Saturday, May 20, 2006
There was an old lady who swallowed a fly...I don't know why
"What is wrong with the dog?"
That's all I could say as we were getting Chloe dressed after her bath last night. Maverick was scurrying around the house, every now and then letting out a squeak. Yes, our 100 lb dog squeaks.
Martin went out and checked on him. He was running in circles with his tail between his legs. What the heck? Martin heard it first...then he saw it. A fly. Maverick stopped at the gate at the top of the stairs, looked at Martin and whined. Martin opened the gate, and the dog bolted down the stairs and skidded into the safe haven of his kennel. Yes, our dog is afraid of flies.
Martin tried to swat the fly last night, and we eventually lost track of it (don't you hate that!). This morning, it was back. Martin took shots at it and finally made contact and it fell. So, he opened the window shutter, and saw the fly for a split second when out of no where, Maverick's big blockhead shows up and laps it up like it's the best thing he's eaten in days. Just like that, the fly was gone.
Dogs are gross.
That's all I could say as we were getting Chloe dressed after her bath last night. Maverick was scurrying around the house, every now and then letting out a squeak. Yes, our 100 lb dog squeaks.
Martin went out and checked on him. He was running in circles with his tail between his legs. What the heck? Martin heard it first...then he saw it. A fly. Maverick stopped at the gate at the top of the stairs, looked at Martin and whined. Martin opened the gate, and the dog bolted down the stairs and skidded into the safe haven of his kennel. Yes, our dog is afraid of flies.
Martin tried to swat the fly last night, and we eventually lost track of it (don't you hate that!). This morning, it was back. Martin took shots at it and finally made contact and it fell. So, he opened the window shutter, and saw the fly for a split second when out of no where, Maverick's big blockhead shows up and laps it up like it's the best thing he's eaten in days. Just like that, the fly was gone.
Dogs are gross.
She Amazes Me.
One of the most amazing things I have ever experienced is watching Chloe learn. It's so cool when things just click, and she "gets it." Yesterday. I got her up from her nap, and we settled on the living floor. I held her while I was giving her a bottle, and then started reciting her favorite book. I got two lines into it. She pushed the bottle away, moved herself off my lap and onto the floor, and crawled across the room. She pushed aside her toys and picked up the very book I had started reciting. Then, she sat down, looked at me, smiled, and waved the book.
I'm sure others may not see that as all that amazing. But at that moment, I couldn't believe she made the connection between the words I was saying, and the book lying amidst her toys across the room. Only a few months ago, she was swaddled in a blanket not able to do anything for herself. Now she is a little thinking, feeling, person.
I'm sure others may not see that as all that amazing. But at that moment, I couldn't believe she made the connection between the words I was saying, and the book lying amidst her toys across the room. Only a few months ago, she was swaddled in a blanket not able to do anything for herself. Now she is a little thinking, feeling, person.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Dumb and dumber
Do you ever feel like you're not as smart as you used to be? I have been feeling that way lately. My 10 year college reunion is this weekend, and I am pretty sure I knew more then than I know now. I like my job, but after 10 years of doing the same thing, the learning curve just isn't as steep.
And when I am not working? Well, I am taking care of Chloe, going for walks, making her laugh (there is nothing sweeter), and singing songs like Ally Galloo Galloo Ally Galloo gallee ALL-EYYY Galloo Galloo Gallee...WOOOOOOO. I am cleaning the house, running errands, cooking dinner or running. I enjoy all of these things. I really do, and I wouldn't have it any other way (except to possibly stop working all together and spend all day singing and dancing with the babe). But the old noggin is not getting much exercise.
It really hit me when I had to ask Martin recently..."Are there 7 continents?" For a split second, I actually thought there were 8. Just don't ask me to name them. Or when I wrote a letter to the insurance company and had to really think about whether nutrition was spelled correctly. Thank goodness for spell check.
Maybe it's mommy brain, or lack of sleep, or just changing priorities. But I don't like it. Use it or lose it, right? I think it's time I start reading something besides other people's blogs, maybe take a class, do a crossword puzzle, watch the news...
All that said, I don't feel bad about it. I am smarter in other ways. I know who I am, who I'd like to be, and am comfortable in my skin. I am married to my best friend, and have the best daughter I could ever imagine. Even if I have dropped a few IQ points, life is good.
