Is it too early to think about potty training with a 2 month old baby? I've read a little bit about elimination communication and wanted to try it with my first born, but was only able to poop train early and pee-trained closer to 4 years old.
I noticed that my baby was grunting and making a face so I took her and held her over the toilet. She thought that was weird, then got tired of being there. I asked her to pee and she peed. I think it was a complete fluke... but I'm tempted to try again just to see if we can repeat it another time.
I've read it's not a good idea to just wing it. But I don't feel ready to commit to a full-out attempt to do this properly. I guess we'll have to see how it goes next time. At least the next time I can hold her properly so that she's more comfortable.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Friday, June 7, 2013
Duplo Activities
Been busy with my new baby and preschooler. We saw the duplo inspiration videos earlier this week. Isaac loves the Ramps and Crashes, Biggest Bridge and the Marble Run video. After that, Isaac wanted to make his own ramp.
It gave me some ideas and spurred me to do some building.
For a quick fun activity with kids - we made duplo bowling pins and a little lane for it. I might want to try creating a lane with gutters next time.
This morning, I decided to build my version of a spiral train track. It's 3 levels high and used 3 bridge halves to ramp up to the top of the spiral.
It gave me some ideas and spurred me to do some building.
For a quick fun activity with kids - we made duplo bowling pins and a little lane for it. I might want to try creating a lane with gutters next time.
This morning, I decided to build my version of a spiral train track. It's 3 levels high and used 3 bridge halves to ramp up to the top of the spiral.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Garlic Festival 2012 @ The Sharing Farm
Yesterday morning we parked the car at Spul'u'kwuk's Elementary School. Isaac checked out the school playground (he loves exploring new places) and had a lot of fun. After we walked over to the Sharing Farm in Terra Nova Park to attend the Garlic Festival.
There were some booths set up in the front, a vegetable/garlic/plant market, garlic ice cream, some cooking demonstrations, and some music performances. Isaac made a bee-line for the garden in the sharing farm and walked to the end. Daddy and Isaac walked on through a field to watch airplanes take-off and land. There were picnic tables and benches in the "viewing area". He also had a chance to pet a grasshopper. I walked back to check out the market and picked up some bok choy plants and a gai lan.
Daddy and Isaac tried out the garlic ice cream. Isaac exclaimed that it was "Delicious", but Daddy wasn't so keen on the flavour.
Today, I picked up a couple of planters/pots for the vegetable plants. We potted the avocado seed and transplanted the vegetables into a planter and pot. Isaac helped to water the plants. I think it's too chilly for the avocado to stay outside, so we're keeping them inside, but the vegetables are staying out on our balcony. I damaged some of the bok choy roots when I was trying to transplant them, so we'll have to see if they'll survive.
Update: August 25th - One of the gai lag leaves look like it's withering. And some of the bok choy leaves are flopping over/ going limp. I have them on the balcony under the sun. I've been watering them about every other day. I don't know if they need more or less water or something else.
There were some booths set up in the front, a vegetable/garlic/plant market, garlic ice cream, some cooking demonstrations, and some music performances. Isaac made a bee-line for the garden in the sharing farm and walked to the end. Daddy and Isaac walked on through a field to watch airplanes take-off and land. There were picnic tables and benches in the "viewing area". He also had a chance to pet a grasshopper. I walked back to check out the market and picked up some bok choy plants and a gai lan.
Daddy and Isaac tried out the garlic ice cream. Isaac exclaimed that it was "Delicious", but Daddy wasn't so keen on the flavour.
Today, I picked up a couple of planters/pots for the vegetable plants. We potted the avocado seed and transplanted the vegetables into a planter and pot. Isaac helped to water the plants. I think it's too chilly for the avocado to stay outside, so we're keeping them inside, but the vegetables are staying out on our balcony. I damaged some of the bok choy roots when I was trying to transplant them, so we'll have to see if they'll survive.
