Hello everybody and Merry Christmas. It's been a while since our last post and we wanted to sneak one in before the New Year got underway. This past week, we were all away in Winnipeg for a holiday visit with family. I don't want to go on for pages and pages, but I'll still try to give you a good overview of the trip, organized by theme.
Travel days: This trip marked the 23rd, 24th and 25th flight segments for Max. If we had bought these tickets instead of mostly travelling on points, I wonder if he could have earned Air Canada Elite status… The flight to Winnipeg was interesting - plusses: it was a direct flight and we were in the front row so Max had a little more room to play; minuses: we were essentially flying in a cigar tube (as Holly likes to put it) so there were no TVs to help with distracting Max, and the attendant only came around once for drinks. However, Max went bananas with his pile of cups and ice cubes for longer than expected and eventually cashed out for the flight's final 30 minutes.
On the way back, we had to get up before 5 to catch our flight. Plusses: we got to ride to the airport in a limo (thanks Max's grandma!) with Max's aunt and uncle; the early wake-up and extended stay at Pearson knocked Max out for both flights; we were in business class for the Wpg-Tor leg; the ridiculous tail winds in Ontario made the flights shorter. Minuses: we were on the tarmac in Winnipeg for 30 minutes waiting for the ground crew to figure out how to shut the door on the plane (ice was jamming it up); our Tor-Ott flight was delayed by 70 minutes; there was no ground crew for the final flight so we sat freezing (in the front row again) waiting 30 minutes for one to arrive so that we could leave (why seat everybody with no ground crew? Why keep the *(#?% door open the whole time?). In any event, Max spent his time wisely at Pearson, walking at least a half-kilometre on a variety of movators:)
Family visits: Most of our time was spent with Max's grandma, aunt and uncle (the Winnipeg versions :):) and we had a good time. Max was spoiled with attention, babysat in order to let Holly and I out for a little shoppy shop, fed with more meat than ever before, and led around grandma's house on ultra shy cat hunts. Max also got to visit with his grandma's cousin and step-aunt in Winnipeg, and took another drive out to Whitemouth to visit with his great grandma.
As per the Winnipeg tradition, we spent Christmas Eve and Boxing Day with Max's Ukrainian side of the family. On the 24th, Max ploughed through all courses of a massive feast (kutya {puffed wheat, honey and poppy seed concoction}, borsch {beet soup}, fish, pyrohys {perogies, with full fat sour cream no less}, beans {Uncle Murray's special recipe}, holobtsi {cabbage rolls} and pidpenky {mushroom gravy}). For the first time, it was decided that there would be no follow-up turkey feast at midnight and everybody's waistlines were grateful. On the 26th, Max went on his first Teulon sleigh ride and befriended his second cousin's two dogs (impressive as they were both larger and more manic than Max).
Christmas Day: Max got spoiled in the third of what should be (in the end) five Christmases. While he got the hang of ripping things open and, at one point, started trying to open gifts that weren't his, he wasn't always into it and was easily distracted by toys and (duh) food. I figured this wouldn't be the first "OMG CHRISTMAS!!!" for him, but was impressed with his ripping skills and interest in his new loot. His new toys and clothes should keep him happily entertained and dressed for a while. Thank you so much to everybody who gave or will give Max treats for Christmas!! He will be churning out thank you letters as soon as he can write, but for now this will have to do:)
Bodybuilding: Max honed his core strength and climbing skills by pulling himself up on grandma's couches and low coffee-tables. Originally, we though that the primary danger involved in this activity was that he might plummet 1 foot to the ground and bump his head. As it turns out, we were wrong. Instead, the primary danger was that the first time we got home and put Max in his crib, he might use his newfound skills and lift himself over his crib railing and plummet 4 feet to the ground and bump his head. Which he did last night. I never though I'd be thankful for that disgusting carpet in his room, but I suppose I am. Max seems to be OK - 10 minutes of tears and an 11-hour sleep seem to have worked wonders. I'm a little frightened that the crib might soon be obsolete, but I'm also holding out hope that the pain involved with getting out once will prevent him from doing it twice. Max seems to have learned a lot from previous ouchies so I'm hoping the trend continues.
Karaoke: OK, this has nothing to do with Max, but his mom and dad got up to some serious Karaoke and Rock Band in Winnipeg - about 4 nights' worth, all told. Highlight performances include:
1) Both Sides Now [Joni Mitchell]
2) I Want You [Savage Garden]
3) Born to Run [Bruce Springsteen]
4) I Wanna Dance With Somebody [Whitney Houston]
5) Sabotage [Beastie Boys - not one of Max's faves]
6) Rush Rush [Paula Abdul]
7) Here I Go Again [Whitesnake]
8) She's Like the Wind [Patrick Swayze]
9) This Ain't a Scene, it's an Arms Race [Fall Out Boy]
10) Puff the Magic Dragon [Peter, Paul and Mary]
So look out if you go out for karaoke with us soon and these songs are on the playlist!
First blog contest alert: s/he who can most correctly guess who performed which song wins a virtual blog hug from both of us. Note: we each performed 5 of the above 10 songs. I look forward to your guesses (if you know us, you should do well)!!
As you can probably see, we had a great time in the 'Peg and thank everybody for the hospitality and good times. This is the first time since around Max's birth that I haven't had any upcoming trips planned, so I'm not sure when or where flight 26 will happen. Methinks we'll have to get a car and start tabulating road trips at some point...
Monday, December 29, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Max vs. Nature
There seems to be so much going on these crazy holidays days but I want to make sure that I write a quick post about two recent encounters that Max had with nature.
The first was in late November when our daycare provider had the day off. Auntie Laramie and I decided to take Max to the Museum of Nature for the afternoon. I hadn’t been the Museum in at least 15 years. We grew up in Centretown, where the Museum of Nature is located, so we visited this museum a lot as kids. I have fond memories of the mammal exhibits and the giant dinosaurs. Unfortunately, a large part of the Museum is not currently open because they are doing a major renovation (it is a stone building and it was actually sinking into the ground) so we didn’t visit the giant dinosaurs but there was plenty to see and do for the afternoon. I look forward to going back when the whole museum is open.
Max enjoyed running around the nearly empty museum and touching lots of stuff. We visited the bird and mammal sections. Max had fun playing in the kid-sized wild bird hospital and also in the mammal area with lots of places to hide and costumes to try on. Actually, he didn’t really like the costumes but we couldn’t resist.
As you can see from the photos, I think the big kids had just as much fun as Max.
Oh, giant polar bear. I too am scared of the effects of climate change on the polar ice cap.
Max really loved this duck.
Max enjoyed doing some dishes at the wild bird rehabilitation hospital.
Auntie, I have no idea what this educational game is for, but I love how things spin around!
No caption can improve upon this picture.
Look at this list of things I can eat in the forest! Yum!
Max’s second encounter was of the reptilian variety. One of the activities this month at our weekly Saturday playgroup was a visit from Ray’s Reptiles, a local reptile zoo that also does birthday parties and other events - http://www.raysreptiles.com. Max got up close and personal with a chameleon, a tarantula and a snake. The kids were totally amazing and not scared at all. Max definitely did not like the feeling of the snake – he reached out and touched it but did a pretty fast recoil when he felt the texture. I had the same reaction when I touched the snake. There were other animals too but Max’s attention span was not enough to last for the whole presentation. I was really impressed with the whole experience. The “Reptile Ranger” was great with the kids and it was really informative. If they are still operating a few years down the road, I would definitely consider them for a cool birthday party idea if Max is into reptiles.
I suppose there will be a time when Max will no longer fully trust us. Until then, let's make him touch snakes.
Ooh! Look! A chameleon!
The first was in late November when our daycare provider had the day off. Auntie Laramie and I decided to take Max to the Museum of Nature for the afternoon. I hadn’t been the Museum in at least 15 years. We grew up in Centretown, where the Museum of Nature is located, so we visited this museum a lot as kids. I have fond memories of the mammal exhibits and the giant dinosaurs. Unfortunately, a large part of the Museum is not currently open because they are doing a major renovation (it is a stone building and it was actually sinking into the ground) so we didn’t visit the giant dinosaurs but there was plenty to see and do for the afternoon. I look forward to going back when the whole museum is open.
Max enjoyed running around the nearly empty museum and touching lots of stuff. We visited the bird and mammal sections. Max had fun playing in the kid-sized wild bird hospital and also in the mammal area with lots of places to hide and costumes to try on. Actually, he didn’t really like the costumes but we couldn’t resist.
As you can see from the photos, I think the big kids had just as much fun as Max.
Max’s second encounter was of the reptilian variety. One of the activities this month at our weekly Saturday playgroup was a visit from Ray’s Reptiles, a local reptile zoo that also does birthday parties and other events - http://www.raysreptiles.com. Max got up close and personal with a chameleon, a tarantula and a snake. The kids were totally amazing and not scared at all. Max definitely did not like the feeling of the snake – he reached out and touched it but did a pretty fast recoil when he felt the texture. I had the same reaction when I touched the snake. There were other animals too but Max’s attention span was not enough to last for the whole presentation. I was really impressed with the whole experience. The “Reptile Ranger” was great with the kids and it was really informative. If they are still operating a few years down the road, I would definitely consider them for a cool birthday party idea if Max is into reptiles.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
A weekend of sick; random stuff
Last week was something else for Max. And for Holly. Which means it was pretty great for me too, I suppose. But let's start at the start...
Our last post was written on Monday of last week. I distinctly remember thinking before publishing it that I shouldn't put things like "Max is sleeping like a pro" in writing - I'd just be tempting fate. At about the same time, I heard Holly mention to someone on the phone that Max had been spoiling us with good sleep. Yeah, we were cruising... Sure enough, Max got up screaming multiple times on Monday night. Ugh. No sign of what caused the fuss...and on Tuesday, he was just fine.
Tuesday night: good sleep.
Wednesday night: screaming at 12:30. I went to get him and instantly noted that his room was pretty funky. Initial thought: time to clean the vaporizer out. Then I picked Max up and he was really wet. Gross. Then I put two and two together and resigned myself to turning on the lights to scope out what was going on. Sure enough, Max had vomited all over his bed. Yecch. This was a first (his second actual vomit too...the other being the Exorcist moment at the restaurant) and precipitated an immediate clothing change and a load of laundry. Then Max decided he was going to hang out with me for a couple of hours. Fun.
Thursday: back to normal.
Friday: I got a call midday from the daycare saying that Max was super-bloated and not too interested in eating. Seriously, two days in a row of normal baby would have been good. When I picked him up, he was in good spirits, but yeah - his normal firm beer belly had turned into a cushy stress-ball. So weird! No more throwing up, but the diapers sure were interesting for a couple of days. With all of the digestive quirks, we might have been able to guess what was going to happen next, but never did until it happened.
Max passed a morphed version of what he had on to his Mommy! Just in time for her to start her new job! Bleugh. So Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, Mommy was a bit of a mess and couldn't make it in to work. In related news, Holly's sister had the same thing and (hooray) so did the daycare provider. Which meant Daddy had to stay home on Monday to hang out with Max. We got to go to playgroup together for the first time, so that was cool. The rest of the day was OK too, although we had to be careful not to wake Mommy.
