Boring Asthma Update - part 3

Good news for the moment. We saw the family dr yesterday and she says that Seb's lungs are clear. So she is hoping that he will only have cold-triggered asthma. So the next time he gets a cold, start the meds on day 1, take him to the dr on day 3 to check in, and keep our fringers crossed.

He carries his rescue puffer at all times, as we are not sure what else might trigger it. He can take up to 4 puffs/ week and still not have to go on a controller drug. So we will wait and see.

He is pleased with that (though he really liked doing the puffer), but even more tickled at the fact that he had a dry night last night. We have told him that it has to be a whole week before we take the "nightie-night" off for good.

we love our - part 2

park. Duffin Grove is about 12 mins children's pace from our house. It is great. It is known as one of the best, community parks in the city. We do have a park closer and it's fine in a pinch, but it - and pretty much everything - pales next to DGP.

There is the year-round organic farmers' market, the community bread ovens, the communal garden, the papier mache public arts puppet theatre group (look out for Hallowe'en posts to come), speakers series, healthy snack bar, playing fields, dog run, etc. In winter, there is the free outdoor skating rink and the cheap rental of skates, helmet, and stabilising chair to push along.

But what we love most is the playground, sand pit and wading pool. I didn't get any shots of the latter but it is simple, communal (i.e. shared toys), safe (shallow and lifeguarded), and shady. In fact, the whole play area is very shady. The play equipment is rugged wood and comes in various shapes and sizes. It is often crowded but not painfully so. It's a younger child area (under 8) but that transition is 3+ years away.

However, the sand pit is the favourite of Seb's and I can understand why. It is just sand and logs and a water spiggot and shovels galore. It can be everything and anything and there is always other kids to imagine with or space to go off alone. Plus, did I mention the real shovels?

My goal was to have a playground pal by the end of the summer. I think I have one in Lucie - a Franco-Ontarian teacher with a 16 month old Alexandre. We see each other most days, plus there are a handful of people I can smile at as I see them at Dewson School on a regular basis.

Sleeping arrangements

I'm not sure how it happened but on Thursday night, Seb asked if Sophie could sleep in his bed. Since this is my ultimate goal for 2009-2010, I was game. Sophie hates being put into her cot awake and throws out every single thing that it contains in RAGE. So she wanted to get into Seb's big kid bed and she did - all through the night, no problem.

Only problem was getting them to sleep. They talked, fought over who knows what, read books together, hogged blankets, got up for drinks and more books, argued some more about who got to hold Brad doll, etc etc etc. It was past 9.30 before it got quiet... Seb does wake up first, and sharing a bed, he woke up Sophie too.

But the next night they wanted to do it again. It took the same amount of time for them to fall asleep. This time, I moved young miss to her cot, so she could sleep in a bit in the morning.

But last night, we said no. They just aren't ready and are missing out on much-needed sleep. So Sophie raged and pointed indignantly at her brother's bed. Seb was a great big brother and ran interference (don't shoot the messanger, Soph, but mum and dad say that we can't have juice after we brush our teeth... What book do you want, sis? ... You want all the toys that you flung out in rage???).

So we are back to separate beds, Sophie sleeping a little longer, and still very late fall-asleep times.

How fast they grow!

At Riverdale Farm you can measure yourself in hands - like a horse. It turns out that in our groups of boys, we had a 9 hander, a 10 hander (Seb) and an 11 hander. Sophie was a 7 1/2. So they are all still ponies but growing ones.

The desert boots Seb is wearing fit in May but rubbed his toes all Friday afternoon-long (and it was long on my ears). So he is a size 10 now. You can see his new brown shoes in other photos of this weekend; he refers to them as horse shoes.

Being measured is an important moment for children. Look at how serious my two are! Looks like I will have ponies - and not horses - for some time to come.

Our busy 3-day weekend

Friday was a "PD Day" - you know, the day that strikes terror into working parents whose children do not go to daycare - i.e. you have to figure out what to do with your schoolaged children. Do you take the day off work - if you can get it, given that many of your colleagues want the day too? Do you ask a friend/relative to keep the kids? Do you "work from home" and let the children watch far too much tv?

