Having a toddler in daycare is like having your own personal petri dish. The latest--pink eye and a double ear infection. Oh yeah. And while the ear infection doesn't particularly surprise me given that Nicholas has had a cold for the past month (which he gave to me a couple weeks ago and I haven't been able to shake either), the pediatrician is beginning to worry since this is the second time Nicholas has had the pink eye-ear infection combo in a few months.
The crazy thing is that Nicholas doesn't present with standard symptoms so it takes a long time before we take him to the doctor. With a double ear infection you should have a crazy fever. He is cool as a cucumber. (He did have that low fever earlier in the week, but it went away after a few hours.) You should be pulling on your ears and scream if anyone touches them. He pulls away a little sometimes. His eyes were gunky but not extremely so until yesterday afternoon and not pink at all. And while it is nice that he doesn't seem too uncomfortable and we don't have a too-cranky toddler on our hands, it makes me worry that we're leaving things untreated too long and possibly causing real damage.
But for now he is happy, on all sorts of antibiotics and no longer contagious, and the doctor wants to see him again in a few weeks to check out his ears.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Best. Birthday Present. Ever.
Yesterday, Sarah taught Nicholas how to say President Obama's name, and to identify him in a photograph. So this morning I showed him a photo and asked who it was, and he said, "Obama!"Obviously, he was paying attention in utero.
I'm now working on teaching him that "Obama" is the answer to the question, "Who is the President?" Once he gets that down we can start on numbers 1 to 43. How cute will it be to hear a toddler say "Millard Fillmore"?
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Things I'd Never Do
In class today we were talking about Puritan childrearing and my students couldn't figure out how to reconcile some sources that showed parents demonstrating a lot of indulgence and thereby, according to Puritan logic, endangering their children's souls. And when they couldn't get themselves out of this problem and were starting to get sort of frantic about it not making sense, I ended up saying, "Maybe they just gave up or got tired. My son is only one and a half and I already do lots of things I always said I never would."
Most of them laughed a little, but the one 50+ year old woman nodded knowingly. Obviously the only other parent in the room.
I left it at that in class, but here on this blog I can share the story from yesterday that came to mind during this discussion.
Yesterday Nicholas had a bit of a fever and I had to pick him up early. I had been having a pretty crappy day myself, so when he and I got home I didn't have the energy to play with him, even though in all honesty he was basically fine--a little cranky, but with plenty of interest in playing. So what did we do?
We curled up together in the chair, watched an episode of Sesame Street, and shared a bowl of chocolate ice cream.
The teenage me is going on a rant about parenting standards. The adult me just wants another bowl of ice cream.
Most of them laughed a little, but the one 50+ year old woman nodded knowingly. Obviously the only other parent in the room.
I left it at that in class, but here on this blog I can share the story from yesterday that came to mind during this discussion.
Yesterday Nicholas had a bit of a fever and I had to pick him up early. I had been having a pretty crappy day myself, so when he and I got home I didn't have the energy to play with him, even though in all honesty he was basically fine--a little cranky, but with plenty of interest in playing. So what did we do?
We curled up together in the chair, watched an episode of Sesame Street, and shared a bowl of chocolate ice cream.
The teenage me is going on a rant about parenting standards. The adult me just wants another bowl of ice cream.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Not on the List
As I mentioned in the previous post, Uncle Brian came to visit Nicholas this weekend, and much fun was had by all.
Now, you need to understand that before Nicholas was born—actually, before Sarah and I were even married (or Mike and Melinda!)—"Uncle" Brian had started making a list. One summer afternoon, you see, he had a run-in at an ice cream shop with a gaggle of seven-year-old ballerinas. He was so disgusted that he came home and announced, "Uncle Brian is not taking the kids for ice cream!"
And thus began a long-running meme. Uncle Brian wouldn't do this with the kids. Uncle Brian wouldn't take the kids there. At one point, we joked that it was clear that Uncle Brian would pretty much only do one thing: sit with the kids and tell them stories about the things he wouldn't do with them.
But now we have photographic evidence to the contrary.
Uncle Brian helps to make train loops:
Uncle Brian plays in blanket forts:
Uncle Brian poses for photographs:
Uncle Brian also enjoys going to the library and Target with Nicholas, but taking photographs there is considered gauche.