Then, just as Mommy got her legs under her again for her first day of work on Wednesday, the transit drivers in town decided to go on strike. This wouldn't have been a big deal if work was still at Tunney's Pasture, but now it's downtown. This meant that a little carpooling with Grandma was in order. We're still trying to sort out mornings under this new transitless regime, but at least everybody's 100% aga....OK, I'm so not finishing that sentence. No sense tempting fate again.
Now for that random stuff: this past weekend, we were all hanging out in the basement when a whistling sound came from an unexpected direction. I looked over and Max had a train whistle in his mouth (from Smith Falls's Chocolate, Railway and Music festival last year) and it was definitely him making the sound. Mark it in your calendars, Max has learned to blow out of his mouth. Ever since we first got in the pool at Dovercourt and the instructor ridiculously asked the parents to have their 7-month-old children blow bubbles in the water, I wondered how Max would ever figure out how to blow air out of his mouth. Well, it's still a mystery, but at least it's happened. Super cool.
Also, we've put a little Christmas tree up at our place. Max shows very little interest in general in the tree, but he has taken a couple of the larger ornaments off the lower branches. He does actually try to put them back on after the fact and succeeds if they're plush and can be skewered on the branches. The ones that hang, he just ends up dropping on the ground. We've really made an effort to limit the amount of breakable ornaments on the tree. Only one victim to date, so that's a good sign.
We'll keep you posted.
Our last post was written on Monday of last week. I distinctly remember thinking before publishing it that I shouldn't put things like "Max is sleeping like a pro" in writing - I'd just be tempting fate. At about the same time, I heard Holly mention to someone on the phone that Max had been spoiling us with good sleep. Yeah, we were cruising... Sure enough, Max got up screaming multiple times on Monday night. Ugh. No sign of what caused the fuss...and on Tuesday, he was just fine.
Tuesday night: good sleep.
Wednesday night: screaming at 12:30. I went to get him and instantly noted that his room was pretty funky. Initial thought: time to clean the vaporizer out. Then I picked Max up and he was really wet. Gross. Then I put two and two together and resigned myself to turning on the lights to scope out what was going on. Sure enough, Max had vomited all over his bed. Yecch. This was a first (his second actual vomit too...the other being the Exorcist moment at the restaurant) and precipitated an immediate clothing change and a load of laundry. Then Max decided he was going to hang out with me for a couple of hours. Fun.
Thursday: back to normal.
Friday: I got a call midday from the daycare saying that Max was super-bloated and not too interested in eating. Seriously, two days in a row of normal baby would have been good. When I picked him up, he was in good spirits, but yeah - his normal firm beer belly had turned into a cushy stress-ball. So weird! No more throwing up, but the diapers sure were interesting for a couple of days. With all of the digestive quirks, we might have been able to guess what was going to happen next, but never did until it happened.
Max passed a morphed version of what he had on to his Mommy! Just in time for her to start her new job! Bleugh. So Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, Mommy was a bit of a mess and couldn't make it in to work. In related news, Holly's sister had the same thing and (hooray) so did the daycare provider. Which meant Daddy had to stay home on Monday to hang out with Max. We got to go to playgroup together for the first time, so that was cool. The rest of the day was OK too, although we had to be careful not to wake Mommy.
Then, just as Mommy got her legs under her again for her first day of work on Wednesday, the transit drivers in town decided to go on strike. This wouldn't have been a big deal if work was still at Tunney's Pasture, but now it's downtown. This meant that a little carpooling with Grandma was in order. We're still trying to sort out mornings under this new transitless regime, but at least everybody's 100% aga....OK, I'm so not finishing that sentence. No sense tempting fate again.
Now for that random stuff: this past weekend, we were all hanging out in the basement when a whistling sound came from an unexpected direction. I looked over and Max had a train whistle in his mouth (from Smith Falls's Chocolate, Railway and Music festival last year) and it was definitely him making the sound. Mark it in your calendars, Max has learned to blow out of his mouth. Ever since we first got in the pool at Dovercourt and the instructor ridiculously asked the parents to have their 7-month-old children blow bubbles in the water, I wondered how Max would ever figure out how to blow air out of his mouth. Well, it's still a mystery, but at least it's happened. Super cool.
Also, we've put a little Christmas tree up at our place. Max shows very little interest in general in the tree, but he has taken a couple of the larger ornaments off the lower branches. He does actually try to put them back on after the fact and succeeds if they're plush and can be skewered on the branches. The ones that hang, he just ends up dropping on the ground. We've really made an effort to limit the amount of breakable ornaments on the tree. Only one victim to date, so that's a good sign.
We'll keep you posted.
Monday, December 1, 2008
New stuff
I feel like I have been too caught up in blogging about events and making sure there are a bunch of pictures on the blog and that a lot of personal moments and reflections are getting lost in the shuffle. So I'm hopefully going to remember enough of the little things that have popped into my mind over the past couple of weeks to pile it all into this post.
*Mobility. Max is really motoring these days. In fact, he started walking backward this past weekend. When Holly first saw it, she said that he was doing some strange moonwalk for about 20 seconds. It does kind of look that way - he looks forward in a very intense way and then kind of toddles backward a bit at a time. Very cute. He is also stomping / hopping back and forth from foot to foot when he's excited about something. He is also obsessed with climbing into boxes (like a diaper box, for example) with the aid of a wall, leg or whatever is around. Finally, and most frightening of all, he enjoys climbing on things. The case for our drill. Our kitchen step. He has even clearly considered tackling a step without using his hands. Uh-oh.
*Gesturing. A lot of things that I was (even very recently) wondering if Max was going to get around to doing all seem to be showing up at about the same time. About a month or so ago, he started gesturing when he wanted to be picked up (arms outstretched, hands opening and closing). A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that he started (occasionally) to point at things. Sometimes he just points at nothing, but it's still awesome to see. He also seems to know that when I'm pointing at something and telling him to look or go, that I am speaking about the direction in which I'm pointing.
*Signing. I guess Max's caregiver is doing some signing work with him during the day, because Holly and I gave up months ago. But this past weekend, I noticed that he signed "more" when I asked him if he wanted more food. Holly saw him ask for more Cheerios today by signing too. That blows my mind. Also, before dinnertime tonight, I asked Max if he wanted some food and signed "food" to him. He actually responded by putting his index finger on his mouth. The gesture was really tentative and I have no idea if he knew what he was doing, but it's a start. The next things I'm hoping to work on are "drink", "bath" and "encyclopaedia".
*Speaking. Max is babbling like mad these days. He is so talkative, yet not one of his utterances are in English. "no" is soooo close to a reality it hurts. He also seems to be getting pretty close to "mama"...it might be a dead heat in the end. I wonder if all of the gibberish he's saying means something to him. If so, he certainly is telling quite a story.
*Understanding. Max has done some crazy stuff lately that definitely shows that he's paying attention. It all started back in September, when he once picked up a pop can and put it up to his mouth. We weren't drinking a lot of pop back then, so I'm really not sure where he got that from. Then it was a beer can at a friend's house. Oops. Then, the socks about a week ago (caught in that video in an earlier post). Finally, Holly saw Max go into her purse the other day and grab some keys. Max has always liked playing with keys, but this time he wasn't playing around. Check this video out to see what he did without pause:
*Playtime. Max is also getting a lot more playful and loves playing with us. One of his favourite things these days is to play on couches. As in standing on the couch and then falling over onto the cushions. He really loves this. But the latest game we have gotten involved in is the "who can hold a serious face the longest game". I've tried to capture it on video here, but essentially what happens is Holly and I stare at him with a serious, stern face. He realizes what's happening and then chuckles at us. We laugh too and then resume the seriousness. Then, Max actually joins in and fires back his version of a serious face...which looks at bit Mick Jaggery. Everyone looks serious until, invariably, Max cracks (sometimes with an adorable chin quiver) and starts giggling. We all giggle. Repeat.
*Food. Max is almost off purees completely. We still give him two cubes of apple in his cereal every morning and about 2 cubes every night, but the rest of his sustenance comes in the form of finger foods, either prepared specially for him, or part of the meal that Holly and I are having anyway. He is essentially eating everything under the sun, except for shellfish (which we'll likely try him on soon), seeds and non-peanut nuts (a little more down the line), soy products (soon), and peanut products (way down the line). Also, his appetite is insatiable. I'm not going to hold back until the doctor says so (and also because so many of the calories he gets are good, unprocessed calories from fruits and vegetables), but he is getting a little pudgy. If only I could travel back in time by a year and tell all those who were concerned about his weight that he would be pudgy before long...
*Daycare. Max loves daycare. He loves his caregiver, his caremates and the playgroup they go to three times weekly. I still haven't had him running away from me as I pull up in the morning, but he certainly never cries anymore (except when I'm dressing him to go...but that doesn't count - that's just him hating mittens and snow gear in general). Holly and I are so grateful for our care situation!
*Sleep. Max is once again back on track. Due to a runny nose, we've got a vaporizer gurgling away in his room these days and I'm convinced the white noise makes things better. But the days of the ear infection and what I could have sworn was teething are definitely behind us (for now). There are still only 6 teeth, but I remember that teething stops and starts, so we may not be out of the woods on that just yet. Particularly if it's the eye teeth. We'll definitely be monitoring closely...
*Creativity. So Max has produced some artwork. I have no idea what it is, but he made it at playgroup about three weeks ago. I'll have to snap a picture so that you can all see it. Holly recently taped brown packing paper over our coffee table for Max to draw on, but he seemed more interested in introducing the markers to the couch. Holly's reflexes are good, though, so there isn't any graffiti quite yet. We'll try again with the table soon.
So this seems to be a heady time for Max developing new skills. At times like these, where I sit back and take stock of all the crazy new things Max has picked up in a matter of days, it boggles my mind and makes me really anxious to see what the next few days will bring!
*Mobility. Max is really motoring these days. In fact, he started walking backward this past weekend. When Holly first saw it, she said that he was doing some strange moonwalk for about 20 seconds. It does kind of look that way - he looks forward in a very intense way and then kind of toddles backward a bit at a time. Very cute. He is also stomping / hopping back and forth from foot to foot when he's excited about something. He is also obsessed with climbing into boxes (like a diaper box, for example) with the aid of a wall, leg or whatever is around. Finally, and most frightening of all, he enjoys climbing on things. The case for our drill. Our kitchen step. He has even clearly considered tackling a step without using his hands. Uh-oh.
*Gesturing. A lot of things that I was (even very recently) wondering if Max was going to get around to doing all seem to be showing up at about the same time. About a month or so ago, he started gesturing when he wanted to be picked up (arms outstretched, hands opening and closing). A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that he started (occasionally) to point at things. Sometimes he just points at nothing, but it's still awesome to see. He also seems to know that when I'm pointing at something and telling him to look or go, that I am speaking about the direction in which I'm pointing.
*Signing. I guess Max's caregiver is doing some signing work with him during the day, because Holly and I gave up months ago. But this past weekend, I noticed that he signed "more" when I asked him if he wanted more food. Holly saw him ask for more Cheerios today by signing too. That blows my mind. Also, before dinnertime tonight, I asked Max if he wanted some food and signed "food" to him. He actually responded by putting his index finger on his mouth. The gesture was really tentative and I have no idea if he knew what he was doing, but it's a start. The next things I'm hoping to work on are "drink", "bath" and "encyclopaedia".
