Bean Mama

Baby Bean

2008-06-05T19:13:00.001-04:00

Bean loves looking at pictures, especially baby pictures - and most especially her OWN baby pictures. I have an album by my bed that she usually looks at while I'm getting dressed in the morning. She could look for hours, turning the pages calling out the names of the people in the photos.

Yesterday we were flipping through together, and I said, "Look how tiny you were! You started out very, very little, and you grew in Mommy's belly! Do you remember when you were very small, inside my belly?"

She crawled across the bed to where I was sitting and put her head against my stomach. "Back in? Back in, Mommy?"

Bounce-o-rama

2008-06-03T19:52:00.003-04:00

We attended an SPCA fund-raising event this past weekend, and, in addition to animal-related exhibits, they had tons of fun stuff for kids - face painting, clowns making balloon animals, and....a BOUNCY HOUSE.

Bean was so excited when she saw it that I said she was 2 (she is ALMOST there) so she could gain entrance... She bounced and laughed and bounced and laughed... I couldn't get her out. Hubby coaxed her out with ice cream bait once, but we made the mistake of letting her go back for another round. It was now well past nap time, and she was fading fast. Despite droopy eyelids and increasing clumsiness, she continued to jump and be tossed about by the other kids' bouncy aftershocks.

"OK, Bean, time to get out, please."

"Nooooo, Mumma! Bounce! Bounce!"

This went on for a while until, finally, the bouncy house attendant told her it was some one else's turn.

We thought we were done with the bouncing, until, over the monitor as she fell asleep, we heard her: "Bounce! Bounce! House! Bye-bye bounce. Bye-bye, bounce!"

And then the next morning, I opened her door and was greated with, "Hi Mumma! Bounce! Bounce!"

I think it's safe to say that we'll be renting a bouncy house for her birthday party this year...

Purple poo

2008-05-31T20:55:00.002-04:00

I recently got some new, blueberry-scented shampoo for Bean. The bottle is purple with the picture of a hippo on it, and she's developed a mild obsession with it, crying out several times a day:

Poooo! Purple poo! Pooo! Poooo! Purple poo! Purple poo poo! More poo!

Transcript 6

2008-05-29T17:29:00.001-04:00

Hubby left for work before Bean woke up this morning, but he made her a special toast-and-applesauce octopus sculpture before he left.

Bean, eating breakfast: Dad-dee? Dad-dee?
Me: Daddy's at work, honey.
Bean: Daddy workin'.
Me: Yup. But he made you this special toast before he left. Wasn't that nice?
Bean, examining her toast, a huge smile forming: Good girl, Dad-deeee!

OMG I'm a such a Nerm!

2008-02-26T06:00:00.002-05:00

What is this "Nerm," you ask? My sister's fiance and his friends created this word in high school to describe nerdy moms. I laughed when I first heard it, immediately flashing to a mental picture of such a woman. Little did I know then that I would one day become the ultimate nerm...

Let's count some of the ways in which I am nermified.

First: my friends and family are all-too-familiar with my trucker's mouth. However, not wanting to pass this nasty habit on to my Bean, I have tried to clean up my act. I regularly say things like:

Good gracious!

Whoa, Nelly!

Uh oh, spagettios!

You're a silly billy!

Geez, Louise!

Sometimes I slip a little, and have to recover, through gritted teeth:

FFFFFFFFFFFFF-u-u-unny dog....
Shhhhhhhhhhhhh-ugar!

And sometimes I really do slip and promise myself I'll try harder next time.

Anyway, I recently heard myself played back on a video that Hubby took saying "Good graaaaacious!" in my baby-talk voice and I realized what a dork I've become.

Other Nermy things of note:

I sing along to the piped-in music at the grocery store. Out loud. And I don't care who hears me.

I sang "Itsy Bitsy Spider" - complete with the accompanying hand movements - in front of a bunch of people I didn't know trying to get Bean to smile while having her pictures taken at Picture People (and anyone familiar with my trucker's mouth is also painfully aware of my inability to carry a tune, even one as simple as Itsy Bitsy). Technically, also, I think that patronizing said photo store in the first place already qualifies as supremely nermy.