Finally, Uncle Brian schemed with Mommy to throw me a surprise birthday party. Which is what the rest of the photos in the February gallery depict ... or at least Nicholas' involvement thereto.
Now, you need to understand that before Nicholas was born—actually, before Sarah and I were even married (or Mike and Melinda!)—"Uncle" Brian had started making a list. One summer afternoon, you see, he had a run-in at an ice cream shop with a gaggle of seven-year-old ballerinas. He was so disgusted that he came home and announced, "Uncle Brian is not taking the kids for ice cream!"
And thus began a long-running meme. Uncle Brian wouldn't do this with the kids. Uncle Brian wouldn't take the kids there. At one point, we joked that it was clear that Uncle Brian would pretty much only do one thing: sit with the kids and tell them stories about the things he wouldn't do with them.
But now we have photographic evidence to the contrary.
Uncle Brian helps to make train loops:
 |
| From 2011 February |
Uncle Brian plays in blanket forts:
 |
| From 2011 February |
Uncle Brian poses for photographs:
 |
| From 2011 February |
Uncle Brian also enjoys going to the library and Target with Nicholas, but taking photographs there is considered gauche.
Finally, Uncle Brian schemed with Mommy to throw me a surprise birthday party. Which is what the rest of the photos in the February gallery depict ... or at least Nicholas' involvement thereto.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Happy Birthday, Peanut Chronicle!
It's hard to believe, but the blog is already two years old (we passed the date on Wednesday, in fact). I suppose it's harder to believe that in just over 100 days we'll be the parents of a two-year-old, but for now we'll take our shock in smaller doses.
Peanut/Nicholas has come a long way since then, as have we. And it all feels like the blink of an eye.
With that, I bring the weepy sentimentality to a close, for now. We have a weekend with Uncle Brian coming up, and if we don't come away with some good anecdotes, we'll be very disappointed!
Peanut/Nicholas has come a long way since then, as have we. And it all feels like the blink of an eye.
With that, I bring the weepy sentimentality to a close, for now. We have a weekend with Uncle Brian coming up, and if we don't come away with some good anecdotes, we'll be very disappointed!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Warning: Attitude Adjustment in Progress
Nicholas remains a very sweet little boy. But there are signs of a wind shift rapidly approaching (dare I say, the "terrible twos?").
Since the start of the new year, Nicholas has started to assert himself just a little bit more. He says "no" more to requests for him to do things, like cleaning up or brushing his teeth. He will push my hand away (or Sarah's) if we're trying to clean him up and he doesn't want to be. He fights getting dressed in the morning, putting on his pajamas at night, and getting his diaper changed in between. This evening he even tried to take his diaper off while I reached for his pajamas.
Now, in fairness, he was almost too agreeable before; I didn't quite believe that it was possible, and that makes his shift back to the mean seem worse than it is. Plus, in his defense we spent a great deal of the month in motion and commotion: we were only home together on 12 of the 31 days of January. The rest of the month at least one of the adults (and sometimes Nicholas too) was traveling. That put a lot of strain on me, I know, and on Sarah, and so it must have on him.
But the transition is undeniable, and I get the feeling it's not just a temporary response to the tumult. We are still lucky, though, that most of the time he's good-natured and happy to be cooperative. In other words, not so much like his father.
Since the start of the new year, Nicholas has started to assert himself just a little bit more. He says "no" more to requests for him to do things, like cleaning up or brushing his teeth. He will push my hand away (or Sarah's) if we're trying to clean him up and he doesn't want to be. He fights getting dressed in the morning, putting on his pajamas at night, and getting his diaper changed in between. This evening he even tried to take his diaper off while I reached for his pajamas.
Now, in fairness, he was almost too agreeable before; I didn't quite believe that it was possible, and that makes his shift back to the mean seem worse than it is. Plus, in his defense we spent a great deal of the month in motion and commotion: we were only home together on 12 of the 31 days of January. The rest of the month at least one of the adults (and sometimes Nicholas too) was traveling. That put a lot of strain on me, I know, and on Sarah, and so it must have on him.
But the transition is undeniable, and I get the feeling it's not just a temporary response to the tumult. We are still lucky, though, that most of the time he's good-natured and happy to be cooperative. In other words, not so much like his father.
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