*Speaking. Max is babbling like mad these days. He is so talkative, yet not one of his utterances are in English. "no" is soooo close to a reality it hurts. He also seems to be getting pretty close to "mama"...it might be a dead heat in the end. I wonder if all of the gibberish he's saying means something to him. If so, he certainly is telling quite a story.
*Understanding. Max has done some crazy stuff lately that definitely shows that he's paying attention. It all started back in September, when he once picked up a pop can and put it up to his mouth. We weren't drinking a lot of pop back then, so I'm really not sure where he got that from. Then it was a beer can at a friend's house. Oops. Then, the socks about a week ago (caught in that video in an earlier post). Finally, Holly saw Max go into her purse the other day and grab some keys. Max has always liked playing with keys, but this time he wasn't playing around. Check this video out to see what he did without pause:
*Playtime. Max is also getting a lot more playful and loves playing with us. One of his favourite things these days is to play on couches. As in standing on the couch and then falling over onto the cushions. He really loves this. But the latest game we have gotten involved in is the "who can hold a serious face the longest game". I've tried to capture it on video here, but essentially what happens is Holly and I stare at him with a serious, stern face. He realizes what's happening and then chuckles at us. We laugh too and then resume the seriousness. Then, Max actually joins in and fires back his version of a serious face...which looks at bit Mick Jaggery. Everyone looks serious until, invariably, Max cracks (sometimes with an adorable chin quiver) and starts giggling. We all giggle. Repeat.
*Food. Max is almost off purees completely. We still give him two cubes of apple in his cereal every morning and about 2 cubes every night, but the rest of his sustenance comes in the form of finger foods, either prepared specially for him, or part of the meal that Holly and I are having anyway. He is essentially eating everything under the sun, except for shellfish (which we'll likely try him on soon), seeds and non-peanut nuts (a little more down the line), soy products (soon), and peanut products (way down the line). Also, his appetite is insatiable. I'm not going to hold back until the doctor says so (and also because so many of the calories he gets are good, unprocessed calories from fruits and vegetables), but he is getting a little pudgy. If only I could travel back in time by a year and tell all those who were concerned about his weight that he would be pudgy before long...
*Daycare. Max loves daycare. He loves his caregiver, his caremates and the playgroup they go to three times weekly. I still haven't had him running away from me as I pull up in the morning, but he certainly never cries anymore (except when I'm dressing him to go...but that doesn't count - that's just him hating mittens and snow gear in general). Holly and I are so grateful for our care situation!
*Sleep. Max is once again back on track. Due to a runny nose, we've got a vaporizer gurgling away in his room these days and I'm convinced the white noise makes things better. But the days of the ear infection and what I could have sworn was teething are definitely behind us (for now). There are still only 6 teeth, but I remember that teething stops and starts, so we may not be out of the woods on that just yet. Particularly if it's the eye teeth. We'll definitely be monitoring closely...
*Creativity. So Max has produced some artwork. I have no idea what it is, but he made it at playgroup about three weeks ago. I'll have to snap a picture so that you can all see it. Holly recently taped brown packing paper over our coffee table for Max to draw on, but he seemed more interested in introducing the markers to the couch. Holly's reflexes are good, though, so there isn't any graffiti quite yet. We'll try again with the table soon.
So this seems to be a heady time for Max developing new skills. At times like these, where I sit back and take stock of all the crazy new things Max has picked up in a matter of days, it boggles my mind and makes me really anxious to see what the next few days will bring!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
The end of an era
Max and I have reached the end of an era - he has officially weaned.
I have to admit feeling slightly conflicted about this milestone. On the one hand, I am thrilled that Max has developed other comfort mechanisms and is no longer exclusively a "boob man" when he gets really upset. This has also meant that John and Max have developed an amazing bedtime routine and that John is now the bedtime expert. It has given me some real freedom - I spent my first overnight away from Max this past weekend.
On the other hand, I really, really enjoyed this time with Max. Even though we were down to once a day these last few months, it was nice to have a cuddle in bed in the morning. On the plus side, we're still cuddling in the morning and trying to get a few more precious minutes of sleep.
I also wanted to thank everyone who has been so supportive of Max breastfeeding. I feel amazing to be part of the 17% of Canadian women who were exclusively breastfeeding at six months and giving Max the best start that I could have given him on the nutrition front. I definitely could not have done it without all of your support.
I don't like to post big, long articles on the blog but this opinion piece really resonated with me when I read it in October and it is no longer available online so I am including it here:
Benefits of breastfeeding; Controversy and lack of support keep rates low among Canadians
by Sheryl Barber and Erin Dykstra
After class, our peers collect their belongings and head out. Perhaps to the cafeteria, or maybe down the street to the coffee shop or the shopping centre. It's time to eat and to socialize until the next class convenes.
But we cannot join them. Instead, we head for the nearest private area, where we pull electric pumps out of our bags, undo our shirts, and express our breast milk. For us, it's time to feed our babies.
We are nursing students. We are also nursing mothers. And we belong to the legion of women who, by necessity or by choice, have returned to work or school while our children are young. In this, we need support.
On campus, we have been provided an empty boardroom in which to pump. While working in the hospital, we may have to retire to the parking lot to pump in our cars, or choose the staff lunchroom instead, with other staff (men and women) sharing the same space. However, we know the importance of breastfeeding, for our children and for society, so we persevere.
Breastfeeding is an act of health promotion. For babies, it decreases the rates of childhood illnesses, including ear infections and colds. It is also associated with lower rates of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, fewer allergies and higher IQ measurements.
Breast milk is easily digested and custom-made for each stage of development, allowing babies to grow at their ideal rate and reducing the risk of obesity and diabetes in later life. For mothers, breastfeeding lowers the risk for developing breast, endometrial and ovarian cancers, as well as osteoporosis.
It also speeds recovery and weight loss after childbirth. Once established, breastfeeding is easy and cheap. It's always ready, always safe, and doesn't require any special equipment: The ultimate comfort food and the ultimate convenience food all in one.
These facts, and too many others to list here, are why Health Canada, UNICEF and the World Health Organization recommend exclusive breastfeeding (breast milk only) for the first six months of a baby's life. They also recommend that babies keep breastfeeding, along with solid foods, to two years and beyond. That's right: Two years. And beyond.
Breastfeeding families cost taxpayers less in health care and provide a greater economic contribution in terms of productivity, because better family health leads to fewer sick days and less use of the health care system. In this age of environmental awareness, with our hybrid vehicles and reusable shopping bags, breastfeeding fits right in. It decreases environmental waste, with no tins or plastics to go into landfills, and minimal energy is used to manufacture breast milk: No electric power or fossil fuels, just 500 calories a day for mom!
But if breastfeeding is so good for everyone (except perhaps the manufacturers of artificial milks), why isn't that reflected in our country's breastfeeding rates? Fully 87 per cent of Canadian mothers begin breastfeeding, but only 39 per cent are still exclusively breastfeeding at four months, and 17 per cent at six months.
Unfortunately, according to Health Canada, breastfeeding rates are lowest in the populations already at risk for adverse health outcomes, including young and/or single mothers, aboriginal women, and those with lower incomes.
It must be said that there are women for whom breastfeeding may not be successful, for various reasons. But fewer than many might think. Many breastfeeding couples (mom and baby) just need the right kind of help.
That is why the theme for Canada's recent celebration of World Breastfeeding Week 2008 was Mother Support: Reclaiming our Breastfeeding Culture. To be successful at breastfeeding, mothers need support.
We need teachers and mentors to show us how to get started with breastfeeding and how to keep going: Well-informed maternity and community health nurses, midwives, physicians and, most importantly, other breastfeeding mothers for peer support.
We need encouragement from family and friends. We need employers and educational institutions to provide clean and private areas for pumping while mothers are away from their babies. And no, the women's washroom is not the best place to prepare baby food.
But perhaps the biggest thing that women need is a change in the way society supports breastfeeding. Public breastfeeding is clearly big news, as demonstrated by the recent media coverage of the H&M episode, as well as response to Angelina Jolie breastfeeding on a forthcoming magazine cover. In 2008, a mother's response to her child's need for food and comfort in public still incites controversy.
Some suggest that she should "cover up," or retreat to the washroom, but some babies just don't like to eat with their head under a blanket, and some mothers just aren't comfortable with babies eating in the bathroom.
Breastfeeding is a woman's right, and to be breastfed is a child's right.
Sheryl Barber and Erin Dykstra are fourth year nursing students at Douglas College.
PUBLICATION: Vancouver Sun
DATE: 2008.10.17
EDITION: Final
SECTION: Issues & Ideas
PAGE: A19
I have to admit feeling slightly conflicted about this milestone. On the one hand, I am thrilled that Max has developed other comfort mechanisms and is no longer exclusively a "boob man" when he gets really upset. This has also meant that John and Max have developed an amazing bedtime routine and that John is now the bedtime expert. It has given me some real freedom - I spent my first overnight away from Max this past weekend.
On the other hand, I really, really enjoyed this time with Max. Even though we were down to once a day these last few months, it was nice to have a cuddle in bed in the morning. On the plus side, we're still cuddling in the morning and trying to get a few more precious minutes of sleep.
I also wanted to thank everyone who has been so supportive of Max breastfeeding. I feel amazing to be part of the 17% of Canadian women who were exclusively breastfeeding at six months and giving Max the best start that I could have given him on the nutrition front. I definitely could not have done it without all of your support.
I don't like to post big, long articles on the blog but this opinion piece really resonated with me when I read it in October and it is no longer available online so I am including it here:
Benefits of breastfeeding; Controversy and lack of support keep rates low among Canadians
by Sheryl Barber and Erin Dykstra
After class, our peers collect their belongings and head out. Perhaps to the cafeteria, or maybe down the street to the coffee shop or the shopping centre. It's time to eat and to socialize until the next class convenes.
But we cannot join them. Instead, we head for the nearest private area, where we pull electric pumps out of our bags, undo our shirts, and express our breast milk. For us, it's time to feed our babies.
We are nursing students. We are also nursing mothers. And we belong to the legion of women who, by necessity or by choice, have returned to work or school while our children are young. In this, we need support.
On campus, we have been provided an empty boardroom in which to pump. While working in the hospital, we may have to retire to the parking lot to pump in our cars, or choose the staff lunchroom instead, with other staff (men and women) sharing the same space. However, we know the importance of breastfeeding, for our children and for society, so we persevere.
Breastfeeding is an act of health promotion. For babies, it decreases the rates of childhood illnesses, including ear infections and colds. It is also associated with lower rates of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, fewer allergies and higher IQ measurements.
Breast milk is easily digested and custom-made for each stage of development, allowing babies to grow at their ideal rate and reducing the risk of obesity and diabetes in later life. For mothers, breastfeeding lowers the risk for developing breast, endometrial and ovarian cancers, as well as osteoporosis.
It also speeds recovery and weight loss after childbirth. Once established, breastfeeding is easy and cheap. It's always ready, always safe, and doesn't require any special equipment: The ultimate comfort food and the ultimate convenience food all in one.
These facts, and too many others to list here, are why Health Canada, UNICEF and the World Health Organization recommend exclusive breastfeeding (breast milk only) for the first six months of a baby's life. They also recommend that babies keep breastfeeding, along with solid foods, to two years and beyond. That's right: Two years. And beyond.