And when I am not working? Well, I am taking care of Chloe, going for walks, making her laugh (there is nothing sweeter), and singing songs like Ally Galloo Galloo Ally Galloo gallee ALL-EYYY Galloo Galloo Gallee...WOOOOOOO. I am cleaning the house, running errands, cooking dinner or running. I enjoy all of these things. I really do, and I wouldn't have it any other way (except to possibly stop working all together and spend all day singing and dancing with the babe). But the old noggin is not getting much exercise.
It really hit me when I had to ask Martin recently..."Are there 7 continents?" For a split second, I actually thought there were 8. Just don't ask me to name them. Or when I wrote a letter to the insurance company and had to really think about whether nutrition was spelled correctly. Thank goodness for spell check.
Maybe it's mommy brain, or lack of sleep, or just changing priorities. But I don't like it. Use it or lose it, right? I think it's time I start reading something besides other people's blogs, maybe take a class, do a crossword puzzle, watch the news...
All that said, I don't feel bad about it. I am smarter in other ways. I know who I am, who I'd like to be, and am comfortable in my skin. I am married to my best friend, and have the best daughter I could ever imagine. Even if I have dropped a few IQ points, life is good.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Food Allergy Awareness Week
This is food allergy awareness week. Lots of people ask us about Chloe's allergies, so I thought it would be a good time to answer some of the questions we usually get asked. You can also find lots of good facts about food allergies through the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network.
Here are answers to questions we usually get asked:
1. What is she allergic to?
So far, we know that she is allergic to milk, soy, oats and squash. The last two are pretty minor allergies, just causing hives and lip swelling. Soy gave her allergic colitis, which basically means she had very painful tummy issues, and blood in her poop. Her most serious allergy is milk. It is life threatening, as small amounts make her go into anaphylaxis.
2. What is anaphylaxis?
It's when your immune system goes a bit haywire, and reacts to a harmless substance. There is a good description of anaphylaxis here. In Chloe's case, she drank two ounces of infant formula that contained milk protein. Within about 30 minutes, she vomited (think exorcist), broke out into hives, and had trouble breathing. As it progressed, she started getting spacy like she was going to pass out from the shock her body was in. Anaphylaxis is serious (life threatening), and requires immediate medical attention. We had an ambulance come and take her to the ER the last time. We also now carry Epipens so that if she has a reaction, we can give her a shot of epinephrine, which will slow the reaction until we can get her to a hospital.
3. Is that like lactose intolerance?
No. Lactose intolerance is when your body doesn't have the enzymes it needs to digest the sugars in milk. It is a digestive issue, and does not involve the immune system. It causes a lot of gas and tummy aches, which is uncomfortable, but not life threatening. Milk protein allergy is an immune response to the proteins in milk (generally casein and whey).
4. Will she grow out of her allergies?
Nobody know for sure, but we are hopeful. Most likely she will grow out of the soy, oat and squash allergies during the next couple of years. Her milk allergy is quite severe, but she has a good chance of growing out of it, or at least the severe response, by the time she is 5 years old.
5. Why does she have these allergies?
No one knows. There is a good article in the May 2006 issue of National Geographic that talks about the hygiene theory. Interesting stuff, but most likely it just comes down to genetics. People inherit the ability to be allergic, but not the specific allergy. So, while we don't have food allergies in the family, Martin and my mom both have seasonal/environmental allergies. So, we have the "allergy" gene on both sides.
6. Is there a cure for food allergies? Can't you just get shots?
There is neither a cure, nor shots for food allergies. The only thing we can do is avoid the things Chloe is allergic to. It means that we read labels on everything looking for milk and milk derivatives (i.e.: whey, casein, butter, lactose, etc...). She can't have anything that contains milk protein, so no cheese, milk, yogurt, and nothing with it baked in (a lot of crackers, breads and chips use butter, cheese, milk, etc for flavor). Although her other allergies are not life threatening, we also have to avoid soy, oats and squash. Right now it's easiest to just make most of her food ourselves.
7. How will you know if she grows out of her allergies?
We will take her to the allergist once a year for testing. There are both blood tests, and skin tests. If the blood tests show that she no longer has the antibodies, we'll do a skin test. If the skin test is negative, then we will do a food trial. That is where we go to the doctor's office for the day and they monitor her vitals while she ingests increasing amounts of her allergens over time. We are very hopeful that we'll have a milk trial before she reaches schoolage.
8. What can others do to help?
The biggest thing is to avoid feeding Chloe anything without asking us first. Also, just understand that while our rules about keeping dairy out of the house, or wiping things off before she touches them (like restaurant high chairs) may seem a bit extreme, we are just following the recommendations from her allergist to keep her safe.
