Back in the habit?

Over two months without a post. (Sigh) So much for getting back into this thing with any regularity.

Our oldest is scheduled to have her tonsils and adnoids removed. (Funny side note: I tried a quick Google for the combined term for the single surgery. While I didn't find that, I did find a site that said they'd give my "child a special 'sleep medicine'..." WOW!) Haven't quite figured out how to "sell" that for her yet. "It's OK honey, you're going to the hospital, you'll have a little nap and when you wake up, you'll be missing some pieces! Oh. And you get ice cream and jello!" I've got a little over a month to figure it out. She was originally booked for January, but a cancellation opened up a spot for December. Yeah, it's the last week of school, but at least it gets it done and she has Christmas break to do a full recovery. With luck, she may make it in for a few days of class. (The actual christmas party might be nice.) I think this also means we'll be postponing her ear piercing for a bit now. (It was supposed to be a birthday/christmas gift, but I don't think fresh open wounds right before, or after, a surgery is so wise.) If all goes well for her, though, she'll stop sounding like an old-time operator and snoring will be a thing of the past. I don't know how I'll tell if she's asleep, actually.
The youngest is progressing well. She's turning a bit scary, in fact. The other day, she started singing the Elmo theme song. When I didn't turn one on for her fast enough, she picked up the remote control for the cable/tv and started mashing buttons. (I think this means we watch too much TV if she "knows" how to turn on Elmo.) 18mths old and she's trying to work the remote control. Crazy. Cute, but crazy. Time to start thinking about getting her out of the crib, into a "big girl" bed and maybe potty training. Or just leave her alone. Choices, choices.

Well, my hockey team is down 3 to zip and the first period isn't even over yet. I'm stuck at work for the night. Dinner break's almost over. I guess it's time to wander off for a bit.

See you soon. (Sooner than last time, I promise.)

Summer's Done (More or less)

Good grief.
OK. So I guess summer is officially the worst time to try and get work done. With the kids and the Mrs all home, I had pretty much no time to myself. Not that I'm complaining, I'm just saying.
There was (Still IS) work to be done on my wife's business. On the website. Blogging that never got done. Some housework that went un-checked for too long. (Finishing the fence, for example.)
But the oldest is back in class now. The youngest is at daycare while I'm on night shifts. Mrs is at work again...I have the house to myself. (For a few days anyways. Nights end after next week.)
I'll try and organize my thoughts again. I have a few things to talk about. A few rants. A couple of pleas and some updates.
In the meantime, I'm shooting out these two quickies.
1) If you have the time and inclination, please register and vote for my wife's business for this contest.

http://momentrepreneur.savvymom.ca/entry/3165641

2) I helped design this site here, and I'm shamelessly adding it to my blog as a way of increasing the SEO for it. (We're still tweaking some things, but the Host sucks. http://www.burnettmanagementsolutions.com/

Again, Too long

Well, I've been 20+ days without a post. Not the rate I was hoping to keep. In my defence, I've returned to work and that's eaten up a lot of hours again. By the time I get home, I just want to chill with the family. (They're not big fans of me coming home, grunting and then heading up to the computer to ignore them. I wonder why?)

The return to work has gone fairly smoothly, I think. I haven't forgotten any of the major protocols or anything. I remembered everyone's name. I guess I can't complain.

We've started looking for an actual babysitter now. The drama of asking the in-laws is getting old. (For the record, my folks live in a different city which makes "dinners out, sitting" very impractical.

Anyone have any thoughts on that? The going rate doesn't seem to have moved much with inflation at all. It's still between $5-10/hr. Seems pretty cheap, for the most part.

Sigh. This never fails. I sit down to write and the baby finishes her nap. I'm sure the oldest is almost finished her movie too. Always so much to do and so little time.

I'll see you again tomorrow.