Breastfeeding families cost taxpayers less in health care and provide a greater economic contribution in terms of productivity, because better family health leads to fewer sick days and less use of the health care system. In this age of environmental awareness, with our hybrid vehicles and reusable shopping bags, breastfeeding fits right in. It decreases environmental waste, with no tins or plastics to go into landfills, and minimal energy is used to manufacture breast milk: No electric power or fossil fuels, just 500 calories a day for mom!
But if breastfeeding is so good for everyone (except perhaps the manufacturers of artificial milks), why isn't that reflected in our country's breastfeeding rates? Fully 87 per cent of Canadian mothers begin breastfeeding, but only 39 per cent are still exclusively breastfeeding at four months, and 17 per cent at six months.
Unfortunately, according to Health Canada, breastfeeding rates are lowest in the populations already at risk for adverse health outcomes, including young and/or single mothers, aboriginal women, and those with lower incomes.
It must be said that there are women for whom breastfeeding may not be successful, for various reasons. But fewer than many might think. Many breastfeeding couples (mom and baby) just need the right kind of help.
That is why the theme for Canada's recent celebration of World Breastfeeding Week 2008 was Mother Support: Reclaiming our Breastfeeding Culture. To be successful at breastfeeding, mothers need support.
We need teachers and mentors to show us how to get started with breastfeeding and how to keep going: Well-informed maternity and community health nurses, midwives, physicians and, most importantly, other breastfeeding mothers for peer support.
We need encouragement from family and friends. We need employers and educational institutions to provide clean and private areas for pumping while mothers are away from their babies. And no, the women's washroom is not the best place to prepare baby food.
But perhaps the biggest thing that women need is a change in the way society supports breastfeeding. Public breastfeeding is clearly big news, as demonstrated by the recent media coverage of the H&M episode, as well as response to Angelina Jolie breastfeeding on a forthcoming magazine cover. In 2008, a mother's response to her child's need for food and comfort in public still incites controversy.
Some suggest that she should "cover up," or retreat to the washroom, but some babies just don't like to eat with their head under a blanket, and some mothers just aren't comfortable with babies eating in the bathroom.
Breastfeeding is a woman's right, and to be breastfed is a child's right.
Sheryl Barber and Erin Dykstra are fourth year nursing students at Douglas College.
PUBLICATION: Vancouver Sun
DATE: 2008.10.17
EDITION: Final
SECTION: Issues & Ideas
PAGE: A19
Monday, November 24, 2008
Teething, mine mortal enemy
Another week has come and gone and Max is a different guy. Again. We last left off with Max sleeping well on the way back from Peterborough. What we didn't mention was that the sleep continued through the night once we shlepped him from car to crib. This November 16 sleep was the first one where we got a block of more than 3 hours since November 6. Now that I put it in writing, it doesn't seem like that long, but after 2 months of being spoiled with luxuriously long sleeps, it was enough to spawn the Patient Zero blog a little while ago. After a week of catching up, we're finally at a point where Mom 'n Dad are at >95%, although Max is something else right now.
It seems that some of his ear infection discomfort might have been compounded by teething pains. I had heard that kids tug their ears in both of these situations. However, Max never touched his ears over that feverish weekend. As it turns out, he started yanking on them about three days after we started hitting him with the antibiotics. And he got some cheeky redness...also indicative of teething. Hmm.
Check out those rosy cheeks!
This past weekend, he got quite irritable. Not constantly, but in great big bursts. He'd be having a good time, giggling and playing, and then all of a sudden, he'd start screeching and shaking his head. I'm really hoping that this behaviour is linked to the teething so that a) it will eventually go away and b) it lets me off the hook for yelling at him on Sunday morning. Well, not at him, but certainly yelling and he happened to be the nearest person, so we can probably make some educated guesses as to what he thought was going on...
One of Max's favourite games has always been to rush over to the tub upstairs and see what sort of bathing product containers are on the edge so that he can shove them into the tub. Sunday morning, I was getting out of the shower and he decided to come see me. Then he decided to take Mom's very full pumpkin muffin spice (seriously, where do they get names for these things) shower gel (all 2.5 lbs. of it) and shove it into the tub onto my baby toe. OUCH!OUCH!OUCH! Or, as I put it, AAARGRGRGRGHHHH!! Max was pretty distraught...kind of like the first time Mom freaked out from being chomped while breastfeeding.
Anyway, I'm a little glum, because since that episode, he's been a little strange around me and there's just no way to explain that when people feel intense pain, they say things loudly and that it's not always directed at somebody. But with all of the teething pain that we believe is affecting him these days (we're pretty sure - the rosy cheeks, the crotchety mood, the notable absence of new teeth over the last few months, the drooling...), his emotions are probably overlapping and it's tough to identify what is causing what reaction. All I know is that his new favourite action is a wild head shake while gruntshrieking and almost saying his first word (yes, that word just might be "no". How horrible is that?). Sigh. Please let us not be punished for having an easy baby by morphing him into ultra-tantrum child!
On the brighter side, we have some video evidence of some of Max's new tricks. We love our little guy and his many burgeoning talents!!
It seems that some of his ear infection discomfort might have been compounded by teething pains. I had heard that kids tug their ears in both of these situations. However, Max never touched his ears over that feverish weekend. As it turns out, he started yanking on them about three days after we started hitting him with the antibiotics. And he got some cheeky redness...also indicative of teething. Hmm.
This past weekend, he got quite irritable. Not constantly, but in great big bursts. He'd be having a good time, giggling and playing, and then all of a sudden, he'd start screeching and shaking his head. I'm really hoping that this behaviour is linked to the teething so that a) it will eventually go away and b) it lets me off the hook for yelling at him on Sunday morning. Well, not at him, but certainly yelling and he happened to be the nearest person, so we can probably make some educated guesses as to what he thought was going on...
One of Max's favourite games has always been to rush over to the tub upstairs and see what sort of bathing product containers are on the edge so that he can shove them into the tub. Sunday morning, I was getting out of the shower and he decided to come see me. Then he decided to take Mom's very full pumpkin muffin spice (seriously, where do they get names for these things) shower gel (all 2.5 lbs. of it) and shove it into the tub onto my baby toe. OUCH!OUCH!OUCH! Or, as I put it, AAARGRGRGRGHHHH!! Max was pretty distraught...kind of like the first time Mom freaked out from being chomped while breastfeeding.
Anyway, I'm a little glum, because since that episode, he's been a little strange around me and there's just no way to explain that when people feel intense pain, they say things loudly and that it's not always directed at somebody. But with all of the teething pain that we believe is affecting him these days (we're pretty sure - the rosy cheeks, the crotchety mood, the notable absence of new teeth over the last few months, the drooling...), his emotions are probably overlapping and it's tough to identify what is causing what reaction. All I know is that his new favourite action is a wild head shake while gruntshrieking and almost saying his first word (yes, that word just might be "no". How horrible is that?). Sigh. Please let us not be punished for having an easy baby by morphing him into ultra-tantrum child!
On the brighter side, we have some video evidence of some of Max's new tricks. We love our little guy and his many burgeoning talents!!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Road Trip to Peterborough
Hey everybody. We just spent a lovely weekend in Peterborough visiting family and catching up with old friends and memorable places, so we thought we'd share some of the stories.
It was our first long car ride with Max in months. I think the last long car ride he was on was the ride between Sioux Narrows, ON and Whitemouth, MB in August. After packing everything up, we left Ottawa around 4 pm on Friday. Max actually had to be woken up from his nap at daycare for us to pick him up so we weren't sure what kind of mood he would be in for the first leg of the trip but he was all smiles.
We decided to stop in Perth to grab a bite and stretch our legs. Max was delighted to get out of the car seat and explore the top-notch restaurant we had chosen for dinner - McDonald's. It was great! He demolished most of a Happy Meal - grilled cheese sandwich, apple juice and apple slices, as well as quite a few chunks of chicken from my chicken nuggets. By the time we got back in the car, it was very dark and Max settled in for the night. It was a bit of an early bedtime for him but we enjoyed the catch-up time together in the front seat. We arrived at Great-Grampa Frank (GG) and Linda's place just before 8 pm. We had a little visit and then all tucked into bed early.
On Saturday morning, we had a lovely breakfast and visit. Linda has a wonderful bin of assorted toys for when the grandchildren visit so Max had endless hours of entertainment. Max's favourite was either the barrel of monkeys, the fireman that fit into a police car (huh?) or the Barbie who looked like she was at Bonkers until 2 am.
At lunchtime, we headed off to Trent for an Alumni Association luncheon event to honour the supporters of the new Alumni house (formerly the Masters Lodge at Champlain College) and also to honour the former Masters of Champlain. The lunch was lovely and Max was again the hit of the party. There was a wall of fame in the Master's Lodge where a bunch of alumni memorabilia had been stored. It all looked quite cool...especially the Max the Great birth announcement! YEAH! We were delighted to be recognized for our contributions to Alumni House and also to explore our old Trent haunts. Here are a few photos of Max from the Great Hall where we spent many, many hours in our Trent days:
Max in the Great Hall
Max crawling up the stairs to the college office...perhaps to register?
The Stardoms: a self-portrait outside what used to be the Ceilie
On Saturday night, dinner was at GG and Linda's favourite Indian restaurant, A Taste of India. GG has developed a love for Indian food in the last few years, especially butter chicken. The feast was delicious...even Dad's fish madras that just about made his face melt. After dinner, John, Max and GG returned home and enjoyed some Hockey Night in Canada (John's team won - go Canucks!) while Linda and I stepped out to see a local production of "West Side Story" at Showplace Theatre. Linda's granddaughter, Jade, was the female lead, Maria, and Linda's son, Beau, directed the show. Jade was absolutely fantastic and I enjoyed myself immensely.
On Sunday morning, we headed downtown to enjoy brunch at Black Honey . Linda's daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Mark, are the chefs and owner/operators of this amazing space. We were so pleased that they were able to take the morning off to enjoy brunch with us as both of them are normally working the Sunday brunch shift. The place was packed so we were lucky to get a seat!
Here is the crew after brunch:
We spent the rest of Sunday relaxing a bit. Max, John and GG all had nice naps in the afternoon while Linda and I played a game of Scrabble. I am happy to report that, after a bit of a hiatus from the game, I can still find a word or two! We spent the rest of the day and early evening hanging out with Linda's grandchildren, Jade, Ray and Nathan, before hitting the road for Ottawa just after 7 pm. Max was a good little boy and slept the whole way home.
All in all, it was a wonderful weekend full of family, good food and new memories.
It was our first long car ride with Max in months. I think the last long car ride he was on was the ride between Sioux Narrows, ON and Whitemouth, MB in August. After packing everything up, we left Ottawa around 4 pm on Friday. Max actually had to be woken up from his nap at daycare for us to pick him up so we weren't sure what kind of mood he would be in for the first leg of the trip but he was all smiles.
We decided to stop in Perth to grab a bite and stretch our legs. Max was delighted to get out of the car seat and explore the top-notch restaurant we had chosen for dinner - McDonald's. It was great! He demolished most of a Happy Meal - grilled cheese sandwich, apple juice and apple slices, as well as quite a few chunks of chicken from my chicken nuggets. By the time we got back in the car, it was very dark and Max settled in for the night. It was a bit of an early bedtime for him but we enjoyed the catch-up time together in the front seat. We arrived at Great-Grampa Frank (GG) and Linda's place just before 8 pm. We had a little visit and then all tucked into bed early.
