Each time I have doubts that there is something I do not know because I am a parent to my first child, Jonathan teaches me what it is I need to know! (Like what is the difference between normal baby burping up milk and throwing up - milk flying a meter away in a curve is an indication that something is wrong!...a lesson I learned when he was two months old.) This time he showed me what a really sick boy looks like!
In the last month he has been suffering a rather stubborn cold with coughing and a running nose, but all the time he has been still his happy self! Even when he has fever, he still is in a good mood and he always eats well. The last week he has had fever and in the evenings he began to me more whiny, and I was getting worried. Still taking him to the doctor to be told its just a virus seems wasting everyones time. A good friend who is a nurse also told me there was indeed a fever virus about... But this last Saturday he got a nasty virus that caused him to throw up and he was poorly all day! My usually active and happy boy became passive and simply wanted to lean on mummy and sleep all day!
This sudden change in his behavior got me really scared and we went to an emergency clinic to have him checked. His blood count was taken to check for reaction to viruses or rather to make sure his body was coping – and urine was checked to make sure he was not dehydrating. Both tests were good and so we were sent home!
We kept shoving a bottle into his mouth and coaxed him to drink baby milk and tea (there was no thinking about solid food in his condition), but he threw up three times! Still we managed to get him to drink and thus to prevent dehydration and the need to return to the clinic. He got a bath three times and we had three washing machines...but it was all we could do!
As he laid against me, I held him with divided feelings. On the one hand it was just great having him so close to me all day! Cuddly! He slept so soundly on my breast (you gotta give it to the boy, he knows from the start where the good things in life are...) and it was a comfort to know that my presence soothes him. My husband said the sight of Jonathan sleeping leaning on my chest was one of the beautifulest things he had ever seen!On the other hand, it was is clear that he was so unwell and so it broke my heart! There was however nothing to do but wait it out!
The most amazing part is how resilient kids are! In the evening he was already showing signs of improvement by a willingness to toss the toys I offered to him away in anger (still some reaction is better than the child lying passively on my chest all day!). On Sunday morning, after a good night's sleep the boy was as good as new! Active, playing and eating as if the “Saturday of scaring mom” had never happened!
It is Tuesday now and the boy is right as rain! However, I think he remembers Saturday and that I had allowed him to cuddle, because in the evenings when he is tired and hence cranky, he has taken to climbing all over me in the last days. Oh, he has climbed on me before, but the intensity seems to be stronger now! He is more clingy, especially when he is tired! Today he showed me that he wanted to drink his bottle of milk held in my arms! (Normally he likes his space...) He whines when I leave the room he is in, or even when I walk away from him in the same room, and today he followed me and twice when doing so he mumbled “Imme”. It is almost as if he knows that the Hebrew word for mommy is IMMA. I cannot be sure that “Imme” was meant for me, but he did it twice this evening and in a situation in which he was following me and obviously asking for my attention (I.e. a hug- he wants to be taken up in my arms and be carried about). It really looked like he meant it! Yohoo! It makes my heart melt! Just thinking of it! My little boy calling out to me! Wonderful!
He has also been saying “Abba” on occasion (the Hebrew word for daddy) but in this case I still do not think he really is referring to his father just yet...amazing though, his sound arsenal is growing every day!
He is pushing chairs and walking after them, leaning on them as he goes, and he “surfs” around our living room table (walking and leaning on it, sometimes pushing it forward to walk! So strong!). He is everywhere! Up and about! turning out the house and especially plastic bags is is newest hobby! And he is practicing drinking out of a cup when he is in the bath! He takes his bath in the big tub now, sitting in it! He also can put bowls into each other (he got this toy made of ten bowls of different colors and sizes that fit into each other like a babushka, a gift from his god mother – one of them... he has three god mothers and a godfather, not to mention parents, twp pairs of grandparents and 4 uncles and aunts...) He even can return magnets to their place on our magnetic fridge door!
