Zooday Hooray 1-2-3

I took Ella to the zoo yesterday, even though it was sweltering hot. And she threw a fit when I got her ready.

Apparently the tantrums are starting. She’s been getting extremely furious when I go to change her outfit. I don’t know why. It used to be so quick and painless. She’d just put her little arms up in the air and off her shirt would go and on with the new one. Now she acts like she’s an abused child. She actually threw herself on the ground on her tummy and banged her fists on the ground. It was like out of a cartoon. And I just was putting shorts and a t-shirt on her. It wasn’t like I was trying to get her to wear a wool sweater and leather pants or anything uncomfortable like that. Geez.

She also was a little mad when I put her in the car. So this makes me wonder. Is she associating getting dressed with me taking her to the sitter’s? Not that she doesn’t have a great time at the sitter’s. I really think she does. But maybe she doesn’t feel like going. I don’t know.

Anyway, we got to the zoo yesterday and she was mad again when I went to put her in her stroller. What is going on? I thought. I worried the trip was a mistake. But I got moving and she was pretty pleased when I handed her a box of raisins. And as soon as we started seeing animals, life was good.

She just pointed and stared at every animal. A few times she said “dog.” “Nope, that’s not a dog. That’s a monkey.” I would tell her. Or “That’s not a dog. That’s a bird.” OK, she isn’t perfect at her animal identification skills just yet.

After about an hour and 1/2 I was tired and she was yawning, so we made one final stop, at the fountain. It’s more of a wading pool. And some really prepared parents with older kids were letting them play in it in their swim suits they had brought. Well, I didn’t think about this option. And honestly with her changing fits I’m not sure I would have brought her suit anyways. But after seeing some other little tots in their diapers I figured why not. So, I pulled off her shorts and let her play in the water in her diaper and shirt. She loved it. There are little spurts of water that come up and little animal sculptures in the water. And she loves watching other kids play.

This went on for awhile. I finally decided it was time to head home. And boy, she did not want to go. I struggled getting her in the stroller.

Then I changed her diaper in the car. In the heat. And it was not a good diaper to change in the heat, or in the back of a car. So I decided not to fight the getting dressed battle even though we did have a spare outfit in the car. So, I took my little girl home in just her diaper. And she went right to bed when we got home. Ah zoo day.

And now I can’t get one of her books out of my head that goes Zoo Day Hooray 1-2-3 ….

No time for writing

Ella’s in bed and I think I need to spend some quality time with my couch right now. But I will leave you with a few photos of our weekend activities …

Ella’s first watermelon. She loves it.

Sand box is in business. Now if I can just find time to make a cover to keep the cats out …

And of course, there was lots of laundry.

Little people

Generally I don’t think of kids as little versions of us. I mean, how many of us think we’re a little version of our mom or dad? We may have some similarities or the same tastes and even look alike, but we’re all our individual selves.

Sometimes though, it’s so easy to see kids as being little replicas of their parents. My little neice is the head honcho when she gets around kids smaller than her. And from pictures ( I don’t have a good memory, remember?) I know the same was true with my sister. She was the head of our play gymnastics squad, our teacher when we played school and she even married my brother and I once in a little but, lovely wedding ceremony.

So tonight when all the cousins were enjoying a bag of cookies, it was no surprise that London ended up with the whole bag, then dispersed them as needed.

Meanwhile little Finn was so easygoing, just playing, and kinda quiet. A lot like his dad. And then there’s Grant. He’s a riot, always saying funny stuff, and there’s usually flashing involved. Yep, a lot like my brother. Sorry family, for exploiting you for writing material.

It’s funny too how much they copy you and do anything you do or say too. I can’t even sweep anymore without having an extra broom available for my sidekick.

I also forget that 3-year-olds are going to question or call you out on anything you say, so you have to be prepared. Tonight I couldn’t get the portable DVD player to work, and I said “guess I need to call in the big guns, Steve.” (My husband is more of the technical one here.) Grant said “What big guns?” “Why do you need a big gun?” London chimed in “I want to watch big guns.” Oops. Guess I taught them a new phrase.

So, yeah, our little minis are learning to be just like us. I hope tomorrow ours picks up our ability to sleep late.

Guess who loves their nebulizer?

That’s right, Ella loves her breathing machine the doctor prescribed for her chest cold. It’s called a nebulizer. Much like hand and foot disease the nebulizer is just another bizarre thing that exists in this parallel universe where people with children live. Who knew?

Well apparently everyone with kids or grandkids. When I called my babysitter to tell her Ella was doing breathing treatments, she said “Oh yeah, we own a nebulizer.” Hmm. Another woman at work said, “Oh yeah, my son had to be on one of those for six months.” My mom also said she owns one too, adding that we could have it if we want it. Will I need a nebulizer again? The doctor actually sent us home with a machine that we rent from another company. But she suggested we ask them how much it is to buy, because she didn’t think they were very costly and insurance might cover it. But, again, this thing I’ve never heard of – do I suddenly need to own one now? It’s all very strange.

Anyway, when they brought this machine in with a gas mask looking attachment, I got a little bit worried. And sure enough, Ella screamed and cried when we put it on her. It makes sorta a low-pitched loud humming noise and steam rolls out of the mask. No wonder Ella’s scared as we cover her mouth and nose with it. The doctor assured us though that even if she’s crying she’s actually getting more of the medicine in, so all the better. But what about the emotional torture, I wondered. And she told us we need to do it THREE times a day.

So this morning I wasn’t looking forward to our first breathing treatment. I decided I needed to make a really nice atmosphere for us and the nebulizer. So, I got Ella’s blankie, turned on Ratatouille in her bedroom (yes, she’s got a TV in her room, it was really for me, for all those long nights of breastfeeding) and held her in her rocking chair. At first, she started crying again. So, I kept putting it over my face – the most sure way to get her to do anything. And sure enough, she let me put it on her face. And suddenly like something just washed over her, she just relaxed. We sat their for 4 or 5 minutes and she just breathed in the medicine and watched her movie. I was so glad. And after we stopped she investigated the machine for a minute, pulling out the cord and playing with the mask. She’s really interested in this new device.

And she was really improving over the course of the day. She sounds so much better than yesterday. Her second breathing treatment wasn’t as perfect, but she took in most of the medicine. And we’ll do another round tonight. I think she’s going to be all better tomorrow. I think I may just buy that nebulizer.