On Saturday morning, we had a lovely breakfast and visit. Linda has a wonderful bin of assorted toys for when the grandchildren visit so Max had endless hours of entertainment. Max's favourite was either the barrel of monkeys, the fireman that fit into a police car (huh?) or the Barbie who looked like she was at Bonkers until 2 am.
At lunchtime, we headed off to Trent for an Alumni Association luncheon event to honour the supporters of the new Alumni house (formerly the Masters Lodge at Champlain College) and also to honour the former Masters of Champlain. The lunch was lovely and Max was again the hit of the party. There was a wall of fame in the Master's Lodge where a bunch of alumni memorabilia had been stored. It all looked quite cool...especially the Max the Great birth announcement! YEAH! We were delighted to be recognized for our contributions to Alumni House and also to explore our old Trent haunts. Here are a few photos of Max from the Great Hall where we spent many, many hours in our Trent days:
On Saturday night, dinner was at GG and Linda's favourite Indian restaurant, A Taste of India. GG has developed a love for Indian food in the last few years, especially butter chicken. The feast was delicious...even Dad's fish madras that just about made his face melt. After dinner, John, Max and GG returned home and enjoyed some Hockey Night in Canada (John's team won - go Canucks!) while Linda and I stepped out to see a local production of "West Side Story" at Showplace Theatre. Linda's granddaughter, Jade, was the female lead, Maria, and Linda's son, Beau, directed the show. Jade was absolutely fantastic and I enjoyed myself immensely.
On Sunday morning, we headed downtown to enjoy brunch at Black Honey . Linda's daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Mark, are the chefs and owner/operators of this amazing space. We were so pleased that they were able to take the morning off to enjoy brunch with us as both of them are normally working the Sunday brunch shift. The place was packed so we were lucky to get a seat!
Here is the crew after brunch:
We spent the rest of Sunday relaxing a bit. Max, John and GG all had nice naps in the afternoon while Linda and I played a game of Scrabble. I am happy to report that, after a bit of a hiatus from the game, I can still find a word or two! We spent the rest of the day and early evening hanging out with Linda's grandchildren, Jade, Ray and Nathan, before hitting the road for Ottawa just after 7 pm. Max was a good little boy and slept the whole way home.
All in all, it was a wonderful weekend full of family, good food and new memories.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Max as Patient Zero
For those of you unfamiliar with this term, "Patient Zero" is the epidemiological term for the person linked to the start of an outbreak of a disease. While I can't say that we are suffering from ebola or cholera at Casa Stardom, I can say that John and I have probably been the sickest we've ever been for an extended period of time since Max started daycare full-time. He has also had his share of bugs, well-documented on this blog.
We've had multiple sick days off because of colds, sinus infections, ear infections requiring antibiotics (my first antibiotics in years and years - other than the IV I got during Max's birth), hacking chest coughs, horrible sore throats and just all-round general malaise.
I definitely know that we are not alone, given all of the anecdotal evidence from other parents and friends. We know that Max's future wife, Maddie, made everyone sick around her when she started daycare in August. Everyone told us that this would be the case but I guess I just didn't realize how bad it would be. During a follow-up visit with Max's pediatrician this week to make sure that his ears are healing well, our doctor told me that he is expected to get 14 - 16 colds between September to April. He would be expected to get 10 - 12 if he stayed home, so daycare isn't that much bigger of a germ factory than regular life.
I also wonder why this happens on such a regular basis to the parents of toddlers and whether this is a more recent occurrence than days past. I was talking to my mum the other day and she said that this didn't happen to her, even though both my sister and I were in a big community daycare that I am sure was chock full of germs. Someone should definitely study this phenomenon.
On the plus side, I feel back to 100% these days for the first time in a long while. John is still battling a nasty cold but I can see a day in the next week or so where all three of us will be healthy and that isn't something that I have been able to say for the past two months. Keep sending us your healthy vibes, OK?
p.s. I knew we were in the same boat as other parents then I came across this "Facts and Arguments" essay from the Globe and Mail that just confirms our experience of the last few months. We actually thought that Max had hand, foot and mouth disease at one point.
I'm not sure if the link will work anymore so I've cut and pasted the essay below. It is well worth a read.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081020.wpodfacts1021/BNStory/lifeMain/home
Facts & Arguments Essay
Congrats, your baby is a public health hazard!
by ANDREW MCCOLGAN
From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
October 21, 2008 at 8:36 AM EDT
When my doctor announced I had hand, foot and mouth disease, I was seized by panic.
I thought men in haz-mat suits would come bursting through the door. They'd take me by helicopter to some high-security laboratory where I'd be quarantined — removed from all physical contact, sealed in an airtight room.
Then my doctor asked if I had any children. I said with the special feeling of pride that comes with being a first-time father that I had a seven-month-old son. He replied, "Well, that explains it."
It turns out hand, foot and mouth disease is a viral infection common in young children. It's harmless but highly contagious. It's the kind of bug that can spread through a daycare like a brush fire through the B.C. Interior.
In adults it usually doesn't cause any symptoms. But in my case I had all the signs: painful red spots scattered over my hands and feet, sores in my mouth, mild fever. Since it was a viral infection my doctor couldn't give me anything for it. He assured me it would clear up by itself in a couple of weeks. And it did, thank goodness.
I called it the baby plague. It wasn't the first illness I'd had since becoming a father. I've spent more time in the doctor's office since my son was born than I have in all my 37 years put together. When my wife and I brought Noah home from the hospital on a bright, cool day last November, I had no idea we had a pint-sized public health hazard on our hands.
When Noah had his first doctor's appointment at one week old, his physician recommended my wife and I get flu shots. He said it was for Noah's protection. We wouldn't want to risk catching the flu and exposing our baby to the virus, now, would we?
As I think back, I wonder about us. How were we supposed to protect ourselves from him? What about a baby vaccine for new parents? Something that would protect us from the things parents most commonly catch from their kids. I would happily roll up my sleeve for a shot of infant immunity.
The worst of my health problems was a leg infection I developed when Noah was three months old. I thought I'd come down with the flu. I felt miserable. I had a fever and chills, and my body ached. I also had what looked like a rash that had spread over the length of my right leg. It made it painful to walk.
When I went to the doctor, I was diagnosed with a bacterial infection. When I told people about it, they immediately thought I had flesh-eating disease. Thankfully it wasn't that kind of bacterium, and I still have both my legs. But it took eight weeks and three antibiotics to clear the infection. I've traced the bacteria to three possible sources: the change room at the local pool, the dog park and Noah's diaper.
In talking to other parents, I've discovered my experience has been relatively normal. When one person in the family catches something, it's usually only a matter of time before everyone else catches it, too. And it often starts with a toddler or school-aged child who brings a bug home from daycare or the classroom.
I heard one story about a 42-year-old dad who caught chickenpox from his six-year-old son. They were forced to stay home together for two weeks. I'm sure this dad didn't mind, considering they spent most of the time lying around in their pyjamas, eating ice cream and playing video games.
I've come to blame my chronic state of ill health on an immune system weakened by the stress and sleep deprivation that comes with caring for a newborn.
I've also come to realize that being a father means you have to take care of yourself. It's hard to care for a sick child when you're sick. And don't count on your wife to look after you. A baby bumps you down the priority list. You're on your own, fellas.
So I'm trying to become healthier. I've started exercising again, and I'm eating better: more fruits and vegetables, less fat, sugar and salt. I take a multivitamin every day. And I'm trying to cut back on beer and wine. It's paying off. I have more energy, and I've lost some weight.
I've also become much more concerned about cleanliness. Not to say I'm a germaphobe, but I wash my hands more and keep the house stocked with hand sanitizer and antiseptic wipes.
The extra effort is worth it. I love Noah with all my heart. It makes me feel good to be his father. He's made me a better person.
But now, when he reaches out to me with his sticky fingers and drool streaming from his mouth, I take a moment to wipe his hands and face. Then I take him in my arms and hug him for all I'm worth.
Andrew McColgan lives in Ottawa.
We've had multiple sick days off because of colds, sinus infections, ear infections requiring antibiotics (my first antibiotics in years and years - other than the IV I got during Max's birth), hacking chest coughs, horrible sore throats and just all-round general malaise.
I definitely know that we are not alone, given all of the anecdotal evidence from other parents and friends. We know that Max's future wife, Maddie, made everyone sick around her when she started daycare in August. Everyone told us that this would be the case but I guess I just didn't realize how bad it would be. During a follow-up visit with Max's pediatrician this week to make sure that his ears are healing well, our doctor told me that he is expected to get 14 - 16 colds between September to April. He would be expected to get 10 - 12 if he stayed home, so daycare isn't that much bigger of a germ factory than regular life.
I also wonder why this happens on such a regular basis to the parents of toddlers and whether this is a more recent occurrence than days past. I was talking to my mum the other day and she said that this didn't happen to her, even though both my sister and I were in a big community daycare that I am sure was chock full of germs. Someone should definitely study this phenomenon.
On the plus side, I feel back to 100% these days for the first time in a long while. John is still battling a nasty cold but I can see a day in the next week or so where all three of us will be healthy and that isn't something that I have been able to say for the past two months. Keep sending us your healthy vibes, OK?
p.s. I knew we were in the same boat as other parents then I came across this "Facts and Arguments" essay from the Globe and Mail that just confirms our experience of the last few months. We actually thought that Max had hand, foot and mouth disease at one point.
I'm not sure if the link will work anymore so I've cut and pasted the essay below. It is well worth a read.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081020.wpodfacts1021/BNStory/lifeMain/home
Facts & Arguments Essay
Congrats, your baby is a public health hazard!
by ANDREW MCCOLGAN
From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
October 21, 2008 at 8:36 AM EDT
When my doctor announced I had hand, foot and mouth disease, I was seized by panic.
I thought men in haz-mat suits would come bursting through the door. They'd take me by helicopter to some high-security laboratory where I'd be quarantined — removed from all physical contact, sealed in an airtight room.
Then my doctor asked if I had any children. I said with the special feeling of pride that comes with being a first-time father that I had a seven-month-old son. He replied, "Well, that explains it."
It turns out hand, foot and mouth disease is a viral infection common in young children. It's harmless but highly contagious. It's the kind of bug that can spread through a daycare like a brush fire through the B.C. Interior.
In adults it usually doesn't cause any symptoms. But in my case I had all the signs: painful red spots scattered over my hands and feet, sores in my mouth, mild fever. Since it was a viral infection my doctor couldn't give me anything for it. He assured me it would clear up by itself in a couple of weeks. And it did, thank goodness.
I called it the baby plague. It wasn't the first illness I'd had since becoming a father. I've spent more time in the doctor's office since my son was born than I have in all my 37 years put together. When my wife and I brought Noah home from the hospital on a bright, cool day last November, I had no idea we had a pint-sized public health hazard on our hands.
When Noah had his first doctor's appointment at one week old, his physician recommended my wife and I get flu shots. He said it was for Noah's protection. We wouldn't want to risk catching the flu and exposing our baby to the virus, now, would we?
As I think back, I wonder about us. How were we supposed to protect ourselves from him? What about a baby vaccine for new parents? Something that would protect us from the things parents most commonly catch from their kids. I would happily roll up my sleeve for a shot of infant immunity.