The spot on my counter previously occupied by gin, vermouth, and Shiraz now has a lovely assortment of Juicy Juice, Organic Elmo crackers, and plastic sippy cups. (Those other things are still in my kitchen, of course - just not as readily accessible ;-)

I have crazy kids' music (Old MacDonald B-I-N-G-O, Ten in the Bed, etc.) playing at most times, much to the horror of my friends when they stop by for a visit ("Who ARE you?")

I have subscriptions to Parents magazine, Baby Talk, and Good Housekeeping (all of which are labeled "wicked dorky" by my co-workers)

I traded my 5-speed Beemer for a station wagon. (OK, it's a Passat, but a wagon nonetheless.)

The first thing I uploaded to my new iPod Touch was a Sesame Street video

Etc., etc., etc.

I'm not really lamenting my nerm status here - just a little surprised by it. Apparently, dorkiness creeps up on you.

The Half Monty

2008-02-19T19:27:00.001-05:00

Bean's favorite new trick is taking her pants off. Well, I suppose I shouldn't say off. She pulls them down around her ankles but can't get them over her slippers - so she just walks around with them like that, with this huge "Oh-my-gosh-I-can't-believe-how-clever-I-am!" grin on her face.

Apparently, she learned this at school from the-boy-who-always-takes-his-pants-off. When I dress her in jeans, she's fine, but those comfy elastic-waisted numbers just aren't cutting it these days.

Luckily, it's winter so she has a onesie on for extra insulation - otherwise I'm sure her diaper would be off too.

Mommy McVino

2008-02-17T13:58:00.005-05:00

Bean and I went to visit my sister and her fiance this weekend. As I came down the stairs into the kitchen, my sister said in a serious voice, "I'm really worried about you."

She turned and pointed to a wine glass she had just removed from the dishwasher. "When Bean saw me take that out, she pointed to it and said, 'Ma-ma!'"

We laughed about it, but I was secretly horrified.

That is, of course, until a few minutes later, when Bean saw Nanny McPhee on the TV and ran over to the screen, pointing and yelling, "Dah-deee! Dah-deee!"

How do I love thee?

2008-02-04T12:26:00.000-05:00

One truly does not know how much her parents love her until she too becomes a parent.

Thank you Mom; thank you Dad.

Symphony of toddlerese

2008-01-31T19:06:00.000-05:00

Alternate title: What did parents do before baby monitors?

I love my baby monitor. It gives me freedom to move around the house, watch TV - even sit out on the deck - and know that if Bean wakes up, I will be able to hear her.

Most of the time it's just her cute little snore broadcasting over the air waves. Of course there's the occasional late-night cry, but thankfully those are few and far between these days. When she wakes up in the morning, Hubby and I sit down with our coffees and laugh as she performs her A.M. monologue. It usually goes something like this:

Mum-ma! Mum-ma! And when that doesn't bring anyone to the door: Dah-dee! Dah-dee! Didda-didda-dididididida! Mum-ma!

Next she likes to throw her pacifier, which for some reason she has named "Mimi," out of her crib and thus out of her reach.

Uh-oooooh! Mimi! Mimi! Mimimimimmiiiiiii! Mum-ma-mum-ma-mum-ma-Dah-deeeeee! Uh-oh! Uuuuh-ooooooh?

She's not distressed - just chatting along to herself, cracking up laughing every now and then. I know I should go to her, but I'd rather sit and listen!

Play it by ear - UPDATE

2008-01-10T19:02:00.000-05:00

As I wrote in "Play it by ear," we've tried chiropractic treatments as an alternative to antibiotics for Bean's ear infections. I am happy to report that we visited her pediatrician today, and the double ear infection she had last week is gone after two gentle adjustments by Dr. B.!

Going forward, we'll go to the chiropractor for a quick adjustment when Bean has a cold, which is what usually precedes the ear infection, and this will, in theory, allow her Eustachian tubes to drain properly. It almost seems too simple to be true (read: why are peds pumping kids with antibiotics if such an easy, non-drug therapy is available?), but I've heard from so many people that this did the trick for their little one's ears. Only time will tell, but: so far so good.

Play it by ear...

2008-01-07T05:31:00.000-05:00

This winter, Bean has had several ear infections. Each time she gets a runny nose or cold, no matter how fleeting or mild, her Eustachian tubes fill with fluid and become infected. Her doctor says "five or six infections a year is normal, and after that, we consider tubes." I find it hard to accept that half-a-dozen painful infections is "normal," and I really want to avoid the possibility of tubes. Furthermore, I'm not comfortable giving my Bean course after course of antibiotics - especially when the last three doses seem to have had no effect.