The boy is almost 10 months old and is growing and making new achievements every day – so it is easy to believe that he really is calling out for his mommy, and if not today, then soon enough! Soon he will talk for real! And then, so the good old souls say, we will wish that he shut up! Ha ha. Until then, my biggest wish is that he stay healthy! With the summer coming to a close and winter in the kindergarten approaching, this is really a big wish!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Doctors and the Panicking (?) Mom
My husband says that Jonathan and I can open an office next to the doctor. In other words, he thinks I overreact and take Jonathan to the doctor way to often. My husband says I have a subscription to the doctor. Just like one has a subscription to a magazine, or a football club. In other words, according to the man I live with, my hobby is taking Jonathan to see the doctor...
But is it? I hope not! And yet, my husband has a point, we are frequent visitors to the clinic. Jonathan has seen a child doctor many times but also an ear expert and a skin specialist in his short life. Not to mention the visit to the emergency room when he was just one month old (the only excuse I have is being a new mom and Jonathan's high fever – and the instructions common in Israel at this infant stage to bring kids to emergency when they have high fever)) and the X-ray clinic (more details later on that one). I believe parents are often feeling hopeless, because their baby is sick and when they go to the doctor all that the doctor says is “well, he is just too little to give him anything, so basically there is nothing we can do” As this is more or less that case each time we go to the doctor, I guess I can understand why my husband thinks its a waste of time to go. Not to mention that you can catch something from the other (really) sick children who frequent the clinic. And yet, I prefer to have the “its OK” stamp of approval from the medical doctor. Does that mean I am a panicking mom? (oh I hope not! I really do not want to be the panicking mom) but I prefer that a professional take a look at Jonathan now and then.
Jonathan has been having a cold and a runny nose more or less since the day he was born with virtually no pauses. Once he could hardly breath in bed at night! As he also developed a fever, I insisted the next day on taking him not only to the children's doctor but to a clinic to have him thoroughly checked (including lung X-ray) just to make sure there is no infection! After all the repeated doctor visits and being told there is nothing to do but give him salt drops and having to watch him only getting worse, I simply had enough! Feeling so hopeless can do that to a mother. The boy couldn't breath dammit! So he had an X-ray and some blood tests and they found no infection. So he continued to have a runny nose, I was no longer as worried (because of the good X-ray results) and our life returned to normal. And believe me, I tried everything I know (including tips from the doctor and my mother). I have a steam machine in his room at night, he did not sleep with the air conditioner on at all, all summer (rather a ventilator, or the heat is unbearable) I gave him salt drops in his nose and we even used the inhalation machine.
At about 6 month suddenly it all cleared up! And he was cold free for a week, for the first time in his life! Such bliss! I felt like a winner at last! And then we flew to Germany and he caught something on the plane... and so we returned with a sick child, back to square one! Baaaah!
A runny nose was a staple more or less since he was 3 months old, and I always attributed it to the fact that Jonathan goes to a daycare center and other kids means viruses...but about a month and a half ago he started coughing too! I took him to the doctor and was told there is nothing to do, as he is too little to give him antibiotics. After a month of coughing I finally got the prescription for inhalation. We did this for 4 days and his throat and lungs cleared up! But his nose was blocked and so after a three day pause we once again inhalated for three days – this was two weeks ago! The boy has a running nose since and he is also coughing again! Now tell me! What is a mother supposed to do????
To add on to this, my husband and I also got sick and had to take antibiotics in turns. So we had the added worry that Jonathan has got the infection too. The doctor said no! But he also said the usual “nothing to do” sentence. Today is Saturday and Jonathan woke up with a fever again 38.7. During the day the we gave him some medicine to lower it and it broke, but I know he went to sleep again with fever. And now comes a mother's doubt – should I take him to the doctor again? Does the combination of a running nose, a cough and fever justify that we show up in the clinic once again? (The last time we went the doctor said we should come again if it gets worse - i.e. fever) Or should I attribute his fever to new teeth that might be popping out...after all he is the right age for such things... and he has taken to munching anything quite in a frenzy lately, a clear sign for new teeth, not to mention the quantities of spit...
I guess if he has fever tomorrow morning, we will go to the doc and I might even insist on an X-ray again, as Jonathan has been coughing for more than a month now, but this means missing work, and so, I guess if he has no fever tomorrow, I will probably send him to the daycare center again...