The worst of my health problems was a leg infection I developed when Noah was three months old. I thought I'd come down with the flu. I felt miserable. I had a fever and chills, and my body ached. I also had what looked like a rash that had spread over the length of my right leg. It made it painful to walk.
When I went to the doctor, I was diagnosed with a bacterial infection. When I told people about it, they immediately thought I had flesh-eating disease. Thankfully it wasn't that kind of bacterium, and I still have both my legs. But it took eight weeks and three antibiotics to clear the infection. I've traced the bacteria to three possible sources: the change room at the local pool, the dog park and Noah's diaper.
In talking to other parents, I've discovered my experience has been relatively normal. When one person in the family catches something, it's usually only a matter of time before everyone else catches it, too. And it often starts with a toddler or school-aged child who brings a bug home from daycare or the classroom.
I heard one story about a 42-year-old dad who caught chickenpox from his six-year-old son. They were forced to stay home together for two weeks. I'm sure this dad didn't mind, considering they spent most of the time lying around in their pyjamas, eating ice cream and playing video games.
I've come to blame my chronic state of ill health on an immune system weakened by the stress and sleep deprivation that comes with caring for a newborn.
I've also come to realize that being a father means you have to take care of yourself. It's hard to care for a sick child when you're sick. And don't count on your wife to look after you. A baby bumps you down the priority list. You're on your own, fellas.
So I'm trying to become healthier. I've started exercising again, and I'm eating better: more fruits and vegetables, less fat, sugar and salt. I take a multivitamin every day. And I'm trying to cut back on beer and wine. It's paying off. I have more energy, and I've lost some weight.
I've also become much more concerned about cleanliness. Not to say I'm a germaphobe, but I wash my hands more and keep the house stocked with hand sanitizer and antiseptic wipes.
The extra effort is worth it. I love Noah with all my heart. It makes me feel good to be his father. He's made me a better person.
But now, when he reaches out to me with his sticky fingers and drool streaming from his mouth, I take a moment to wipe his hands and face. Then I take him in my arms and hug him for all I'm worth.
Andrew McColgan lives in Ottawa.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Diagnosis: ear infection
OK, so Holly took Max in to the walk-in clinic on Monday and after waiting for the 45 minutes shown on the Internet as the waiting time, she waited another 135. All this to get Max in to see our favourite walk-in doc, Dr. O. Our pediatrician was booked up for the day, so this was plan B. Dr. O is so good with patients. Holly has half a mind to tell him to start up his own practice so that we can flood him with referrals. We'd do it.
After poking and prodding, he declared that Max had an ear infection in both ears. Holly said something to the effect of "phew - that's all", at which point, Dr. O freaked out, saying "That's all?? Do you have any idea how much that must hurt?". I think Holly simply wanted to express relief that we finally knew what was going on and that it wasn't something contagious - I would have probably said the same thing.
My mom told me that I was just rife with ear infections as a little tyke, so I guess what comes around, goes around. However, I seem to remember getting a lot of banana Amoxicillin while Max ended up with the mixed berry variety. Apparently he'll finish off all of his doses sometime next week.
Hopefully Max starts to feel better soon!!
Here are a couple of treats for our readers:
After poking and prodding, he declared that Max had an ear infection in both ears. Holly said something to the effect of "phew - that's all", at which point, Dr. O freaked out, saying "That's all?? Do you have any idea how much that must hurt?". I think Holly simply wanted to express relief that we finally knew what was going on and that it wasn't something contagious - I would have probably said the same thing.
My mom told me that I was just rife with ear infections as a little tyke, so I guess what comes around, goes around. However, I seem to remember getting a lot of banana Amoxicillin while Max ended up with the mixed berry variety. Apparently he'll finish off all of his doses sometime next week.
Hopefully Max starts to feel better soon!!
Here are a couple of treats for our readers:
Monday, November 10, 2008
Sickness and our love affair with standard time
OK, I'll actually attack those in reverse order. This past work week was amazing for sleep!! Throughout the month of October, Max was getting to bed around 8:30 and getting up around 6, then needing a feed and cat-nap to eventually get up for good around 7:30. Not a bad arrangement, aside from the fact that we were working parents trying to get the little guy to the daycare provider every morning at 8:30. Lots of rushed mornings. And then came "fall back" Sunday. OH YEAH!
From Sunday to Thursday, Max was getting to bed at 7:00 or 7:30 and sleeping until around 5 with the cat-nap taking him to just before 7. Holly and I were loving our new evenings together and the fact that the morning Max delivery plan actually worked out. What a great week!
And then came Friday morning. Now, I should briefly mention that Max and Grandma went to swimming on Thursday night...and apparently had a great time. Max reportedly does not like being splashed by other kids but doesn't mind getting himself all wet. But I digress...and the swimming likely has nothing to do with this past weekend.
Friday morning, Max was VERY cranky and actually fell asleep on the way to daycare. This is quite a feat, considering that it's a 10-minute walk. He was not happy when I dropped him off and I was only about 25% surprised when I got a call from the center where he has his play group saying that I needed to come get him because he wasn't himself. And by "wasn't himself", they meant "slept through play group" and "was burning up". Yikes.
I picked Max up and, sure enough, he was super shmoopy (def: cuddly, lethargic, not feeling well). He conked out on the way home and then did not object to being put in his crib immediately upon arrival. I snuck him out of his rain suit and some of his clothes to vent his 103-degree fever and woke him up just enough to give him some drugs. What happened next was pretty much put on loop throughout the whole weekend as a backbeat to everything else going on: sleep, wake up warm (103), get drugged, feel better (99-100), run around like normal Max, get cranky and tired, repeat. It's now Monday morning and I think we're in cycle #10.
This of course messed up the glorious sleep routine Max had established. We had lots of action between one and four each night, so we got the chance to flex our stiff "new parent" muscles. Hopefully things will settle down quickly this week.
It should also be said that we actually had a good weekend. Our friend JB came to visit us from Toronto (looking fine!!). She spent the whole weekend with us, eating well, playing Scrabble and getting some good outdoors-in-Ottawa time in while the weather is still strangely warm for November. It was great to catch up and show off all of Max's new bells and whistles that he'd developed over the past four months. Max's grandma also came over for a visit and some Ethiopian food on Friday night. Even (especially?) with a little sicko on our hands, it was great to have some company.
I'll leave you with a picture of shmoopy.
From Sunday to Thursday, Max was getting to bed at 7:00 or 7:30 and sleeping until around 5 with the cat-nap taking him to just before 7. Holly and I were loving our new evenings together and the fact that the morning Max delivery plan actually worked out. What a great week!
And then came Friday morning. Now, I should briefly mention that Max and Grandma went to swimming on Thursday night...and apparently had a great time. Max reportedly does not like being splashed by other kids but doesn't mind getting himself all wet. But I digress...and the swimming likely has nothing to do with this past weekend.
Friday morning, Max was VERY cranky and actually fell asleep on the way to daycare. This is quite a feat, considering that it's a 10-minute walk. He was not happy when I dropped him off and I was only about 25% surprised when I got a call from the center where he has his play group saying that I needed to come get him because he wasn't himself. And by "wasn't himself", they meant "slept through play group" and "was burning up". Yikes.
I picked Max up and, sure enough, he was super shmoopy (def: cuddly, lethargic, not feeling well). He conked out on the way home and then did not object to being put in his crib immediately upon arrival. I snuck him out of his rain suit and some of his clothes to vent his 103-degree fever and woke him up just enough to give him some drugs. What happened next was pretty much put on loop throughout the whole weekend as a backbeat to everything else going on: sleep, wake up warm (103), get drugged, feel better (99-100), run around like normal Max, get cranky and tired, repeat. It's now Monday morning and I think we're in cycle #10.
This of course messed up the glorious sleep routine Max had established. We had lots of action between one and four each night, so we got the chance to flex our stiff "new parent" muscles. Hopefully things will settle down quickly this week.
It should also be said that we actually had a good weekend. Our friend JB came to visit us from Toronto (looking fine!!). She spent the whole weekend with us, eating well, playing Scrabble and getting some good outdoors-in-Ottawa time in while the weather is still strangely warm for November. It was great to catch up and show off all of Max's new bells and whistles that he'd developed over the past four months. Max's grandma also came over for a visit and some Ethiopian food on Friday night. Even (especially?) with a little sicko on our hands, it was great to have some company.
I'll leave you with a picture of shmoopy.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Arigato, Max!
We know that our kid is pretty awesome most of the time but sometimes, he is so super cool that we have to make special note of it. This is one of those posts.
This past Saturday night, we had the opportunity to visit our favourite all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant (thanks to Grandma H for lending us the car for the weekend). We hadn't been there since a very eventful and delicious dinner with Uncle M and our friend Is in August.
Max had been a little cranky earlier in the day but we managed to get him down for a mini-nap in the late afternoon and left for the restaurant as soon as he got up. We got our very own little booth and Max settled nicely into his high chair and started playing with everything. He even started flirting with two ladies at the table next to us. I think they fell in love with him.
We had brought some food from home but we barely needed any of it as Max dined out on various Japanese delicacies. He started with some yam tempura, mowed an avocado roll and a half and some udon noodles, and finished with some mango ice cream. If this dinner was any indication, Max has clearly inherited our love of Japanese food.
All in all, it was a lovely evening. Max was completely pleasant and kept himself (and us!) entertained in his chair without whining for attention or to get out. We didn't feel at any point like we were rushing to finish up to avoid a baby meltdown. We just kicked back, enjoyed some time together and some good (for Ottawa) Japanese food. It honestly felt like a date night...even with Max there!
Max ponders his first-ever bite of avocado maki sushi.
Max vs. avocado roll - action shot!!
Max and Mom, loving family sushi night.
This past Saturday night, we had the opportunity to visit our favourite all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant (thanks to Grandma H for lending us the car for the weekend). We hadn't been there since a very eventful and delicious dinner with Uncle M and our friend Is in August.
Max had been a little cranky earlier in the day but we managed to get him down for a mini-nap in the late afternoon and left for the restaurant as soon as he got up. We got our very own little booth and Max settled nicely into his high chair and started playing with everything. He even started flirting with two ladies at the table next to us. I think they fell in love with him.
We had brought some food from home but we barely needed any of it as Max dined out on various Japanese delicacies. He started with some yam tempura, mowed an avocado roll and a half and some udon noodles, and finished with some mango ice cream. If this dinner was any indication, Max has clearly inherited our love of Japanese food.
All in all, it was a lovely evening. Max was completely pleasant and kept himself (and us!) entertained in his chair without whining for attention or to get out. We didn't feel at any point like we were rushing to finish up to avoid a baby meltdown. We just kicked back, enjoyed some time together and some good (for Ottawa) Japanese food. It honestly felt like a date night...even with Max there!
Monday, November 3, 2008
Hallowe'en Apples!
OK, so apparently Winnipeg is one of the only places I know of where kids say that instead of trick or treat. Curious.
So this past Friday, Max had a day full of pumpkins, witches and animals. Unlike last Hallowe'en, where Max was barely capable of being propped up against couch cushions for a photo shoot, he was able to walk around and take it all in for himself.
In the morning, he went to the Children's Village playgroup party for a couple of hours. There were kids in costume, snacks, and songs! One of the kids in costume, a lion, decided to chomp Max's hand pretty badly...not so good. But Max had a good time regardless, munching on cheese, crackers and bananas. Mom and I are very grateful that we could grab an hour to step out and see our little munchkin interacting with other munchkins.
