We've been relatively lucky with regards to emergency visits so far (knock on wood). I know a ton of kids that get sick constantly, and Ava, thankfully, isn't one of them (thank you, extended breastfeeding!). Aside from one trip to the ER back in April for suspected heat sickness, we've been blessed - well, until yesterday, that is.
So many factors conspired together for this to have happened. I wasn't originally going to go to the library, but decided to so that the mom could sleep a bit since she wasn't feeling well. Also, Ava has been obsessed with "seat drops" lately in gymnastics, where she drops onto her bottom on the trampoline. Unfortunately, so much so, that she does the outside of class - sometimes, like yesterday, on the cement. Anyhow, here's what happened, and here's how to not repeat my mistakes.
We had just checked out some books and movies, and were leaving the library. R was at home napping with his sick mama, so I had Ava, the baby, and the oldest child. We were having a nice time, discussing trees and pollution and just going about our business. I had the baby carrier in one hand, and was holding Ava's hand with my other, while the oldest walked alongside of us, old enough to know he had to stick right by me when we cross the street. We were crossing the parking lot, and at the moment, in the middle of the street, Ava decided to seat drop. Just then, a car turned in the drive (it's a very busy city library), and so - stupidly, in retrospect - I attempted to pick up Ava with my one-hand, pulling on her right arm to try to get her out of the street as quickly as possibly. My other hand had the baby carrier, and I didn't want to set that down or lose sight of the oldest child, so many things were going on at once, and I just didn't think it through.
Seconds later, the crying started. Normally when something seems amiss with Ava, I don't rush her to the doctor. She's never had an ear infection, or anything like that, so frequently the doctor isn't the first thing I think of. In this case, though, I could just tell by her cry that something was horribly wrong, and my poor baby - who almost never cries and is insanely tough for a little one - was hysterical. When I tried to hand her her book to see if she'd take it with her right hand and she refused to move it, I knew we needed the doctor immediately. I called as we pulled out of the parking lot, and he got us in ASAP.
Once I dropped the kids off at home and navigated rush hour traffic to get there, the rest was a big, sad blur. Ava was hysterical, screaming and crying the ENTIRE drive, something completely unlike her, so I knew it was going to be bad. I was terrified her wrist was broken, and so I was really careful with it, especially when I had to get her undressed. Our pediatrician is amazing, and came right in to examine her. She just laid there under her blanket, crying but being so brave, while he checked it out, and thankfully it wasn't broken. Unfortunately, however, she had what he referred to as "nursemaid's elbow" - or, a dislocated elbow! She was completely unable to move her wrist or extend her arm, and he told me that he'd have to set it. Could I feel like a worse mother?
Thankfully, it was quick. While I'd be lying to say it wasn't the worst mommy moment in history (you know how on Grey's Anatomy when Callie sets a bone you flinch? It was THAT noise...ugh!), it was over before we had time to register, and - strangely but thankfully - the second he set it, she was fine. Crying stopped, she was able to use it and reach for things with it, and by the time we left, it was like it never had happened!
For me, though, it's another story. I felt SO insanely horrible. I didn't pull on her hard or anything, and the doctor explained that this is actually an injury he sees ALL THE TIME. It can happen while swinging your child between two parents or twirling them around in circles, and it happens in really young children because their joints and bones are still so pliable. While that helps defend them against broken bones, it does make a dislocation disproportionately easy. He said he sees this every couple of weeks or so (!!!), which made me feel like less of a terrible mother, but only slightly.
Today she's 100% fine. Between the doctor visit, the balloon, chocolate and McDonalds we plied her with after, and a good night's rest, it's like brand new. Mommy, however, is scarred for life!
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
November Phone Photo Dump.
One of Ava's favorite things to do currently is line all her animals up Noah's Ark style. While it was cute the first few times, it's not a total pain in my butt. If I had a dime for every time one animal fell over and caused a domino effect animal slaughter, subsequently triggering my daughter's new tendency towards histrionics, well, I could pay someone else to do this particular task for me.
Love this photo SO much. It so wonderfully captures Ava's personality!
Surrounded by boys, per usual. Daddy's going to have a heart attack.
Zingo!
Swinging!
Playing with the turtle statue while mama scopes out wedding stuff at Mayfield Park!
Mommy's little gymnast!
Love this photo SO much. It so wonderfully captures Ava's personality!
Surrounded by boys, per usual. Daddy's going to have a heart attack.
Zingo!
Swinging!
Playing with the turtle statue while mama scopes out wedding stuff at Mayfield Park!
Mommy's little gymnast!
Friday, December 2, 2011
Baby Friends.
As much as I complain about the stress that comes along with managing the lives of five separate children - and then my own child and my own household - each week, there are some major perks. Mainly, despite being an only child, Ava has no idea that she's not one in a family of many children. Check out the cuteness:
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Continuum Games Review and Giveaway!