Update: August 25th - One of the gai lag leaves look like it's withering. And some of the bok choy leaves are flopping over/ going limp. I have them on the balcony under the sun. I've been watering them about every other day. I don't know if they need more or less water or something else.
Monday, August 6, 2012
A lesson about seeds
August 5th: I was eating an avocado for breakfast this morning and I popped out the pit for Isaac to touch. Then I thought... why don't we just try to germinate the seed to see what happens? Isaac was excited about the idea. I looked up a couple of websites with some suggestions and I decided to wrap up the seed in a wet paper towel and keep it covered and stored in a dark place (by Isaac's bath tub).
I guess we'll have to see what happens. Either it will get mouldy and rot or a root will grow in 2-4 weeks. This could be interesting. :) I was almost tempted to buy a little ceramic pot (with drain hole) so that we can plant it somewhere... but I'll hold off just in case this experiment fails.
I'm pretty bad at taking care of plants so the chances of this working are quite low. I just think it's a good opportunity to show Isaac how seeds grow (and the bigger picture of where some food comes from).
Update:
August 14th: We checked on the seed and it looks like it's formed a crack on one end. I think we've been trying to germinate it upside-down, so I've turned it around and put the crack side on the bottom of the container. I guess we'll have to see if a root starts growing from the crack in a few days. I wasn't really expecting too much, so we don't have a pot or soil to plant it in yet...
Update:
August 20th: I stopped by a small flower shop in Kerrisdale today looking for a cheap plastic pot. The lady was so nice, she transplanted one of her flowers and gave us the pot for free. I think there might be a root growing in the crack, so we planted the avocado seed into a pot with some potting soil.
Update:
September 11th: I kept the avocado in the washroom because it was the room with the highest humidity. I checked on it today and there was a shoot growing out from the top! We had started germinating an additional avocado seed, but I forgot to check on it and it looks like some sort of hold or fungus was starting to grow on that one, so I don't know if it'll survive or not. It had a root growing out from the bottom. I moved it out to a pot with a little bit of soil. I guess we'll see what happens.
I guess we'll have to see what happens. Either it will get mouldy and rot or a root will grow in 2-4 weeks. This could be interesting. :) I was almost tempted to buy a little ceramic pot (with drain hole) so that we can plant it somewhere... but I'll hold off just in case this experiment fails.
I'm pretty bad at taking care of plants so the chances of this working are quite low. I just think it's a good opportunity to show Isaac how seeds grow (and the bigger picture of where some food comes from).
Update:
August 14th: We checked on the seed and it looks like it's formed a crack on one end. I think we've been trying to germinate it upside-down, so I've turned it around and put the crack side on the bottom of the container. I guess we'll have to see if a root starts growing from the crack in a few days. I wasn't really expecting too much, so we don't have a pot or soil to plant it in yet...
Update:
August 20th: I stopped by a small flower shop in Kerrisdale today looking for a cheap plastic pot. The lady was so nice, she transplanted one of her flowers and gave us the pot for free. I think there might be a root growing in the crack, so we planted the avocado seed into a pot with some potting soil.
Update:
September 11th: I kept the avocado in the washroom because it was the room with the highest humidity. I checked on it today and there was a shoot growing out from the top! We had started germinating an additional avocado seed, but I forgot to check on it and it looks like some sort of hold or fungus was starting to grow on that one, so I don't know if it'll survive or not. It had a root growing out from the bottom. I moved it out to a pot with a little bit of soil. I guess we'll see what happens.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
I'm a high FSHer!?!
This morning I woke up remembering part of my dream. I was at the top of a steep slide and there was a bear at the bottom in the water below. I spoke to the bear and said hello to it softly. Then someone else in my dream provoked the bear and it turned angry and tried to climb up to chase us. My heart was pounding.
I used to remember my dreams when I was younger. It was interesting to remember one from this morning. It might mean nothing, but bears symbolize introspection being chased by one means there's an obstacle I need to deal with. The critical side of me supposes that this sort of generic meaning can applied to anything in anyone's life at any point in time. But regardless, it does mean something to me.
