I just realized that I've been absent from blogosphere for more than 2 weeks. So many things have happened since my last post. I've been meaning to write about some of them but there are more important things than blogging that needed my attention.
One of the things that happened these past weeks is that my toddler turned 3 years old. To celebrate it, we had a mini birthday party during Sunday School. I was the assigned Sunday School teacher so I was able to plan out things to accommodate my daughter's birthday celebration. We belong to a small church so there were only about a dozen kids (usually there are less than 10 kids during Sunday School) who joined our mini celebration.
After telling them the story of David and Goliath, I let the kids watched VeggieTales' Dave and the Giant Pickle. While they were watching the video I prepared their snacks (spaghetti and hotdogs). Before serving them their snacks, we had a game similar to Pin the Tail on the Donkey. In keeping with our Bible story for the day, I prepared 'Hit Goliath with a Stone' game for the kids and one other party game which they did after eating. As expected, they had lots of fun.
While the kids were eating their snacks I inflated some balloons for them as well as readied their loot bags. In essence, they came to church for Sunday School and went home with memories of party fun. It feels good to share your blessings with others and this is what I aim to instill in my kids.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Friday, October 5, 2007
To Wean or Not to Wean
My toddler is turning 3 years old in less than 2 weeks. She's pretty small for her age but she's smart and very active. She likes climbing up and down the stairs, jumping off from the table and sofa and scattering her toys on the floor. And she's got lots of hugs and kisses for her sister and parents.
I have planned to wean her from breastfeeding when she turns 3 and because she's nearly that age, I'm slowly trying to limit breastfeeding her with emphasis on the word 'trying.' It was a breeze weaning my older daughter but it's been an uphill struggle when it comes to my younger daughter who is 'tantrumatic.'
Tantrumatic is a word that I coined for my toddler. It simply means she automatically has a tantrum whenever she does not get what she wants. Her usual style is to drop down on the floor and spin around like a breakdancer while stomping her feet and bawling like it's the end of the world. I just let her be whenever she has her tantrums. I just make sure she does not hurt herself.
I'm used to her tantrums and most often she stops having one when she's distracted or if it's been quite a while and no one is paying attention to her. But it's entirely a different matter when she uses her dramatic flair to touch my heart.
The other night, while we were in bed, I told her, "That's enough!," after nursing her for about 15 minutes. She readily stopped but she cried as if she was really hurt emotionally. I hardened my heart and just allowed her to cry but my defenses crumbled when she started pleading with me. "Please mommy, please." I just can't ignore my daughter and say no to her after that. After all, she said please.
Some of the older folks here encourage me to just continue breastfeeding my daughter for as long as she wants to since I don't have plans to have another baby anyway. Well, I can do that but at the back of my mind there is something in me that wants to reclaim a bit of my freedom. But then again, my daughter will probably be weaned in due time without me even trying to. So, I'll just play it by ear and just let it be for now.
I have planned to wean her from breastfeeding when she turns 3 and because she's nearly that age, I'm slowly trying to limit breastfeeding her with emphasis on the word 'trying.' It was a breeze weaning my older daughter but it's been an uphill struggle when it comes to my younger daughter who is 'tantrumatic.'
Tantrumatic is a word that I coined for my toddler. It simply means she automatically has a tantrum whenever she does not get what she wants. Her usual style is to drop down on the floor and spin around like a breakdancer while stomping her feet and bawling like it's the end of the world. I just let her be whenever she has her tantrums. I just make sure she does not hurt herself.
I'm used to her tantrums and most often she stops having one when she's distracted or if it's been quite a while and no one is paying attention to her. But it's entirely a different matter when she uses her dramatic flair to touch my heart.
The other night, while we were in bed, I told her, "That's enough!," after nursing her for about 15 minutes. She readily stopped but she cried as if she was really hurt emotionally. I hardened my heart and just allowed her to cry but my defenses crumbled when she started pleading with me. "Please mommy, please." I just can't ignore my daughter and say no to her after that. After all, she said please.