Fortunately, we - let's face it, I - don't (yet) have that dilemma. So on Friday we sallied off to Riverdale Farm. Just hop on the College streetcar and ride it all the way across town. We met up with some friends and then bumped into one of Seb's classmates that we know well! On the way back, we walked past a delicious-looking catering store-front. And so, the carnivores in our family had boeuf bourguignon that night, while I supped on aspargus souffle! Easy-peasy.

Yesterday was rainy and M was car-hunting. So I took the children to the library, where we got 22 items!! And ordered some about girls named Annabel. Only one of the books was for me... But the highlight of the day (besides the baby rocking and dancing) was being able to stop at a hole in the wall pizza joint and eat there with the children. Pizza doesn't have peanuts and holes in the wall don't splash out for shellfish. Egg is a rarity and Sophie can tolerate bits of cheese at the minimum. So I picked off the mozzarella and voila, we all ate plentifully. It was so wonderful!!! In the evening, an old school chum came over and we all ate a great meal of homemade falafel. Again, something that everyone could enjoy!!! The kids adore her and we just yakked away until 11.15 (prying eyes open to stay awake).

Today, Seb dressed himself and we hit up Word on the Street - the city's annual book and magazine fair. There were children's and adult readings and Q&A. There was a musical group for kids (Seb even got to go on stage!) and scientists explaining experiments to kids (and then you buy their book). The only negative to the free all-day event was the educational tv channel which had a whole stage... The weather was fab and we again picniced and met up with friends. In the clip, you can see how much Soph adores their 3 month old.

We bought a terrific French book for Seb about a father & daughter cooking up a charlotte (the French cake and also the girl's name), which burns. Fortunately, the 2nd daughter is named madeleine! so they start again.

M took the kids off to apple-pick in the mid-afternoon. We had found an organic orchard an hour outside the city. It was a bit far but they were very nice and the apples are delish. We had baked apples for dessert tonight; neither kid could believe his/her eyes when they saw me putting honey in the centre of the cored apple. I'll post a photo once I figure out how to save the pics that M took with his crackberry.

So, it was a wonderfully full weekend. M even bought a car and made muffins. And I finished my strategic options for SC USA contract. Which is good b/c I have 2 more contracts set to start this week... But can you tell that we are trying to take the city by storm? It is our first year after all.

Babies were in the air

We have a new cousin!!! Yesterday afternoon, baby Annabel arrived to Mark & Sarah, and Alex and Adam. All is well and we are looking forward to meeting her in 6 weeks. Sophie can even say her new cousin's name already. But Seb and Sophie must have just known somehow, because they got up this morning - before we got the call - and all they wanted to do was play with baby Brad doll. I caught some great moments on film. The affection for the doll - which has been building for a couple of weeks now - continued all day. He came to the library and shops with us in his sling. The groovy background music is from my aunt Dorothy and is one of 3 cds (the others are African and French playlists chosen for kids) that get a lot of air time round here.

present advice

It's almost time to draw up Seb's birthday wish list. This year, we are going to vet it - i.e. no more fish that we can't care for (but thanks all the same, Cathy).

So the question is what did you love at age 5? or what does a happy 5 year old you know currently adore?

It's a given that he is going to get the big boy bike from us. I still like the looks of a certain marble run but it does tumble very easily. I am leaning toward something like Meccano. But suggestions - and shared memories - are welcome.

I am even more stumped for Sophie.

while the cat is away...

Sophie had a little sob at the door when Seb disappeared off to school after lunch with Alice. She then trotted upstairs with me and proceeded to sit down and play with all her "brother's" toys, including the ambulance with flashing lights that had been declared off-limits by Seb after a morning squabble (prompting a "It's hard being a big brother"). In the clip, you can even see her trying to cover tracks by repairing some of the mess she made of the railway setup.

