Mammajoy

Introducing...

We recently welcomed a new family member.

We're going to call him Epi.

Epi came in a box, he doesn't like to be played with and mostly hangs out in our nappy bag.

What kind of person are you? Yeah, I know.  We've reached a new low.

Allow me to introduce Epi...

 

 

Or should I say Epi Junior because Samuel is only 15 months old but has been diagnosed with a peanut allergy.  AAggggghhhhh!!! (insert picture of mad mamma running for the hills screaming).

I was sitting in the paediatricians office a week ago when he said that given Samuel had an anaphalactic reaction at such a young age it was 'highly unlikely that he will grow out of this allergy and he will most likely have it for life'.  My heart sank to the floor.  Allow me to be selfish for just a moment, but we were looking forward to some easier days ahead of us, given that our fourth is getting older and the infant days are behind us.  But this?  This just adds a whole heap of stress that we weren't prepared for!

Now whenever we leave the house we have to take Epi with us.  I think for the first few days we forgot, but he's now living in the nappy bag with strict instructions to the older kids not to touch the green box thingy.  The biggest thing I've had to adjust too is when we're out and about visiting friends, and I need to ask my friends if the food they've cooked contains peanuts.  It just feels a bit awkward.  'Hi! thanks for having us over for a play date.  By the way, do you cook with peanuts?'  There is no easy way to slip that question in.  We went to a birthday party today and I think (I hope) I'm getting better at it.  The alternative is not good though and it's not worth the risk of not asking.   That's note to self by the way.

His first reaction to peanuts happened a week before his 1st birthday.  I gave him a peanut butter sandwich and within 5 minutes I knew something was wrong.  After my doctors visit I now know that this first incident ticked all the boxes of an anaphalactic reaction.  Rash, swollen face, ears, nose and mouth, itchy, red rash, but the kicker was the coughing and wheasing.  That means his airways are closing up.  We had approximately zero antihistamines in the house and so I couldn't give him anything but I watched him like a hawk for next 2 hours until the reaction had died down.  Thankfully he didn't lose conciousness or have any changes in alertness.  But when I think about that reaction it just gives me the shivers because I was so unprepared and two more bites of the sandwhich and he could have been in serious trouble.

 

So, to make a long story longer we are finding a new normal.  A normal where we briefly check anything that goes into this little boys mouth.  And his allergy is never far from my mind, especially if we are out of the house and around other kids and families.

I wish we didn't have to have Epi with us but alas, he is hear to stay! 

 

embracing the change

:: I have spent the most part of today in my pj's

:: The instant I woke up I pulled my hair back and that is how it has stayed ever since

:: The girls' beds aren't made

:: I can't remember if I brushed their teeth or not

:: The girls and I ate hot chips for lunch, on the couch, watching Masterchef

:: And then we ate ice-cream

:: Joseph ate honey sandwhiches for lunch, sitting on my lap, on the couch, watching Masterchef (noticing a pattern?)

:: I've managed to do one load of washing

:: I still have a head cold and stuffy sinuses

:: I watched the world turn grey and the rain come down, from my comfy seat on the couch

A day like today is like therapy for me because I usually like to get things done.  I have this little routine that I like to keep to every day and it's nice, it works for us - stuff gets done, the house doesn't get too messy, the kitchen stays tidy and I feel like there is some order in our universe.

But every now and then it is so refreshing to just let go and let whatever happens happen.  It felt nice today, throwing routine out the window and I feel like this is good practice.  I'm about to have another baby and I really have to embrace not having a routine, otherwise those first few weeks are going to be harder than they need to be.

I mean really, I'm going to have four under four and a half.

I'll be lucky if I can even spell 'routine'.

Originally posted on 7 July 2009.

he's fine

After one more rough night Samuel slowly started to improve.  However his cough was still hanging on tight so we decided to give him a day or two on some antibiotics and that seemed to do the trick.  His cough is still there but it's not nearly as bad and he's not getting distressed after coughing like he was early in the week.

It was so heartbreaking to watch him cough and cough and then scream and scream from the pain!  One night his finger and toe-nails went white - which I've heard means they're not getting enough oxygen?  Sounds a bit far-fetched I know.

But the main thing is that my little prince is almost back to his normal, cute self.

Which is good, because I was about to pull my hair out!  Sick babies are not fun.

And as for right now?

