Strollers

When did parents decide that children can't walk? We went to the Zoo the other day and there were soooo many 3, 4, and even 5 year olds riding in strollers. It is really sad. Elle hasn't been in a stroller since she was about 15 months, because she wanted to walk, and wouldn't stay in it. Are kids just out of shape nowadays or what? Is this some new parental obligation I don't know about?

Elle's new song

Dadddddeeeeeee!!!
You don't say dammit and shits,
Dammit and shits,
Dammit and shits,
No you doooooooooon't!!!

Just pat me on the head, why don't you?

I hate pediatricians. They can be so pompous and think they know everything about breastfeeding, when in fact they know very little. They get no instruction in med school, and it is only optional for OB residents. I took Justin to the MD the other day b/c he was on a nursing strike. He would try to nurse, take one suck, then bite and start to cry. I knew something was wrong b/c he was eating and drinking from any cup he didn't have to suck out of. He had tonsillitis a few weeks back, but since he was eating, I figured that was resolved.

So I take him to the ped and I tell her what's going on, that he has stopped nursing, and she just nods like it is the most normal thing in the world. So I have to explain to her that there is something wrong when he goes from an every 3-4 hour nursing schedule to not wanting to suck at all. She gives me this weird look. Then she looks in his ears, and guess what? He has a raging ear infection in the left ear.

So we talk a little more, and on her way out the door, she says, "you go back to nursing now, little guy" like it is funny or something. The sarcasm in her voice really pissed me off. So what if he is 14 months? Hasn't she heard that breastmilk is still very important until he is 2? Has she ever read the WHO code? Probably not. I'm looking for a new doctor.

Today

We went to the playground today and Elle was so cute... kept telling the other kids "watch out for my brother!" and "let my brother go first". It was really sweet. They were playing together on the big playground, and went down the slides together. They just thought it was so much fun!

Strawberry Fest Pic

You might not be able to see it too well, but Hugh and Eric have strawberries on their foreheads and Elle has one on her cheek!

Ah men

Are we really the weaker sex? Because everything I'm reading about weaning says that boys should be nursed longer, since they are more prone to sickness. I remember the NICU nurses assuring me that Elle would be fine, she is a girl, and girls are much stronger than boys. She is actually. She has had much less of a problem with all the shots she has gotten, even the hot lots... and Justin reacted to just one.

So are we really weaker? Aren't we the ones who grow babies and birth them? And then feed them until they can tolerate solid foods? Someone has pulled the wool over our eyes. Women are much stronger than we are given credit for. Who is responsible for this farce?

Working in the hospital was an eye opener. The men were so wimpy when they were sick... but the women just put on a brave face and got through it. They were much better when it came to pain. And most of the time when a man was sick, he had his wife there to support him. But usually when the tables were turned, husbands couldn't be counted on to be there for their wives. It was their friends who were there for them.

God I need to write a book about all my hospital experiences. I think it would be cathartic. Gee I'll get right on that...

Take my daughter, please

Won't someone take her? She is driving me nuts. I know, I know, all three year olds are this way, but... the screaming and shrieking when she doesn't get what she wants is driving me batty. Take her please?

Allergies

Hello everyone,

I guess I should apologize for sending out mass emails all the time! My brain just gets clogged with all kinds of stuff, and since I don't journal anymore this is a good outlet. Dad pointed out the horoscope to me the day before my birthday, and said it fit me to a tee- it went something like this, "you are not always the last word. Other people do have opinions and you need to respect them". I had seen it and thought the same thing. So yes I know my point of view is a bit skewed sometimes, and I think I am right about everything. So just let me know every once in a while if I am being a PITA.

The last email I sent was in January... it's hard to know all that has gone on since then, but I will try to give you an update. Both Elle and Justin went for allergy testing to foods, and both were negative. The allergist said that it is highly suspicious though that Justin's symptoms go away when we remove gluten from his diet. She prescribed an antibiotic and a steroid to clear up the inflammation in his ears, even though he didn't have an ear infection. It worked for a while but then the ear pain came back when he started teething and cutting his bottom teeth.

So I got into a discussion with her when I was there with Justin about immunizations. She basically said that in this case the hygiene hypothesis applies, that our kids are too clean. They aren't exposed to endotoxins in the environment like children are who live in the country or on a farm, etc. So their immune systems are not stimulated the way other children's would be, and their immunities are down-regulated, while the part of the immune system that regulates allergies is up-regulated. So basically it is OK for your kid to play in the dirt and chew on shoelaces, it is good for their immune system.

Then we were talking about side effects from vaccines, autism, etc. She said everyone made a big deal about thimerosal (the mercury preservative in vaccines), so they removed it, but children are still suffering from autism spectrum disorders. I said that they had recently found that children with autism spectrum disorders also have sensitivities to gluten and casein (cow's milk protein), and their symptoms improve dramatically when they are taken off of foods that contain them. She had not heard of that.

Breast Pump T Shirts

I think it is just hilarious that all these teenagers are going around wearing Hollister shirts. The first time I saw one, I was like, don't they know Hollister makes breast pumps and colostomy supplies? Now every time I see one, I think- wow free advertising for breast pumps. Haha. If they only knew.