I took a cd3 blood test and my FSH number was high (15.3 IU/L). The FSH measure the amount of follicle stimulating hormone in my blood. Having a high number COULD mean that I have a low/poor quality ovarian reserve. From everything I've been able to dig up on this so far, it means I'm likely a bad candidate for fertility medication (though this isn't the route I'm currently considering so I doesn't bother me so much). However, there are also other possible reasons for having a high FSH that I'll need the dr to investigate. I will be repeating this test next month to see what the numbers are.
At the end of the day, it's a big numbers game and the odds are a bit stacked against me. I'm still ovulating regularly according to my BBT charts (and 7dpo progesterone level), but my body might be stimulating fewer antral follicles per cycle so the dominant follicle(s) are chosen from a smaller set and generally it's not as good as if I had more to choose from. I still believe that I can get pregnant, but it'll take longer to find that "good egg". And of course, there's still the 20% chance that everything goes right and the egg gets fertilized. There are a number of women other there with high FSH who are able to get pregnant naturally through timed intercourse and deliver a healthy baby, so there is hope.
I will be requesting an Antral follicle count, AMH, FSH and E2 whenever I next see my gynaecologist. It's frustrating to know that I might have problems and yet not be able to get an appointment to talk to her about it. It's tempting to try to get a referral to someone else, but there will be lag time getting an appointment with any specialist either way. I've borrowed some books about infertility and hope that something there helps me understand more what all these numbers mean and what I can do about it.
Update: I was able to conceive naturally on that cycle with my FSH at 15.3. I'm currently 13 weeks along. I've had 3 scans so far and things are looking good. So if you're reading this and you have a high FSH, don't give up hope. It can still happen for you.
Update: I was able to conceive naturally on that cycle with my FSH at 15.3. I'm currently 13 weeks along. I've had 3 scans so far and things are looking good. So if you're reading this and you have a high FSH, don't give up hope. It can still happen for you.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
My Food Relationship
There's definitely a Love-Hate thing going on. I love prepackaged processed stuff like Mr. Christy's Chips Ahoy! Chocolate Chip Cookies... but I've noticed lately that my body doesn't love it. I get blood blisters in my mouth when I eat the cookies. Same with those yummy chinese bakery pineapple buns. The blood blisters go away after a few hours. I really suspect that I have developed a wheat or gluten sensitivity or allergy. I haven't gone to the doctor about this yet, but I should... soon.
On my EAT list:
On my EAT list:
- Fruits
- Apples, avocado, banana, bell peppers, chayote, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, grapefruits, grapes*, lemon, lichee, lime, mango, oranges, pears, plums, pumpkins, squash, strawberries*, tomatoes, winter melon
- Protein
- Beef, chicken, eggs, fish, pork, shrimp, tofu,
- Starch and Grains
- Potatoes, rice
- Vegetables
- Asparagus, beets, bok choy, broccoli, carrot, cauliflower, celery, gai lan, garlic, green beans, green onions, kale, laver, lettuce, onions, peas, pomelo, potatoes, snap peas, snow peas, soybeans, spinach, sweet potatoes, wakame, watercress, yam
* indicates only in limited quantity and preferably organic/pesticide-free.
On my AVOID list:
- Protein
- Octopus (gives me a stomachache), possibly some crustaceans (I had a moderately strong allergic reaction involving tingling then numb mouth and throat, difficulty breathing, sweating, and increased heart rate due to some spicy seaweed that was seasoned with what was labeled crustaceans)
- Starch and Grains
- Wheat (I'm getting blood blisters and rough scratchy patches in my mouth with I eat something containing wheat), tapioca (stomachache - I don't think I can digest it too well) I think this basically means no bread, pastry, or noodles unless it's gluten-free.
- Lactose
- Ice cream, milk
*sadly waves* Good bye wheat-filled cookies, I'll miss you!
I tried making a gluten-free muffin using almond flour, but sadly the texture wasn't great - it crumbled into little bits and it didn't quite taste right.