I asked Bean's pediatrician if there was anything we could do to prevent the ear infections, and she replied, "If you find out, let me know. Some kids are just prone to them." She wasn't interested in discussing any alternate therapies.

So, I started asking around and heard from several moms who had great success with chiropractic treatments. The premise is that when the vertebrae in the cervical spine area are out of alignment (which can occur during birth, through the many falls and tumbles toddlers take as they're learning to walk, etc.), the Eustachian tubes cannot drain properly and therefore are prone to infection.

So, we made an appointment with a chiropractor in the area - Dr. B. - who was recommended by several of the people I spoke with. Now, when I think "chiropractor," I think "snap, crackle, pop," so I was interested to see what the he would recommend (no way I was having Bean's spine cracked).

After going through Bean's medical history, Dr. B. showed us on his plastic skeleton how misalignment causes pressure on the nerves that allow the Eustachian tubes to open, causing them to remain closed. Removing that pressure lets them open up and drain, and any infection is cleared. Accomplishing this requires exerting gentle pressure in the affected area: behind the ear where the skull meets the spine. He demonstrated the tool he would use on my finger: just a gentle pop. Then he adjusted Bean on both sides, gave her a "I love my chiropractor" sticker, and we were off. She was not bothered by the procedure at all and ate up all the attention and high-fives she received from the staff.

We have a few more treatments to complete. So far I haven't seen any of the tell-tale signs of an ear infections, and she does have a cold: so this will be a true test. I really hope this does the trick. If not, I'll be searching for some more alternative remedies while also working with her pediatrician.

Besides anecdotal evidence from the moms I talked to, this article discusses studies that have found chiropractic treatment of ear infections extremely effective. This is compared to the usual approach of using antibiotics, which are not always effective and can actually make children susceptible to more infections.

I will post an update on this issue soon.

Whoever designed my laptop obviously does not have kids

2007-12-13T15:43:00.000-05:00

WHY would one make the power button on an otherwise dull, black laptop key pad BIG, ROUND, SILVER, and SHINY?

At least once a day Bean is drawn to its sparkly siren song and MUST press it. Sometimes I think I've stopped her in time, but my screen betrays me with its "PREPARING TO HIBERNATE" message...and whatever I had been working on is gone.

Thanks, Sony.

Transcript 5

2007-12-04T19:46:00.000-05:00

8 AM Monday morning...

Hubby: How are you?

Me: Ugh. Bean was up four times last night, and I've been up since 5. I feel like a zombie.

Hubby: Well, you look pretty good for a zombie. You can eat my brain any time.

And then, under his breath, as he walked away: Though you probably wouldn't get much of a meal...

New words, continued...

2007-11-25T12:19:00.001-05:00

More words to add to Bean's Lexicon:

Blah: "Bless you," uttered nonchalantly after someone sneezes
Bah: bath or belly or back
Bahbaaaah: bye bye
Bah bun: belly button
Bub-bub: bubbles
Clicking sound: cookie/cracker
Dan-da: Santa
Daw: dog
Deuce: juice
Doo: door
Doost: toast
Duh: done
Huh: hat
Mahgramma: my grandma
Me: mine
Pee...PEE! (no translation needed)
Tee: teeth
Twos: toes
Wawa (making "w" on her chin with her fingers): Water
Wawa: waffle
Waaaah: walk

Bean, Bean the Drama Queen

2007-11-12T09:09:00.000-05:00

Lately Bean has been crying off and on when I put her down. For instance, when she wakes up in the morning, she wants to be held and held and held....but sometimes a momma has things to do! So the other day, I set her down, and she cried. I knew that once she distracted herself with a toy or a book she'd be fine. So I got to work on my laptop, watching her out of the corner of my eye. She stopped crying, got up, and walked past me and into the bathroom. She loves to open the drawers and play with the brushes and combs, so I didn't think much of it.

Seconds later, she emerged holding three squares of toilet paper, drying her tears.

It was the cutest thing I've ever seen - my little 15-month-old Bean, playing it up like Sarah Bernhardt.

