Episode 13: What a Disaster!

So, we had a super eventful week here two weeks ago. Two (almost three) natural disasters in four days! The Big Man was out of town Monday-Friday, so it was just me and the Little Man weathering two of the storms.

First was Tuesday. I was just chilling out, watching DVR while the Little Man was up in his crib. He wasn't sleeping (but I had left him up there for about an hour, just to have some quiet resting time). I heard a truck go by, but it got really loud. For a minute, I thought a bulldozer was going to crash through our wall. When the noise didn't die down, and the floor started shaking, I knew something was seriously wrong, and figured we were having an earthquake. Immediately, I was panicking. Thoughts rushed through my head at a million miles an hour: LM's upstairs! Should I get myself to safety and get him later (thoughts of "put your own mask on first, then put the mask on the child" were happening here)? But, if the house falls, he's not going to make it up there by himself, and he doesn't even have a chance, since he can't get out of his crib on his own. I ran up the stairs (I didn't know I could move that fast), all the while thinking, if this keeps getting worse at this rate, I won't have time to make it to safety with him. I don't think I was ever so scared as I was at that moment. I rushed into his room, plucked him from the crib and started back down the stairs, saying "It's OK, we're OK, you're OK, it's OK." By the time I got down the stairs, I realized that it was over, and tried to switch on the news. I was shaking so much I could hardly hold the remote. Then, no one was talking about what just happened! It was a good 10 minutes before the news coverage started. After watching for a while and no one telling me to seek shelter or evacuate or anything (I've never been in an earthquake, I didn't know what to do), I finally put the Little Man down to play. I texted my mom, who is famous for her caution about severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, and told her that, with all of the natural disasters she had prepared me for, she had never prepared me for an earthquake! Then I started to cry. Really slightly scary crying, just releasing all this energy and fear. I was pretty hysterical. Poor LM, he was freaked out that I was crying, and he started crying, too! He kept telling me "V-voom, v-voom" (he was trying to show me a truck in a book). I just cuddled him and tried to calm down, and we had a few minutes of snuggles. This was followed by several hours of texting Big Man, my mom, and my neighbor. Assuring everyone we were OK, asking if they were, too. I really wanted to TALK to someone, but of course all the cell signals were too jammed. It's probably better that I had to wait, since I didn't just bawl on the phone!

So, Wednesday, as a return to some sort of normalcy, Little Man and I went out to lunch with a friend of ours who works from home. We had our neighbors over for dinner that night, too.

Thursday, there was lots of rain coming in the evening. There was a tornado warning for the county just south of us, and the sky here was getting all yellowy-green, which I knew couldn't be a good sign. I started to panic a bit, so I packed up two bags of supplies in case the Little Man and I needed to go to the basement. One bag of stuff that was in the pantry and could go right into the emergency bag (because you can't carry a bunch of stuff with a baby, and because what if I didn't have time to make two trips), and one bag of stuff to leave in the fridge until the last moment. I was even going to pack ice packs to throw into the cooler downstairs for a makeshift fridge. Luckily, nothing happened, but after Tuesday's insanity, I was overly cautious (or just cautious enough, if you ask my mom).

After chatting on the phone with the Big Man on Thursday night, I realized that we should stock up on some supplies for the impending hurricane coming that weekend. Being a housewife, I don't get much chance to watch adult news. I had heard a little about the hurricane coming, but like many hurricanes before, I figured it would just be a lot of rain, nothing to worry about, and no need to be one of the crazies at the grocery store stocking up on toilet paper, milk and eggs (besides which, LM can't have milk or eggs anyway, so they're not really a good option for food stores at the moment). So I went out and got 4 gallons of water (far less than the 9 gallons recommended), and a bunch of fruit, bread, and almond milk. The wind started first, on Saturday morning, and the rest of the day was spent inside a deluge. It was a little unreal. I felt like I was inside a dollhouse or something, pressing my nose to the sliding glass door to try to see what was going on outside. I think I will only ever remember the hurricane in little rectangles of the landscape that I can see from my windows.

We moved the Little Man into our bedroom in his Pack 'n' Play for the night, as the Big Man and I were both too worried about leaving him upstairs all alone (our house has the Master BR on the first floor, and the other bedrooms on the second). LM was excited to have a special sleepover in Mommy and Daddy's room. At about 10:45, our power went out for about half an hour, which was no biggie, except that we could see the big green flashes from where the tree must have fallen on the power lines. At about (I think) 4 AM or so, there was a big noise, and more explosion flashes from down the street and we lost power again. Big Man couldn't sleep, so he stationed himself in the basement to monitor the situation.We got a few inches of water, mostly because the power outage caused the sump pump to stop working. One big casualty was that all of our outgrown baby clothes were in diaper boxes on the floor, so they all got wet. I spent the next week washing and refolding baby clothes (and putting them into our newly-acquired plastic storage bins), so I think I saved almost everything. We lost one top and two pairs of pants that had stained, but that I wasn't so attached to I had to really try HARD to save.