This is a good time to stop my worrying mind and tell you, faithful reader, how adorable Jonathan is even when he is sick. I am sure that with 38.7 degrees the boy is suffering and yet he plays and eats and is in a good mood always, as if nothing is wrong. Admittedly he cries a bit more than normal when he is hungry or tired (and Jonathan hardly cries) but that is the only difference and the only indication that he is sick at all. We are blessed with a happy and peaceful (albeit active) child! Yeh! And with this optimistic note, I shall end today's blog!
PS – last week, it turned out I just has a reoccurring virus...no antibiotics for me, just lots of vitamin C.
I am worried because this is the forth time I got a cold virus in the last three months! Am I pushing too hard? Work and baby? Is it all to much for me? But what can I do but go on...and I wanted an optimistic ending! So here it is! Jonathan is after all the best thing that has happened to me and he is just soooooooooooooo cute!
But is it? I hope not! And yet, my husband has a point, we are frequent visitors to the clinic. Jonathan has seen a child doctor many times but also an ear expert and a skin specialist in his short life. Not to mention the visit to the emergency room when he was just one month old (the only excuse I have is being a new mom and Jonathan's high fever – and the instructions common in Israel at this infant stage to bring kids to emergency when they have high fever)) and the X-ray clinic (more details later on that one). I believe parents are often feeling hopeless, because their baby is sick and when they go to the doctor all that the doctor says is “well, he is just too little to give him anything, so basically there is nothing we can do” As this is more or less that case each time we go to the doctor, I guess I can understand why my husband thinks its a waste of time to go. Not to mention that you can catch something from the other (really) sick children who frequent the clinic. And yet, I prefer to have the “its OK” stamp of approval from the medical doctor. Does that mean I am a panicking mom? (oh I hope not! I really do not want to be the panicking mom) but I prefer that a professional take a look at Jonathan now and then.
Jonathan has been having a cold and a runny nose more or less since the day he was born with virtually no pauses. Once he could hardly breath in bed at night! As he also developed a fever, I insisted the next day on taking him not only to the children's doctor but to a clinic to have him thoroughly checked (including lung X-ray) just to make sure there is no infection! After all the repeated doctor visits and being told there is nothing to do but give him salt drops and having to watch him only getting worse, I simply had enough! Feeling so hopeless can do that to a mother. The boy couldn't breath dammit! So he had an X-ray and some blood tests and they found no infection. So he continued to have a runny nose, I was no longer as worried (because of the good X-ray results) and our life returned to normal. And believe me, I tried everything I know (including tips from the doctor and my mother). I have a steam machine in his room at night, he did not sleep with the air conditioner on at all, all summer (rather a ventilator, or the heat is unbearable) I gave him salt drops in his nose and we even used the inhalation machine.
At about 6 month suddenly it all cleared up! And he was cold free for a week, for the first time in his life! Such bliss! I felt like a winner at last! And then we flew to Germany and he caught something on the plane... and so we returned with a sick child, back to square one! Baaaah!
A runny nose was a staple more or less since he was 3 months old, and I always attributed it to the fact that Jonathan goes to a daycare center and other kids means viruses...but about a month and a half ago he started coughing too! I took him to the doctor and was told there is nothing to do, as he is too little to give him antibiotics. After a month of coughing I finally got the prescription for inhalation. We did this for 4 days and his throat and lungs cleared up! But his nose was blocked and so after a three day pause we once again inhalated for three days – this was two weeks ago! The boy has a running nose since and he is also coughing again! Now tell me! What is a mother supposed to do????
To add on to this, my husband and I also got sick and had to take antibiotics in turns. So we had the added worry that Jonathan has got the infection too. The doctor said no! But he also said the usual “nothing to do” sentence. Today is Saturday and Jonathan woke up with a fever again 38.7. During the day the we gave him some medicine to lower it and it broke, but I know he went to sleep again with fever. And now comes a mother's doubt – should I take him to the doctor again? Does the combination of a running nose, a cough and fever justify that we show up in the clinic once again? (The last time we went the doctor said we should come again if it gets worse - i.e. fever) Or should I attribute his fever to new teeth that might be popping out...after all he is the right age for such things... and he has taken to munching anything quite in a frenzy lately, a clear sign for new teeth, not to mention the quantities of spit...
I guess if he has fever tomorrow morning, we will go to the doc and I might even insist on an X-ray again, as Jonathan has been coughing for more than a month now, but this means missing work, and so, I guess if he has no fever tomorrow, I will probably send him to the daycare center again...