Later, that night, Max went out for Hallowe'en for the first time. His Auntie L and her friend N came over, all dressed up (a bumblebee and Snow White!) and ready to go. They even brought a costume for me. I'll let you see the pictures to find out who I was. We went out and did a quick loop of about fifteen houses in the 'hood and scored bigtime. Particularly at this one house where we got about 20 items. Awesome. The residential (non-artery) street one block over was a parade of trick-or-treaters and roughly 40% of the houses were doling out candy. Now we know where to hit next year.
While we're on the topic of places to hit next year, let it be known that Holly scoffed at me when I suggested traipsing across Island Park to hit Jason Spezza's house...as it turns out, he was out of town on a road trip, but his girlfriend was allegedly handing out full-sized chocolate bars!! Our neighbour across the street was practically salivating over the full size Rolo that he had received when we saw him at playgroup on Saturday morning. Given the volume of kids she must have seen, she probably went through at least $300 worth of chocolate. Not like that's a lot of money to people who make $7M a year. Although that house apparently set them back $6M...
Anyway, here is the evidence:
So this past Friday, Max had a day full of pumpkins, witches and animals. Unlike last Hallowe'en, where Max was barely capable of being propped up against couch cushions for a photo shoot, he was able to walk around and take it all in for himself.
In the morning, he went to the Children's Village playgroup party for a couple of hours. There were kids in costume, snacks, and songs! One of the kids in costume, a lion, decided to chomp Max's hand pretty badly...not so good. But Max had a good time regardless, munching on cheese, crackers and bananas. Mom and I are very grateful that we could grab an hour to step out and see our little munchkin interacting with other munchkins.
Later, that night, Max went out for Hallowe'en for the first time. His Auntie L and her friend N came over, all dressed up (a bumblebee and Snow White!) and ready to go. They even brought a costume for me. I'll let you see the pictures to find out who I was. We went out and did a quick loop of about fifteen houses in the 'hood and scored bigtime. Particularly at this one house where we got about 20 items. Awesome. The residential (non-artery) street one block over was a parade of trick-or-treaters and roughly 40% of the houses were doling out candy. Now we know where to hit next year.
While we're on the topic of places to hit next year, let it be known that Holly scoffed at me when I suggested traipsing across Island Park to hit Jason Spezza's house...as it turns out, he was out of town on a road trip, but his girlfriend was allegedly handing out full-sized chocolate bars!! Our neighbour across the street was practically salivating over the full size Rolo that he had received when we saw him at playgroup on Saturday morning. Given the volume of kids she must have seen, she probably went through at least $300 worth of chocolate. Not like that's a lot of money to people who make $7M a year. Although that house apparently set them back $6M...
Anyway, here is the evidence:
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Freddy Beach
Well, I've gone and saved our biggest fall event for last. I've alluded to being away and being in airports in previous posts and now you get to find out why. Our close friends J&R (only in that order for alphabetical reasons R...) have been together for quite some time, and this past summer, they got engaged. Given that they're both from the Maritimes, they decided to have the ceremony in Fredericton, NB over Thanksgiving weekend. We were honoured to have been invited to come out to the East Coast for the big event (and they might have been a bit surprised that we accepted!). But hey, Max hadn't been to New Brunswick before, so why not?
In fact, the timing was ideal for us, in the sense that I had not yet returned to work and therefore didn't have to worry about taking time off. We were a little concerned that yanking Max out of daycare so soon after getting him started might slow his progress, but it turns out that the effect wasn't too great. The only hitch was that Holly had come down with a tremendous cold the weekend before and, on the 6th, was put on some heavy-duty antibiotics to deal with her flourishing sinus and ear infections. As the doctor said, "the flight will be very uncomfortable, but there is no risk of permanent damage". Holly survived the flight with very little discomfort.
We left on the 8th and, as per usual, Max was awesome on the plane. He slept all the way to Toronto and then played in a pair of empty seats set aside for us on the way to Fredericton. We arrived at the airport and immediately saw that NB had a beautiful landscape loaded with trees showing off their fall colours. It was a short hop into town and, after setting up shop in the hotel, we headed out for some pizza, crazy good Caesar salad, and donair sauce. Thanks to the bride for the restaurant recommendation!
On the Thursday, we drove out to Oromocto, where Holly renewed her acquaintance with Frenchy's, a most interesting chain of East Coast thrift stores that I first ran into in Church Point, NS, in 1998. Picture everything you'd normally find in a thrift store, but in waist-high wooden bins that are essentially tables with edges. Nothing is hung up, just piled in these bins. Ready...one...two...rummage! Needless to say, Max and I snoozed for 90 minutes in the car while Mom charged it like Betty and Wilma.
It was a bit of a rainy day, so we stayed in town for the afternoon. We enjoyed some fantastic shopping, including an awesome toy store where we picked up these weird balls with bugs in them and some glow in the dark skeleton pirate figurines. We had run into J&R quite unexpectedly at lunch (amazing food again!) and decided to hook up for dinner at El Burrito Loco, an authentic Mexican restaurant smack in the middle of Freddy Beach (what the locals call Fredericton). Run by what must have been the only Mexican expat in New Brunswick. Sadly, Max did not get to try carne asada. Maybe next time.
J&R and their family were tied up with that whole getting married thing on the Friday, so we took off to King's Landing, an historical "village" about 30 minutes north of Fredericton. I put village in quotes because it never was an actual village. King's Landing is cobbled together from a variety of 19th century buildings from all over the province that merited preservation. It contained some farm houses, a general store, a blacksmith's shop, a sawmill, a grist mill, a print shop and an ox barn, among other things. The one thing that impressed us more than other similar places we had been to, like Upper Canada Village and Lower Fort Garry, was that this place was fully functional and self-sustainable, in the sense that they raise their own animals on site for food, they cook meals on site using traditional methods, the blacksmith actually makes things to improve the other buildings rather than just hammering out some metal for the kiddies. They actually had a turkey shoot and Thanksgiving dinner planned for the Sunday...too bad we couldn't be a part. However, we did get to try some raisin pudding baked in a stone bread oven (Max loved it). It was a beautiful day to wander around and the people working there were wonderful characters. I was afraid it was going to be a long haul when Max ripped himself out of the ring sling 15 minutes into the 150 minute tour, but he was totally happy to be lugged around on my shoulders for most of the day.
Later that night, we were invited to the family dinner, which was quite the privilege. We ate at a seafood buffet at the Delta and toasted the newlyweds. Max, oblivious to the reason for all the fanfare, gorged himself on zucchini and salmon and charmed the pants off of everyone in attendance. Dad, fully aware of the reason for the celebration, gorged himself on white wine. LOTS of white wine. We had a great time.
Finally, on the Saturday, we swung out to the "camp" (cottage for non-Easterners) of J's aunt and uncle, which was out toward King's Landing. Holly pitched in with the decor (which looked awesome by the time I arrived with Max), and I helped get the sound system up and running. Guests showed up mid-afternoon and had a good time munching, chatting and partaking in a brew or two. It was a beautiful fall day and Max got to visit with a LOT of people. A friend of the bride's took some great pictures and the food was delicious (yay meat on sticks!). Max had a bit much to eat and threw up a bit, but he was forgiven because he slept very well while the party carried on into the wee hours.
A BIG thanks to J&R (and their families) for making us feel welcome and being so hospitable. We had a fantastic time meeting everybody and really enjoyed getting to know Fredericton. The funny thing is, now my shenanigans of last summer to get across the Confederation Bridge to say "I've been to New Brunswick" are moot. Which I suppose heightens their shenaniganness. Silly me. Now that I think about it, Max has now been on 20 flight legs and has visited 7 provinces. I think I hit my seventh province when I was 22. Too bad we eventually have to start paying for him.
Max playing around at the airport.
Dad vs. Luna's donair-sauce-slathered garlic fingers.
Max fell in love with this cupboard in the hotel.
Some ESL students fell in love with Max through a restaurant window.
Max loves climbing on stuff. This is him scaling the wheels of his stroller.
Max, getting a little crabby because he's too far away from the happy couple at El Burrito Loco.
Max and Dad in a field at King's Landing.
The whole family hanging out by a sawmill.
Mom, Max and a horse.
Max, chilling out with two women from the 1830s and one from the 1890s. Now that's a cool feat!
Max had some fun on my shoulders, bending down and poking at my nose.
Dad had a turn posing with the horse too.
Max looks pretty good in his vest combo while auditioning for Michael Jackson's Black or White video.
Max had a 30-minute nap, but then got up crying. Somehow, after I put him on the hotel bed, he drifted off while mellowing to Nick Drake.
Dad model-posing with his baby, er..., toddler.
Max works on his walking.
In fact, the timing was ideal for us, in the sense that I had not yet returned to work and therefore didn't have to worry about taking time off. We were a little concerned that yanking Max out of daycare so soon after getting him started might slow his progress, but it turns out that the effect wasn't too great. The only hitch was that Holly had come down with a tremendous cold the weekend before and, on the 6th, was put on some heavy-duty antibiotics to deal with her flourishing sinus and ear infections. As the doctor said, "the flight will be very uncomfortable, but there is no risk of permanent damage". Holly survived the flight with very little discomfort.
We left on the 8th and, as per usual, Max was awesome on the plane. He slept all the way to Toronto and then played in a pair of empty seats set aside for us on the way to Fredericton. We arrived at the airport and immediately saw that NB had a beautiful landscape loaded with trees showing off their fall colours. It was a short hop into town and, after setting up shop in the hotel, we headed out for some pizza, crazy good Caesar salad, and donair sauce. Thanks to the bride for the restaurant recommendation!
On the Thursday, we drove out to Oromocto, where Holly renewed her acquaintance with Frenchy's, a most interesting chain of East Coast thrift stores that I first ran into in Church Point, NS, in 1998. Picture everything you'd normally find in a thrift store, but in waist-high wooden bins that are essentially tables with edges. Nothing is hung up, just piled in these bins. Ready...one...two...rummage! Needless to say, Max and I snoozed for 90 minutes in the car while Mom charged it like Betty and Wilma.
It was a bit of a rainy day, so we stayed in town for the afternoon. We enjoyed some fantastic shopping, including an awesome toy store where we picked up these weird balls with bugs in them and some glow in the dark skeleton pirate figurines. We had run into J&R quite unexpectedly at lunch (amazing food again!) and decided to hook up for dinner at El Burrito Loco, an authentic Mexican restaurant smack in the middle of Freddy Beach (what the locals call Fredericton). Run by what must have been the only Mexican expat in New Brunswick. Sadly, Max did not get to try carne asada. Maybe next time.
J&R and their family were tied up with that whole getting married thing on the Friday, so we took off to King's Landing, an historical "village" about 30 minutes north of Fredericton. I put village in quotes because it never was an actual village. King's Landing is cobbled together from a variety of 19th century buildings from all over the province that merited preservation. It contained some farm houses, a general store, a blacksmith's shop, a sawmill, a grist mill, a print shop and an ox barn, among other things. The one thing that impressed us more than other similar places we had been to, like Upper Canada Village and Lower Fort Garry, was that this place was fully functional and self-sustainable, in the sense that they raise their own animals on site for food, they cook meals on site using traditional methods, the blacksmith actually makes things to improve the other buildings rather than just hammering out some metal for the kiddies. They actually had a turkey shoot and Thanksgiving dinner planned for the Sunday...too bad we couldn't be a part. However, we did get to try some raisin pudding baked in a stone bread oven (Max loved it). It was a beautiful day to wander around and the people working there were wonderful characters. I was afraid it was going to be a long haul when Max ripped himself out of the ring sling 15 minutes into the 150 minute tour, but he was totally happy to be lugged around on my shoulders for most of the day.