We laid everything that got wet out on the patio after the rains had stopped, but forgot to bring the outdoor furniture cushions back in before the next few days' deluge, so they all got soaked anyway. They're dry now, and seem to be OK. They've held up pretty well after being left out in previous rains.

Have any of you had an experience that was really scarier than you expected? Have you ever really thought you might not make it out? Have you ever had as many as 2 1/2 natural disasters in a week's time?

Episode 12: Girls, Girls, Girls!

So, everyone who knows me knows that I am a pretty girly girl. I love shopping, I luurve pink, and have a (fairly) extensive collection of shoes. So it may be no surprise that when I was pregnant I was hoping to have a girl. Somehow I sort of knew it would be a boy even before we got the ultrasound. Partly because of our strange family history with firstborn genders, but also some sort of weird feeling.

When I first found out that Billy was a boy, I was pretty disappointed. Now I know as a mother, I should just be grateful that he was healthy. And for the most part, I was happy that there were no defects we could detect at that point, but a part of me grieved a bit for the girl I wasn't going to have. Mostly, I think I grieved for myself and the fact that, with a son, I would be unable to (or at least made a social pariah if I did) buy any of the adorable pink items available for babies. No pink stroller, no pink high chair, pack-n-play, nursery, diaper bag, no adorable dresses and ruffly diaper covers. Not to mention the shoes!! And even now, I miss not being able to buy the cute, pink, frilly dresses available for girls.

It also seems that there are far more options for girls clothes than for boys. There are aisles and aisles of girls' clothes in Babies 'R' Us, or even Target, with only one or two aisles of boys' clothes. Not to mention the fact that I am, generally speaking, not a big fan of clothes that say things. I don't like baby or kid clothes that say "I'm the Boss!" or "MVP" or even the girl versions "Here Comes Trouble" and "I'm the Cutest!" I don't like the idea that people are characterizing their children as troublemakers before their attitudes even become apparent. I also hate the idea that the parents all kowtow to their children forever, I wasn't the boss when I was a kid, and I certainly don't intend for my children to wield unquestioned power in our household. And the girls versions over-emphasize cuteness, starting a lifelong complex that a girl's most important asset is her looks. Also, I still don't quite understand why all of the clothes are Daddy/Daughter or Mommy/Son themed. Can't fathers love their sons? Can't mothers love their daughters? What about little girls whose mothers are single parents? Can't those girls be Mommy's Little Princess?

It also seems as though there are lots more options for girls' clothes that do not have these sayings on them. Lots of girls tops and dresses are just colors, or patterns. It's harder to find boys' clothes like that. For example, if you go to the Carter's website, and click on "Tops" under girls' clothes, there is a category right on the first page for "fashion tops." Boys do have a "polo & shirt" category, but 4 of the 6 polo shirts say something on them, and all of the shirts are plaid. What, is my son 65 already? This problem is what has started my love affair with Old Navy for boys' clothes. ON has tons of baby and toddler boys' clothes that look like adult clothes, just tiny!

But, today, I was reminded of why I should be glad that my first child is a boy. On the Today Show this morning, was a story about a French company that has started selling "loungerie" - lingerie for girls aged 4-12!! (You can see the story here) I was amazed at the photos that were taken to advertise the products. They are truly inappropriate. I can understand that for a girl closer to 12, she may be developing, and she may want a fancy bra and/or panties. I get that. And, I don't really have a problem with the general idea of making pretty panties for little girls. However, the ad photos seriously cross the line!

I am sort of glad that Billy is a boy, because I have a little more time (hopefully) to figure out how to address this early sexualization of little girls with my own daughters. I think we have been pushing the line for so long, with shows like Hannah Montana and iCarly. The shows themselves are fine, and while they don't contain any swearing or sex, they have many storylines about boys - kissing boys, liking boys, trying to get the attention of a particular boy. That's fine for girls that are the same age as the main characters, junior high or middle school age. But, I never really thought that they were appropriate viewing for 5, 6, 7, 8 year old girls, yet these girls make up much of the fan base. Whatever happened to shopping at Claire's and watching cartoons? I don't think we had any of these shows, except for Clarissa Explains It All and Swans Crossing (a kiddie soap opera). Maybe I just wasn't into those shows, or I wasn't allowed to watch them.

What do you think about "loungerie?" How about the increased sexualization of women and girls earlier and earlier? For my followers with daughters, how did you talk about this, or how do you plan to do so?

Episode 11: Eat, Pap, EAT! - Part 4 - Final Installment!

So, here it is, the conclusion to our saga. Enjoy!

Episode 10: Eat, Papa, EAT! - Part 3

*I am a terrible blogger. Here is Part 3, much delayed.*

We got an appointment to see Dr. Wood – the head of the pediatric allergy division at Johns Hopkins. Well, that at least made me feel better. I mean, that’s the guy you want to see. Our appointment was on February 1.

