See what love can do

*clears throat*

I ought to apologise for the long absence [once more] - life is so hectic nowadays! With all the juggling of work/home/other stuff that has been going on, I'm on the right path to joining the circus.

Morgan went through a rough patch health-wise.  On Thursday, the 16th of August, in the evening, she had relatively high fever.  She spent the night waking up every half an hour, screaming.  That was one hell of a long night.  In the morning, HSS and myself took her to hospital - where we ended up staying until the following Wednesday.  They did a chest x-ray, took some 9 vials of blood, also did a spinal tap, did a kidney ultrasound, took a urine sample, gave her antibiotics via IV every day, and Gods know what else.  They tested her for Meningitis - but thankfully that came back negative.

18 August 2012 - in hospital, starting the long path of recovery

I spent that quasi-week with her in hospital - and HSS was with us whenever he had a minute to spare.  He was amazing [still is, actually] and I count myself bloody lucky to have him in our lives.

17 August 2012 - Morgan had horrendously high fever still.  HSS seemed like a good place for her to crash :)

The day after being sent home, he took Morgan back to hospital for her last dose of IV antibiotics, after which they removed the cannula needle from her hand.  The day after that - Friday - we ended up going back to hospital with Morgan wheezing and struggling to breathe.  Turns out she had bronchitis.  Yay! We got back home at 4am-ish.  Dead on our feet doesn't even begin to describe how exhausted we all were.

She was on Ventolin and Rectodelt for the bronchitis, and Septrin for the infection which landed her in hospital in the first place.  She's still taking Septrin, as that saga isn't yet over.

They weren't sure if this was a simple UTI or a kidney infection - and there are a couple more tests to be done to ensure that both urethra and kidneys work as they should and haven't been damaged.  The reason she's still taking the antibiotics is that one of the tests involves them attaching a catheter to check her urethra.  This can sometimes lead to - wait for it! - an infection! Therefore, she is being kept on a low dosage of antibiotics as prevention.

She's happy as always - growing up way too quickly.  She has almost outgrown her 9-12m sized clothing and she's still 7 and a half months old!!

Whilst in hospital - she was crying because she wanted her bottle.  I had a problem with the bloody formula milk since they put her on lactose-free formula for a short while.  The lactose-free formula doesn't dissolve properly unless it is prepared with BOILING water.  What happens sit hat the nozzle of the bottle's dummy gets clogged, making it impossible - and hellishly frustrating - for Morgan to drink.  I kept switching dummies, washing them out and reapplying them.  I must've done this process at least 20 times! At one point she was babbling-whining, when all of a sudden I hear "Baba".

I was shocked.  I thought to myself it must be a coincidence and she didn't really mean it.  A couple of days later though - she said "Ba" on two separate occasions.  Every time, she was referring to the bottle.


I suppose that makes it Morgan's first word!

She hasn't said it - or anything else - since, as she seems to have decided that her main priority at the moment is getting from point A to point B.  She is commando-crawling, and stands up with minimal support for long periods of time.  She can also sit up unsupported for quite a long time, and is constantly reaching out for things - and for us to pick her up.


Things with HSS are good [to put it mildly] even though we don't get to spend that much time together for the time being.

Right now, I'm recovering from a small accident which saw his bike falling on my foot when we skidded [whilst almost stationary] just a corner away from home.  Yay for limping around!

Oh - Morgan is now also enjoying her food in a somewhat lumpy format.  It'd be the equivalent of mashed rather than liquidised food.  Her teeth haven't shown through yet but she is still teething like crazy.  I am guessing they'll all show up at once when they decide it is time.

I am aware it is yet a few months until her first birthday - but I'm trying to figure out what kind of celebratory actions we'll be holding for her - besides the quccija.  It is perplexing - organising a birthday party of sorts for a 1 year old.  Any suggestions are welcome!

Ah yes - today Morgan turned on the TV by herself.  She grabbed hold of the remote control, pointed it towards the TV and pressed the on/off button.  Smart girl! 