Beanoween

2007-10-31T19:02:00.000-04:00

Isn't it funny how we force our toddlers into holidays like Halloween that they just don't get? Bean looked adorable in her kangaroo costume, of course, but she didn't get it. She wasn't into trick-or-treating, she doesn't eat candy (yet...), and the costume parade at her daycare just confused her and the other kids and created a lot of aggravation for the teachers.

But we parents had a blast! I guess Halloween is just for us for the first couple years...we live vicariously through our beans while we can.

And by "live vicariously" I mean "eat all her candy." Sigh.

"Bah" is for Bean

2007-10-21T20:24:00.000-04:00

Bean has been talking up a storm lately. Her first word, of course, was "Dada," followed soon after by "Mum-mum." Then she came out with "up." She stuck with those three words for quite a while. Not too long ago we realized that, though she may not say much yet, she actually understands most of what we say to her.

It's funny - you talk to your baby constantly: "Hi little Bean.....let's go get dressed...time to change your diaper....here's your breakfast....say hi to Daddy!" And most of the time it's a one way conversation. But then there comes a day when you say, "OK, lay down so Mommy can put on your jammies!" and she lays down. Or you say, "Do you want to go play outside?" and she gets very excited and high-tails it to the back door. It's also funny that she has selective hearing: she hears "Want to have a snack?" loud and clear, but somehow "Don't climb the stairs!" doesn't resonate.

Anyway, lately she's also been adding a lot of words to her vocabulary; this week I think she added a new word every day. Here's her current lexicon:

Bah-bah: bottle / sippy cup
Bah: ball / bowl / bath / bye / belly, depending on the context
Bah-na: banana
Bab: bib
Beh-beeee: baby

Cuh: car
Coo: school

Dah: duck
DuhDuh, daaaah: Daddy
Duh.....pah: diaper

Grrrrrr: truck (I guess that's the sound a truck makes? LOL)

Hi!

Ma: MooMoo (the dog) / more
Mum-mum: Mommy

Nack: snack
Nuh-nuh: Dinner

Puh: pig

Yeah, yeah!

Oh, and she LOVES to talk on the phone (unless of course there's actually someone on the other end, in which case she's struck mute).

Breastfeeding can save a mom's life

2007-10-20T13:27:00.000-04:00

I came upon Angela White's excellent blog recently: http://www.breastfeeding123.com/.

Of the many interesting posts, one really surprised me. It contained the quote below, which was sourced from a Cornell University fact sheet.

“Although there are a few studies that report a decrease in the risk of breast cancer after only three or more months of breast-feeding, the evidence for risk reduction becomes more consistent the longer women breast-feed. The most consistent evidence of a relationship between breast-feeding and the risk of breast cancer has been reported in studies of Chinese women who breast-fed for long periods of time. In these studies, women who breast-fed for a total of six years or more (all children combined) over the course of their lives had as much as a 63% decrease in breast cancer incidence compared to women who never breast-fed.”

I've blogged about the benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and child before, but I was alarmed by this particular statistic. 63% is a HUGE decrease.

Being that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I hope this information gets more (or even some?) play in the media. I hope it will drive more women to breastfeed and to breastfeed longer - because, on top of the myriad other benefits of breastfeeding to mom and baby, it could save a woman's life.

We have lift off.

2007-10-15T19:43:00.000-04:00

Figures! The very day I posted "Is she walking yet?" my little Bean took her first steps.

I realized afterwards that I always figured she'd first walk into my or her father's arms, urged on by our enthusiastic prompting, "C'mon, Bean! You can do it!" But not this girl! She had to do it all on her own.

She was hanging on to the couch with one hand and just took off toward her toy box. She didn't know I was watching her, and I don't think she realized what she was doing until she sat down about six steps later and I started clapping.

I was crying too, of course. Every time she reaches a milestone I pull out her baby album to reminisce for a while. Cripes, she's only 15 months old. What am I going to be like when she goes to kindergarten?

Anyway, she's been practicing her moves on and off since then, but she doesn't seem all that interested yet. I can hear the chorus of parents with older kids warning me: "Oh, just you wait!"

Sunday morning surprise

2007-10-15T13:30:00.000-04:00

When I brought Bean downstairs Sunday morning (she was up and running at 6....what happened to 7, Beanie???), there was a weird smell in the air. It was quite putrid...that "the dog really needs a bath" smell. I figured I'd have Hubs wash the dog when he got up.

