Things that make it worthwhile By Claire

1. That very first smile.. I don't care if it's wind..she looked at me, her mouth made a smile shape.... so it's a smile and it's mine forever,..wind....Pah!
2. When my girls wake up in the morning, with a sleepy stretch and a smile.

3. A sleepy cuddle just before bedtime.

4. Getting a garden daisy 'bouquet' for no reason..

5. When one of my kisses is sooo powerful it can heal a bumped head or a sore knee!

6. The antics involved in holding a tiny spider for the first time.

7. When my 7yrolds' teacher has trouble keeping things, they have drawn/made at school because my 7yrold is so proud she wants to bring them home to show me!!

8. Being treated to an odd version of Bruno Mars 'marry you' from my 2yrold while I am dressing her in the mornings!

9. When one of my girls cuddles the other, to cheer them up when they are sick or sad.

10. Little secret notes that I get from my 7yrold.

11. Optimism of a 2yrold when I'm in a shop trying on a top that's clearly too small, which I put back and 2yrold says 'Aw.... too big mummy?'

12. Their Laughter .. It's infectious ...

13. Hearing little feet running down the hall thinking they've gotten away with it!

14. A chocolate covered face saying 'it wasn't me that ate the biscuit'

15. A quiet, peaceful house after bedtime.

Anyone else have 'Things that makes it all worthwhile?'

When the Smoke Clears By Claire

I have stopped smoking at different times during my adult life and for different reasons.. Mainly for my children, during pregnancy and thereafter. I have lasted for periods of a  year and then started up again. (Never in house, in front of children,though).  I have quit since january this year and this time my reason for quitting is ME. So far it has not been too hard, but recently I have found myself really struggling.Is it the good weather? Being outside watching the girls and looking for something to do other than smoke is hard. So to distract me and to curb my eating.. I took up knitting and it seems to be working!!  In the last 2 weeks I have knitted 10 scarfs,that's not too bad as I am working from knitting learned in primary school..all them years ago!! Anyway, the recent good weather means that I can't even GIVE the scarfs away....

Has Anyone got any other easy hobbies for me please... Something a little less 1900 and a little more 2012!

To bounce or not to bounce By Claire

When my husband came home from work one fine evening 5 years ago, with a trampoline for our then 2yrold daughter, I was not a happy camper to say the least! Thankfully, Recent windy weather helped to finally put an end to my trampoline worries. 'Old Trampoline .. you lasted us 5 good years and no major injuries RIP!'.......Phew!
However, my peace of mind was short lived , I now, once again, find myself in that same scenario as 5yrs ago! Is it something to do with the recent good weather, has the sunshine effected all good sense? All I know is that, as I'm sitting here watching the girls having the time of their lives in the new trampoline, I am contemplating all that can go wrong.. Little Miss Negativity!! Of course we have all the necessary accompanying safety equipment.(These companies have it sussed.. A deal on the trampoline price but triple the cost for safety!! Which parents will pay!) Regardless of all that, we now have a new, 'safe' trampoline.. And I have a knot in my stomach and 'what ifs' going round my head like a whirlwind!! Then after-all that, I see my girls playing in the empty BOX!!

Any trampoline opinions ..yes/no?Am I being a complete worry wart?

Day 2 of new trampoline ... and they are still playing in the empty box !!

Another great blog: Dara

A friend has a blog based on her little girl also Roisin, aka Mini.  My brother is godfather to this Roisin, and the two girls are still yet to meet up but hopefully soon. 

Róisín; age 12 months, currently between jobs, has Down Syndrome.
Loves meeting people, music and carrots.

Have a read - but come back to us for more too!!!

miniandmum.blogspot.com

Bronchiolitis:Dara

For anyone whose child has been diagnosed with bronciolitis for the first time, it is a daunting diagnosis, but one apparently that shouldnt be a worry once they turn 18 months.  All of my children had a dose at some stage, but both Killian and Kate were on the older side when they first contracted it.  Kate unfortunately ended up being hospitalised for 2 nights when she was 20 months but recovered pretty quickly.  Therefore when Roisin (now 5 1/2 months) was diagnosed at the end of february I thought I was prepared and knew what to expect, what to look out for and not to worry because a dose of preventative antibiotics and some steroids would clear it in about a week.  Not so however, therefore I thought I would mention a few pointers I learned over the past month which might help some stressed parents out there deal with the unexpected.  I am not a doctor, and have no medical background whatsoever, so go to your doctor and have your little kiddie checked out but ask as many questions as you can.