• the kids are watching a movie for rest time
• I have biscuit dough in the fridge waiting to be cooked
• a billion (okay, maybe not that many) blog posts in my head waiting to be typed
• a bag I desperately want to start sewing
• a big five year old who wants to mop my floors to earn some pocket money, um. YES PLEASE
• and the overwhelming desire to soak up every last drop of fun out of our two days left of school holidays!

Where did those two weeks go?

Hope you are enjoying your Sunday!

 

When I should be vacuuming...

I'm busy recording my sleeping baby and the so.darn.CUTE noises he makes.

This is my first attempt at adding video to a post - and I know the picture is dark, so just adjust your screens m'kay?

Say hello to my littlest peep

How about a post - just for something completely different! I even remembered my password that lets me back into Typepad, I'm quite proud of myself.

But enough about me. This post is all about this cutey...

Introducing :: Samuel John

Born :: 2.50am Friday 7th August 2009 (on my due date!)

Weight :: 7 pounds, 8 ounce / 3.420kg

 

 

Two very excited big sisters

 

 

 

And look!  There's me!  This is where I've been ever since he came into the world.  In my PJ's, trying to enjoy the craziness, feeding, changing, burping, feeding, changing, eating, sometimes crying, but mostly just feeding and changing.  I'm not a huge fan of the newborn days, it's so hard to function on so little sleep, but I've survived the first two weeks and they are the hardest.  The kids have all had their little meltdown as we adjust to having a new little one in our family, but for the most part we are all doing well.

Having said that I do not want to think about how many blocks of chocolate have been consumed around here recently, so let's not talk about that okay?  Great.

a day in the life of Joseph

Joseph and I at the wedding reception Saturday night.  I was tired.  So was Joseph and I remember trying to keep him distracted and not crying during the speeches.   Screaming baby anyone?  Haha, I think not.  See him looking away?  I think he was looking for an escape route.

But earlier?  One very happy boy running around on the beach and amongst the sea grass (I call it this because it is grass growing beside the sea - not because that is actually what it's called).  He loves the sun.

And earlier still for our morning cuddles at home while the air was still fresh and cool.  This little boy so has my heart firmly in his chubbly little hands and I'm trying to make dedicated time during the day to play with just him - I once thought this would be difficult to do with two other kids but it's not.  I love one-on-one time with him and I think he enjoys it too.   In four months when my next little bub will be here available time will be even harder to find.....but let's not think about that m'kay?

For if I ponder too long about having 4 children under 4 1/2 I begin to feel slightly overwhelmed.

But seriously, how can you not go all gooey looking at that goofy smile?

handsome little boy

 

 

i'mcrankyandijustneedtoventalittleifyoudon'tmind

:: Can't eat without feeling sick

:: Can't sleep because I'm hungry

:: Very tired

I know that at any time after 10pm tonight my body will decide to allow a mere morsel of food to enter it, which will then result in a 2 hour long digestion period which means that I won't be able to sleep until midnight. 

It's a vicious cycle.

Oh pregnancy, why are you so frustrating?

he went quiet

And this is what I found...

     

my little king

I know everybody says that kids?  They grow up sooo fast.  And the funny thing about that statement is that some days it can seem like they have been babies forever.  Somedays I really do wonder if I will be wiping various body parts for the rest of my life.  Someone should invent some sort of automatic Chux dispenser that can strap onto your arm.  Sure would save A LOT of trips to the bathroom!

But now that my eldest has just turned 4 and my little boy is no longer a newborn....well I'm finding myself saying that yes!  They really do grow up fast.  I must have known this on some level because during bubba J's first days I found myself soaking up every last drop of his fresh goodness and loved the snuggly, milk-drenched exhausted bliss that I found myself in.

I realised after having survived J and R's early days that the newbornness?  GOES SO QUICKLY.  And it won't be long before they won't want to sleep peacefully in your arms for hours on end - they'll be off exploring.  Oh yes, I now have a new appreciation for those first 12 weeks.

And now my little boy is 10 months.  10 MONTHS.  I feel like it was last week that I left the hospital with him, en route to the shops before heading home with our new son.  J has been our most difficult baby so far but falling in love with this little man has been a profound experience to me.  There is something different about the love that a mother has for a son - I'm not sure how it's different, but it just is.  This little wiggling, dribbling, crying and weeing baby has my heart completely resting in his chubby little hands (that often smell like vegemite and ilovethatsomuchithurts).  And that amazes me. 

Just amazes me.

Grow my little king.  For one day you will rule a kingdom of many hearts and you need to be strong to battle for them each one.