I put some coffee on while Bean played on the kitchen floor.

"Man, that smell is awful. C'mere Bean, let's go wake daddy up so he can give your silly dog a bath."

And then I saw it. Dog pee, ALL OVER the kitchen floor. It was partially dry so I didn't see it until I was at the right angle. Yes, that's right, the same floor Bean had just been crawling around and playing on.

Thank god my husband always takes care of these dog emergencies. He washed the floor and bathed the dog (who did have a case of swamp ass on top of the accident) while I gave Bean a bath.

What a nice way to start a Sunday.

Is she walking yet?

2007-10-12T07:59:00.000-04:00

That's the question on everybody's lips now that Bean is 15 months old. The answer has remained the same since she turned a year old: Almost. She's been cruising around on the furniture for months now, and she'll even push a chair around the kitchen so she can get from end to the other while remaining upright.

Other than that, though, she's been quite content to crawl. This week, however, she's made some - ahem - new strides.

No longer resistant to the assisted walk, she'll now toddle around the house holding on to one of my or her daddy's fingers. And last night, she stood up from a sitting position without holding on to anything. She just stood there for a few seconds, then sat down again, pleased as punch with her accomplishment. Then, this morning, while standing up with the coffee table behind her, just in case, she made three steps into my arms.

Everyone always says, "Don't worry; she'll walk soon." I know she's on the late end of reaching this milestone, but I'm really not worried. She gets around quite efficiently now, and I know walking will just make her harder to catch. Plus I have these huge biceps from carrying her around everywhere... ;-)

Stay tuned: more updates to the walking chronicles to come...

Mom's Overture

2007-10-07T20:55:00.000-04:00

This is priceless!

Beanie bites

2007-10-06T20:38:00.000-04:00

I got the dreaded call from daycare this morning.

Daycare teacher: "Hi. Um... I just wanted to call to let you know that your Bean has bitten two kids this morning. If she bites again, she'll have to go home for the day."

Me: "Oh my!" I feigned feeling horrified, was a little embarrassed, but mostly wanted to laugh at the thought of that cute little bug bearing her fangs. "That's horrible. What can we do about it?"

DC: "Well, we told her 'no biting!' and then distracted her with a toy. It's a normal thing with toddlers, but we're required to call and let you know when this type of thing happens."

Me: "Are you sure she wasn't kissing her friends?" Because that's how she kisses: with her mouth wide open, engulfing your whole lip, eye ball, or nose in her drooly cuteness.

DC: "No, we checked; there were bite marks."

Damn!

This is the first time she's bitten....let's hope it's the last.

Honey, do

2007-10-03T21:35:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I attended a mead making class with a good friend. Since mead is wine made with honey and yeast, the instructor also provided a lot of background information about honey before we got started. I was surprised to learn that it is a good source of B vitamins and has antibacterial qualities: it has low water molecule transport properties and is highly acidic, preventing the growth of microorganisms. You can use honey on cuts or an an antiseptic gargle, and some posit that eating locally harvested honey helps prevent seasonal allergies.

Bean has been sick this week: poor little bug has two ear infections, conjunctivitis, and a dry cough. Her doctor prescribed an antibiotic for the infections, but does not recommend using over-the-counter cold medicines to ease symptoms such as runny nose and cough until she's much older. And, indeed, there has been a lot of information in the news lately about the dangers associated with giving these readily available cold meds to babies and young children.

So I decided to put honey to the test to help Bean's cough. I dissolved a teaspoon of the golden sticky goodness in lukewarm water, and she stopped coughing after a couple sips. And of course she liked the taste. My hubby had a sore throat, so I made him a gargle with honey, lemon juice, and water, and that gave him some relief, too.

It's good to have this natural, inexpensive, safe remedy in my mommy arsenal. (Please note: honey is NOT safe for children under one year of age.)

Personally, I became addicted to honey while reading Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees, eating it by the spoonful straight from the jar. Do all those good qualities counteract the calories??? Judging by the size of my...hive...I'd guess not. ;-)

Quote of the day

2007-08-24T08:18:00.000-04:00

From my hubby:

"Bean, that's not the kind of 'whine' that mommy likes."