29 August 2012 - Playing Tug O' War with my elder sis using a wet wipe

Mama I'm coming home!

I am shocked. For the first time since I started the blog, a day went by without me writing anything!
The reason for that is the fact that yesterday was a Day From Hell, which started at 4:15am with a meganappy that required an outfit change for Morgan, followed by feeding Morgan as well as an argument between myself, my mum and my grandma. The argument was prompted by their wanting to help, to be honest. My mum was meant to babysit whilst I ran a couple of errands, but that was no longer possible.

The morning continued with cooking lunch at 6am, then showing my younger sis how to change a nappy - which led to yet another outfit change - and how to give Morgan her bottle.

 Omnomnomnom

Whilst Morgan was being fed, I got everything ready for our trip over to my place. Obviously even the walk there had a number of irritating occurrences - starting from the fact that the closest ATM was unavailable due to some work being done in the lobby. My frustration then flew in the faces of the idiots who give permits for people to build a doorstep that takes up half of the already narrow pavement, and the assholes who park their car on a double yellow line on the corner, thus blocking access to the ramp I needed to use to push the pram off the sidewalk. Not to forget the inconsiderate twats who dump their garbage bags on the corner, thus also blocking said ramps. And to finish, the local councils for either letting the pavements deteriorate enough to be ridden with potholes worse than those drivers have to face on a daily basis, or else for building pavements so narrow you'd have to walk in a single file with your back against the wall in order not to fall off them.

In other words, Indiana Jones should envy us for making it there and back unscathed.

 Home sweet home!

We finally arrived at my place, and soon after my landlady arrived. We had a brief chat, she oohed and aahed over Morgan, and left. I packed my laptop and we started the journey back home. We made a quick stop at the post office where we picked up a parcel sent to Morgan from my good, bearded friend Cris.

Morgan is now the proud owner of a really cute blanket, and her very own Elder God!

 See? :D

Not even 10 minutes after arriving back home, a workmate of mine came over for lunch and to meet Morgan. She gave Morgan this awesome handknitted outfit her mum made, and also brought one of the most amazing apple pies ever.

After my workmate left, I attended to Morgan and had to change her outfit yet again. Once she was clothed and fed, another friend of mine who is currently pregnant came over with her son and we chatted a bit as her 5(?) year old son hovered around Morgan, examining her attentively. I think he was trying to decide whether he likes the idea of a sibling or not.

My friend and I then tried to explain to him that girls don't have a penis and don't need one in order to pee. He was not convinced and seemed to think we were grossly mistaken and pretty delusional. I'm sure he'll figure it out eventually.

The day carried on being hectic until late at night. It did end on a positive note though! Morgan's Other Granny - the paternal one - confirmed her dates. She'll be visiting for a week soon! I'm excited about it since we never met but she has been immensely supportive throughout the pregnancy and this first month of Morgan's life. I'm also excited for her as well as for Morgan - I know how excited my mum was upon holding Morgan for the first time. I can't imagine what it will be like for his mum.. Having to wait for so long and yet still see and read about the daily changes Morgan goes through via pictures I post and the blogs I write - it must be difficult. I can somewhat empathise due to having lived a long distance relationship. It is not the same though.

So yes - Morgan is now a month old! She is growing up so quickly! There are clothes that are already fitting her a bit too snugly and that will have to be cast aside. Her foot is now longer than my middle finger. I ought to get an inch tape and measure her properly! She is also pulling out the dummy by tugging on the strappy-thingy that is joined with the Bear's Head Clip that secures it to her clothes. She is also holding her head up by herself for a few long seconds, and following moving objects for longer periods of time.

 Notice her hand tugging on the strappy-thingy!

I hope I will have more time to write tomorrow as I tend to forget details which I would otherwise share. Besides from keeping you lot updated, this blog also serves as a journal for me, and later on for her, to remind me of those brief moments which can make or break one's day but unless a record is kept of them, they end up being forgotten.

