3/29/09 - Spring Break

The first week of spring was mostly cold and rainy, but that hasn’t stopped a sleepy world from awakening into full bloom.  The trees are starting to bud, the pansies are on display, and the grass has grown a foot taller almost overnight.  We had plans to expand the garden this week, and were expecting a visit from my parents, but everything has been put on hold due to sickness.

 

Early last week I came down with the flu, and the girls weren’t far behind.  We had high fevers, aches, and chills, and spent most of the day sleeping.  Then I came down with hay-fever symptoms on top of that, courtesy of the spring bloom.  I still have no idea what I’m allergic to up here (never having been tested for plants outside of the SoCal climate), but my doctor says that allergy testing is too risky while I’m pregnant, so I’ll have to wait until next year.  Now we all have chest colds with coughs, and we’re hoping this latest wave of sickness is the last.  We’re all getting restless with cabin fever.  The days are longer and the air warmer, and we want to be able to get outside and enjoy it.

Big Sister

Eva is a natural in the “big sister” role, and it’s really begun to show as Amanda has gotten old enough to play with her.  She’s always coming up with new imaginary games to play, and Amanda follows along for the most part.   Eva can be bossy and tyrannical sometimes, even going so far as to say, “Go time out!” or “I’m taking that away now” (copying Mommy) when Amanda doesn’t do what she says.  That’s when I have to remind her that she’s not Amanda’s mommy.  But for the most part, they get along really well.

 

 

When they go down for a nap together, Eva will sometimes sing Amanda a lullaby like “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”, and then will cover her up with a blanket when she falls asleep.  If one of them happens to wake up before the other, they’re always excited to see each other when the second one gets up.  Eva will exclaim, “Hi Amanda!”, and they’ll hug each other close as if they’ve missed each other for days.  If someone ever made a video out of that, you’d probably hear the song “Reunited” in the background.  J  When I take them shopping and Amanda wants to walk, Eva will hold her hand and keep her close while I push the cart.  They look so adorable walking down the aisles, hand in hand!

 

Eva knows that there’s a baby in mommy’s tummy, and she’ll sometimes pat it and say, “Hi, baby!”  I’ve asked her whether she wants a little brother or a little sister, and she said “Little brother.”  When I asked her why, she said, “I already have a little sister!” 

3/18/09 - New Glasses

Eva’s glasses broke for the third time this year, so I took them back to the optical center yet again, and this time opted for metal frames.  Recognizing how flimsy the plastic frames that they sold us had been, they went ahead and replaced her glasses for free.  Thank goodness!  I think they look pretty cute on her, especially with her new haircut. 

 

Bedtime Battles

At 20 months old, it’s finally became clear that Amanda is never going to voluntarily wean herself the way that Eva did, so we’ve been trying to teach Amanda to go to sleep by herself in the toddler bed.  Amanda is a strong-willed little girl, and it’s an uphill battle.  On the first day I started with nap time, putting her straight into bed at the same time as Eva after lunch.  She was disgusted with the new arrangement, throwing blankets and her sippy cup in a royal tantrum, and getting out of bed repeatedly.  I just kept marching her right back to bed, howling all the way.  Eva miraculously fell asleep an hour later, even through all the screaming.  Finally Amanda quieted down as well, but when I went to check on her I found her asleep in the middle of the hallway.  She had gotten out of bed in protest, but collapsed from exhaustion in the middle of the floor.  I left her there until I was sure she was in a deep sleep, and then moved her back to bed. 

 

Since then, we’ve added bedtime to the new routine.  No more nursing unless she wakes in the middle of the night (I’m not willing to lose 2 hours of sleep over that battle yet).  She still cries and tries to get out of bed, but it gets shorter every time, and she’s gradually adjusting to the idea that she can fall asleep in her own bed.  She’s been waking more often than usual in the middle of the night, but I think that’s due to the fact that her “one year” molars are FINALLY starting to come in.   I hope that these teeth have fully formed enamel when they emerge, or we’ll be looking at having to get immediate fillings.  

Treasures

So far I’ve been pretty amazed at the ease of this pregnancy.  Apart from the frequent nausea of the first two weeks, I’ve had very little queasiness.  It makes me suspect that this is a boy, because I’ve heard rumors that they make you less sick. 