Here are answers to questions we usually get asked:
1. What is she allergic to?
So far, we know that she is allergic to milk, soy, oats and squash. The last two are pretty minor allergies, just causing hives and lip swelling. Soy gave her allergic colitis, which basically means she had very painful tummy issues, and blood in her poop. Her most serious allergy is milk. It is life threatening, as small amounts make her go into anaphylaxis.
2. What is anaphylaxis?
It's when your immune system goes a bit haywire, and reacts to a harmless substance. There is a good description of anaphylaxis here. In Chloe's case, she drank two ounces of infant formula that contained milk protein. Within about 30 minutes, she vomited (think exorcist), broke out into hives, and had trouble breathing. As it progressed, she started getting spacy like she was going to pass out from the shock her body was in. Anaphylaxis is serious (life threatening), and requires immediate medical attention. We had an ambulance come and take her to the ER the last time. We also now carry Epipens so that if she has a reaction, we can give her a shot of epinephrine, which will slow the reaction until we can get her to a hospital.
3. Is that like lactose intolerance?
No. Lactose intolerance is when your body doesn't have the enzymes it needs to digest the sugars in milk. It is a digestive issue, and does not involve the immune system. It causes a lot of gas and tummy aches, which is uncomfortable, but not life threatening. Milk protein allergy is an immune response to the proteins in milk (generally casein and whey).
4. Will she grow out of her allergies?
Nobody know for sure, but we are hopeful. Most likely she will grow out of the soy, oat and squash allergies during the next couple of years. Her milk allergy is quite severe, but she has a good chance of growing out of it, or at least the severe response, by the time she is 5 years old.
5. Why does she have these allergies?
No one knows. There is a good article in the May 2006 issue of National Geographic that talks about the hygiene theory. Interesting stuff, but most likely it just comes down to genetics. People inherit the ability to be allergic, but not the specific allergy. So, while we don't have food allergies in the family, Martin and my mom both have seasonal/environmental allergies. So, we have the "allergy" gene on both sides.
6. Is there a cure for food allergies? Can't you just get shots?
There is neither a cure, nor shots for food allergies. The only thing we can do is avoid the things Chloe is allergic to. It means that we read labels on everything looking for milk and milk derivatives (i.e.: whey, casein, butter, lactose, etc...). She can't have anything that contains milk protein, so no cheese, milk, yogurt, and nothing with it baked in (a lot of crackers, breads and chips use butter, cheese, milk, etc for flavor). Although her other allergies are not life threatening, we also have to avoid soy, oats and squash. Right now it's easiest to just make most of her food ourselves.
7. How will you know if she grows out of her allergies?
We will take her to the allergist once a year for testing. There are both blood tests, and skin tests. If the blood tests show that she no longer has the antibodies, we'll do a skin test. If the skin test is negative, then we will do a food trial. That is where we go to the doctor's office for the day and they monitor her vitals while she ingests increasing amounts of her allergens over time. We are very hopeful that we'll have a milk trial before she reaches schoolage.
8. What can others do to help?
The biggest thing is to avoid feeding Chloe anything without asking us first. Also, just understand that while our rules about keeping dairy out of the house, or wiping things off before she touches them (like restaurant high chairs) may seem a bit extreme, we are just following the recommendations from her allergist to keep her safe.
Friday, May 12, 2006
Vomit, Diarrhea and Teeth, oh my
You ought to skip this post if you are squeamish about things like poop. It's been quite the week, and I want to write about it somewhere...
Chloe got hit with a double whammy this week -- she caught Rotavirus, and got a new tooth. Rotavirus is a childhood flu bug that most kids get at some point. You can Google it if you are curious, but basically, it starts with vomiting and fever (only two days for Chloe thank goodness), then progresses to diarrhea, which they say can last for up to 10 days.
We did well keeping her hydrated with pedialyte. She has been on the mend, and is actually acting like herself and is very happy the past day or so. She has more energy, and is interested in playing. But, we are pretty much housebound because this diarrhea phase isn't pretty. I took my chances today. She was in a great mood, so we went on a couple of errands. I picked up some things at Cost Plus, which was to be my last stop. As we were checking out, I see that poop look on Chloe's face, and think, "Oh, let me at least get out of the store." Nope. She couldn't wait. She pooped, and it smelled awful -- think rotten eggs meets sewer meets aging seawater. And it's potent - the stink travels far and stays long. I will NEVER forget the look on the checker's face. I thought he was going to pass out or be sick. I apologized and walked out. It occurred to me that he probably thought it was me - I mean, who would imagine a sweet looking little babe, especially one that is happy and babbling, could produce such a big stink!