Wherever we may roam

Yesterday, Morgan and - had our First Day Out. It was fun - but boy was it overwhelming and tiring!
Our day started off with my mum and I deciding to give Morgan a sponge bath.

 Wet Baby! And not a very happy one!

The door bell rang just as we were done, but before we could dry her and clothe her. My mum handed her over to me wrapped up in a towel. I kept thinking "you're going to either pee or poop on me, aren't you?"

Lo and behold! I hear the trickle of pee slapping against the floor's tiles. I put Morgan down on the nappy changer to get some tissue paper to soak up the pee on the floor so as to avoid potential slips until I could clean it up. A few seconds later I notice a tiny amount of poop. I place a wet wipe underneath her bum so that she can poop freely before I clean her up again.. I gave her a couple of minutes or so, and when I saw there was no progress, removed the wipe and turned around to get something from behind me. As soon as I turn back towards Morgan, I see Mount Poop being built up on the towel beneath her.

It got a bit messy, but eventually managed to get everything under control. I suppose it was Morgan's way of telling me exactly what she thought of our stripping her down to give her a bath - and paying me back.
We then got picked up by my soon-to-be sis-in-law. We managed to get the pram in the car, car seat strapped in, and we set off, driving slowly to our destination.

 Are we there yet?

We parked a couple of blocks away from the cafeteria we were going to - Mint - and so I got to push the pram in the outside world for the first time. It was daunting! Making sure I keep an eye on Morgan, looking at the pavement to avoid potholes and other possible obstacles, keeping an eye out for any pedestrians, cars and other vehicles/beings who might cross our path, looking for the nearest, safest and most convenient spot to roll off the pavement to cross the street - and keeping a conversation going. Talk about becoming suddenly aware of how often we multitask without even realising it!

We got to Mint, and luckily for us a group of people with a pram left at that very instant, clearing up an ideal spot for us to sit inside. People were chattering, an REM cd was playing in the background [which I found amusing seeing as I made a reference to them recently in a previous blog], and Morgan was hungry. This meant I had to feed her whilst trying to decide what I wanted to order for myself. That wasn't an easy task since I was focused solely on her - so I opted for the easy way out of the "I'll have what you're having" kind.
Seeing as I was focused on Morgan, it took me a while before I got round to my coffee and meal. Mel (my soon-to-be sis-in-law) wolfed down her food so as to be able to help Morgan burp whilst I eat.

To those of you who work in catering - please don't hover over my shoulder when you can clearly see I have a young child to tend to before I can focus on my own meal.

I never had reason to complain at this cafeteria - food and service are both exceptional. However, yesterday it was as if the 3 waitresses waiting on us grew tired of waiting. They invoked The Unspoken Time Limit During Which Food And Drink Must Be Consumed Lest Your Plate And Glass/Cup Be Taken Away - and that nearly happened in fact.

I missed seeing the Blond Dreadlocked Eyecandy Waiter yesterday - it would have been Lesson 1 on men for Morgan. Instead some guy walked in, and I taught her that this dude is what I call a Pretty Boy, and that she should limit herself to looking at Pretty Boys and that's it. She seemed content receiving this knowledge.
We went for a walk and after a short while, I started getting quite tired. Morgan fell asleep in the pram, and so we headed back towards the car - but not before taking a photo of the two of us.

Happily bringing the day out to an end.

We stopped by to say hi to Mel's parents as they wished to meet Morgan, and then we headed back home where a nappy change & feed was due, followed by a ton of sleep for both Morgan and myself.
A major update for today is - I was discussing what weapon gives the most satisfaction - a machete or a sledgehammer (yay for sledgehammer!) - with a friend and I made a pun using the following video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG71yD8UUbE. I decided to show it to Morgan. She was entranced!! She was watching it quietly, and when I moved my phone slightly, she followed the movement with her eyes!