The holidays are quickly approaching, and as such, I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to test out two great games from Continuum Games: Lumps, and Family Talk 2.
As you all know, my own daughter is a bit young for organized games, but luckily the older children that I nanny for are not, and had a blast playing with me while I tested out and reviewed them both.
First, we'll start with Lumps, as the holiday theme is appropriate to the time of year. To play Lumps, you gather the pieces of coal (dice) in your hands, give them a lucky shake and let them fly. The goal is to score the most points in three rolls by rolling pairs. What makes Lumps exciting is that there are four different types of dice and only a few of them have high numbers on them. After your first roll, you have to decide which dice to keep and which dice to roll again. Though the preschooler I watch found this game a bit complicated (as she should have - it's made for children 6+), she did pick up on the excitement, and I loved that I was able to make her feel included and modify the rules a bit to fit her developmental stage. The third-grader was far more capable of playing along, and particularly loved the little stocking that the game dice came in. For those who do not celebrate Christmas, or are interested in a less seasonal edition, Lumps comes in a year-round edition as well. This would make a great stocking stuffer for a school-aged child!
I also reviewed the game Family Talk 2. The game cards come on a portable key ring, great for traveling or taking in the car on those holiday road trips! The game is made for 2 or more players, ages 3+, though you'll likely be able to play longer and ask a wider range of questions with the older kiddos, who have the added benefit of being able to read the cards themselves.
The questions start off simple enough - such as "What is your favorite flavor of cake?" - and grow increasingly probing - for example, "Have you ever had a crisis of faith when your faith was tested?" While a lot of these questions could be great for school-aged children who are increasingly interested in their family members and history, the single best age group for this game seems to me to be tweens, who may be increasingly isolating themselves from their families and need conversation starters. Whatever age your child is though, learning more about each other as a family is sure to be a wonderful experience!
Both Lumps the Elf Coal game and Family Talk 2 are available at Hallmark Gold Crown stores, Books-A-Million,
Go! Games and 100s of specialty toy stores in the US, as well as on Continuum Games' website.
Now, thanks to Continuum Games, you all have the opportunity to win copies of these games for yourself!
As a mandatory entry, hop on over to Continuum Games website and leave me a comment letting me know what your favorite product/game on their site is! Also, make sure you're following me on Google Friend Connect :) That's it!
For additional entries (one entry per action - leave a separate comment for each!):
"Like" Continuum Games' Facebook page
Follow Continuum Games on Twitter
Follow me on Twitter
Tweet about the giveaway with the following text: Enter to win two Continuum Games on @unexpexpectbaby blog http://bit.ly/vbnsui (maximum of once per day)
Good luck, and happy gaming!`
*Disclosure: For the purposes of this review and giveaway, I was provided with both games free of charge. The opinions expressed, however, are entirely my own.
As you all know, my own daughter is a bit young for organized games, but luckily the older children that I nanny for are not, and had a blast playing with me while I tested out and reviewed them both.
First, we'll start with Lumps, as the holiday theme is appropriate to the time of year. To play Lumps, you gather the pieces of coal (dice) in your hands, give them a lucky shake and let them fly. The goal is to score the most points in three rolls by rolling pairs. What makes Lumps exciting is that there are four different types of dice and only a few of them have high numbers on them. After your first roll, you have to decide which dice to keep and which dice to roll again. Though the preschooler I watch found this game a bit complicated (as she should have - it's made for children 6+), she did pick up on the excitement, and I loved that I was able to make her feel included and modify the rules a bit to fit her developmental stage. The third-grader was far more capable of playing along, and particularly loved the little stocking that the game dice came in. For those who do not celebrate Christmas, or are interested in a less seasonal edition, Lumps comes in a year-round edition as well. This would make a great stocking stuffer for a school-aged child!
I also reviewed the game Family Talk 2. The game cards come on a portable key ring, great for traveling or taking in the car on those holiday road trips! The game is made for 2 or more players, ages 3+, though you'll likely be able to play longer and ask a wider range of questions with the older kiddos, who have the added benefit of being able to read the cards themselves.
The questions start off simple enough - such as "What is your favorite flavor of cake?" - and grow increasingly probing - for example, "Have you ever had a crisis of faith when your faith was tested?" While a lot of these questions could be great for school-aged children who are increasingly interested in their family members and history, the single best age group for this game seems to me to be tweens, who may be increasingly isolating themselves from their families and need conversation starters. Whatever age your child is though, learning more about each other as a family is sure to be a wonderful experience!
Both Lumps the Elf Coal game and Family Talk 2 are available at Hallmark Gold Crown stores, Books-A-Million,
Go! Games and 100s of specialty toy stores in the US, as well as on Continuum Games' website.
Now, thanks to Continuum Games, you all have the opportunity to win copies of these games for yourself!