1. Bronchiolitis is a virus and therefore antibiotics have no effect on it, but are however prescribed sometimes to prevent a secondary bacterial infection.  If your doctor does prescribe antibiotics ask about their necessity.  I am not saying they will not be in your situation (perhaps there is already a bacterial infection present), but it is worth clarifying.  If the child is old enough, natural yoghurt or a probiotic can restore the good bacteria in the stomach.  If your child does need to use them you will need to finish the course.  I have had one doctor prescribe them only for the next to say they were unnecessary and shouldnt have been prescribed.  Its worth clarifying. 
2. The virus reaches a peak after between 3-5 days.  I did not realise this until she was on her second bout of the illness in 3 weeks and we were in A&E panicking because with whatever medicine she received she was still getting worse.  She was at day 5 of the second virus.  If your child is feeding well, has no temperature, and their breathing is not distressed, and you have already visited your doctor recently, chances are that the virus may start to ease off after this.  However, if you are at all concerned, i.e. not feeding, breathing is distressed, wheezing, or has a temperature, use your gut instinct and contact someone.  At this stage our little one had stopped feeding and the breathing was quite distressed, but all it took was for the atrovent medication to be administered through a nebuliser as opposed to the inhaler, and additional steroids.  The following day she was much improved. 
3. The cough can last for up to a month after medication, and is also worse at night.  We were told on numerous occassions by doctors that Roisins cough was probably caused by a "little mucus plug" in her throat, and that some nasal spray may help. Teething was also blamed by another.  At one stage I got quite irrate with the doctor because we had been awake every night for a week and a half following antibiotics and steroid treatment with a 4 month old baby who was coughing so much that she could not catch her breath in between coughs and the only relief was usually to put her over my shoulder and slap her back.  I often spend well over an hour sitting up with her coughing.  In all respects it was like she was choking/drowning when she was coughing!  She had her matress raised, had the nasal spray, we had a warm mist vapouriser in the room, you name it and nothing helped.  Sure a cough can last, but again, use your gut instinct.  This kind of cough was not normal, and she required further treatment.  The kind of cough that remains is a soft cough that gradually fizzles out.
4. I mentioned that she requried further treatment, and this was in the form of a nebuliser.  At first i freaked out thinking that was it - I now have a chronic asthmatic because she needed a nebuliser.  Dont worry about it.  It uses saline (salt water) which in Ireland must be prescribed by your doctor but is harmless.  Its function is to soften and break down the mucus which makes it easier to cough up and reduces the post nasal drip at night.  She found relief at night almost immediately, and i would recommend anyone who is planning to have more than one child, that if you think you may need to use one at any stage, invest in one.  In Ireland you can receive one from the HSE on loan if you have a medical card, but need to purchase your own if you dont have a medical card.  They can cost anything from €85 - €120 but are worth it for young children who may have the potential for asthma or are too young to sit up at night to clear the mucus.  Alternatively, if you do not require it immediately start asking around now instead of when you need it, someone you know may have one you can borrow, and a paediatric mask only costs about €11 which you can then use with the borrowed devise.  
5. Nasal spray also works quite well if the symptoms arent very bad and uses saline similar to the nebuliser, but the nebuliser gets the saline right into the lungs which targets to affected bronchioli. 
6. Finally - you know your child.  Doctors see children with various illnesses everyday, and hear similar symptoms to yours all the time.  I said before I am not a doctor, but I knew that my baby was not getting better, and had to push hard and fight for doctors to listen to me.  If you are worried, ask as many questions as possible and take note of the symptoms, e.g. a diary so that you can make sure the doctor is making an informed decision and you are satisfied that the diagnosis is accurate.  

I have not researched any of the above in medical journals, nor have any references, just my own experience which was a frightening month with a steep learning curve and I hope that this will at least provide some pointers for parents who may face a similar scenario. 

Recycling 2yr old Style (gonna be messy) By Claire

I try to teach the girls to be aware of the environment and recycling etc.

Egg cartons are always a favourite in my house, standing on the cartons to flatten them. My 2yr old took down the almost FULL carton of eggs and proceeded to stamp on the box to squash it eggs and all !!!!!

My fab. eco firendly daughter then proceeded to rapidly leave the crime scene and mummy spent the morning cleaning sticky, slippy eggy goo off the floor and cursing the 'tree hugging wierdy beardy do-gooders!!!'

Kiddie Comments By Claire

Me: Come On Kids
7yrold: mum we are not baby goats
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7yrold: Mum, if there was gravity in space would the planets and stars just keep falling forever because there is no end to space..
Me: Ummm Ah ...Well. yes i think.... ask Dad!!
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7yrold: Mum how did the earth start and who made God?
Me: Ummm Ah ...Well.... ask Dad!!
7yrold: You always ask me to ask dad, is that because he says he knows everything?
 Me: Ummm Ah ...Well....
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2yrold: I ceem peas
Me: Icecream???
2yrold: Oh yes, thank you mummy.
Me: I got played
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In 2Year Old Speak 'Choose Peas' actually means 'Juice Please' .. Wish I had known that before my weekly shop!!
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Why is it that my 2yrold cannot say please or thank you to people she knows but can happily shout 'BOOBIES' in a shop full of strangers?
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7yrold leaves a biscuit down, 2yrold robs and eats biscuit ..the following conversation occurs ..
Me to 2yrold: Where is the biscuit?
2yrold: (points to her mouth)
Me: What do you say to your sister for eating her biscuit?
2yrold: Thank You!!!
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Elderly Lady gives my 2yrold a kiss..2yrold promptly wipes her mouth and says 'Yuck Jaggy'!
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