Some of the older folks here encourage me to just continue breastfeeding my daughter for as long as she wants to since I don't have plans to have another baby anyway. Well, I can do that but at the back of my mind there is something in me that wants to reclaim a bit of my freedom. But then again, my daughter will probably be weaned in due time without me even trying to. So, I'll just play it by ear and just let it be for now.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Family Comes First
My 6 year old missed school for 3 days because she got the flu. She wanted to go to school and I would have let her go if she was not febrile but she had a slight fever and I did not want it to worsen. Being at home for several days bored her and she looked forward to seeing her classmates and teachers again. By God's grace she's now feeling better and all set to attend school.
I haven't been able to update my blogs too because of all these health concerns. But more than anything else, the welfare of my family comes first so please bear with me. I have already some posts in mind, I just haven't written them yet.
I haven't been able to update my blogs too because of all these health concerns. But more than anything else, the welfare of my family comes first so please bear with me. I have already some posts in mind, I just haven't written them yet.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
A Mother's Separation Anxiety
When my 6 year old was still a toddler, she used to sleep beside me. Even after I had weaned her, she wanted to sleep with her body close to me and her leg usually up on my hip or leg. She loved having my arms around her and sometimes her hand is on my armpit.
When our second child was born, I placed the new baby on my right side while my older child was on my left. There were times when I had to nurse the baby and could not cuddle my older daughter to sleep since I have my back to her. Not wanting to make her feel bad, I just encouraged her to hug me instead while I'm holding her hand. It worked! She did not feel left out and she still felt close to me.
Months passed by and our second daughter grew and developed her own mind. Even though I still placed her on my right side, she preferred sleeping beside her older sister and have some "tickling fun" with her before going to sleep. Because I wanted them to enjoy bonding with each other, I did not discourage my younger daughter to sleep beside her big sister. It put a stop however to my bedtime cuddles with my older child.
With her younger sister between me and my older child, we contented ourselves to just plain hand holding. After a while, I encouraged her to be cuddled to sleep by her daddy until she pushed me away when I tried to cuddle her to sleep while my younger daughter was with my husband. I felt really bad. I felt like my older child no longer needed me. It was at that point I thought about having my own separation anxiety which led me to think about what's going to happen in the future when my kids are older and have their own families. I felt like crying then.
With my anxiety in mind, I slowly tried to renew bonding with my older daughter. While in bed, I lovingly rub her arms and tummy and hold her hand. I also tell her I love her as often as I can. At first she would push my hand away but lately she does not mind anymore. Whenever possible, she would like for me to cuddle her and hold her hand. I hope we'll stay close even when she's older, same with my younger child.
When our second child was born, I placed the new baby on my right side while my older child was on my left. There were times when I had to nurse the baby and could not cuddle my older daughter to sleep since I have my back to her. Not wanting to make her feel bad, I just encouraged her to hug me instead while I'm holding her hand. It worked! She did not feel left out and she still felt close to me.
Months passed by and our second daughter grew and developed her own mind. Even though I still placed her on my right side, she preferred sleeping beside her older sister and have some "tickling fun" with her before going to sleep. Because I wanted them to enjoy bonding with each other, I did not discourage my younger daughter to sleep beside her big sister. It put a stop however to my bedtime cuddles with my older child.
With her younger sister between me and my older child, we contented ourselves to just plain hand holding. After a while, I encouraged her to be cuddled to sleep by her daddy until she pushed me away when I tried to cuddle her to sleep while my younger daughter was with my husband. I felt really bad. I felt like my older child no longer needed me. It was at that point I thought about having my own separation anxiety which led me to think about what's going to happen in the future when my kids are older and have their own families. I felt like crying then.
