Wheee!

About a week ago, we made a family trip to the park. We prefaced our enjoyment of swinging and sliding with lunch and ice cream. Beans wasn't into the lunch so much. She ate a pickle slice and that's about it. But she was totally down with the ice cream. It is her new obsession. She asks for it for breakfast (and sadly, Mommy and Daddy deny this request).

She was very happy swinging. Almost the entire time she said "wheee" on a loop. Until she started saying "M". This puzzled us at first, but we soon realized she was pointing at the bike rack which was indeed shaped like a lower case m.

My little blonde carbon based unit of perpetual happiness.

New Do

Or maybe it is a do not. I like it. Napalm orange and bleachy blonde. You only live once and hair grows back. Unless you're going bald. But then there's always Hair Club for Men.

When Life Gives You Lemons...

Little Miss Beans has an ear infection which means antibiotics. Not a favourite around here. Anything we have to give her in a syringe is bad. It could be sugar water, but it's still not going to happen.

So the first night of medication, Mommy and Daddy had to hold poor Beans down and fight to get it down. It was horrendous. There was a lot on her, her daddy, and me. I'm just not sure about in her.

Later, I tasted the stuff. And nearly gagged! I can't blame her for not wanting to take it! I wouldn't want to either. It's like bitter, chalky goo with a slight hint of citrus or tropical fruit flavor. What pharmaceutical genius thought of that concoction for a kid!? I know it's medicine, but come on! It's not like finding a cure for the common cold... just make the stuff taste good!

So the next morning I had an epiphany after trying to fake her out by putting it in the straw of her sippy cup (which actually got 2 mL in her). I thought lemonade! She loves it and it would cover that awful bitterness with a little extra sugar. I got online and found nothing saying mixing citrus with it would be bad (if you're considering doing this please check with your pharmacist - I am not a medical professional) so to the kitchen I went.

A squeeze of lemon, a ¼ teaspoon of sugar, a ¼ cup of Country Time Lemonade, and 3 more mL of medication. And then I ask Beans if she wants some lemonade. Her response? "Lem-made!"

Sucked the whole thing down! Victory! It seems to be working still. If we can keep it going to 8 more days, we'll be golden... like sunny, delicious, lemonade.

I've always heard that if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade. And I've always felt that if life gives you lemonade, you just sell it. But now I've learned for certain that if life gives you a toddler with an ear infection and medication that tastes like a sadistic, parent-torturing chemist flavoured it (i.e. life giving you lemons), make lemonade and give it to the toddler.

I Love This Man

Going through some photos, I found this one. It's not the best photo of either of us. Let's face it. I have my tongue sticking out. But it reminds me of how great the man sitting next to me is. He is awesome. He can cook. He can fix anything. He's like a one man contractor. He can forge metal and weld. He's artistic but tone deaf and can't dance. He even rubs my feet though I won't touch his. He makes our baby girl and me laugh uncontrollably at times. 

And I love him madly. 

Baby Update: 18 Month Check Up

We made it through another visit to the doctor. This one was far more eventful than all the ones before. Why? Let's just say that adorable grinning girl is stronger and smarter than I imagined.

We went into the waiting room where it was all smiles and giggles. Nothing bad has ever happened to her in the waiting room. Then the dirty diaper hit the fan and we walked back to the exam room.

As soon as I started taking her shirt off, she started getting upset. She remembered what happens when she's in the exam room... shots. She didn't want to lie down so they could measure her height (which came in right under 33 inches). She didn't want to stand on the scale to measure her weight (which is 27.2 pounds).  And then came the doctor.

She was nice, but to make things more uncomfortable it was one of the doctors we've only seen maybe twice before. Beans was being poked and prodded by a stranger. She was pissed, but we survived. Even though I had to hold her in my lap with my arms around her head to check her ears... and every check was like that.

And shots. Wow. She recognised that silver tray instantly. I had to hold her chest and arms while the nurse held her legs between her knees. You wouldn't believe the shade of red this child turns when she's angry and scared and in pain.

But we made and she good for the next six months. Unless of course she gets sick in the meantime. But until then, we'll enjoy six months of no baby doctors. Here's to a healthy little girl.

Christmas Is Over

So Christmas came early this year. And will come again in six months. 

We set up our tree. We rocked Christmas songs and discovered they make rap Christmas music. We baked Christmas cookies. We had egg nog. Yes, my mother-in-law makes the most awesome egg nog and she whipped up a batch for the occasion. And what summer Christmas party would be complete with out burgers, hot dogs, and pulled pork?

We also played Dirty Santa or White Elephant. I'm still not sure if there is a difference, but I ended up with two fantastic beer steins. And of course I "stole" them from some one else playing. Because I'm dirty... or an elephant. Maybe I'm a dirty elephant?

And to top off the evening, I went down the Christmas Slip and Slide. The photo is from the first run. I went three times. And that was after only 2 beers. As you can see from my expression, I planned on it hurting much more than it did. It really wasn't that bad. I even talked Heather into trying it. She was less than thrilled, but an 

excellent sport.

All in all, a great Christmas in July. Hope to do it again next year. Merry July to all.