Sick Toddler AHHH!

So Gavin started getting sick over a week ago. It started with a runny nose and his eyes were tearing up all day. I took him to the Doctor because he was also having a fever and was grabbing at his head like it hurt. I really felt he had a sinus infection but I took him in too early and was told to wait a few more days and see what happens.

I ended up leaving town Friday until Saturday night with my husband so my MIL was taking care of Gavin. When I get home I find out he's gotten much worse and he is all gunky and gooey. His eyes are crusty and he's crying in pain and pulling on his left ear. Sunday morning I take him straight to Urgent Care where he is given antibiotics for an ear and sinus infection. I give him his first dosage and Monday morning we wake up to his back covered in hives. I call the after hours nurse hotline and she goes through a series of questions and determines that it's not an allergic reaction and to give him his next dose and see his Doctor for a follow up. His rash after about an hour had vanished so I assumed he was better and trusted the nurse that it was just a rash due to his virus. I give him another dose that afternoon. Within two hours of the next dose he breaks out in hives again but this time much worse! He starts scratching at the blotches and this time it's on his face and legs too! Fast forward to today.

The PB Urgent Care Nurse called and ended up calling in a new antibiotic but his own Doctor wanted to see him this morning at 10am so I held off giving him anything else until I talked to his Dr. Well he changed the antibiotic to something else that was more common and Gavin is now diagnosed allergic to Zithromax and all other related drugs in that category. I have now been to Longs Pharmacy 4 times and picked up three different antibiotics. It freaks me out that he had an allergic reaction and it scares me even more that I'm having to start a new one today. I just gave Gavin his first dose of Omnicef and praying that it doesn't react with the Zithromax that may still be in his system (I guess there's a chance they may react with each other).

Besides the drama of what to give him and what not to give him Gavin has been so difficult! I know he feels terrible but every little thing is causing him to throw fits of rage and scream. He has hit me and thrown things at me, acting in ways I have never seen before. I am really worried to see him acting out so much. I just can't believe how long he has been sick and that instead of getting better he seems to be acting worse. We have tried staying inside the majority of the week so I think I am going stir crazy. Next time you see Curious George on TV just think of me and how I am probably watching the Curious George movie for the hundredth time. That movie seems to be the only thing that makes Gavin laugh these days.

Any suggestions on dealing with a toddler that has an ear infection and major sinus issues? Should I just ignore the bad behavior and chalk it up to his being sick? I feel terrible putting him in time outs and yelling at him so much when I know it's mostly due to his not feeling well. Thanks!

My weekend

Jon and I left around 1 on Friday and arrived at the Marriott Hotel in Ontario Ca at 3pm. It was HOT! We jumped on our soft cushiony bed and relished in our freedom for a couple of hours. After having our alone time we decided to go out to dinner. We ended up eating at Bills Baja Grill which on the outside looked like an old wooden barn but on the inside was similar to an Islands, with everyone wearing Hawaiian prints and hanging surfboards on the walls. Honestly Ontario is pretty much a ghost town but with lots of new housing developments and nothing else to look at. We assume that most of the people commute to work which is why it was pretty much dead on that Friday evening.

The next morning we went and swam in the heated pool and I dipped my feet in the jacuzzi. We ended up not cheking out until the very last minute (noon) and really enjoyed the alone time we had together. It was only one night but yet it felt like days and I got so much out of it! I hadn't had that much time to talk alone with my husband since Gavin was born so it felt like we got to re-connect and open up to each other. Don't get me wrong I really missed Gavin and I worried about him everytime I called to talk to my In-laws. I just never appreciated trips as much as I did this weekend. I didn't have to clean the hotel room or wash the dishes or cook our meals, and I didn't have to worry about anything except what movie we wanted to watch on HBO. *sigh It was great~!

Of course the motorcycle race was fun too but it was over 100 degrees and felt like a hot blow dryer was on us the entire time. We didn't bring cash and discovered that none of the food vendors took debit so we ended up leaving early because we ran out of water and in that kind of heat we had to get some cold drinks. We took lots of pictures and watched some of the races and then left early. I think we both realized it was way to hot to be ouside for more than a few hours. We drove home and stopped to eat at an In and Out in Temecula, yummy! As soon as I got home it was mommy mode again. Gavin was still sick and seemed worse off than before I had left. He screamed and cried and wouldn't eat...