As a mandatory entry, hop on over to Continuum Games website and leave me a comment letting me know what your favorite product/game on their site is! Also, make sure you're following me on Google Friend Connect :) That's it!
For additional entries (one entry per action - leave a separate comment for each!):
"Like" Continuum Games' Facebook page
Follow Continuum Games on Twitter
Follow me on Twitter
Tweet about the giveaway with the following text: Enter to win two Continuum Games on @unexpexpectbaby blog http://bit.ly/vbnsui (maximum of once per day)
Good luck, and happy gaming!`
*Disclosure: For the purposes of this review and giveaway, I was provided with both games free of charge. The opinions expressed, however, are entirely my own.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Wordless Black Friday: Merry Christmas, Ava!
This is technically her Christmas and birthday present, but David's dad had to help him put it together, and they won't be back before Christmas. This bad boy right here? Took the two (sometimes three, when David's brother was still here yesterday) guys about 14 hours total! I'm so thankful for my fiancé - he's the best father ever :D
As for what Ava thinks of it, she keeps climbing up the ladder and then jumping up and down, yelling, "Happy! Happy!" I think she likes it!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Thanksgayving: My Favorite "Holiday"
First and foremost, before I get into a picture post about my favorite event of the year, I just wanted to say thank you to all the lovely ladies that made me feel so much better after my last meltdown post! Knowing I'm not alone in being overwhelmed and occasionally short on patience makes me feel much better :)
OK, now moving on to the fun stuff!
As I've mentioned the past two years (2009, 2010), I'm involved in an annual Thanksgiving potluck that functions as both a major party and a charitable event. It may come as no surprise even if you don't know me well, but I have always been and will always be a friend to the gays. In fact, prior to David, my friends consisted of 99% gay men, but now we're just getting off topic.
Anyhow.
Each year ten of us come together to host a huge (over 800 invites went out this year, with about 450 attendees!) party at a bar downtown, where everyone brings a dish, participates in a silent auction (botox, anyone?), and brings canned food and other items to donate to those in need. I am so, so, so incredibly blessed to have such generous and wonderful friends, and look forward to this event more than almost anything else about the holiday season (well, aside from A's birthday and Christmas moments for her!). I should mention that unfortunately this year David and Ava stayed home, and though I was disappointed, I totally understand why he wouldn't want to spend the afternoon/evening wrangling her in a bar packed to the brim!
Without further adieu, here are pictures from this year's shindig (I should note that we hired a professional photographer this year, and so my pics were few in comparison. I'll post those when we get the images!):
This year the location changed, as the bar moved to a bigger space, so I made sure to get a good rooftop shot:
Most hosts, some others:
Ava's godfather and me:
One of my very best friends:
One of the best parts of Thanksgayving is that it brings in out-of-towners I only see this one day a year!
Young Folks:
So very many things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, starting with amazing friends and family! Happy Thanksgayving, y'all!
OK, now moving on to the fun stuff!
As I've mentioned the past two years (2009, 2010), I'm involved in an annual Thanksgiving potluck that functions as both a major party and a charitable event. It may come as no surprise even if you don't know me well, but I have always been and will always be a friend to the gays. In fact, prior to David, my friends consisted of 99% gay men, but now we're just getting off topic.
Anyhow.
Each year ten of us come together to host a huge (over 800 invites went out this year, with about 450 attendees!) party at a bar downtown, where everyone brings a dish, participates in a silent auction (botox, anyone?), and brings canned food and other items to donate to those in need. I am so, so, so incredibly blessed to have such generous and wonderful friends, and look forward to this event more than almost anything else about the holiday season (well, aside from A's birthday and Christmas moments for her!). I should mention that unfortunately this year David and Ava stayed home, and though I was disappointed, I totally understand why he wouldn't want to spend the afternoon/evening wrangling her in a bar packed to the brim!
Without further adieu, here are pictures from this year's shindig (I should note that we hired a professional photographer this year, and so my pics were few in comparison. I'll post those when we get the images!):
This year the location changed, as the bar moved to a bigger space, so I made sure to get a good rooftop shot:
Most hosts, some others:
Ava's godfather and me:
One of my very best friends:
One of the best parts of Thanksgayving is that it brings in out-of-towners I only see this one day a year!
Young Folks:
So very many things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, starting with amazing friends and family! Happy Thanksgayving, y'all!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Date Nights!
Y'all. I have had reason to throw on a dress, put on heels and curl my hair FOUR times in the past week and a half. And while one was for a bachelorette party with the ladies, the other three were for nights out (twice at weddings) with David! Hallelujah!
Proof that I spend time with someone other than Ava:
*Sorry, Ava, that you inherited mommy's tendency for your hair to curl and react to humidity, as indicated in that last picture :/
Proof that I spend time with someone other than Ava:
*Sorry, Ava, that you inherited mommy's tendency for your hair to curl and react to humidity, as indicated in that last picture :/
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