 

This of course has brought up the question, “Are we done yet?”  My last pregnancy was so hellish that I never wanted to go through anything like that again.  Amanda was absolutely worth it, but the experience still scared me.  I always wanted more than two children, and the thought of having to stop because I couldn’t handle another rough pregnancy was heartbreaking.  I seriously had to consider how badly I wanted another child, and whether I was willing to pay the price.  I knew the only way I could make it through another pregnancy was if my attitude changed, so I asked God if He wanted to give us more children, to please change my heart towards the idea.  The ease of this pregnancy has been a very pleasant surprise, and has made the idea of trying for a fourth someday far less frightening.  I’m still not sure we ever will, but it’s nice to have the option. 

 

There’s a commercial for a local seaside tourist destination that shows two little girls running up and down the beach, digging with their toy shovels and filling their buckets with sand.  The caption reads: “News Flash: The Sand is the Treasure”.  How true.  Treasures are what we make of them.  It’s based on what we invest our time in and consider most valuable. 

 

With the economy going in the toilet this past year, I’ve been reminded what “treasure” really is.  People who spent their entire lives building up wealth have watched it evaporate before their eyes.  Homes and jobs, businesses and investments – nothing is totally immune.  You can’t take it with you.  When a person’s house is destroyed by a natural disaster, you often hear them say “At least my family is safe.  Everything else is replaceable.”  Loss puts the value of things in perspective. 

 

There’s a lot of talk in our culture about how much it costs to have kids, how you should wait until all your ducks are in a row before having them, and then never have more kids than you can afford to put through college, etc.  We tend to view children as drains on our resources (financially, personally, and otherwise), rather than as benefits and blessings.  We measure them based on how much they take rather than by how much they contribute.  When it comes to measuring “wealth”, I’ve got a news flash: children are the real treasure. Everything else is disposable and expendable, but family is not.  If I had to choose between what our society considers wealth, and children, I’d take children hands down. 

 

This is a real heart change for me, because up until now my attitude towards children has been in the arena of “I love them, but I can’t wait for them to grow up and be more independent so they can wipe their own butts and then I can get more done….”   But seriously, what do I need to get done that’s more important than them?  Whenever I start seeing them as a drain on my energy, goals or ever-important “To Do” list, I’m sure to become frustrated, resentful and discontented.   But when I start viewing them as my most important treasure, my attitude changes, my patience level rises, and the mundane becomes an investment in what’s truly most important.

 

3/02/09 - Standing Strong

Eva is finally walking again, after two months of crawling, scooting or walking around on her knees.  At first she would only walk when holding on to the furniture or someone’s hand, but now she’s slowly gaining her confidence back.  She’s still cautious about stairs or uneven ground, but hopefully will soon be running around as carefree as ever. 

Big Girl Bed

Amanda is now in a toddler bed.  She’s been fascinated by Eva’s bed for months, loving to climb into it and pretend to sleep in it.  She hates her crib and hasn’t ever slept well in it, so we thought upgrading to a toddler bed might make it more appealing to her.  Our friend Patti gave us her son’s old one, with a beautiful light oak stain.  Amanda likes playing in it, but so far isn’t any more inclined to sleep in it than the crib.  The benefit is that when she wakes from a nap, she can just walk down the hall to see us instead of crying loudly in her crib and waking up Eva.

Amanda is in a “stripping” phase right now, constantly removing (and trying to put back on) her diaper, shirt and pants.   She’s fascinated with getting dressed, and wants to do it herself as much as possible.  It’s just a little awkward when she tries out her new skills in public. 

 

Goodbye to Gluten

When Amanda’s dentist told us that the enamel on her teeth wasn’t forming properly, I had an uneasy suspicion that our family history of gluten sensitivity might be the problem.  Damage to the digestive tract can make it difficult for the body to absorb the minerals and nutrients it needs for healthy teeth, among other things.  Amanda is 19 months old now, but still hasn’t gotten any of her “one year” molars.  It’s difficult for her to chew her food with just her damaged front teeth.  I decided to have her tested, and this week the results came back: Amanda tested positive for gluten sensitivity, and it’s recommended she go on a permanent gluten-free diet.  I’m so bummed. 

 

I know my family was able to eliminate several of their food allergies through NAET treatments, and are now completely symptom free.  The problem is that there is a difference between a food allergy and Celiac disease, and I’m not exactly sure which we’re dealing with here. If it’s the first, allergy elimination may work.  If it’s the second, the only known successful treatment is a lifelong gluten-free diet.  I’m hoping it’s the first, and that Amanda may someday be able to eat normally. In the meantime, I managed to find several gluten-free alternative foods for her, despite our lack of a nearby health food store.  So far she doesn’t seem to notice the difference or mind the taste, which is a good sign.