’s how I managed to shower with three small pieces of  turkey sausage littering the shower floor. When I did finally become aware of my foodie friends, my reaction was as follows:

1. What the heck is that?
2. That is disgusting.
3. Do I have to clean the shower right now, or can I just rinse it off and tell no one?
4. Blog post!

You’re welcome.

Our Morning Routine September 7, 2010

My child, like most toddlers (but also like me, so I take ownership), thrives on routine. Each morning that he’s with me goes like this:

before he wakes:
–toast 8 Earth’s Best miniwaffles (blueberry)
–lay out two pieces of cinnamon bread alongside the waffles
–turn the tv in my bedroom on to channel 13, KERA (since I am currently without a splitter, that means disconnecting the cable modem and reconnecting the actual cable. This is annoying.)
–turn on the bedside lamp
–asses TV volume for appropriate attention-grabbing to irritating ratio

upon waking him:
–relish how he curls against me as I lift him from his crib
–turn off the sound machine/fan
–take the prince to the kitchen to choose his breakfast
–lay him delicately on the bed, pillows perfectly positioned
–enjoy listening to him jabber (“Mama? Mama? Mama?” “What, baby?” “He he.”)and giggle as I get ready

What a great way to start the day.

When Grandma Laughs at You September 5, 2010

There’s something particularly stinging about being mocked (sweetly) by one’s own Grandma. I called to ask about the specifics of cooking a roast, since I bought a huge hunk o’ beef off a local farmer at the farmer’s market this morning.

Once she realized I wasn’t kidding, she equipped me with a seemingly simple plan of action.

Should my meager kitchen attempts prove fatal, I bequeath this blog to…anyone, I guess, because surely it won’t be more neglected than it already is.

Speaking of which, how many non-monetized toddler Mommy blogs are out there that are updated regularly? I’d like to see the stats on just how many moms who work full-time (either wrangling their possessed offspring or outside the home) collapse at the end of another day of mitigating howls of injustice and screams of discontent, and still have the brain power to string coherent sentences together.

Andrew is a wonderful, engaging, brilliant child. Except for when he’s not. Then he’s a whirling dervish of pissed-offed-ness, with little understanding of what set him off in the first place. I love him deeply and am so thankful to be his mama, even when he is thrust into full on rigor mortis tantrum action because I cannot peel a banana while carrying him and all our crap to the car in the morning. At that point, I’m also thankful for daycare. Not going to lie.

Tomorrow, I will get him back around lunch and hopefully take him out to my parents’ for the day, so there can be bubbles, hugs and more of this: