http://thefeministbreeder.com/massive-recall-of-2011-version-of-babies/
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
HA HA!!
Ryder is sick. Thankfully NOT the flu, that Marty and I had, but he's got a horrible cough and a stuffed, runny nose. Poor guy. His breathing at night is definitely affected by all this congestion. Poor me! I was up every 2 hours at least lastnight just holding him, letting him nurse for comfort and loving him. He just doesn't understand why it's suddenly so hard to breath and sleep. I am thankful for coffee, lots of it and know that this cold will pass and we'll all be back to getting a little more sleep. In the meantime, check out this link. A friend sent it to all the Moms in our Baby Group. It made me smile....I'd never send mine back, recalled or not! LOL
Sunday, December 11, 2011
MOOSE
I got a phone call the other day from the lady who owns the Farm where we keep Dirt. Her name is Karen and she is one of the kindest, most fun people I know. She has loved Scout and Dirt since she met them. She has become Scouts favorite puppysitter, often keeping her for a week at a time when Marty and I head to the USA or to BC to visit family.
Karen called to say that she has quite a collection of Dog bones. Her dogs cannot possible enjoy them all, so I am welcome to come get a few for Scout. I went out to see Dirt that afternoon and when Ryder, Scout and I were done at the barn, we headed to the house to collect a bone for Scout. I was picturing something nice and white for her to chew on, however what Karen actually meant, by "bones" was carcass. Fresh, bloody carcass. I could tell from the hair and hoof still on the leg bone that it was the carcass of a huge moose. The "bones" were scattered all over the "dog room." I was supposed to pick one? Um, ewww!!! I grew up in the country, I get it. Dogs chew meaty, bloddy bones. I just didn't want to touch thema and I certainly didn't really want my city, IN HOUSE dog chewing on those. See, in the country, if the dog gets sick, no one has to clean it up. In the city, even if the dog gets sick outside, it still involves me getting very close to the mess. NO THANKS!!
I didnt' want to seem ungreatful, as I recognized that Karen's gesture of offering the bones to Scout in the first place, was very generous, so I decided I would take one. While I was standing there, in the middle of the bloddy mess, contemplating which was the least disgusting bone, Karen's son came to see what was going on. Since I was holding my baby in one arm, I asked him to bag up one bone, preferably one without hair or too much blood on it for me. He did and I carried the stinky thing to the box of my truck. When we got home, Scout was super excited for this little treat, but since my arms were full, I decided she'd have to wait until I could go back out to get it for her to eat IN THE YARD. As it often does these days with the baby, I got distracted and forgot all about Scout's bone until I came home from being at the grocery store the next day to see several bloody, hairy bones litering out back yard! Since our yard is fenced and the only way Scout gets out there is if I open the door to let her out, I knew she hadn't dragged them here from somewhere else. The only place they could have come from, was Karen's. I am willing to bet, once she heard my arms were too full to carry more bones, she drove them over here and chucked them over my fence as a gift for Scout. Scout was in heaven. She has never stayed outside that long by herself in her life!! She refused to come in, even though it was dark and snowing lastnight. This morning, she couldn't wait to get back out there. When the magpies started swarming, she chased them through the snowbanks. She was soo fun to watch. She was actually enjoying herself in her huge backyard by herself without me or Marty! That never happens!!! I even parked Ryder's highchair in front of the window so he could watch the snow and Scout and the birds. The only person, not impressed, was Marty. He was completely grossed out by the bones, by the fact that Scout and the birds like them and byt the fact that Scout licks Ryder's face after chewing on them. He insisted that I move the moose leg off the porch as we were expecting company and though they would be entering from the front door, not the back, he didn't want anyone to have to look at it. I put on some gloves, stepped out the door, and chucked the hairy leg into the yard only to have Scout bring it right back to the door. I think it is her offering to us. Um, again, eww!! Anyway, right or wrong, gross or not, I am gonna let Scout have a few more days before I chuck these bones into the trash.
Though, I am sure Karen's heart was in the right place, I gotta wonder. Who does that? Who just chucks carcasses into someone elses yard, no asking, no note, no nothing??? Crazy, right?
Karen called to say that she has quite a collection of Dog bones. Her dogs cannot possible enjoy them all, so I am welcome to come get a few for Scout. I went out to see Dirt that afternoon and when Ryder, Scout and I were done at the barn, we headed to the house to collect a bone for Scout. I was picturing something nice and white for her to chew on, however what Karen actually meant, by "bones" was carcass. Fresh, bloody carcass. I could tell from the hair and hoof still on the leg bone that it was the carcass of a huge moose. The "bones" were scattered all over the "dog room." I was supposed to pick one? Um, ewww!!! I grew up in the country, I get it. Dogs chew meaty, bloddy bones. I just didn't want to touch thema and I certainly didn't really want my city, IN HOUSE dog chewing on those. See, in the country, if the dog gets sick, no one has to clean it up. In the city, even if the dog gets sick outside, it still involves me getting very close to the mess. NO THANKS!!
I didnt' want to seem ungreatful, as I recognized that Karen's gesture of offering the bones to Scout in the first place, was very generous, so I decided I would take one. While I was standing there, in the middle of the bloddy mess, contemplating which was the least disgusting bone, Karen's son came to see what was going on. Since I was holding my baby in one arm, I asked him to bag up one bone, preferably one without hair or too much blood on it for me. He did and I carried the stinky thing to the box of my truck. When we got home, Scout was super excited for this little treat, but since my arms were full, I decided she'd have to wait until I could go back out to get it for her to eat IN THE YARD. As it often does these days with the baby, I got distracted and forgot all about Scout's bone until I came home from being at the grocery store the next day to see several bloody, hairy bones litering out back yard! Since our yard is fenced and the only way Scout gets out there is if I open the door to let her out, I knew she hadn't dragged them here from somewhere else. The only place they could have come from, was Karen's. I am willing to bet, once she heard my arms were too full to carry more bones, she drove them over here and chucked them over my fence as a gift for Scout. Scout was in heaven. She has never stayed outside that long by herself in her life!! She refused to come in, even though it was dark and snowing lastnight. This morning, she couldn't wait to get back out there. When the magpies started swarming, she chased them through the snowbanks. She was soo fun to watch. She was actually enjoying herself in her huge backyard by herself without me or Marty! That never happens!!! I even parked Ryder's highchair in front of the window so he could watch the snow and Scout and the birds. The only person, not impressed, was Marty. He was completely grossed out by the bones, by the fact that Scout and the birds like them and byt the fact that Scout licks Ryder's face after chewing on them. He insisted that I move the moose leg off the porch as we were expecting company and though they would be entering from the front door, not the back, he didn't want anyone to have to look at it. I put on some gloves, stepped out the door, and chucked the hairy leg into the yard only to have Scout bring it right back to the door. I think it is her offering to us. Um, again, eww!! Anyway, right or wrong, gross or not, I am gonna let Scout have a few more days before I chuck these bones into the trash.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Santa's Anonymous
Monday night, I joined the "Fire Fighter's Wives" on their mission to wrap toys for Edmonton's under priveledged in Santa's warehouse. My sister, Nic, had gotten a group of friends (other Fire Fighter's wives) together to volunteer their time for Santa's Anonymous. They needed one more "wife" and since I was in town that day, she recruited me, even though I am actually a Bacardi Rum Sales Rep wife. LOL Anyway, we all met at a warehouse in Edmonton's industrial area where 630 Ched (radio station) headquartered the big toy wrap. The warehouse was filled with bins and bins of donated toys. Our assignment was to "shop" through the bins for a child of a designated age group (girl 3-5 years) (boy 7-9) etc... We had to find one primary gift, one or two secondary gifts, a reading book and a craft or game. We wrapped the whole stack of gifts as one package and labled it with the gender and age. The gifts were then put into carts and wheeled to the back where they were sorted into groups to be delivered closer to Christmas.
Bins of donated toys. I "shopped" here then brought my perfect gift package to Nic, who wrapped and labled it.
Nic and Jackie. They wrapped, I "shopped."
Check out the giant rolls of wrapping paper and the giant "stuffy" Tanis is about to wrap!
I fished this big guy out of a bin. Nic had to wrap it with the other gifts I had selected. Not easy to wrap something like this without a box....good thing Nic is creative....
She used zippy ties to tie his feet to his ears so he was more squishable..and a little more obscene! LOL
The "Fire Fighter Wives!"
We spent three hours together, "shopping," wrapping and sharing holiday spirit! It felt good being a part of this project. Thanks, Nic for organizing your "team" and for including me!! Let's do it again next year!!
SICK
Last weekend, Marty and I both had the flu. The "both ends" kind of flu if you know what I mean. It started Thursday night, after Ryder was in bed. Marty complained that his tummy was upset and within a couple of hours he was puking. Only an hour after that, I started puking. There were times both bathrooms upstairs were being used at the same time. In between trips to the bathroom, I was up nursing Ryder. I am sure I didnt' get any sleep at all. Come morning, I felt less like puking, but not 100%. I had to get up though, cause I am the Mom and that's what mom's do.
That was the LONGEST, Hardest day of my life with Ryder so far and it had nothing to do with him. It was not fun being the Mom when I felt like I wanted my own to take care of me!!
All the puking we did made me think about puking and some of the memories that go along with it. My first memory of puking has me under the age of 8. I remember that I went to bed with my pyjama top on inside out and when I woke up, I was sick. I remember being convinced that wearing your clothes inside out makes you puke.
I remember another time again, I must have been pretty young, when in our one bathroom home, I had to barf, but someone was in the bathroom. Everyone yelled at me to puke in the kitchen sink, but there were dishes in there and I just couldn't make myself barf on the dishes so instead I puked all over the floor right in front of the bathroom door. Mom and Dad were NOT happy with me.
When we were kids and we were sick, we'd stay home from school. Mom would bring blankets to the couch where she'd lay us down so we could watch TV. She'd put a towel down the side of the couch, to protect it incase we missed the puke bucket (a 4 gallon ice cream pail) she'd placed on the floor beside us. Still to this day, I want my Mommy to come take care of me, like she did back then, whenever I'm really sick.
As I got older, I puked less and less often. I don't know if, as adults we just don't get the flu as often or we just dont' get it to the point where we puke, like we did when we were small kids. The older we get the more our puking is self inflicted, eating things on dares, drinking too much, getting punched in the guts, working out too hard, or being pregnant. In fact the last time I puked this much was when I was in labour! Either way, puking is gross. I am going to stop writing about it, cause just thinking about it this much is making me feel nauseous! Here's hoping Marty and I are never sick at the same time ever again!!
That was the LONGEST, Hardest day of my life with Ryder so far and it had nothing to do with him. It was not fun being the Mom when I felt like I wanted my own to take care of me!!
All the puking we did made me think about puking and some of the memories that go along with it. My first memory of puking has me under the age of 8. I remember that I went to bed with my pyjama top on inside out and when I woke up, I was sick. I remember being convinced that wearing your clothes inside out makes you puke.
I remember another time again, I must have been pretty young, when in our one bathroom home, I had to barf, but someone was in the bathroom. Everyone yelled at me to puke in the kitchen sink, but there were dishes in there and I just couldn't make myself barf on the dishes so instead I puked all over the floor right in front of the bathroom door. Mom and Dad were NOT happy with me.
When we were kids and we were sick, we'd stay home from school. Mom would bring blankets to the couch where she'd lay us down so we could watch TV. She'd put a towel down the side of the couch, to protect it incase we missed the puke bucket (a 4 gallon ice cream pail) she'd placed on the floor beside us. Still to this day, I want my Mommy to come take care of me, like she did back then, whenever I'm really sick.