Ed's Gluten Free Specialty - 2827 Arbutus St. Vancouver BC - it's gone out of business :(
The Gluten Free Epicurean - 633 East 15th Ave. Vancouver BC
Panne Rizo Bakery and Cafe - 1939 Cornwall Ave. Vancouver BC
Grocery stores are offering a selection of gluten-free products so I'll have to look around and give some of these a try. It looks like IGA might have a decent selection of gluten free food.
There are a couple of bakeries in North Vancouver: Mountain Top Cafe and Bakery and The Sweet Tooth Bakery but the chances of me going up there are pretty slim.
List of Gluten-Free Cookie and Cracker Brands:
First order of business... finding a chocolate chip cookie replacement.
Yes Dr. Lucy's - So far I've tried just the chocolate chip cookies. It's a bit crispier than I like but has a nice sweet taste to it. I would probably buy this again the next time I go to Choices.
Yes Enjoy Life - I really like the soft baked chocolate chip cookies. They are tiny little cookies that are soft and sweet.
No Glutino Chocolate Wafers - I like sweet things but this had a sickening sweet flavour that I didn't really like. Isaac asked for another one, but me I'll pass. I like other Glutino products, just not this one.
No Mary's Organic Crackers - We picked up a box of Double Chocolate cookies from London Drugs today. It had a nice soft texture but I found the taste a bit on the salty side. It wasn't sweet enough for my tastes - so I'll probably pass on this the next time.
No Mi-Del - Found this at both Whole Foods and IGA. It has a buttery taste. It's not very sweet and it has a floury after-taste and texture that I don't quite like. It's ok, but again, not something that I want to eat and eat and eat.
Yes Pamela's Products - Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies. Mmmm... yummy! They are a bit on the crumbly side, but it tastes a bit like the chewy chips ahoy cookies.
I'm not crazy about the taste of rice crackers... so I won't be blogging about those. I'm going to try out some different gluten-free crackers.
Yes Glutino - The Gluten Free Original Crackers taste really good to me (especially with some margarine on top).
No Mediterranean Snacks - While we were at London Drugs, I saw the Lentil Crackers and picked up a box. It tastes ok but I don't really want to gorge on this stuff so I guess I don't love it.
I tried making a gluten-free muffin using almond flour, but sadly the texture wasn't great - it crumbled into little bits and it didn't quite taste right.
Update: I've been looking up Gluten-free alternatives in the Vancouver-Richmond area. Here are places that sell gluten-free products. I will be checking them out:
The Gluten Free Epicurean - 633 East 15th Ave. Vancouver BC
Panne Rizo Bakery and Cafe - 1939 Cornwall Ave. Vancouver BC
Grocery stores are offering a selection of gluten-free products so I'll have to look around and give some of these a try. It looks like IGA might have a decent selection of gluten free food.
There are a couple of bakeries in North Vancouver: Mountain Top Cafe and Bakery and The Sweet Tooth Bakery but the chances of me going up there are pretty slim.
List of Gluten-Free Cookie and Cracker Brands:
First order of business... finding a chocolate chip cookie replacement.
Yes Dr. Lucy's - So far I've tried just the chocolate chip cookies. It's a bit crispier than I like but has a nice sweet taste to it. I would probably buy this again the next time I go to Choices.
Yes Enjoy Life - I really like the soft baked chocolate chip cookies. They are tiny little cookies that are soft and sweet.
No Glutino Chocolate Wafers - I like sweet things but this had a sickening sweet flavour that I didn't really like. Isaac asked for another one, but me I'll pass. I like other Glutino products, just not this one.
No Mary's Organic Crackers - We picked up a box of Double Chocolate cookies from London Drugs today. It had a nice soft texture but I found the taste a bit on the salty side. It wasn't sweet enough for my tastes - so I'll probably pass on this the next time.
No Mi-Del - Found this at both Whole Foods and IGA. It has a buttery taste. It's not very sweet and it has a floury after-taste and texture that I don't quite like. It's ok, but again, not something that I want to eat and eat and eat.