One of my girl

Here is a pic of Elle's things, all nicely laid out when she got home from school. And a pic of miss sassy pants.

I cut his hair!

Yes I cut his hair. I am his mother, I am allowed. Get over it. He was hot and sweaty, and now he is much cooler without all that girly hair. All the old people in the grocery store thought he was a girl.

Ugh

Why are people so damn intolerant of little kids? I know I used to be, so maybe I deserve it, but... I took Elle to the chiropractor today and she was kind of ugly to her. Yes, Elle had a meltdown b/c I made her stay in the room and close the door when Justin and I were getting adjusted. But that is par for the course with a 3 year old, I am learning more and more these days. But so what? She is my kid and I handled it. I am the one who has to discipline, not her. I was so aggravated. I just can't wait until people like that have their own 3 year olds. I am almost wishing it on them. Anyway...

Sweet girl

Elle came up to me today and said, "ooooh mommy, your back still hurts?", then rubbed my back and kissed it. She had been doing that in the morning when we wake up, when I ask her to, but never just out of the blue like that. It was so cute.

My poor daughter... it is amazing how much home videos will show you about your own life. It is scary sometimes. We take these little videos, snippets of our lives together, and I usually think, well, this is insignificant, but it might mean more when I watch later. And usually it does.

Like the other day we were watching some video from Jan and Feb, and Eric is filming, and I am sitting there playing with Justin. He pans over to Elle and she is sitting there alone on the couch, crushed. She looks like she is about to cry. I had never really noticed this, just noticed that she would act up a lot when I gave Justin extra attention.

So I began giving her more positive attention- most of it had been negative- don't strangle your brother, etc. I noticed at the playground that she loved when we played together, but when I would go back to see what Justin was doing, she'd freak out. Duh, mommy. She needs more attention.

I guess she thought I didn't love her anymore. Now that she is getting much more attention, loving, cuddling, rocking, etc, she is much happier. She keeps coming up to me and just hugging me around the legs, and saying, "I missed you so much mommy". It is enough to break your heart.

Wow. It is amazing what a little home video can do.

Da Nint' Ward and Chalmatianland

What else is going on in this brain? Oh- I went to see a client last week who lives in the Lower 9th Ward. My God, I have lived in this town my whole life minus about 8 years, and I had never been to that part of the city. Ever. I was really ashamed to tell her that. She lives in this gorgeous creole cottage that has been completely redone, with solar panels on the roof and everything.

The thing is, she and her husband and baby are the only people living on their block. There are two or three families/people on every block, most in trailers. It is so sad. I really admire someone like that, with that pioneer spirit. There are no services out there, no cops, fire dept, grocery stores, etc. The kicker is that most of the houses are gutted, just waiting for the "Road Home" to make them whole. What a joke.

Anyway, it is so sad! What a beautiful part of town. It is all residential, New Orleans style homes, and I think mom said it is an area with one of the highest percentages of home ownership in the country. The problem I guess is that most people once they pay off the mortgage don't have insurance to cover water that was up to the roof. It is worse than Lakeview.

Then we went to St. Bernard today for the crawfish festival. God the mudbugs were good! But the parish is in striking contrast to the one next to it, the 9th Ward. It is mostly white, whereas the 9th Ward is mostly black. St. Bernard has services, and a bank, and grocery store. They also have all these little spots set up with bunches of trailers. I think one of them was for the govt workers since it was next to city hall.

They had a place to go to apply for Road Home grants. This stuff doesn't exist over the parish line. I know Nagin is an idiot, but I can see his point when he says people don't want the poor blacks to come back. Just one look at this place will tell you that. I wish I had brought my camera. Maybe I'll have to go back again just to take pictures. I should have done that when I had a client in the Bywater too.

Anyway it is depressing. Where are all the people that belong in these scores and scores of houses? Are they coming back? And how? What a logistical nightmare. I felt sick to my stomach when we drove out of there. I am not completely naive, I know there was blight there before, but still. Those people deserve better than they are getting right now. Ugh.

I have time now...

Inspired by the moms who write Dooce.com and Fussy blogs, I am going to start blogging. There is way too much stuff in my head to wait a month, 6 weeks, or two months to write an email saga. Like did we have seagulls here before Katrina? I don't think we did. I forgot how annoying they can be. It is so strange to see them in the Wal Mart parking lot flying overhead.

I really think Katrina made New Orleans almost waterfront property. We're having weather like we used to have in Hilton Head. Nice, balmy, cool weather in the 70s and 80s, an actual spring. In the past spring in New Orleans lasted about a week. It went from bitter, rainy cold to hot and sticky just like that. Maybe our weather has changed permanently. It would make sense considering that places like Empire are now almost completely under water, where there was land before.

How surreal must that be? I think I read in the paper that in Cocodrie they can't plant gardens anymore b/c whenever there's a wind blowing from the south all the yards flood. And the people working at LSU down there have to go to work by boat now. Oh, Katrina. How you've changed our lives.