This is a good time to stop my worrying mind and tell you, faithful reader, how adorable Jonathan is even when he is sick. I am sure that with 38.7 degrees the boy is suffering and yet he plays and eats and is in a good mood always, as if nothing is wrong. Admittedly he cries a bit more than normal when he is hungry or tired (and Jonathan hardly cries) but that is the only difference and the only indication that he is sick at all. We are blessed with a happy and peaceful (albeit active) child! Yeh! And with this optimistic note, I shall end today's blog!
PS – last week, it turned out I just has a reoccurring virus...no antibiotics for me, just lots of vitamin C.
I am worried because this is the forth time I got a cold virus in the last three months! Am I pushing too hard? Work and baby? Is it all to much for me? But what can I do but go on...and I wanted an optimistic ending! So here it is! Jonathan is after all the best thing that has happened to me and he is just soooooooooooooo cute!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
The sick cycle continues
Mom has a sore throat again and it looks like antibiotics are on the menu this time... Jonathan is coughing again, despite two inhalation rounds in the last two weeks.
On September 7th 2008 Jonathan managed to turn on the TV!
My mother was babysitting, so I regret I did not see this amazing feet myself. Turns out Jonathan was cruising along the TV cabinet and pressing buttons (and pulling cables) until he hit the one that turns the TV on! Now the only question remains is if he will remember this and repeat it - has he already registered what he has done? ...he probably will remember eventually, the real question is when...
Inhalation – its takes two grownups to hold a crying baby
When an infant does not cooperate, it invests all its strength in fighting! Babies are a lot stronger than we think. We had to give Jonathan inhalation treatments in the last two weeks, and he hated it! I guess I can understand him, th machine makes a strange buzzing noise and for some reason mommy insists on putting a rubber mask on his face... he fought like a tiger! It took both me and my husband to hold him and this when he was already tied into the chair we use when we take him in the car with us. So chair belts and two adults and still he managed on occasion to kick off the mask or kick the air hose out...fighting and crying non stop until it's over.
For us as parents, these moments are dreadful! Jonathan's objection is so strong that we feel guilty in forcing him to go through this process. We know it is fr his own good! To get rid of a cough that has plagues him for more than a month, but still his cries of protest reach our hearts and breaks them... thank god the inhalation is only a few minutes and then he gets a bottle of tea or milk and he calms down. Thank god babies have short memories, a minute later and the boy is all sunny – fun and games! And all is forgotten, and us parents can forgive ourselves.
In just three days of inhalation we cleared a cough, then we took 3 days rest and treated him a gain for a blocked nose. Now his nose is running but he is also coughing again... so I am not sure how to continue. In any case it is obvious that inhalation has an effect. I hope we can get rid of the cough soon, because I do not look forward to another round of inhalation and hard felt cries... still this is better than having him hospitalized with influenza... so lets keep our fingers crossed.
For us as parents, these moments are dreadful! Jonathan's objection is so strong that we feel guilty in forcing him to go through this process. We know it is fr his own good! To get rid of a cough that has plagues him for more than a month, but still his cries of protest reach our hearts and breaks them... thank god the inhalation is only a few minutes and then he gets a bottle of tea or milk and he calms down. Thank god babies have short memories, a minute later and the boy is all sunny – fun and games! And all is forgotten, and us parents can forgive ourselves.
In just three days of inhalation we cleared a cough, then we took 3 days rest and treated him a gain for a blocked nose. Now his nose is running but he is also coughing again... so I am not sure how to continue. In any case it is obvious that inhalation has an effect. I hope we can get rid of the cough soon, because I do not look forward to another round of inhalation and hard felt cries... still this is better than having him hospitalized with influenza... so lets keep our fingers crossed.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
September 2nd. Daily Developments
Jonathan has taken to pursing his lips and forming the letter U. sometimes he even whistles!
He likes to stand holding onto a chair and then pushing it and walking after it. This is still not a smooth action, and as he is stringer with his right hand he tends to push with it more and so he walks in circles.
He is capable of standing holding onto a shelf with just one hand, or even just leaning with an elbow! He lets go for a split second, but does not balance alone yet!
He has taken to spiting out foods he does not like!
He loves munching on bread crust!