The next morning (Sunday) I took him to PB Urgent Care to get some medicine. He had had goo in his eyes and his nose was still running and he kept pulling on his left ear. After a two hour wait (YES on a Sunday!) I was told he had a sinus and ear infection. They said they would call our local Longs and put a prescription through. Well hours later, when my husband went to pick, it up Longs said it had never been called in so we had to deal with that issue and go back another hour later to pick it up (also they wouldn't accept our insurance card so that took another 20 minutes to sort out). On top of that Gavin was feeling terrible so after about an hour with him crying I switched off with my MIL and she took him for an hour. We gave him some motrin which really seemed to help and just switched off caring for him since he was more than one person could handle in his state.

By the end of Sunday I was really missing my hotel room, lol. We gave him the antibiotics around noon and today (Monday) he seems a lot better. He did wake up with a rash on his back and butt but by the time I had reached a nurse on the after hours hotline it had seemed to clear up. I was told to continue with the medicine and check up with his Doctor today or tomorrow. I really hope his ear infection goes away quickly and that his appetite comes back. I hate when I see him lose weight since he is already so skinny.

I actually miss going to the park. Since he was sick last week we had already gone to see his Doctor last Monday and we spent most of the week indoors so I really can't stand the idea of having to stay inside another few days watching more Blues Clues and Curious George. I think no matter what I'm going to take him outside and let him play in the sand. I don't want him around other kids since his immune system is already down but to go outside and play by ourselves should be fine.

Wish me luck! ~

Pregnant!

Well I think everyone knows now but I decided I should post it to my blog anyway... I'm pregnant! The due date is December 25th but I doubt it will end up on the exact day. Gavin was planned a week early(39) weeks but still ended up deciding to come a week sooner than that. I am still slightly nervous since I hear and read about things that can happen during the first trimester, so I can't help but worry what if? I haven't started getting morning sickness yet, thank God! With Gavin I remember feeling tired and a little nauseated but I was still pretty normal all things considered. I am really excited and happy, but I also realize that my life is going to get so much more complicated, so it's a bit scary.

Jon and I are leaving soon to drive to Fontana CA, for the Suzuki Challenge (AMA) this weekend. We have pit passes for Saturday and an overnight stay at the Mariott Hotel in Ontario. I am SOOO excited! I can't remember the last time my husband and I were anywhere alone for a night and a day! Now with another baby on the way we may never have a moment alone, lol. I'm not as into motorcycles as Jon is, but it's always fun to sit and look at expensive bikes and possible catch glimpses of celebrities. Last time we went I got to see Michael Jordan and his motorcycle team. I also like getting the free crap and posters, and seeing the Umbrella Girls (girls in skimpy outfits that pose on motorcycles). :P

Well time to get packing and say my good byes. I really miss Gavin and I always feel guilty if I leave him for more than a few hours, BUT I know he'll be fine with his Grandparents and it will make me all the more happy when I come home. Everyone needs a break, and I'm sure Gavin has fun with a few changes in his regular routine. I'll post some pictures when we get back!

Gavin's Birthday Card shown on Sprout TV!

The Letter U

So after weeks of having a toilet that clogged every time we used it my husband broke down and took the toilet apart. Last weekend we bought a snake at Home Depot and he spent an hour shoving it through the pipes and trying to clear the "rock" that we thought Gavin had flushed down it. It worked for awhile, so we thought the problem was fixed, but after a few flushes with toilet paper the clog returned. After dealing with this for weeks I had grown accustomed to plunging nasty poops a few times a day and throwing toilet paper in the waste basket. I felt like I was living in Mexico, since when you go to Mexico you may notice they all throw their TP in the trash so as not to clog the crappy plumbing system they have.

Now, today Jon "found the time" to try and use the snake one more time. He realized that it just wasn't working and unscrewed the toilet from the ground. I came home to my husband wearing purple latex gloves and hovering over our entire toilet on the ground in our backyard. I asked him if he had found the rock and he said, "It wasn't a rock, it was one of Gavin's magnetic letters, the letter U." I won't describe the nasty details but he said it was a very gross job pulling the U out. It was a purple one but I'm putting a picture of another U of a different color so you all can bask in its glory. Since it was a U shape some things were still able to flush down but it clogged very easily since it was making the hole a lot smaller in our pipes. When he tried to jam the snake down the pipes it actually bent one sides of the U down but still wasn't able to push it through.