Boring asthma update for relatives - part 2

I can't hear any wheezing in Seb's chest this morning, so something is working. We have finished with the systemic steroids - thank goodness. He will still puff some steroids (to deal with inflammation) twice a day for 2 more days and then we hopefully will only be on his blue puffer (ventolin - open the airways) 4-6 times/day. However, we almost deinitely will be on some kind of prophylaxis, especially (this) winter. Seems a lot given that he wasn't on anything a week ago, but it's progress.

Also, Seb's ability to remember not to sniff but blow is creeping along. He is trying to count how many tissues he uses/day. Obviously, that's not scientific but it gets across the message that every tissue is less "guck" on his lungs.

But he is active and mostly happy. Perhaps a bit weepy now and again when he gets frustrated or disappointed. This afternoon is the Terry Fox run, which he is excited about. "We are going to finish the cross-Canada run for him, Mum". I'll let you know how it goes.

How effective are you, Mum?

Seb is playing with his treehouse, while I work this morning. He pipes up: "Have any of the children been saved, mum?" So we get into a discussion of some unaccompanied children who have been reunited with relatives, facilitation of community dialogue to ease reintegration, etc. But I also tell him about 90 children who were abducted on Monday by the LRA in northern DRC. "Why do the soldiers take children?". Good question, carefully-worded answer.

He still wants us to write to the Air Force and get them to "de-make" their jet fighters. I figure we will have a Project Ploughshares activist within the year.

So I don't know that I am that effective at my work. But I do know that I am not very efficient, given that despite Alice being here to babysit, I get interrupted every 2 minutes...

All about clothes

Here are some shots from the past few weeks - the Gap stuff that I returned, the kids in matching safari shirts (G&L had found the small one 2nd hand for Seb and then I found another one for him at 4!), and Seb helping a friend with his shirt (Seb proceeded to lend Kai a shirt from his laundry hamper...??).

Retiring gracefully

After placing a disappointing 7th at the Beijing Olympics, Sophie has decided to retire from breastfeeding altogether. She has given it her best for the past 22 months. We will remember the late night practices, the headstands and rolls, the sweat on the brow, the grunts and puffs that she would make with all that exertion, and the sweet smile or deep slumber as she finished off her routine.

It's been an easy transition for her to make - even if milk has yet to be fully accepted. She seems to heading for 2 with great gusto - lots of no,no,no; mine; sophie do it; me too; and no more - I mean NO MORE - highchair thanks. What do yo think she is, a baby?

Boring asthma update for relatives - part 1

We saw the family doctor yesterday and the $250 respiratory machine (a nebuliser) plus gadgets that we had bought 40 hours before was tossed out and we are on to regular puffers, as well as pills... Likelihood is that we will need the nebuliser again later this winter or next, so all is not wasted - and the government paid for 75%.

But the puffer is more portable, so Seb is back at school and the playground today. His teacher's son has asthma, as did Alice our French babysitter, so he is in good hands. Asthma is so prevalent now that there are procedures at school, special story and activity books for young children and 7-12 year olds, etc. The book we were given features a blue elephant that sits on the boy's chest from time to time, so Seb's code is the elephant.

We will be back to the doc after a week and then if all is well, 2 weeks and then a month and then only when needed. But we have charts to fill and some tests to take and lots and lots of monitoring - what are his triggers (besides colds)? what are the early warning signs (before/instead of wheezing) - clear his throat lots, headache, cough.

But he is off and running and so, if anyone has or wants to sponsor his Terry Fox walk, he will be doing it on Thursday, though his swimming lessons are off for another week.

Recovering nicely

For those not yet in the loop, we definitely now know that Seb has asthma. He developed a sniffle, followed by a wheeze, followed by more serious wheezing and after a trip to our doctor, then ER, he was admitted to hospital Thursday night - well more like 1.30 on Friday morning. So we have managed to avoid Canadian ERs & hospitalisation for allergies, but we fell at one of the first asthma hurdles. And that's probably why we fell. We hadn't been coached, hadn't got the right meds or machinery, and didn't have good judgment...

