Tag Archives: cold

The Bear is Back, But Where is Our Baby?

11/13/2014 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

It’s been 9 ~~long~~ super fast months since experienced really cold weather here in Texas, and it’s rearing its ugly head once again. I like the heat, if you can’t tell, so I’m less than thrilled to say goodbye to by garage sweat sessions. Now I’ll be huddled next to our space heater trying to keep warm with Avery before a garage workout!

When the cold came in a couple days ago, Avery’s bear suit came out. I shared a post about our experience with the bear suit last February and March, and Going Mom and I couldn’t get over how freakin’ cute she was in the thing!

The floppy, over-sized arms and legs were just un-bearable and all you wanted to do was hug and squeeze (gently) her all day!

But now, it was a bit more difficult trying to get Avery in the same bear suit. Aside from being sized 3 – 6 months (oops!), her activity level has increased approximately 500% over the course of 9 months. Guess it’s similar to development in the womb!

So, it “fit”, but I’m pretty sure her mobility was compromised a bit. Just so you know, I only kept it on her for the duration of our cold walk, and then it came right off once back inside. That said, she didn’t complain one bit while we walked, and she actually seemed quite content chewing on her paws.

Although she still didn’t seem all that thrilled to be in the tight-fitting bear skin….

Sorry, dear, but it’s much better than your lips turning blue. Like the did later that day. Double oops!

We just placed an order on Amazon for a new bear suit from the same brand, just bigger size and can’t wait for it to get here. Judging from the pic above, I’m thinking Avery is anxious for its arrival too.

Since it’s her birthday in 2 days, I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting on the past months and thought it would be neat to do a side-by-side collage of Avery in the bear suit back in February to 9 months later in Novembear (just getting my corny dad jokes warmed up!).

Kelley is off today and tomorrow to get things ready for Avery’s birthday party and hopefully Avery will take her first steps while Mommy’s home too. We’ve been saying she’s going to walk soon for the past 3 months, but hey, you never know!

Have you ever tried cramming your kid in clothes that just won’t fit anymore?

What do you think about the cold? Love or hate?

Avery Talk

“Dear Cold” – A Letter from my Baby

08/12/2014 R.C. Liley 8 Comments

Dear Cold,

It’s me, Avery, the one you’ve been inhabiting for over a week now. Your time here is done, now LEAVE! I keep trying get over it and enjoy myself…..

….but you just take the fun out of everything!

No matter how hard I try, all I want to do is sleep.

Even when mommy and daddy are playing with me, I just cry because you make me feel miserable.

Or it’s because daddy use that snot sucker on me and I’m pretty sure part of my brain is missing. Just to make him feel bad, I pretend not to notice him even if he’s holding me.

Since she’s an accomplice to the snot sucking, I give mom the same treatment and just stare for pictures as if I’m a deer in headlights.

I don’t like doing this, Cold, but you’ve driven me to my crazy antics. The bow could be part of the reason, but I know it’s you that’s turning me a little crazy and making me grit my 4 teeth in an under-bite fashion.

Sometimes, I’ll stand at my desk and contemplate how I can get rid of you myself, or at least hide that snot sucker.

When mommy and daddy distract me in my thoughts, I have to flash a pseudo-smile so they don’t suspect anything from their “cute little girl.”

It’s not easy, but I’ve become pretty good at that “being cute” thing. Yep, even with your ailing ways, I know how to hide it well. See?

But, you have been overwhelming my body, and even my greatest smiling attempts are being thwarted with your snot running out of my nostrils.

Here, need a better view of what you’re doing to me?

Ahhh, how I long for the day when I can go back outside and play…..

Oh yeah, that has nothing to do with you, Cold, I’m just daydreaming of when I’ll be able to walk and play like the other kids in my neighborhood. I can just feel the heat of the sun beaming down on me as I use my own legs to venture around outside. Oh, or maybe it’s the heat on this window…..ouch!

Well, until then, I’ll keep my spirits high, runny nose and all, until I successfully rid you from my body! After all, I can still play inside. Like in the kitchen where I hang out by the oven where daddy likes to stand most.

And I’ll literally hang out on the freezer. Another place daddy likes to be; sorry dad. Aren’t I cute though?

In order to get rid of you faster, I’ll make sure to drink plenty of mommy’s milk, the best stuff for us babies! I’ll even enjoy my steamed veggies knowing they are giving my body plenty of nutrients to fight you and your snot-inducing ways.

Trust me, you don’t want to f……fuss with me!

So, Cold, if you don’t want to leave easily, prepare yourself for a brawl. Just know that, I’m one tough baby, and you’ll be sorry in the end. Grrrrr!

Yours NOT Truly,

Avery

Life, Parenting

Uh Oh, Our Baby’s First Cold!

08/07/2014 R.C. Liley 7 Comments

Avery: *cough* *cough*

Me: Oh, she’s just doing that for attention and it’s something new she learned.

Going Mom: Yeah, crazy baby.

This exchange of words (and coughs) has happened before and nothing was wrong, but just a few days ago, that coughing only got worse. Followed by the coughs, was a constantly runny nose, small fever, and one very unhappy baby.

Oops, guess it wasn’t just for attention or to make random noise; she was for real this time! Sorry, Avery, us new parents still have so much to learn. Please forgive us.

As I write this, Avery’s symptoms seem to be improving, but keeping her happy all that easy yet. In retrospect, it’s never really that easy. But no complaints here, she’s pretty happy over all, she just has her moments as we all do. It probably doesn’t help when I’m sucking snot out of her runny nostrils several times a day with this handy device….

We’ve had the Nosefrida since Avery was born, but have only started using it now for her cold. Going Mom can’t stand to even watch me use it, so I guess I’m the sucker in the family. See what I did there? No?

By the way, that picture of a happy kid with the tube shoved in their nostril…..FALSE ADVERTISING! Avery screams like I’m pulling off her toes every time I use it and now she’ll start just at the sight of the thing. Using it while trying to hold her arms and head still has been challenging to say the least, but for some odd reason, I derive satisfaction from sucking out a lot of her snot. The more snot, the more bonus points for dad!

Anywho, this is another first for Avery (yay?) and hopefully it’s going away and won’t come back for a while. How many other new parents keep track of their baby’s “firsts”? Surely we aren’t alone here. It’s not like we’re tracking when we had her outside and a wind gust came in from the Northwest for her to feel for the first time.

Poor girl, you can tell she doesn’t understand why she feels so stuffy and out of it, but I’d say she’s doing good at keeping her spirits somewhat high. See that ever so slight smile emerging?

We are against putting over-the-counter drugs like Tylenol in Avery’s body as there are too many dangers associated with these drugs and we don’t use them for ourselves. Plus, all of the children’s brands are filled with artificial colors and sweeteners which makes them even worse! I’ll stop there, but they are a big NO in this house.

Her sleep was less than stellar the first couple of nights with the cold, but she has slept through the past few nights pretty well. I’m sure her body is just so worn out and really needs the rest to help fight off the crap. I’m not an expert, but I’d say she’s on her way to recovery-ville! Mainly because even when she looks like this…

….at the sound of the camera’s shutter, she transforms into this.

Yeah, I’d say someone’s getting over their first cold. Wouldn’t you?

What are your thoughts on using modern medicine for your children? For yourself?

We look to homeopathic options whenever possible as well as essential oils which are overlooked but very effective.