Help! I Need Somebody!

Mistakes and accidents are part of life - a very important one too! The younger we are, the more valuable and useful the experience will be.  Somewhere further down the line, a lot of people stop learning from their own mistakes, which leads to their getting hurt over and over again.

When faces with a crisis, quite a few people panic and end up making an even greater mess out of the situation than what it would originally have been.  Children learn a lot of the basics by mirroring other people's actions - which is why it is a very common scenario to see a child getting hurt, and only burst into tears when the person supervising them panics.  Fussing about causes the child to realise that something is wrong, and they should have a negative reaction to it.

One thing that I feel every parent should consider is learning Basic First Aid Skills.  It not only could save someone's life, but it will also help you learn how to implement Emotional Damage Control and lessen the amount of unnecessary stress you cause to the injured person, and any other person who happens to be around them - yourself included.  Knowing what to do, and who to refer to, will help you have a clear head and improve your Crisis Management Skills, as well as educate your child that just because something negative has happened, it is not the end of the world.  It will allow them to learn about the whole "silver lining" of the proverbial "cloud".

I had attended a First Aid course about 10 years ago, and never did a refresher meaning I'm not considered to be a qualified First Aider nowadays.  I do plan to rectify this as soon as I afford to [both when it comes to investing time in it, as well as the finances].  Locally, courses are provided by St John Ambulance and they have courses starting every month - which should make it easier to commit to.  If you don't have the time or money this month, look at next month, or the month after!

In the meanwhile, another good source of First Aid Skills can be Natural Remedies/Alternative Healing.  There are plenty of items in your own home that can double as emergency medication, for example.  Garlic and Honey happen to be two foods that can work wonders! 

Clicky here, here and here to scare Vampires and other Nasties away, and here, here and here, for information about the Liquid Gold that is Honey.  Please proceed to read about adverse effects as there may be information in there that is extremely important.

Most importantly, know your emergency contact information and teach it to your child.  It is extremely important to include an Emergency Contact card in your Child's personal belongings - be it a school bag, a wallet, or simply to attach it to their pushchair/pram, for example.  This will ensure that should something happen, and you're not around - either because your child gets lost, for example, or the something actually happened to you! - the child is able to get the assistance required.

Write down their name, surname, your name and surname, your contact telephone numbers as well as an Emergency Contact Person's details as well.  I wouldn't recommend to include a home address as it could produce an adverse effect.  Teach your child what your local Emergency Services number is [in Malta, it would be 112] so that if they are the one to place a phone call, they will know who to contact.  Always teach your children their full name, as well as your own full name.  A lot of children end up believing their Mum is actually called Mum.

If you think I'm being too dramatic, check out this video:

Starting anew

First of all, I would like to thank you all for showing an interest in my inane ramblings and for the support you've shown! Thankies!!


New year, new chapter I guess, right?


Well, this year will be one of many firsts.  For the first time, my countdown will be to a life-changing event.  I will become a mother for the first time, and will be responsible for what seems to probably be a not-so-tiny-Creature.  I will be entering my first life-long commitment relationship-wise, and will hopefully get to witness Creature's first words, smile, steps, meal, bath, Samhain, Yule and gods know what else!

From here onwards, my life will no longer be mine - it will be ours.  For the first time, I will have someone I love, love me back [I hope] and sticking around for a long long time.

So yes - it truly is a new beginning for me.

My only hope is that this year, there will be no funerals to attend.  For those who know me, you know it has been an annual thing since 2000.  Having a break and focusing on Life, rather than Death, would be nice.

Oh!! And I also get to witness the officialisation of another accomplishment of mine - my brother will be getting married to my lovely friend.  I claim full responsibility for their introduction :D

I look forward to this new challenge that lies ahead of me. For those of you who are thinking "What about doomsday?" I have my own theory - it is highly likely that the date is correct - and the end will be brought upon us... by Creature's first steps. Muahahahahahahahaha.