J

1year

My littlest one is now one year old today. No more having to put her first to avoid that math confusion I mentioned at the beginning.
In a week, I have to go back to work. Of course I end up going back into the rotation on the night shift. At least it's only for a week.
One year. I can't believe she's that old already. At the same time, I can't remember, really, what the house was like before her. It's the same as the oldest. I have a vague concept of life pre-children, but it feels like they've always been a part of how I live.
Daycare costs are about to go up. Two kids instead of one. And never mind September when the oldest enters full day every day school...That likely means before and after school care. That means no more pay-as-you-go for her. We'll be paying for five days a week, even on the weeks we don't need it. What to do at that point? Pay and not use? Or send her in early, even though I'm home...Decisions will have to be made. It would be great if I could work from home. (Or not have to work at all! Anyone got some money they need to get rid of? I take Traveler's Cheques!)
Oh well, work pays the bills. Bills keep the internet, TV, lights, heating, phone, house all connected.

I hope everyone is doing well. I'm off to woo my daughter for a good long time. (It IS her birthday, after all.) Besides, soon I'll only see her for a few minutes per day. (At least until I'm off nights.)

J

Infant Colds

Our littlest one has her first cold. I guess this is as good a time as any to write about treating colds in infants. Even with modern medicine, there's no cure for the common cold. All we can do, even for adults, is treat the symptoms.

There's been a LOT of talk recently about over-the-counter (OTC) medications for infants. Talk to the point that they've pulled them all off the shelves here. They've decided that no ammount of pseudoephedrine is OK for infants. (There's also a high concern about the risk of overdosing.)

That leaves us with "natural" remmedies. All the professionals seem to agree, that the best options for an infant's cold are the following:

1) Nasal irrigation. Saline (Salt + Water) drops or sprays. You could make your own, but then you'd have to worry about sterile conditions when you're preparing it, storing it etc. There are LOTS of OTC versions out there. Just be sure to read the label and make sure that it's infant safe. (No extra decongestants, or medicinal ingrediants.) Babies don't like stuff poured or dripped into their noses. You will have to hold them down to do it. (Gently, of course.) Do one nostril and then the other, folowed by suction. (More on that in a moment.) Irrigation is especially important to do before feeding. If your baby can't breathe properly while feeding, they'll be trying to gasp in air through their mouths while sucking. This will create extra gas and discomfort, and nobody wants that on top of the cold.

2) Suction. In tandem with irrigation, or stand alone if the mucus secretions are already thin and watery enough, suction helps clear the nasal cavities and makes breathing a little easier. Most pharmacies and even large gorcery stores have a few brands/styles of nasal bulbs. Go for one that has a thin, but not too long "needle" and comes apart for easy cleaning. Get one BEFORE your baby gets sick, if you remember. There's a little trick to making it work most effectively, so if you can practice, you should. The trick goes something like this...Unlike say, a turkey baster, you don't want the goo spraying out of the bulb when you're using it on your little one. So you need to do a very gentle squeezing action to compress the bulb, then slide the needle into the nose and release the bulb. This will draw the mucus up and into the bulb. Gently squeeze again so as to compress, but not spray, re-insert into the nose and release again. (If you're having trouble, you can always do this in the bathroom. Then you could squeeze the mucus into the sink before putting the device back into your baby's nose.) Do this in each nostril until you're not really getting any more out. Wash the device with soap and water when you're done.

3) Humidity. There are more than a few ways to use humidity for your sick baby. There are in room humidifiers. (Most doctors recommend cool mist humidifiers. This removes the chance of accidental scalding/burning from getting to close to hot water.) There are several brands and types available, of course. Some have the ability to let you use essential oils to add to the benefits. For example; You could add eucalyptus oil and/or menthol to help with breathing. You could also add vanilla to add a pleasant, calming scent to your baby's room. When using a humidifier, it's recommended that you use distilled/filtered water. This reduces the amount of scaling that occurs inside the unit. Tap water can lead not only to scaling issues, but the minerals may then be spread around the room casuing a film to develop over things. When that film dries out, it becomes dust, which could lead to more nasal irritation/sneezing/mucus...etc. You can also run a really hot shower, close the door, turn off the fan and let the bathroom steam up. That steam can help loosen both the mucus in the nose and congestion in baby's chest. Remember, it's a HOT shower...Don't get in it with baby. we don't want any scalding! And don't leave your baby unattended in the bathroom. Stay in for 10-15 minutes and let the steam do its work. (I suggest you bring a chair in for sitting.)