Yes Pamela's Products - Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies. Mmmm... yummy! They are a bit on the crumbly side, but it tastes a bit like the chewy chips ahoy cookies.
I'm not crazy about the taste of rice crackers... so I won't be blogging about those. I'm going to try out some different gluten-free crackers.
Yes Glutino - The Gluten Free Original Crackers taste really good to me (especially with some margarine on top).
No Mediterranean Snacks - While we were at London Drugs, I saw the Lentil Crackers and picked up a box. It tastes ok but I don't really want to gorge on this stuff so I guess I don't love it.
t'm pretty excited that I was able to find GF Betty Crocker Cake Mix at IGA. Guess what I'll be trying out for my birthday cake!? My husband and son made me cupcakes from the mix for my birthday. They tasted pretty good, but needed to have frosting on it so that it'd taste better. I would consider getting it again.
August 25, 2012: Today I tried out the Glutino BBQ Chicken Pizza while my son and husband ordered a regular pizza. I ended up pilfering some of their toppings to add on top of my pizza. The crust was good, but the chicken was dry and I guess my own personal preference is for a more tomatoey sort of sauce... so while I might not get this flavour again, I will likely try another Glutino pizza with a different topping.
August 25, 2012: Today I tried out the Glutino BBQ Chicken Pizza while my son and husband ordered a regular pizza. I ended up pilfering some of their toppings to add on top of my pizza. The crust was good, but the chicken was dry and I guess my own personal preference is for a more tomatoey sort of sauce... so while I might not get this flavour again, I will likely try another Glutino pizza with a different topping.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Unimog Lego Shopping
Weather in Richmond this morning: sunny. As we drive towards Vancouver, large gray clouds loom overhead. As we approach our destination (Toys R Us), hail plunks down on our car. I watch as the little ice balls bounce off the car windshield.
We picked up another lego Technic because M really wants it and is afraid it'll be gone by the time TRU offers a sale on Technics. :p There has been lots of spending on lego lately... but sadly not by me. I'm still waiting for October before picking up the Town Hall for my Christmas present.
Isaac's still trying to make rockets but also makes submarines now. He also likes jets, planes, quad bikes, etc. When M showed Isaac the lego technic box at the store, Isaac said "whoa". I think it'll take M a while to build it over the weekend.
Yesterday M was building a model of the X-wing spaceship, Isaac got tired of waiting for daddy to finish it, so he decided to build his own X-wing (with one of our bins of spare regular lego pieces). I've been looking for more lego from Value Village, but sadly there hasn't been much lately. Maybe I just haven't been going in the mornings when they open - but our current schedule constraints with morning classes makes it difficult. I did happen to see something with a few pieces of lego, but it was mixed with a lot of Tyco and Mega Bloks (which are brands I don't want) - so I didn't buy it. I'm waiting for the garage sales and big kid swap meets to pick up some more random lego pieces.
We picked up another lego Technic because M really wants it and is afraid it'll be gone by the time TRU offers a sale on Technics. :p There has been lots of spending on lego lately... but sadly not by me. I'm still waiting for October before picking up the Town Hall for my Christmas present.
Isaac's still trying to make rockets but also makes submarines now. He also likes jets, planes, quad bikes, etc. When M showed Isaac the lego technic box at the store, Isaac said "whoa". I think it'll take M a while to build it over the weekend.
Yesterday M was building a model of the X-wing spaceship, Isaac got tired of waiting for daddy to finish it, so he decided to build his own X-wing (with one of our bins of spare regular lego pieces). I've been looking for more lego from Value Village, but sadly there hasn't been much lately. Maybe I just haven't been going in the mornings when they open - but our current schedule constraints with morning classes makes it difficult. I did happen to see something with a few pieces of lego, but it was mixed with a lot of Tyco and Mega Bloks (which are brands I don't want) - so I didn't buy it. I'm waiting for the garage sales and big kid swap meets to pick up some more random lego pieces.
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