Later that night, we were invited to the family dinner, which was quite the privilege. We ate at a seafood buffet at the Delta and toasted the newlyweds. Max, oblivious to the reason for all the fanfare, gorged himself on zucchini and salmon and charmed the pants off of everyone in attendance. Dad, fully aware of the reason for the celebration, gorged himself on white wine. LOTS of white wine. We had a great time.
Finally, on the Saturday, we swung out to the "camp" (cottage for non-Easterners) of J's aunt and uncle, which was out toward King's Landing. Holly pitched in with the decor (which looked awesome by the time I arrived with Max), and I helped get the sound system up and running. Guests showed up mid-afternoon and had a good time munching, chatting and partaking in a brew or two. It was a beautiful fall day and Max got to visit with a LOT of people. A friend of the bride's took some great pictures and the food was delicious (yay meat on sticks!). Max had a bit much to eat and threw up a bit, but he was forgiven because he slept very well while the party carried on into the wee hours.
A BIG thanks to J&R (and their families) for making us feel welcome and being so hospitable. We had a fantastic time meeting everybody and really enjoyed getting to know Fredericton. The funny thing is, now my shenanigans of last summer to get across the Confederation Bridge to say "I've been to New Brunswick" are moot. Which I suppose heightens their shenaniganness. Silly me. Now that I think about it, Max has now been on 20 flight legs and has visited 7 provinces. I think I hit my seventh province when I was 22. Too bad we eventually have to start paying for him.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Um yeah, so back to the subject of this blog.
Thanks Mom, for hijacking my blog for a couple of posts. Give it back. Love Max
OK, Dad here. As promised, I wanted to blog about the Thanksgiving dinner that our friends threw for us...well, for themselves, really, but they thought to invite us. We had just rolled off the plane on the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend (more on that later), and the last thing we wanted to do was go home and cook. Thankfully, our friends M&E were whipping up dinner for parents and another friend and were kind enough to let us tag along :) for their first big meal in their new house.
Max fell asleep on the way over (in his stroller), so while we all caught up with one another, Max snoozed on the porch. Thankfully, the weather allowed this - it was a gorgeous day outside! Eventually, Max got up and joined the party, but was mighty cuddly and did not want to be let go. After about a half hour or so, he finally decided that toddling around and meeting people (and the dog!) would be OK.
That's when the breakthrough began. Max started walking like he had never walked before. Walking over to the cheese plate. Walking over to the stairs. Walking over to the box of empty beer bottles (and taking a swig...uh-oh...). Walking over to the golf balls rolling across the floor. And the china cabinet. And the toy car garage that got dug up from somewhere. He was still crawling a bunch, but this will certainly be the night we point to as the one where Max became a toddler.
As for the adult-related stuff, the food was amazing. Heart attack potatoes, yummy turkey (Max's first!) and a delicious homemade pumpkin pie! We had a wonderful time chatting and trading political jibes until Max got a bit cranky and needed his beauty rest. We're very lucky to have friends like this - THANKS!
A couple of nights later, we all headed over to Auntie K's place down the street for an Electorama party. The election itself was a little anticlimactic, but Max had a great time wandering back and forth on the hardwood floors and, after he went to bed, we had a blast catching up with good friends and eating all of the orange finger food, crudites and vegan pumpkin pie we could ask for. Our candidate won in our riding, so that totally put a cherry on the evening.
Here are some pictures from our Thanksgiving evening:
Max, touching base with work on a Blackberry
Showing off some toys and a sweet new couture jacket courtesy of uncle Chris.
So Max has started to climb stuff. Here's one of his more daring attempts.
OK, Dad here. As promised, I wanted to blog about the Thanksgiving dinner that our friends threw for us...well, for themselves, really, but they thought to invite us. We had just rolled off the plane on the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend (more on that later), and the last thing we wanted to do was go home and cook. Thankfully, our friends M&E were whipping up dinner for parents and another friend and were kind enough to let us tag along :) for their first big meal in their new house.
Max fell asleep on the way over (in his stroller), so while we all caught up with one another, Max snoozed on the porch. Thankfully, the weather allowed this - it was a gorgeous day outside! Eventually, Max got up and joined the party, but was mighty cuddly and did not want to be let go. After about a half hour or so, he finally decided that toddling around and meeting people (and the dog!) would be OK.
That's when the breakthrough began. Max started walking like he had never walked before. Walking over to the cheese plate. Walking over to the stairs. Walking over to the box of empty beer bottles (and taking a swig...uh-oh...). Walking over to the golf balls rolling across the floor. And the china cabinet. And the toy car garage that got dug up from somewhere. He was still crawling a bunch, but this will certainly be the night we point to as the one where Max became a toddler.
As for the adult-related stuff, the food was amazing. Heart attack potatoes, yummy turkey (Max's first!) and a delicious homemade pumpkin pie! We had a wonderful time chatting and trading political jibes until Max got a bit cranky and needed his beauty rest. We're very lucky to have friends like this - THANKS!
A couple of nights later, we all headed over to Auntie K's place down the street for an Electorama party. The election itself was a little anticlimactic, but Max had a great time wandering back and forth on the hardwood floors and, after he went to bed, we had a blast catching up with good friends and eating all of the orange finger food, crudites and vegan pumpkin pie we could ask for. Our candidate won in our riding, so that totally put a cherry on the evening.
Here are some pictures from our Thanksgiving evening:
GG's New Wheels
Check out Great Grampa Frank's new wheels:
I don't know ANY other octagenarians who look this sporty and cool behind the wheel. Go, GG, go!
I don't know ANY other octagenarians who look this sporty and cool behind the wheel. Go, GG, go!
Apropos of nothing - just a cute photo of John
We promise that we will be hopping back on the blogging horse with vigour in the coming days. Watch out for more stories, photos, etc. and the latest and greatest on Max.
Until then, here's a little tidbit on John. As part of a team building exercise at work, John recently did a photo scavenger hunt of Ottawa. It sounds like it was a blast to run around the city trying to find various items, including a group of five ducks, shoes hanging on telephone lines, a picture of the pope and a Smart Car, and take pictures of them.
Here is a cute photo of John bagging one of the things on the list - the O-Train:
Until then, here's a little tidbit on John. As part of a team building exercise at work, John recently did a photo scavenger hunt of Ottawa. It sounds like it was a blast to run around the city trying to find various items, including a group of five ducks, shoes hanging on telephone lines, a picture of the pope and a Smart Car, and take pictures of them.
Here is a cute photo of John bagging one of the things on the list - the O-Train:
Monday, October 20, 2008
More new stuff
Before moving on, as promised, to a couple of neat events that we've attended over the last while, here are a couple of new Max talents that I neglected to mention last time.
Max likes to climb up off the ground now. Walking was really not that much different from being able to clamber around the furniture in our house. He couldn't really reach more things and wasn't really getting into more trouble. Getting up off the ground is troublesome though. Obviously. He likes to crawl up on stools, or the wheels of his umbrella stroller (yikes). Best of all, he has figured out how to swing his legs over things...so now he loves sitting in boxes and such. In particular, he lives in our recycling bin on the top floor of our house. We've had to stop putting small ripped papers in there because Max would always spread them everywhere. Or eat them. We also can't unload the dishwasher when Max is loose in the kitchen because he likes to crawl up on the dishwasher door and sit on it.
Also, Max has started putting things on his head. Anything that can act as a hat. Knee pads. Face cloths. Tupperware. Pasta. Really, if it will stay put on his head, awesome.
Finally, Max is making strides in feeding himself. He still does the same old thing when left to his own devices with a spoon - flipping it upside-down on the way in to his mouth so that the bowl of the spoon dumps directly on his tongue. That's if there's actually anything left after the spoon spills on the high chair tray or Max's Buddha belly. After a few tries, he'll usually offer the spoon to the supervising adult, but won't accept being fed. What he actually wants is for the adult to hand him the full spoon in the best possible position to get everything in his mouth. It's pretty cute to watch him wanting to take more control...despite the increased mess and longer meal times.
Okie doke. I'll start with the baptism of Max's future wife, Maddie. I got to fly solo on this one with Max as Mom was conked out sick at home. It was a United Church service, probably not too different from my own baptism years and years ago. The cool part was that the baptism ceremony was performed by the baby's paternal grandmother, who is a minister at the church. Max and I got to catch up with friends and partake in the fabulous spread in the church's basement before the little guy passed out. I was a little concerned that it would have been a lot harder to keep him quiet in the church, but a friend and I kept him fairly entertained in our pew. Solemnly entertained, that is.
Here are some pictures and a video. Tomorrow, I'll try to post a bit about our Thanksgiving dinner!
Max in his new favourite place to be. At least he is learning one of the three Rs early.
Max trying on a plastic bowl with Great Auntie K. Dapper.
Max chilling in his pew at the baptism with our friend P.
Max donning some yummy pasta
Max likes to climb up off the ground now. Walking was really not that much different from being able to clamber around the furniture in our house. He couldn't really reach more things and wasn't really getting into more trouble. Getting up off the ground is troublesome though. Obviously. He likes to crawl up on stools, or the wheels of his umbrella stroller (yikes). Best of all, he has figured out how to swing his legs over things...so now he loves sitting in boxes and such. In particular, he lives in our recycling bin on the top floor of our house. We've had to stop putting small ripped papers in there because Max would always spread them everywhere. Or eat them. We also can't unload the dishwasher when Max is loose in the kitchen because he likes to crawl up on the dishwasher door and sit on it.
Also, Max has started putting things on his head. Anything that can act as a hat. Knee pads. Face cloths. Tupperware. Pasta. Really, if it will stay put on his head, awesome.
Finally, Max is making strides in feeding himself. He still does the same old thing when left to his own devices with a spoon - flipping it upside-down on the way in to his mouth so that the bowl of the spoon dumps directly on his tongue. That's if there's actually anything left after the spoon spills on the high chair tray or Max's Buddha belly. After a few tries, he'll usually offer the spoon to the supervising adult, but won't accept being fed. What he actually wants is for the adult to hand him the full spoon in the best possible position to get everything in his mouth. It's pretty cute to watch him wanting to take more control...despite the increased mess and longer meal times.
Okie doke. I'll start with the baptism of Max's future wife, Maddie. I got to fly solo on this one with Max as Mom was conked out sick at home. It was a United Church service, probably not too different from my own baptism years and years ago. The cool part was that the baptism ceremony was performed by the baby's paternal grandmother, who is a minister at the church. Max and I got to catch up with friends and partake in the fabulous spread in the church's basement before the little guy passed out. I was a little concerned that it would have been a lot harder to keep him quiet in the church, but a friend and I kept him fairly entertained in our pew. Solemnly entertained, that is.
Here are some pictures and a video. Tomorrow, I'll try to post a bit about our Thanksgiving dinner!
Max donning some yummy pasta
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