So, I get to the car, laughing at her timing, and put her down on the seat to change her. That's when I see it -- the poop is down her pants, in her socks and shoes. I feel something as I move my arm, and yep, it's also down my side. There are splats of it on the pavement. I didn't look all the way back, but imagine there was a poop trail all the way behind me. I clean her bottom half, go to take off her onesie, and oh my -- there is poop all the way up her back and down her arms. I used at least 50 wipes trying to clean her naked, poop covered body. By this time Chloe is getting pissed at me because this diaper change is taking way too long. She's protesting and wiggling her little naked body around. I am sure all the people going through the parking lot thought I was one of THOSE parents. But I couldn't just let her sit in it all the way home. Thank goodness I brought a change of clothes for her just in case. So, I get her dressed and stick her in the car seat. Then I have to clean all the poop off the car. I am glad we sprung for the leather seats. I threw all the clothes, wipes and diaper in the Cost Plus bag, and closed it as tightly as I could. I got home, threw her in the bath, and threw the Cost Plus bag in the trash. No way I am trying to salvage that outfit.
I've decided not to take my chances again. We'll just stay home for a few more days. But I have to say, I have not laughed so hard in a long time. The look on that checker's face was priceless.
On top of not feeling well, Chloe cut another tooth this week. That makes four!
Chloe got hit with a double whammy this week -- she caught Rotavirus, and got a new tooth. Rotavirus is a childhood flu bug that most kids get at some point. You can Google it if you are curious, but basically, it starts with vomiting and fever (only two days for Chloe thank goodness), then progresses to diarrhea, which they say can last for up to 10 days.
We did well keeping her hydrated with pedialyte. She has been on the mend, and is actually acting like herself and is very happy the past day or so. She has more energy, and is interested in playing. But, we are pretty much housebound because this diarrhea phase isn't pretty. I took my chances today. She was in a great mood, so we went on a couple of errands. I picked up some things at Cost Plus, which was to be my last stop. As we were checking out, I see that poop look on Chloe's face, and think, "Oh, let me at least get out of the store." Nope. She couldn't wait. She pooped, and it smelled awful -- think rotten eggs meets sewer meets aging seawater. And it's potent - the stink travels far and stays long. I will NEVER forget the look on the checker's face. I thought he was going to pass out or be sick. I apologized and walked out. It occurred to me that he probably thought it was me - I mean, who would imagine a sweet looking little babe, especially one that is happy and babbling, could produce such a big stink!
So, I get to the car, laughing at her timing, and put her down on the seat to change her. That's when I see it -- the poop is down her pants, in her socks and shoes. I feel something as I move my arm, and yep, it's also down my side. There are splats of it on the pavement. I didn't look all the way back, but imagine there was a poop trail all the way behind me. I clean her bottom half, go to take off her onesie, and oh my -- there is poop all the way up her back and down her arms. I used at least 50 wipes trying to clean her naked, poop covered body. By this time Chloe is getting pissed at me because this diaper change is taking way too long. She's protesting and wiggling her little naked body around. I am sure all the people going through the parking lot thought I was one of THOSE parents. But I couldn't just let her sit in it all the way home. Thank goodness I brought a change of clothes for her just in case. So, I get her dressed and stick her in the car seat. Then I have to clean all the poop off the car. I am glad we sprung for the leather seats. I threw all the clothes, wipes and diaper in the Cost Plus bag, and closed it as tightly as I could. I got home, threw her in the bath, and threw the Cost Plus bag in the trash. No way I am trying to salvage that outfit.
I've decided not to take my chances again. We'll just stay home for a few more days. But I have to say, I have not laughed so hard in a long time. The look on that checker's face was priceless.
On top of not feeling well, Chloe cut another tooth this week. That makes four!
She has your hair
Today Martin, Chloe and I were running an errand, and it took a bit longer than expected. Martin had to get downtown for his guitar lesson. So, I told him to go with the car, and that Chloe and I would take the MAX home. So, we go to the MAX station, and wait for the train. She is dressed in blue, so everyone is asking "How old is your son." Never mind that she has bows on her pants and shirt. But, it doesn't bother me...she is dressed in blue, and doesn't have much hair. I would probably make the same assumption.