Anyway, none of the interventions were scary. A very different experience than in February when we didn't know what was wrong with M and he seemed so dramatically ill. Here, it all seemed known and under control; in fact the lovely paediatrician who managed Seb's case said that it was "asthma week" - just after the return to school/daycare, change in temperature and allergens, etc. We got to know a lot about lungs and "sat levels" and were secretly relieved to see that he wasn't the youngest asthmatic there.

It was a tiring few days as M & I played parental tag, trying never to leave Seb alone. It didn't seem like the nurses had any inclination to get to know him or play with him. I know they have a job - but when you see them watching tv or lying down between duties, you kinda think they could be a bit more involved with their patients. But Seb loved his own tv and VCR, the playroom, the yummy food (go figure), and having an adult always around and focused on him.

Suddenly, it was over. His oxygen levels were low but ok; he was almost wheeze-free. A nebulizer (a compressor to vaporise medication into a mask) was shoved into our hands, and he was discharged within the hour (that hour being 8.30 pm on Saturday night). He is on oral steroids for 4 days and the meds via mask every 4 hours for another day or 2. Hopefully, he will then come down to a puffer every 4 hours and then less and less and less until we find the right low-level but constant support for his lungs. It seems that he has multiple triggers - smoke, exercise, colds, cold-hot-cold temperatures.

Sophie was a trooper through it all and didn't seem the slightest bit fazed. I thought she might find it strange to breakfast without Mr. Morning but she didn't show it. She liked the toys and babies on the ward and scooting up and down the long halls on a ride-on toy.

Back at home, it is ups and downs. He is a bit fragile and is really unhappy at the idea of using this nebuliser/face mask on and off for the next umpteen years (or days or even hours). He is frustrated and wails at a drop of a hat. But at the same time he is extra whiny and self-centred, so he is a bit hard to be around and help. Oh well, we will muddle through these young emotions. Any advice especially from parents of young kids with asthma would be great, as there are tips that help. We will be sent to an asthma clinic and get the kid-friendly posters and dvd/books whatever, but still...

Thsi afternoon, he had a happy time helping his dad cut the tiny patch of grass with the new-to-us push-mower. He'll probably be off school until at least Tuesday.

But to cut a long story slightly shorter, I just nipped downstairs to get something. Upstairs, I left a very active Seb engaged in a mammoth train project. Downstairs, I found M asleep on the couch and Sophie asleep in her highchair. It's 5.30pm and I guess they just needed to catch on some zzzzzzzzzz after a long 4 days.

Here's to a quiet week ahead.

M shaved his head

OK, that probably got your attention. But actually M is downstairs re-arranging the kitchen in a late Sunday night burst of domestic energy (it's been one of those not- much-seemed-to-have-got-done weekends).

Anyway, back to shaved heads. It turns out that shaving one's head is the latest fundraising tool for cancer research (or perhaps the clippers are the tool). This came to light as Sebastian prepares for his first Terry Fox Run (or hop or walk or whatever) at school on the 25th. I asked Seb if he would donate all of his personal savings (about $39) to cancer research if his dad agreed to shave his head. After a pause for due consideration, he said yes!!!

Unfortunately, M then pointed out that we had missed the national head-shaving day by 24 hours. Oh well, there is always next year!

If anyone would like to sponsor Sebastian, you can do so on-line at terryfoxrun.org; go to the school column and click on donate on-line; followed by confirming Ontario as the school's location and then its name: Dewson St. You get a tax receipt. You can also link the donation to Seb by typing in his name or drop us an e-mail, so we can tell him how many people are thinking of his efforts. I'll be there with Sophie to cheer him and his classmates on.

no allergy anxst today

No photos but only good news. This afternoon we dropped Sebastian off at Xin's house and proceeded with Sophie to Toronto's Sick Kids. We spent the next 3 1/2 hours wandering around their public spaces (Tim Hortons, playarea, seating areas, atrium, etc), and occasionally giving drops of milk to Sophie. She didn't react!!! In fact, she loved it.