4) Clean. The final thing you can, and should, do is clean. I know you're busy dealing with the baby and the cold, but cleaning helps too. Change baby's sheets as often as you can. (Every day changing helps to reduce the virus that leaks into the sheets as well as reduce the chance of mold/fungus build up from the humidifier.) Vacuum to remove dust and other irritants from carpets, draperies and stuffed toys. The cleaner the room (and house) the less irritants are around to worsen the effects of baby's cold.

Well, there you have it. For a simple common cold, those are some of the best steps you can take to help baby get through it.

Remember though, to keep an eye on other symptoms. If baby has a fever, red/swollen throat or tugs repeatedly on an ear, CALL YOUR DOCTOR. These are usually signs of a more serious viral infection. And never be afraid to cal the doctor anyways. It's always better to be safe and healthy than to let something get worse. That's why the doctor is there, after all.

J

Time is Running out...

So my time at home is rushing by. I can't believe I'm down to just a month left. Where did the time go?
The little munchkin has decided that walking is the thing to do now. (At least until she's tired of falling down.) She does this funny little run sometimes though. She'll get up and head towards the couch. Then she'll suddenly speed up and fling herself at it. It's as though she's afraid that she won't make it if she doesn't hurry. I don't think it's occurred to her that if she were to continue to walk slowly and carefully, she'd always make it. But the little "fling" at the end is funny as all get out.

Further to my last post, it seems that the fence projects are back on hold for now.

My birthday was a few days ago. It was nice to get out for dinner a couple of nights in a row. First was with a "couple friends" and their little girl. Then it was just the wife and I. Hit the Keg and Date Night. Now, the movie choice had more to do with the showtime, than actual desire to see it. I had originally picked it, but read an AWFUL review, so we decided to skip it for The Bounty Hunter. Bounty was playing too late though. We didn't want to leave my father-in-law stuck in our place until midnight. Date was playing at a much more convenient time.
I'm so glad it was. We laughed out loud so many times and for so long...It's a GREAT movie. It's insane, bizarre and preposterous, but it's worth the time out.

Sigh. Once again, the baby has decided that nap time is over while I'm here writing this. Oh well, I've said most of what I came on to tell you. Go see Date Night.

J

It's been too long again. I hope that those who celebrate, had a good Easter. For the rest, I hope you at least enjoyed a long weekend.

The baby has taken steps. And now she's walking as much as she can. It's still that "waddle-shuffle" more than an actual walk, but she's doing it.

Today, I'm going to write about fences. My neighbourhood is gearing up to get fences put up. (We're a "new" sub-division) It seems to bring out some very foolish people.

Our developer has told us that "officially" we shouldn't put up fences until July/August. That hasn't stopped some people and the fence contractors are jumping on them. "Oh, well...In my 5years I've never seen a company come in with bulldozers to re-do grading. It'll be guys with wheelbarrows and shovels..." So? Why tempt fate? Why drop between $1500-2500 on something that another company has said they have the right to tear down? With no compensation to you?

Another bit of mis-information is that if you pick a fence, I have to split the cost...While there is a law on the books related to that (In this area, at least) there's a whole whack of conditions that must be met. You've got to provide three quotes. (Not just the one YOU like) You've got to give me time. None of this "Well, your neighbours have all signed up, so you have to pay us" foolishness that I'm getting from one contractor. This is the same guy who couldn't answer basic questions about his products. (Like what kind of wood!)

Anyways, there are lots of things that need to be addressed before you should pick a fencing company.
1) What type of wood do they use. (CEDAR should be the answer you're looking for)
2) What is the span between posts? (6ft or less, please)
3) How deep are the post holes? (Depends on the frost line of your area)
4) If you get a quote, does the "linear feet" include the posts? Or will there be extra charges per post?
5) If you're getting lattice, what type of header cap?

There are a few other questions that would vary depending on your specific needs. Gates, latches, post-caps, etc.

The point of this all though, is that you shouldn't rush into ANY contracting job. Don't fall to the pressures of others. Whether they be neighbours, or companies that want your business. Do what feels best for you.

Thanks,

J