When eating a cookie it is obvious he does not like the crumbs falling on him! He also wipes his mouth with his hand when eating – clearly the boy likes it clean (like mommy).
A boiled egg is cause for face making, because it feels some funny on the tongue!
He has discovered the kitchen and likes to turn out the contents of some cupboards. I purchased locks, but it looks like he can pull some of them out of place. I hope he remains unmotivated to look into the locked closets, because if not I will need to change the locks.
He sometimes waves his hands when someone says goodbye – but this is not consistant yet.
He sleeps whole nights now! Sometimes he still wakes up, but a bottle is given and he is quickly sleeping again! Mommy is becoming lazy, I leave the bottle with him in bed and go directly back to sleep again, daddy employs the same tactic!
Sometimes, mommy doesn't even hear it when Jonathan wakes up! And so, I sleep a full and continuous 6 hours now! Yey!
He likes to stand holding onto a chair and then pushing it and walking after it. This is still not a smooth action, and as he is stringer with his right hand he tends to push with it more and so he walks in circles.
He is capable of standing holding onto a shelf with just one hand, or even just leaning with an elbow! He lets go for a split second, but does not balance alone yet!
He has taken to spiting out foods he does not like!
He loves munching on bread crust!
When eating a cookie it is obvious he does not like the crumbs falling on him! He also wipes his mouth with his hand when eating – clearly the boy likes it clean (like mommy).
A boiled egg is cause for face making, because it feels some funny on the tongue!
He has discovered the kitchen and likes to turn out the contents of some cupboards. I purchased locks, but it looks like he can pull some of them out of place. I hope he remains unmotivated to look into the locked closets, because if not I will need to change the locks.
He sometimes waves his hands when someone says goodbye – but this is not consistant yet.
He sleeps whole nights now! Sometimes he still wakes up, but a bottle is given and he is quickly sleeping again! Mommy is becoming lazy, I leave the bottle with him in bed and go directly back to sleep again, daddy employs the same tactic!
Sometimes, mommy doesn't even hear it when Jonathan wakes up! And so, I sleep a full and continuous 6 hours now! Yey!
Impossible August
August in Israel is the blackest month of the year for the average parent. Kindergartens and schools are in the midth of the summer holiday and all the organized summer activities of July are over! Now parents have to improvise so that their children are cared for, kept busy and are not bored and all this without taking time off work, or reducing this time to a minimum. An Israeli employee gets only 10 days holiday a year, so even if the average parent did not take days off during the year and has all 10 for august, that still only covers two weeks of work.
In the case of toddlers like Jonathan, who go to a private day care center, the day care center is officially open until August 8th. Then there is two weeks of summer activities for extra pay and then only ten days in which the day care center is closed. We pay for our comforts! For starters – although the official activity is only until august 8th, we are required to pay for a full month! For just 6 days of service !!! *not even 8 days, there is always a weekend n there somewhere...). And then there is extra pay for the two weeks summer activity! This is scandalous, but disparate parents have learned to live with it!
In the public kindergartens it's worse, because for bigger children there is a two month summer holiday, and summer activities (again, with extra pay) cover only July! The higher month price for the private day care center pays off when you consider that you only have to improvise for 10 days a year!
Parents in Israel mobilize anyone available to care for their kids. Sisters, aunts, and of course mommy mom (grandma) all lend a hand! Many also do take time off work. In many cases this time is not used for a family holiday, but rather taking turns in caring for the kids, so mommy takes 10 days off and then day does and so the impossible august is covered. With grandma's help, daddy and mommy can take off some time together and still have a family holiday in August! To add to all this hassle, August is the hottest month of the year here, and with global warming it is becoming insufferable! This is also not the best time to go on holiday in Israel, because of the scorching heat!
In my particular case, I had it easy this year! For starters, as my husband was between jobs, he could care for Jonathan for a week. I also finagled the owner of the daycare center for a discount (with the argument that my husband is not working...) so that Jonathan could stay until the August 15th in the center and I did not pay extra for this one week of summer program. For the last 10 days of august (The deadly 10! ha ha) I had a solution in the shape for my mother in law, who came all the way from Germany to care for the boy! The 10 days she spent with us were heaven for me, I could come home and all was tidy and I did not have to start organizing everything. Just come home from work and put my feet up! For 10 days I had a full time aupair! Wow! What luxury! Made me think of moving to a house out of town with more rooms, so I could hire an aupair for the whole year through!