As I got older, I puked less and less often. I don't know if, as adults we just don't get the flu as often or we just dont' get it to the point where we puke, like we did when we were small kids. The older we get the more our puking is self inflicted, eating things on dares, drinking too much, getting punched in the guts, working out too hard, or being pregnant. In fact the last time I puked this much was when I was in labour! Either way, puking is gross. I am going to stop writing about it, cause just thinking about it this much is making me feel nauseous! Here's hoping Marty and I are never sick at the same time ever again!!
Monday, November 28, 2011
I know, I know, it isn't even December yet, but we went to see Santa anyway. Apparently Santa line ups can be very long and stressful, best to be early. This according to my friends with Santa experience. I figured it best to listen to them as my own Santa experience is extremely out of date! Ryder and I got to the mall earlier than our friends so we "signed in." We got our names on the list (there were 9 people ahead of us,) took our slip of paper confirming which picture package we'd be getting and entered through the green and red gates into Santa's play yard!
The play yard was decorated with Child safe Christmas decorations including glittery presents-fun to touch and fun to chew! There were toys screwed down onto benches, and a TV playing Disney Christmas cartoons. The play yard was huge and filled with girls in dresses, bows and black buckle shoes. Their bouncing curls framing adorable, innocent faces ready to ask Santa for their Christmas wishes. Boys wearing button up shirts with hair combed to the side (why do parents think that is how boys' hair should be combed when they dress up?) motored around the play yard sucking on the glittery ribbons and grabbing at the Christmas balls...on the trees!!
This being my first time to visit Santa in probably 30 years, I had no idea that it was a "dress up" event. Ryder was not exactly wearing his "Christmas Best" and since he has virtually no hair, it wasn't combed to the side. His hair was covered up to keep his bald head warm.
Ryder strolled around and by strolled around, I mean he drug me (I was finger walking him) all over the play yard. We checked out the big TV. He had to get right up in front of it and try to lick the bottom of the screen (he soo reminds me of Scout when she was a puppy.) We checked out the sparkly presents, the Christmas Trees, and the pretty girls in their frilly dresses. Oh, the pretty girls. They sure loved Ryder. One, she couldn't have been more than 4 years old, took to stalking Ryder. Stalking may sound harsh, but seriously, she followed us everywhere!! She walked right up to us, said, "oh, he is soo cute, I just wanna hug him!" Then before I knew it, she had her frilly arms wrapped right around him, squishing his cheeks against her. After the hug, she was smitten, she wanted to pick him up and carry him. He easily weighed almost as much as her, but she scooped him up, squeezed him tight and lugged him all over the play yard. I followed along, hoping to catch Ryder before she dropped him. She held his little fingers and insisted on "finger walking" him herself. At one point she wanted Ryder to try walking all by himself so she let go of his fingers...I wasn't able to catch him fast enough, luckily he didn't land too hard. We couldn't shake the pretty little girl so she hung out with us for the entire 45 minutes we waited for our turn to see Santa.
Finally it was our turn. Santa was adorable! Though it's been years since I've sat on his knee, he looked exactly as I remembered!! I was worried about Ryder making "strange" as he's been doing that lately so I told the photographer that I planned to put Ryder on Santa's knee and hoped she'd be ready to snap a quick pic. A really QUICK pic! She got in position behind the camera, I dropped Ryder in Santa's lap, backed away real quick and got ready to snatch him when he started wailing....he never did. It was like he knew he was sitting on the lap of someone real special. He turned his chubby cheeks up towards Santa's face and immediately grabbed for his beard. He smiled huge smiles. The photographer, Santa and I were all three stunned! The photographer got an adorable shot of Ryder with jolly St. Nick.
We stopped at the till to pay for our pictures (23 dollars, by the way) and the lady taking money was soo enamoured with Ryder that she forgot to ask for my money. She just kept pinching his cheeks, talking about how cute he was that she started waving good bye before I had even opened my walled. I am not gonna lie, I thought about just walking away with my free Santa pictures but my conscious got the better of me. It's just not right to steal from Santa is it?? LOL
Ryder's first visit with Santa will not be something he remembers, but it will be something I will not forget!