The process of challenging someone is very slow. We started with 1 drop and waited an hour. Nothing, so we did 2 drops and waited 30 mins. 3 drops waited 30 mins. After that it was pretty smooth sailing as people are most likely to react in the first 2-3 drops if at all. 4 (ish) drops waited 20 mins. 1/2 teaspoon, another 20 mins and finally a full teaspoon! So, this means that she can definitely handle "may contain trace of..." and probably milk as a minor ingredient.

We need to get to a full tablespoon, followed by a "tiny" serving, then medium, then regular to say that she is completely fine on the milk front. We didn't have the time for that this afternoon, plus she was already suffering from a diaper rash and I want to see if dairy triggers a diaper rash. So we will proceed later this week after that has cleared up.

But great, fantastic, tremendous news so far!!!!

allergy angst - rant 3 / family food - part 3

As if mealtime isn't hard enough, we now know a little more about Sophie's allergies. She has less of them but they are the opposite of Sebastian's. I kid you not.

She was tested today and scored negative on soy, nuts, peanuts and shellfish. But she still scored positive on egg and milk. On a good note, the milk reaction was only middling and the dr says positive skin tests are only 50-50; given that she did scarfe back that 1/4 chocolate bar 8 months ago and she no longer breaks out into one big hive if she touches milk, he suggests that we buy another epi-pen and then challenge her on milk at home as soon as we summon up the courage.

So no eggy waffles for awhile longer, though the specialist is still hopeful she may out grow that too, like her bro. But we can live with that. We have become pretty good at egg free baking and we still have these question marks with Seb and egg anyway.

Sebastian took the news as mixed. He seems a little confused that his baby sister can eat peanuts (at least in theory) and of course, he wants to know right now if she can have milk.

Given that our camping trip has been postponed due to heavy rain forecasts, we may as well challenge our poppet on milk this weekend. So if anyone wants to come along for the experience, we are meeting at the Sick Kids car park at 10 on Saturday (that way we can dash into ER if need be!).

Oh, and I actually had air in my lungs as I left the doctor's office. He was nice enough and spoke slowly enough and was clear in his communication. I hope Seb can see him too.

Who loves her books?

The picture says it all.

We love our... - part 1

I know that we go to the grave with nothing, but as every active parent will tell you, your stroller makes or breaks you. Back in 2004, after some months of humming and haahing (it is us after all), we bought a high end sturdy umbrella stroller (i.e. very portable and foldable). It's been great and survived many, many trips of varying sorts, as well hundreds of thousands of pounds of shopping (it has a great undercarriage basket, and non-human cargo (in fact, taking it from the store, I carried Sebastian in his snuggly and loaded other shopping on the stroller!).

OK, so the rain hood got mishapen after about 4 weeks (M recently admitted to having closed the trunk of the car on it...) and Seb in a terrible two tantrum destroyed the clip on, wind-resistant rain shield but that's minor. But we bumped it and lugged it and pushed it everywhere for 4 1/2 years.

It was ours - all ours. Our friend Jeet could pick it out of line-up by the sweat stains that Seb's baby head had made when we lived in sticky Accra.

Last autumn, faced with the prospect of another Saint John winter - i.e. mammoth snowfalls leading to huge snowbanks at intersections across town, we broke down and bought a 2nd hand jogging stroller. With huge wheels and the ability for Seb to perch on the front as well, we nicknamed it the SUV. But it just wasn't the same.

By June, our lovely umbrella stroller was starting to rattle, wobble and look down right funny as we parambulated our way around southern Ontario. Plus, it had developed a certain waywardness that would have it going in directions that you had not anticipated (sort of like the toddler using it). It was time to look at options.

Being a high end make (Maclaren, if you need to know), there were repair options in town - or - we could buy a new one for $210 (tax incl!) but for another 18 months that seemed excessive - or - we could buy one on e-bay - but they never came down to the "right" price unless it was fuschia. So a fixer upper and enviro option it was.

100 dollars and 2 difficult-to-get-on-transit-and-get-about weeks later, we got it back. It was as if one of the family was returning. It looks great (we even splurged for the hood to be fixed so we don't look so whacky) and spins in all the right directions. Maybe we will even invest in new reflective tape to cover over the sweatmarks (I mean Soph should have her own chance at marking her territory, right?).