You don't know how exciting it is to have a fully functional toilet. I had taken it for granted before, how easily it used to flush. I now stand over it and pause as I watch the water get sucked away and sigh a deep breath as it refills with clean water. My husband actually said he wished I had gotten Gavin cheaper made magnets so that it would have broken rather than bend when he tried to shove it through. I guess next time I buy a toy I might have to re-evaluate how easily flushable it is.

The Job

The Sad Truth about Relationships

The Sad Truth About Relationships

Gavin's Birthday Party

Well today was a great day! I am very tired so I won't draw this on for too long... Gavin had a blast and LOVED the bouncy jump! It was so nice to see people I hadn't seen for ages and to watch all our little ones interact with each other. I can't believe how fast two years has gone. It makes me sad and yet really proud that we have gotten this far. The theme was Curious George and my sister did a wonderful job at decorating a plain Costco sheet cake to make it look like a professional did it.

The day started early with me running around doing final touches at 8am, but by the time the last guest left it wasn't too late (around 1). Gavin was hyped up the entire day and even after hours of bouncy jump play he only took a short afternoon nap and was back to running around within minutes. I am so glad that everything worked out! Phew I am tired now just thinking about it all. Thank you all who came and sorry to those who couldn't make it. I will try and write something inspirational another time. Good night all~

Sweet Tooth

Somehow over the last two years Gavin has aquired my sweet tooth. I tried very hard in the beginning to avoid anything sweet but slowly over time I allowed cookies. After cookies he tried brownies, and it progressed... I don't have sweets in the house every day mind you, but I am shocked to tell you he knows what a candy bar is! I rarely get candy bars, and I tend to hide them away until just before bed. Today I bought a snickers at Ralphs for 33 cents (I just couldn't beat the price, at least that's what I tell myself). I got home in a rush and unloaded groceries layed the Snickers bar on the kitchen counter and forgot about it. Hours later after we had finished dinner, and we were watching Blue's Clue's, he brings the Snickers bar over to me.

I opened it up and said he could have one bite. You should have seen how large his mouth got for that one bite! I ate the rest of the bar pretty quickly as he munched away on his peanut and caramely goodness. I don't mind that he likes chocolate but I also feel slightly guilty. I don't want to teach him bad eating habits at such a young age, and I don't want him to get cavaties from eating too much sugar. Am I over-reacting?

To add another story that was even worse. A few days ago I was going in the fridge to pull out some food for dinner and Gavin grabbed the whipped cream out of the door. I had never given him any whipped cream so I had no idea how he knew what it was. I come to find out that my Mother-In-Law had shown him how she squirts it into her mouth and had given him a taste of it. I am not upset since it isn't like poison and again he doesn't get it from me, but what if he decides that's all he wants to eat?

He doesn't like ice cream or cake, and he refuses jelly or other artifically flavored sweets but when it comes to anything chocolate or whipped cream, he loves it. I guess it's all about balance and making sure he eats veggies and other healthy foods the majority of the time. I just have to hope that the occasional chocolate won't turn into a nightmare in the future. So, for now I get his toothbrush, and brush away each night, in hopes that I can fight off those cavaties.

Sunny Days

Oh I love these California days. What other place can you play at the beach in April and be hot? This afternoon I decided instead of taking Gavin to the park or on an outing that I would be creative at home. I blew up his summer pool that I got him for last summer and filled it with bubble bath and buckets of warm water. I got a bunch of bath toys and containers and he had a ball. It was so nice to sit in my backyard and not have to worry about him running away or having to deal with traffic and other people. He discovered that he liked sitting in the water filled bucket more than the actual pool, lol. At one point Gavin ran back into the house and grabbed some crayons that he had hidden (I have his crayons in a sealed container) and threw them in his pool. After the water started to change color he picked up the soggy crayons and started drawing on the pool, luckily they are washable crayons so they didn't do any damage.

We topped off the afternoon with peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches. He has only tried them once before so he wasn't sure about the jelly part at first. I gave him a small bite and he immediately spit it out on the kitchen floor. I tried again a few minutes later and this time he swallowed the bite. In the end all he wanted was the peanut butter jar. He grabbed the plastic jar off the counter and ran outside with it. After dunking it in his pool a few times he came back into the house and asked me to open it for him. I thought it was very cute that he liked playing with the peanut butter so I opened the jar and stuck my finger in to taste it. Right after I did this I realized my mistake... he pushed his whole hand in the jar and started scooping it out into his mouth. Instead of rushing to clean it up I ran and got the camera (my second mistake). He ended up smearing it all over himself but luckily only a small smear ended up on the carpet.