Anyway, the train arrives. It's around 5:30p, so it's packed. I hold her close and say excuse me, excuse me, about 12 times just to try and step up the two stairs to the main level. The doors finally shut. I put my hand on the pole, and Chloe looked up at me, then the pole, and then did the same thing (cute, but ewww...gotta remember to wipe her hands well upon exiting the train).
Everyone in squeezed in around us, and I feel a tap on me. I turn around, and it's a nice lady, "You want my seat?" I looked back, and upon seeing the very drunk and dirty man sitting next to her say, "Oh no, thank you that's very kind, but we're OK standing." So the drunk guy slurs, very loudly, "How OLD isssss ur BA-by?" I can't just ignore people (refer to previous freak magnet post), so I say, "10 months."
"AWWWWWWWWW," he says.
I turn back around, and a few seconds go by in silence.
Then, I hear, really loud, very slurred speech: "She HAS ur haaair - that's cute."
Well, score one point for the drunk guy for figuring out she is a she. I say thanks. But hair? That's a new one. People usually say her eyes look like mine. We continue on in silence as I look at the top of her head. That's when it hits me -- HAIR? The kid doesn't have any hair. OK, I take the back. She has a mohawk of fine hair that falls into a natural "comb over". But the sides of her head have very short peach fuzz, and there is a bald spot in the back from where she rubbed off all her hair as a newborn sleeping on her back. I made a note to myself to ask Martin if there is something I should know about my new haircut.
So, as I am leaving, he yells out, "Goooood luck wid dat BAby."
Anyway, the train arrives. It's around 5:30p, so it's packed. I hold her close and say excuse me, excuse me, about 12 times just to try and step up the two stairs to the main level. The doors finally shut. I put my hand on the pole, and Chloe looked up at me, then the pole, and then did the same thing (cute, but ewww...gotta remember to wipe her hands well upon exiting the train).
Everyone in squeezed in around us, and I feel a tap on me. I turn around, and it's a nice lady, "You want my seat?" I looked back, and upon seeing the very drunk and dirty man sitting next to her say, "Oh no, thank you that's very kind, but we're OK standing." So the drunk guy slurs, very loudly, "How OLD isssss ur BA-by?" I can't just ignore people (refer to previous freak magnet post), so I say, "10 months."
"AWWWWWWWWW," he says.
I turn back around, and a few seconds go by in silence.
Then, I hear, really loud, very slurred speech: "She HAS ur haaair - that's cute."
Well, score one point for the drunk guy for figuring out she is a she. I say thanks. But hair? That's a new one. People usually say her eyes look like mine. We continue on in silence as I look at the top of her head. That's when it hits me -- HAIR? The kid doesn't have any hair. OK, I take the back. She has a mohawk of fine hair that falls into a natural "comb over". But the sides of her head have very short peach fuzz, and there is a bald spot in the back from where she rubbed off all her hair as a newborn sleeping on her back. I made a note to myself to ask Martin if there is something I should know about my new haircut.
So, as I am leaving, he yells out, "Goooood luck wid dat BAby."
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Yep, she's mine.
Chloe threw her first tantrum.
She has a learning table. On each side, there is a musical instrument that can be "played". In the middle, there is a "songbook" with one plastic "page". When turned to one side, the instruments play music. When the page is flipped, the instruments play songs, recite numbers and colors, etc. Chloe's latest obsession is turning that page on the book- back and forth, back and forth. The other day, she was standing at the table, and went to turn the page. She promptly smashed the fingers of her opposite hand between it and the table. Instead of flipping the page back over to free herself, she just pushed down harder. As she pushed down harder, she cried harder. I intervened at this point, and helped her to move the page back. She stopped crying, turned to me with a look that could only be described as defiance, and promptly did it again. This time, I said calmly, "It's OK Chloe, I know that must hurt. Let me help you." I helped her to move the page over, and then gently moved her opposite hand about two inches so that the next time she flipped the page, she wouldn't squish her tiny digits. That did it.
She freaked. She threw her entire body backwards as hard as she could, arms flailing (thank goodness I was kneeling behind her and therefore provided ample cushion for her landing). She screamed at the top of her little lungs, and squirmed her way down so she was lying on the ground. She was kicking her legs, and shaking her head, and just screaming and crying. I put my hand on her and said, "It's OK, sweetie, I know you're frustrated." And she swatted my hand away and just cried harder.