We are one happy strolling family coming soon to a neighbourhood near you!

Allergy Angst - rant 2

So we were having our family supper tonight (leftover chickpea curry - see previous post), when Seb started to scratch the back of his knees. Now, for anyone who knows him well that's a sign of his eczema acting up. Well, soon he was complaining of it stinging and hurting, so I took a look.

There was a pile of hives all over the backs of his knees, where his skin is chronically irritated by the eczema. We immediately gave him Benadryl and fortunately, it didn't escalate any further.

But what had he eaten??!! No reaction yesterday to the curry. Sweet corn soup from a package; it warned of milk allergens but nothing else. Bread from an organic artisanal bakery - must be. Right? But there again, Sophie ate the bread and she didn't react...

I'm hoping that it's the bread because not knowing is even scarier than knowing. A friend has a book club pal who in her 30s has developed a life-threatening food allergy. Only thing is, she doesn't (or didn't for weeks) know what it was to! Imagine living with that uncertainty...

And on the allergy front, we have not 1, not 2, but 3 - yes THREE - appointments with allergists on Thursday. Turns out that Sophie's referral to the pedatric allergist is zooming ahead, as long as we see him outside of Sick Kids Hospital (where the waiting time is 9 months supposedly). My request for a 2nd opinion has been answered by Sebastian's original referal to an allergist calling for an appointment - that's what happens when you give siblings different surnames.

So hoping not to waste taxpayers' money in the long-run, I will use it all up on Thursday getting good advice that will hopefully keep us out of ER.

I'll keep you posted but if you see a dejected, exhausted mother dragging two young kids across TO late on Thursday afternoon, it might well be me.

Family Food - Part 2

Mild coconut chickpea curry. It's one of M's signature dishes and we can all eat it! It smells great, doesn't take too long to cook, and tastes great as left-overs.

Here we go loopdeloo, here we go loopdela

The federal government has called an election for October 14th. This will be M's first election in central Canada - seats and counting on election night (in this vast country) somehow matter more. So he will be busy no doubt, though at least it will mean covering less crime.

When I told Seb the news, he said that he wanted me to chose the government (me too). But he also said that the new government should be nice and kind and take care of our schools. I hope they listen.

Visitors beware

Whenever you visit our house, be sure to flush properly, as Sophie will toodle in after you and check in the toilet. Bye bye poo poo.

'nuf said.

Family Food - part 1

Have I mentioned how happy I am when I make a meal that everyone in our family can eat? Case in point, polenta (that was famously rejected 8 months ago causing me to stomp off in tears...) So, polenta with carefully chosen tomato sauce, plus a dollop of tapenade and some freshly grated parmesan (for 3 of us). Delish!

Canada's newest crops of students

All our young Canadian friends who turn 5 this year started school today. I have been looking through the digital album amazed at the changes those years have brought and delighting in the characters that they have become. Many are headed to French immersion, a couple into the French system, and one to an alternative school that teaches social justice (where they started with a potluck meal for all new families today).

Seb has been counting the days until school commenced. And he bounced into today unlike any other (including Xmas and birthdays). The photo somehow just does not capture it, does it! But it does capture his dress sense - well, most of it, as he also asked to wear a big necklace of mine. We still huffed and puffed our way along College street in 26 degree sunshine with oh, 90 seconds to spare...

But M managed to stop by school at pick-up time (but Sebastian just wanted to go off an play). The new teacher was suitably impressed by petit monsieur's base knowledge of French - but didn't suggest that we enrol him now in the Sorbonne. He has already picked up his first birthday party invite (phew, he has friends).

To ground all this excitement, we had a chat over supper about the millions of children who don't attend school because of fees, distance and discrimination. He had recently seen a short video about east African children who RUN an hour to school. Do people know Panawapa Island - an international education website that is an offshoot of Sesame Street? a We decided to make an annual donation to an education rights campaign at the start of every school year. Hopefully, it will be meaningful to our children, as well as helpful to others.

But to all of Canada's new students, remember that learning comes in many forms and that schoolyard friendships can be forever.