We had so much fun today and didn't even leave the house! It's funny how often I try to keep our schedules busy and feel like he needs to get out of the house to be stimulated. In all honesty I had the most fun we've had in weeks just playing games at home. The only draw back is the mess I am left with to clean up. I had to clean up water,pee (while he was still naked he ran around and peed on his stuffed animals), and peanut butter, among various other things. Now my little naked man is sleeping. Thank Goodness for naps, what will I do without them?

Thoughts

Wow it has been awhile since I have had time to sit and write a post. It's not that I am busy since I can't remember doing anything exciting this past week, but it seems that whenever I had a few moments to myself I ended up using them to clean or watch a pre-recorded TV show.

This week has flown by. I hate Sundays because I realize that I have a whole new week starting and that my husband has to go back to work so I won't get to see him as often. It sounds like a depressing thing to think but I wouldn't consider myself a pessimist. I think it's the whole grass is always greener on the other side. When you're home all of the time you miss contributing to society and earning money, but when you work you miss being at home. Monday morning just seems so blah. I get to start the same routines all over again and hope the week will go fast so I can celebrate Gavin's Birthday. I am just like a little kid waiting for Christmas when I have a special event coming up. I probably won't be able to sleep the night before because I'll be anticipating all the fun things the next day has in store.

Gavin's 2nd Birthday Party is this Saturday so I am starting to do all the party preparations and check lists. I have decided to buy a plain sheet cake and try and decorate it Curious George themed. I have a feeling it may look like a green and yellow disaster but at least we can all have a good laugh at it. I have tickets to the Opera on Friday night so I am really looking forward to seeing Aeida with my Grandmother. My husband has never been to the Opera and whenever I mention going with him he says he is not interested. I guess it's an aquired taste and he doesn't care to aquire it, his loss.

I am trying to get pregnant and not having much luck. It's funny how Gavin came as a complete surprise but now when we actually want to have a baby, we can't seem to have one. I hate to complain since it has only been 2 months since we decided to start trying, but I am so impatient@! I keep charting my cycle and trying to follow the tips that I've read so I guess it's just a matter of time. I really want Gavin to have a sibling and I would like to do it while I'm still in baby mode. I feel like getting it over with while I'm young and while we have all the baby items stocked up in our garage. I know it doesn't make a huge difference if it's now or an other year, but I was bitten with the baby bug, and that's all I think about now. I almost wonder if because I am stressing over it that maybe that's why I'm not getting pregnant? I know I know... I am over anaylizing it.

Curious George

Gavin is my little curious george. About a week ago he decided to find out what happened when he put a large rock into our toilet. Since then I have had to plunge the toilet about every three fulshes and cleaned up some nasty overflowing water. (If anyone knows a cheap plumber please let me know!) I have learned my lesson and no longer allow him in the bathroom when I am showering.

Now to change the subject, Gavin seems to have cold symptoms. He started having a runny nose yesterday and feeling a bit warmer than usual. He isn't coughing and doesn't seem bothered at all so I'm not sure if it's a cold or if it's just teething. The only thing it seems to be affecting is his sleep. Since he started having a runny nose he hasn't napped more than an hour and is waking up crying during the night. He is a thumb sucker so of course when his nose is stuffed up he can't suck his thumb. I think this is why he keeps waking up and having trouble going back to sleep. The short nap during the day is driving me a little crazy. It's hard to get much done when as soon as I finish one thing I see his little head pop out from behind the hallway door. Those of you who don't know I would like another child. These two nights of being woken up have made me re-think having another one. Of course I still want another child but it made me realize it won't get any better than it is now. I should cherish the days that I only have to chase one naked baby, because after I have another one I will probably not have time for this blog. :)

This morning we had a nice time at the park with our neighbor and her daughter. I'm not so sure about saying names on my blog because I just don't know who will read this. So, we had a fun morning and came back home and watched Sesame Street. Gavin took about an hour nap from 12-1pm and now it's after 3pm and I am realizing I still have at least 4 more hours to go. Is that sad? I mean I hate counting down the hours until bed time, but some days that's how it is. I love Gavin and I love spending my days with him, but I think everyone needs a break. If I was with my husband 24 hours a day I would probably go crazy. What makes it all harder is that he is sick/or teething so he wants to sit in my lap and grab chunks of my hair in his hands (which he pulls on), while he watches his favorite movie, Curious George. I really don't like watching so much TV but when he's sick it's pretty much all he wants to do. That brings up why I called this post Curious George. He not only is curious and always getting into things, but he LOVES the Curious George movie! I have never seen him sit for an entire hour or more so this is a very new thing.