Episode 9: Eat, Papa, EAT! - Part 2

Finally, on November 30, we went to KKI for the first time. We met with several experts at the same time: a nurse practitioner, a nutritionist, a behavioral therapist, and a speech and occupational therapist. We provided a detailed history, and then it was time to watch LM eat! We brought several of his favorite foods, and some puree as well. LM did his thing, chewing and spitting like there was no tomorrow. Both the behavioral and speech therapists were surprised that LM was so excited to eat, but just wasn’t swallowing. After his meal, the team met with one another to discuss their findings before giving us their recommendations. When the team came back, they were baffled that LM was so interested in eating. They had expected him to present more like some autistic children who do not want anything near or in their mouths, so they were surprised that he was so excited to eat and chew, but just didn’t swallow. The team wanted LM to have an upper endoscopy done to be sure that there were no obstructions before KKI started a treatment program. They didn’t want to be forcing food down his throat if it would hurt him. They said that they usually try an Upper GI first, but that it might be difficult to get him to swallow the barium solution because he never took a bottle, and wasn’t doing very well with the sippy cup at the time, either. We were referred to the gastroenterologist. The KKI team also advised that we start working on giving LM puree on a spoon, as that would be how they would start treatment. They suggested that we try giving him foods he liked on a spoon, to get him used to the spoon before trying purees again. 

Episode 8: Eat, Papa, EAT!! - Part 1

So, the Little Man has been, generally, a very easy baby (knock wood that that continues). He sleeps great, he doesn’t fuss a lot, he naps great (now), and he is really very happy. But we have had one problem – food. While this has caused me much distress, I have to believe that there’s a reason this happened to me. Maybe I am destined to help someone else going through something similar, or maybe every kid has something that drives their parents crazy. Either way, I have decided it’s time to try to write down our food journey up to now. That way, I can remember what happened if I need to again, and also so that I can share this with any other readers or parents who are going through something like we did, well, are. This is the first in a long series of posts about my son’s eating difficulties. They have been going on for a little over a year now, and I feel like things are finally being resolved. I hope that you all aren’t too bored by my story, and I hope that if you are going through something similar, that this gives you some help and hope.

Episode 7: Requiem for a Cosplayer

So, I have realized that this year's Otakon is imminent. For those of you who don't know what Otakon is, it is a convention celebrating Japanese animation, video games, and Japanese and Asian culture in general. I have been attending Otakon (thanks to the recommendation of my best friend, Lilaenne) off and on for about nine years, and it is more fun every year! There are a lot of video rooms playing anime series and live-action movies, there are informational and discussion panels run by both fans and industry experts, there are appearances and autograph signings by celebrities from the anime/manga world, there is a rave (crazy techno dance-thing that I've never gone to), there's a video game room, and, of course, shopping!!

One other important aspect of Otakon, for many people, is cosplaying. Cosplay is a made-up word combining costume and play, and for most folks basically means dressing up in costume. Technically, I believe cosplay is when one dresses as a character and pretends to be that character all day, interacting with everyone as the character she is dressed as. But, I find that most people just dress up and act like themselves (unless someone takes a picture, at which point, you must strike a character-appropriate pose). I have done several cosplays in my time, and cosplaying used to be an integral part of the convention for me every year. However, with the arrival of the little man, I seem to have less time and money for cosplaying than I used to. I really miss it! I miss the planning and the excitement of starting a project. I miss the strategizing sessions - "well, I could use this for that piece, I could buy those, and I could cut this pattern here and here to make that other part."

Nowadays, I just settle for wearing my counter-culture T-shirts and crazy hairpieces at Otakon. I'd like to get something cute for the little man to wear, but I can't seem to find many video game or anime inspired shirts for babes and toddlers. At least, not anything affordable. Even Etsy failed me here, with a few shirts running close to $30 (gasp!). I never see any at Otakon, and I always wonder why. It's definitely a business with a potential for growth, since your customers are going to outgrow their purchases, seemingly within minutes! I should start my own business. Maybe in time for next year....

In the meantime, I have to think about what to do. I think I'm going to get some plain onesies or t-shirts and do some cross stitch pixelated characters. Again, I'm stealing from Lilaenne, whose husband is making some cross stitched pieces for the Art Auction this year. Now, I just have to remember how to work with waste canvas. I remember how to put the stuff on the shirt, but I think there was another step to seal the back of the work so the shirt could be washed. Was it iron-on interfacing?

I really miss costuming, not just for Otakon, but also our great Halloween costumes. It seems that the days of making awesome Janice and Dr. Teeth, Melissa and Coach McGuirk costumes are gone. I also don't have the time or money for the next Renn Faire costume I was planning - some sort of gypsy thing that wouldn't be so cotton-picking HOT all day. Plus, it's really hard to find costumes appropriate for a group of 3 people. I guess we'll have to have another baby, so we can unlock the world of 4-person groups.

Anyone out there that was a big costumer before having children? Did you keep it up after the baby was born? Did it take some time to get back into costuming? How did you find the time (and the money)?  What do you all think about baby and/or maternity video game or anime shirts?