In the end I took only one day off in August! And this is a big achievement for a working mother! I took a day off, so I could send some time with my mother in law! It seemed only fair to do so, considering the amount of help she gave me in this impossible august!
August is over, but no so the parent's torment. The two first days of September are the “getting used to the day care center again” days. This means the daycare center (and also public kindergartens and schools) work only 2 or 3 hours on September 1st and 2nd. Again the working mother needs to mobilize the helpers! I called my mother in China! (she went to the Olympic games with my dad as their annual vacation) to make sure she could come over on Sept. 2nd. And then I called my sister for help on Sept. 1st only then it turned out that my husband\s new job just started today, so September 1st he covered for me. Today, Sept. 2nd, my mother came to help. Tomorrow, thank God! The daycare center returns to full time work! But bliss is short lived! October brings with it the Jewish holidays and again the daycare center will be closed! There is a bright side to this though, with just 4 days of leave I will have two weeks off work because of the Jewish holiday season, so I will have time to relax and also be there for my Jonathan! And the weather will be nicer! So, I am trying to keep an optimistic view on things to come.
In the case of toddlers like Jonathan, who go to a private day care center, the day care center is officially open until August 8th. Then there is two weeks of summer activities for extra pay and then only ten days in which the day care center is closed. We pay for our comforts! For starters – although the official activity is only until august 8th, we are required to pay for a full month! For just 6 days of service !!! *not even 8 days, there is always a weekend n there somewhere...). And then there is extra pay for the two weeks summer activity! This is scandalous, but disparate parents have learned to live with it!
In the public kindergartens it's worse, because for bigger children there is a two month summer holiday, and summer activities (again, with extra pay) cover only July! The higher month price for the private day care center pays off when you consider that you only have to improvise for 10 days a year!
Parents in Israel mobilize anyone available to care for their kids. Sisters, aunts, and of course mommy mom (grandma) all lend a hand! Many also do take time off work. In many cases this time is not used for a family holiday, but rather taking turns in caring for the kids, so mommy takes 10 days off and then day does and so the impossible august is covered. With grandma's help, daddy and mommy can take off some time together and still have a family holiday in August! To add to all this hassle, August is the hottest month of the year here, and with global warming it is becoming insufferable! This is also not the best time to go on holiday in Israel, because of the scorching heat!
In my particular case, I had it easy this year! For starters, as my husband was between jobs, he could care for Jonathan for a week. I also finagled the owner of the daycare center for a discount (with the argument that my husband is not working...) so that Jonathan could stay until the August 15th in the center and I did not pay extra for this one week of summer program. For the last 10 days of august (The deadly 10! ha ha) I had a solution in the shape for my mother in law, who came all the way from Germany to care for the boy! The 10 days she spent with us were heaven for me, I could come home and all was tidy and I did not have to start organizing everything. Just come home from work and put my feet up! For 10 days I had a full time aupair! Wow! What luxury! Made me think of moving to a house out of town with more rooms, so I could hire an aupair for the whole year through!
In the end I took only one day off in August! And this is a big achievement for a working mother! I took a day off, so I could send some time with my mother in law! It seemed only fair to do so, considering the amount of help she gave me in this impossible august!
August is over, but no so the parent's torment. The two first days of September are the “getting used to the day care center again” days. This means the daycare center (and also public kindergartens and schools) work only 2 or 3 hours on September 1st and 2nd. Again the working mother needs to mobilize the helpers! I called my mother in China! (she went to the Olympic games with my dad as their annual vacation) to make sure she could come over on Sept. 2nd. And then I called my sister for help on Sept. 1st only then it turned out that my husband\s new job just started today, so September 1st he covered for me. Today, Sept. 2nd, my mother came to help. Tomorrow, thank God! The daycare center returns to full time work! But bliss is short lived! October brings with it the Jewish holidays and again the daycare center will be closed! There is a bright side to this though, with just 4 days of leave I will have two weeks off work because of the Jewish holiday season, so I will have time to relax and also be there for my Jonathan! And the weather will be nicer! So, I am trying to keep an optimistic view on things to come.
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