I laughed. Insensitive? Maybe. Sanity saving? Yes. I didn't know what else to do. She is at this age where she wants to explore everything. She is trying to pull herself up on things. She wants to stand, and get from one place to another while on her feet. Unfortunately, many of the things she desires are either beyond her capability, or too dangerous. At the same time, at only 10 months old, she hasn't learned patience, she can't communicate using words, and she can't be reasoned with. And when you try to help her...well, forget it -- she wants to do things herself or not at all.
This is proving to be quite frustrating for her, and for us. I think the most frustrating thing though is that I see so much of myself in her. In that moment, I could empathize with how frustrated she was. She wanted to do something, and wanted to do it herself. When she couldn't do it without hurting herself in the process and requiring assistance, she lost it, just like I have so many times before.
I am sure I am hypersensitive to this, but when I see traits like this coming out in Chloe, I think forward to the future, and wonder how I can help her to channel it more effectively. I am sure much of it is her age. But in my case, this inability to accept help from others has at times caused unnecessary stress for me and those around me. It's not something I want to pass on. I guess it's something all parents face. There is no manual. I can try my best, but there really is no control over what she will learn from me, which of those things will be beneficial, and ultimately, which of those things she'll be venting about in therapy in 20 years.
I guess I'll just do my best and try to cushion her falls along the way.
She has a learning table. On each side, there is a musical instrument that can be "played". In the middle, there is a "songbook" with one plastic "page". When turned to one side, the instruments play music. When the page is flipped, the instruments play songs, recite numbers and colors, etc. Chloe's latest obsession is turning that page on the book- back and forth, back and forth. The other day, she was standing at the table, and went to turn the page. She promptly smashed the fingers of her opposite hand between it and the table. Instead of flipping the page back over to free herself, she just pushed down harder. As she pushed down harder, she cried harder. I intervened at this point, and helped her to move the page back. She stopped crying, turned to me with a look that could only be described as defiance, and promptly did it again. This time, I said calmly, "It's OK Chloe, I know that must hurt. Let me help you." I helped her to move the page over, and then gently moved her opposite hand about two inches so that the next time she flipped the page, she wouldn't squish her tiny digits. That did it.
She freaked. She threw her entire body backwards as hard as she could, arms flailing (thank goodness I was kneeling behind her and therefore provided ample cushion for her landing). She screamed at the top of her little lungs, and squirmed her way down so she was lying on the ground. She was kicking her legs, and shaking her head, and just screaming and crying. I put my hand on her and said, "It's OK, sweetie, I know you're frustrated." And she swatted my hand away and just cried harder.
I laughed. Insensitive? Maybe. Sanity saving? Yes. I didn't know what else to do. She is at this age where she wants to explore everything. She is trying to pull herself up on things. She wants to stand, and get from one place to another while on her feet. Unfortunately, many of the things she desires are either beyond her capability, or too dangerous. At the same time, at only 10 months old, she hasn't learned patience, she can't communicate using words, and she can't be reasoned with. And when you try to help her...well, forget it -- she wants to do things herself or not at all.
This is proving to be quite frustrating for her, and for us. I think the most frustrating thing though is that I see so much of myself in her. In that moment, I could empathize with how frustrated she was. She wanted to do something, and wanted to do it herself. When she couldn't do it without hurting herself in the process and requiring assistance, she lost it, just like I have so many times before.
I am sure I am hypersensitive to this, but when I see traits like this coming out in Chloe, I think forward to the future, and wonder how I can help her to channel it more effectively. I am sure much of it is her age. But in my case, this inability to accept help from others has at times caused unnecessary stress for me and those around me. It's not something I want to pass on. I guess it's something all parents face. There is no manual. I can try my best, but there really is no control over what she will learn from me, which of those things will be beneficial, and ultimately, which of those things she'll be venting about in therapy in 20 years.
I guess I'll just do my best and try to cushion her falls along the way.
Monday, May 01, 2006
Cha Cha Cha Chia
One of the benefits of being pregnant is that your hair stops shedding, and you end up with a head of thick shiny hair. It's the only part of the "pregnancy glow"I benefited from. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and as expected, about three months after I had Chloe, my hair started falling out in clumps. I knew to expect this. I had heard about it from friends, and read about it in books. What I didn't expect is to look like a Chia Pet as all the hair started growing back in. The current state of my hair = clumps of new hair growth sticking up about one inch high all over my head. What is up with that?