With my anxiety in mind, I slowly tried to renew bonding with my older daughter. While in bed, I lovingly rub her arms and tummy and hold her hand. I also tell her I love her as often as I can. At first she would push my hand away but lately she does not mind anymore. Whenever possible, she would like for me to cuddle her and hold her hand. I hope we'll stay close even when she's older, same with my younger child.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Health Concerns
Healthwise, everything's not well in our family these past weeks. My older daughter never completely got over her cough and colds. During the day, she seems fine but it's a totally different story in the middle of the night and around 7 in the morning. During these times she either coughs or sneezes continuously.
As a mom, my heart bleeds for her. Her sleep is disrupted and she's having a hard time. Hers is not just a simple case of cough and colds anymore. Like me, she coughs and sneezes as allergic reaction to whatever allergen is found in our environment. Sad part is, we have no way of completely shielding her from these allergens without disrupting her everyday life as a young child.
Nowadays, fresh and clean air is not something you can easily enjoy. We are having these allergies because of dirty air. Sometimes neighbors' activities are the cause or contributing factors to our polluted atmosphere. Just imagine what it would be like ten years from now. I hope all citizens of the world will open their eyes and do their part to save our planet. Just think about our children and their future.
As a mom, my heart bleeds for her. Her sleep is disrupted and she's having a hard time. Hers is not just a simple case of cough and colds anymore. Like me, she coughs and sneezes as allergic reaction to whatever allergen is found in our environment. Sad part is, we have no way of completely shielding her from these allergens without disrupting her everyday life as a young child.
Nowadays, fresh and clean air is not something you can easily enjoy. We are having these allergies because of dirty air. Sometimes neighbors' activities are the cause or contributing factors to our polluted atmosphere. Just imagine what it would be like ten years from now. I hope all citizens of the world will open their eyes and do their part to save our planet. Just think about our children and their future.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Preoccupations
My nephew has been asking me to update my blog as he enjoys reading about his cousins and what's happening in our home. It was my intention to post at least 3 times a week but I had lots of things to do lately. An Extrasuper Mom has limitations too, you know.
Aside from being busy with my online work, I've been having allergic rhinitis almost daily. I try not to take my medications for it since I usually end up feeling groggy and sleepy. Add to that, my toddler has been more of an attention-seeker lately. These past days and weeks, she's been acting more like a baby. She prefers me to spoonfeed her even though she can easily feed herself. One time, she handed me a piece of bread that she was eating and motioned to me that she wanted me to put it in her mouth. I can't say she's lazy. She just wanted to be given more attention, not that she lacks attention in my opinion.
With so many things to do, I'd rather play or do something that does not require much thinking whenever I have free time. Not that I don't enjoy blogging anymore. I just need some time to rest my mind.
To my dear nephew, I hope you will not grow weary visiting my blog. I'll try to be a better blogger but please don't expect me to have a new post daily. If I do have something interesting to post, you can be sure you'll read it here.
Aside from being busy with my online work, I've been having allergic rhinitis almost daily. I try not to take my medications for it since I usually end up feeling groggy and sleepy. Add to that, my toddler has been more of an attention-seeker lately. These past days and weeks, she's been acting more like a baby. She prefers me to spoonfeed her even though she can easily feed herself. One time, she handed me a piece of bread that she was eating and motioned to me that she wanted me to put it in her mouth. I can't say she's lazy. She just wanted to be given more attention, not that she lacks attention in my opinion.
With so many things to do, I'd rather play or do something that does not require much thinking whenever I have free time. Not that I don't enjoy blogging anymore. I just need some time to rest my mind.
To my dear nephew, I hope you will not grow weary visiting my blog. I'll try to be a better blogger but please don't expect me to have a new post daily. If I do have something interesting to post, you can be sure you'll read it here.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Keratosis Pilaris
I consider my older daughter's geographic tongue as more of a cosmetic problem than a health threatening condition. Well, it's not enough that she has a geographic tongue. She also has keratosis pilaris, another non-life threatening condition affecting the skin. It's another cosmetic problem to either deal with or to simply ignore.