Standing up all by myself, using the presents to hold me up!
Hey, ma! Check this out. Ribbons to chew on!
What? It really is yummy!!
Ryder with his buddy, James. James did have
Christmas overalls on!
Cuties!
Ryder's fist picture with the real Santa.
(8 months old)
Saturday, November 26, 2011
HOME
Ryder, Scout and I are back home! Already I miss Mom and country life, but I am happy to have Ryder back in his Daddy's arms! I'll admit a part of me was worried he might play "strange" with Marty like he did to everyone else the whole time we were gone. Marty plucked Ryder out of my arms and I held my breath.... Ryder took one look at Marty's "movember" decorated face and broke out into smiles!! They were wrestling and giggling within minutes. I feel like I waited the entire 10 days for someone else to hold Ryder without him bawling so that I could do something..anything, for even just 5 mins without the extra 23 pounds in my arms. It didnt' happen until I got home, and as soon as it did, I felt relief...for about 30 seconds. After that I found myself hovering, wanting to hold Ryder again myself! Marty, enjoying time with his son, finally kicked me out of the room. I got to unload the truck and unpack all of our stuff with two free hands. It was definitely easier than anything else I'd done for the last 10 days with Ryder constantly on my hip, but it felt like something was missing....
I hadn't expected Ryder to go through this "strange" phase where he crys (loud, urgent crys) whenever someone else holds him or I leave the room while I was at Mom's. He has, up until now, been sooo happy to hang out with anyone and everyone. I had no idea this phase would hit, let alone so quickly at the most inopportune time!
I knew Mom wouldn't be able to carry him around for this visit, but I had thought maybe Ryder would hang with Nic or Troy or that he'd play in a room where Mom could watch him while I tackled some of the things I wanted to do for Mom, things he normally does with a big smile on his face. But that didn't happen. I'd certainly try to leave him playing, or in the arms of his loving Auntie or Uncle, but within minutes (sometimes seconds) Ryder would just start wailing!
In order for me to go outside to do any of the chores, we had to wait until Ryder was napping or we had to strap him in the high chair where mom could feed him puffed wheat (his new favorite!) I had gone to Mom's with such big plans of organizing and cleaning and "helping," but the reality of being there with Ryder in this needy stage, was that I couldn't do half the things I had planned. I feel bad about that. I am glad we got to keep her company, if nothing else.
I am so greatful to be back home where Marty can hold and snuggle Ryder through some of this attachment phase too. And as tired and sore as I am from not only lugging his adorable 23 pound body around, but being the only one he'll let "finger walk" him around, I know that this stage will pass and soon, I'll be wishing Ryder still wanted to cling to me, so in the meantime, I'll hold him close as long as he needs me too....
I hadn't expected Ryder to go through this "strange" phase where he crys (loud, urgent crys) whenever someone else holds him or I leave the room while I was at Mom's. He has, up until now, been sooo happy to hang out with anyone and everyone. I had no idea this phase would hit, let alone so quickly at the most inopportune time!
I knew Mom wouldn't be able to carry him around for this visit, but I had thought maybe Ryder would hang with Nic or Troy or that he'd play in a room where Mom could watch him while I tackled some of the things I wanted to do for Mom, things he normally does with a big smile on his face. But that didn't happen. I'd certainly try to leave him playing, or in the arms of his loving Auntie or Uncle, but within minutes (sometimes seconds) Ryder would just start wailing!
In order for me to go outside to do any of the chores, we had to wait until Ryder was napping or we had to strap him in the high chair where mom could feed him puffed wheat (his new favorite!) I had gone to Mom's with such big plans of organizing and cleaning and "helping," but the reality of being there with Ryder in this needy stage, was that I couldn't do half the things I had planned. I feel bad about that. I am glad we got to keep her company, if nothing else.