Will have to continue this later, curious george calls!

Race Car Driver

Well today Gavin was not a happy camper. I think he's teething because he seems to be biting and chewing a lot more than usual. Besides the biting on his thumb he has been overall very difficult to deal with. Anything I asked him to do was grounds for a tantrum. He wouldn't get out of the stroller at the park so I should have known that was a very bad sign. What toddler doesn't want to play at the park? He threw another fit when I tried to take his dirty pants off, when I tried to change his diaper, when I turned Blue's Clue's off... you name it he cried. What kills me is that the crying wasn't just fake crying, it was full on tears streaming down his beautiful little face. I HATE TEARS! It makes me feel terrible when I see droplets rolling down his cheeks.
Besides his also refusing to nap and his waking up after putting him to bed 3x, I did have a pretty good day. This is only because my husband and In-Laws were helping out a lot. The highlight of today was that Gavin can finally reach the gas pedal in his Nascar race car. It was bought by his Grandpa back in November and until today was just a fun toy that Gavin sat in and pretended to drive. We decided to hook up the battery and low and behold Gavin pushed down on the pedal. The car actually packs a powerful punch. It lurched forward and I had to grab it from running into the kitchen table. It also has gears and goes into reverse, so Gavin clicked it in reverse and quickly went flying the other way (almost over Grandma's foot). After realizing how dangerous it was to let him drive in the house we got Daddy to carry it outside into the Alley.
As soon as it was all set up to go and the entire family was standing around cheering him on.. Gavin decided he didn't want to drive it anymore. I snapped a couple of photos just before he climbed out. It goes to show you that our son is not a monkey and will not preform tricks on demand. I guess he just wants to drive in the privacy of his own home. Maybe I should be glad I'm not chasing him down the street while he drives at 3-5 mph. Probably.

We love the Park

I started about a month ago, taking Gavin to the park each day. We live about 2 miles away from a nice park right by the Bay. Since starting this routine I feel so much better. I used to have days where I was so bored and it was tough to think of places to go. This is not even mentioning the gas, loading and unloading the car each trip, and Gavin's tantrums if he didn't like the place I chose to take him to.

Our new routine is getting up each morning around 6 or 6:30am and making breakfast. Gavin watches Curious George or Blue's Clues while I cook and then we eat together and get dressed. By 8am he is itching to go outside which I can tell by the way he starts pointing and waiting by the back door. If I pretend not to get his hints then he will carry my sandals to me and throw them on my lap, after which he will go get his shoes and hold them out to me. I try to wait until after 8am to leave since before that time it is still cold and wet outside. Often times we will arrive at the park at the crack of dawn and be the only ones there.

By starting this routine I have met various other moms and their kids. Suprisingly not everyone who comes to our local park is local. I have met many tourists as well as people who will drive 10 or more miles to be by the Bay. It is nice now that I know a few of these moms and we can schedule play dates and sit and chat while our kids play. I feel happier having time to socialize and just getting outside with Gavin. I feel so revitalized after a walk/jog in the cool mornings. After the park we come back home and get cleaned up and eat an early lunch or snack. By noon Gavin is usually ready for his nap and I get an hour or two (hopefully) to cook, clean, and catch up on e-mails. Our afternoons are not as routine yet but for the days that I can't think of anything to do we may end up at the park again.

Gavin loves feeding the birds his gold fish or pretzels. The other day I crushed some gold fish in his hand and the birds pecked it off. He thought that was the neatest thing in the world and laughed with delight. He still hasn't learned to share his toys with other kids, but we are working on that... Last week he decided he wanted to go in the water. Within second he had run down the sandy beach and gotten his pants all wet.Luckily I noticed large jelly fish all around us and steered him back towards the slide. I don't know if dead jelly fish can sting, but I would prefer not to find out.

So this is our life. Gavin gets to discover new things each day. The little things that I don't even notice or don't find significant, are things that he finds so intriguing. Gavin has taught me to slow down and notice the flowers growing in the cracks of a sidewalk. Every airplane that flys overhead Gavin will drop whatever it is he was doing and stare up in the sky and point it out to me. I love re-discovering life with him.

First Entry

This is a test since I have no idea what I am doing and I am up way too late trying to figure it out. I can't promise that I will write everyday or even every week, but just starting is a good attempt. I guess that's all for now. Good night!