Keratosis pilaris is a benign skin disorder characterized by rough bumps on the skin. Just like in geographic tongue, keratosis pilaris occurs in otherwise healthy persons and has no known cure. It commonly appears on the upper arms and thighs and sometimes on the face, which is true in my daughter's case. Keratosis pilaris results from a buildup of protein called keratin in the openings of hair follicles in the skin. This produces small, rough patches, usually on the arms and thighs.
I first noticed the rough bumps on my daughter's arms and thighs when she was around 4 years old. I first thought it was part of the allergic reaction she had with one of the medicine prescribed for her. But then the bumps persisted long after her other skin rashes (allergic reaction to antibiotic) subsided. Truth is I am more bothered by the goose flesh appearance than my daughter is. I'm thinking that maybe she'll be more concerned about it when she's older but at this time she's not giving much thought about it.
Keratosis pilaris, sometimes also called as chicken skin, is more common in women, can affect people of all ages and tends to improve with age. It's difficult to treat so it can be frustrating at times. The symptoms usually improve during warmer months and worsen during colder season.
In keratosis pilaris the keratin, a protein in our body, builds up within the hair follicles on the skin causing small acne-like bumps. Although it is very tempting to do so, scratching or picking on the bumps is not advisable as it could lead to scarring. Our dermatologist prescribed cleansing milk wash, AHA cream and anti-wrinkle cream for my daughter's keratosis pilaris. Her doctor jokingly said that she was his youngest patient who needs anti-wrinkle cream. She was also encouraged to eat food rich in Vitamin A which is not an easy task considering her dislike for veggies.
My daughter call her keratosis pilaris bumps as her "spots" and she usually directs my attention to them when they are very prominent. "We need to put medicine lotion on my spots," she would say referring to the creams that our doctor prescribed for her. The aim in keratosis pilaris is to prevent excessive skin dryness.
Did I say it improves with age? I did? Well, I just need to remind myself about that lest I continue to let myself be bothered by it. There's a possibility it could worsen though but I will not focus on that.
Keratosis pilaris is a benign skin disorder characterized by rough bumps on the skin. Just like in geographic tongue, keratosis pilaris occurs in otherwise healthy persons and has no known cure. It commonly appears on the upper arms and thighs and sometimes on the face, which is true in my daughter's case. Keratosis pilaris results from a buildup of protein called keratin in the openings of hair follicles in the skin. This produces small, rough patches, usually on the arms and thighs.
I first noticed the rough bumps on my daughter's arms and thighs when she was around 4 years old. I first thought it was part of the allergic reaction she had with one of the medicine prescribed for her. But then the bumps persisted long after her other skin rashes (allergic reaction to antibiotic) subsided. Truth is I am more bothered by the goose flesh appearance than my daughter is. I'm thinking that maybe she'll be more concerned about it when she's older but at this time she's not giving much thought about it.
Keratosis pilaris, sometimes also called as chicken skin, is more common in women, can affect people of all ages and tends to improve with age. It's difficult to treat so it can be frustrating at times. The symptoms usually improve during warmer months and worsen during colder season.
In keratosis pilaris the keratin, a protein in our body, builds up within the hair follicles on the skin causing small acne-like bumps. Although it is very tempting to do so, scratching or picking on the bumps is not advisable as it could lead to scarring. Our dermatologist prescribed cleansing milk wash, AHA cream and anti-wrinkle cream for my daughter's keratosis pilaris. Her doctor jokingly said that she was his youngest patient who needs anti-wrinkle cream. She was also encouraged to eat food rich in Vitamin A which is not an easy task considering her dislike for veggies.
My daughter call her keratosis pilaris bumps as her "spots" and she usually directs my attention to them when they are very prominent. "We need to put medicine lotion on my spots," she would say referring to the creams that our doctor prescribed for her. The aim in keratosis pilaris is to prevent excessive skin dryness.
Did I say it improves with age? I did? Well, I just need to remind myself about that lest I continue to let myself be bothered by it. There's a possibility it could worsen though but I will not focus on that.
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