I am so greatful to be back home where Marty can hold and snuggle Ryder through some of this attachment phase too. And as tired and sore as I am from not only lugging his adorable 23 pound body around, but being the only one he'll let "finger walk" him around, I know that this stage will pass and soon, I'll be wishing Ryder still wanted to cling to me, so in the meantime, I'll hold him close as long as he needs me too....
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
GETTING OUT OF THE HOUSE!
Today was day 6 of the Caos that is supposed to be "Home Care."
Today our mission was to get out of the house! We had to take Mom to the Clinic as she was supposed to have blood taken to make sure that all her levels were where they were supposed to be. We made her appointment for 11:30am, so that Ryder could have his morning nap before we headed into town. The fun began when Ryder woke up. I nursed him to top him up so that I wouldn't have to feed him while we were in town. I dressed him in his winter coat, mitts and shoes while mom managed to use her special shoe horn and got her own shoes on all by herself! Getting into the car was a bit of an ordeal..but we got it figured out. Mom needed a plastic garbage bag on the passenger seat of the car so that she could easily slide into a comfortable position. Her seat had to be pushed all the way back so that she wouldn't have to bend her legs too much which meant that Ryder's rear facing car seat had to be behind the drivers seat. I buckled Ryder into his seat, hurried over to mom's side of the car, made sure she could get in, put her crutches in the back seat, closed her door, closed the back door then hurried back around to my side of the car, hopped in behind the wheel and headed for town. We arrived at the Medi Clinic in time for her appointment, but there was no where close to park. I pulled up to the doors of the clinic, got out of the driver's seat, went around to mom's side, opened her door, opened the back door, got her crutches out, handed them to her, closed the back door, closed the passenger side door once mom was out, got back in the driver's seat, parked the car, got out, opened the back door, pulled Ryder from his car seat, and closed his door so we could meet mom in the clinic. After she got her blood taken, and Ryder had flirted with the cutest twin girls in the waiting room, we walked back to the doors where I left mom and took Ryder to go get the car where we repeated the whole car sequence once again. We hit the bank, the fabric store and the grocery store, perfecting the car entering and exiting sequence with each stop.
Go ahead "time us," guarenteed you'd be surprised at how fast this gong show can get in and out of that clown car!
Today our mission was to get out of the house! We had to take Mom to the Clinic as she was supposed to have blood taken to make sure that all her levels were where they were supposed to be. We made her appointment for 11:30am, so that Ryder could have his morning nap before we headed into town. The fun began when Ryder woke up. I nursed him to top him up so that I wouldn't have to feed him while we were in town. I dressed him in his winter coat, mitts and shoes while mom managed to use her special shoe horn and got her own shoes on all by herself! Getting into the car was a bit of an ordeal..but we got it figured out. Mom needed a plastic garbage bag on the passenger seat of the car so that she could easily slide into a comfortable position. Her seat had to be pushed all the way back so that she wouldn't have to bend her legs too much which meant that Ryder's rear facing car seat had to be behind the drivers seat. I buckled Ryder into his seat, hurried over to mom's side of the car, made sure she could get in, put her crutches in the back seat, closed her door, closed the back door then hurried back around to my side of the car, hopped in behind the wheel and headed for town. We arrived at the Medi Clinic in time for her appointment, but there was no where close to park. I pulled up to the doors of the clinic, got out of the driver's seat, went around to mom's side, opened her door, opened the back door, got her crutches out, handed them to her, closed the back door, closed the passenger side door once mom was out, got back in the driver's seat, parked the car, got out, opened the back door, pulled Ryder from his car seat, and closed his door so we could meet mom in the clinic. After she got her blood taken, and Ryder had flirted with the cutest twin girls in the waiting room, we walked back to the doors where I left mom and took Ryder to go get the car where we repeated the whole car sequence once again. We hit the bank, the fabric store and the grocery store, perfecting the car entering and exiting sequence with each stop.
Go ahead "time us," guarenteed you'd be surprised at how fast this gong show can get in and out of that clown car!
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