Saturday, March 31, 2012

Hospital Shenanigans

As I posted a couple of weeks ago, Colin ended up going to the hospital because he caught a bad chest cold, and he was experiencing some breathing difficulties as a result. I offered hope that the worst was past, and that we'd all be better soon. Alas, Colin was subjected to a second trip to the hospital, Keith and Evelyn were felled by the same plague. After the fact, we were told that they likely had a bout of RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus). All last winter, the babies received monthly injections aimed at warding off RSV - they were eligible because they were born premature. I shudder to think how sick they would have been had they caught this horrible illness when they were so much smaller.

The final tally over 7 days was:

- 2 Emerg visits (Colin);
- 5 doctors' visits (everyone);
- 4 infected ears (Colin & Keith);
- 1 fluid filled ear (Keith);
- 3 children who took turns coughing until they were sick (= LOADS of laundry)
- 8 sleepless nights
- 2 rounds of antibiotics (Colin & Keith)

All of them recovered juuust in time for their 18 month check-ups at with their pediatrician on Monday afternoon, which included their 18 month vaccinations. On Tuesday morning, I noticed Colin's "shot" arm was looking red and swollen, but it didn't seem to be bothering him and he had no fever. That night, Edward was changing Colin into his pjs and called me upstairs to take a look. His arm was now very red and very swollen. We do what we normally do in these situations: we called Edward's father in New Brunswick who has 35 years experience as a family doctor. He told us that the MMR vaccine that Colin received doesn't usually cause that type of reaction, and advised use to take him into the Emergency.

So, Edward and Colin went off for his 3 Emerg visit in as many weeks. I consulted the notoriously unreliable and alarmist Dr. Google, and based on what I read, it looked like Colin had developed cellulitis from the needle puncture. Edward's father - who had not seen Colin, obviously - also thought he had cellulitis. Colin didn't have a fever, but only more advanced cellulitis presents that way. The key is to catch it and treat it quickly before it becomes a serious, systemic infection.

The triage nurse confirmed it was cellulitis, but the doctor disagreed because there was no fever present. However, he did draw a line around the margins of the swelling and wrote a prescription in the "off chance" that he was wrong, and the swelling and redness spread. Well, he was wrong. Slowly over the course of Wednesday, the infection spread to encompass Colin's arm from shoulder to elbow. As an aside, it boggles my mind that someone who saw Colin but has zero medical knowledge (me), and a person with a ton of medical knowledge but who didn't see Colin (Edward's father) got it right. The person who had both the knowledge AND physical access to Colin (the Emerg doctor) got it wrong.

I rushed over that night to fill the prescription, only to be told by the pharmacist that the prescription was totally useless: instead of the 250mg dose Colin should be getting at his weight and age, the doctor inexplicably prescribed him 30mg. What to do? The pharmacist sadly told me that we'd have to go back to the hospital to get another prescription. She must have seen the panic in my eyes. It was almost 9pm, and we'd have to take Colin back for a 4th hospital visit - his 3rd late, sleepless night waiting to be seen in the Emerg. Taking pity on me, she agreed to call the hospital and explain the situation. The hospital asked her to fax the prescription over for their review. Ten minutes before the pharmacy closed, they authorized her to provide the appropriate dose. It took all of my self restraint not to leap over the counter and kiss her! For those of you in the area, this was the Rexall at Carlingwood Mall. We have had excellent service from them, each of the many, MANY times we've needed them.

Most importantly, Colin appears to be well on the mend, and we're taking things a little quiet over here as we recover from the last few weeks. I certainly recognize that in the bigger picture, these are relatively minor issues. However, grouped together (as is inevitable with a) children, and b) triplets), it felt a little overwhelming.

I'm hoping for healthier and warmer days ahead!

Sunday, March 25, 2012

18 Months!!!

I have to admit to having a few tongue-biting moments when, after the babies were born, well-meaning people would tell me to "enjoy them, because they grown up so fast". When you're up to your eyeballs in dirty diapers, dirty bottles, dirty clothes and runny noses without having slept for more than 4 hours at a time for well over a year, life seems to drag by at a glacial pace. You cannot wait for your darling children to gain even a tiny measure of independence. I think that's why parents celebrate milestones... it means you're one moment closer to a more even keel. Note, I wrote "more even" - everyone knows there is no such thing as having chidlers and a smooth sail.

In any case, after the babies turned 1, life did, indeed, start to speed up. And now that they're (mostly) walking and talking non-stop, life has hit warp speed. A few times over the past few weeks, I've stopped to marvel: "Aha, so THIS is what they meant!" and, even: "Woah! Slow down!". There is such a small space between these tiny measures of independence and Being Independent. For now, each victory is framed by a backwards or sideways glance to make sure Mummy or Daddy is still there, encouraging and safe. But these days are numbered. I plan to cherish them while I can!

Without further ado, HAPPY 18 MONTHS COLIN, KEITH AND EVELYN. Whew! More of a mouthful than the catch-all, "babies". But then, they aren't babies anymore!!

COLIN


Our Mister C, Monkey-Doodle. Or, as he is known to his adoring public, "Flirt". But don't be fooled! Those beguiling smiles are practiced with intense concentration in the mirror beside the change-table. Occasionally, I have found him firmly ensconced in the arms of a flattered and smitten woman at the Library, or have had people passing the stroller comment on his infectious ear-to-ear grin. His curiosity is boundless, and he must have all objects within view named and identified. If there are nine cats on a page, he'll put his finger on each one and ask, "Dat?". He will look at you with mild annoyance if one of those cats is called a hippopotamus. Speaking of looks, Colin has mastered the "Look of Death" which he shoots at his minions if we dare to refuse one of his many whims. This will serve him well when he becomes a Terrible Two. Wait, I think he's already there...

Colin specializes in the "Limpet", which means that if both his siblings are screaming their lungs out, and you're trying to juggle them accordingly, he will cling to your legs and beseech "UP UP!" a million times, with increasing volume. He must also be the first for everything; no surprise for our Baby A. As the oldest-by-a-minute sibling, he is also somewhat despotic. He'll merrily rip prized items out of anyone's grasp, push a sibling off a lap and use Keith's tummy as a bongo drum.

A Few Fun Colin Factoids:
- Every time he sees a star, no matter where or how minuscule, he sings "UpAhBo" as in, "Up Above the World So High", from "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"; and "Up Up Up" (Hop Hop Hop) when he sees a rabbit, from our song, "Wake Up Little Bunny";
- He is a whiz with the shape sorter, even the more complex shapes that I can't name (a trapezoid?!);
- He must have his blankie and/or Woof Woof to sleep;
- He can do very basic puzzles;
- He'll reliably tell me when he has a dirty diaper;
- He can run... and he does!
- He loves using his words, which include: all done, baby, puppy, book, mummy, daddy, opa, nana, up, down, hot, cookie, happy, knee, lalala, hi, bye, bubble, door, wall, yellow, shoe and, of course, his absolute favourite: NO!

KEITH


Keith, our Pumpkin, is mellow, good-natured and very easy-going. He will smile upon request and spends a lot of his day (and night) singing away, often making up his own tunes and lyrics as he goes along. When he is perfectly content, he'll break out his chart-topping "Mahmo eh eh eh eh". Whatever a "mahmo" is, it is a happy thing. What else makes Keith happy? His books, bubbles, anything with wheels and a motor, and everything we classify as dirty; like shoes, dog toys, and unidentified stuff off the floor. "Bleh", he proclaims with a cheerful glint in his eyes, as he samples the item in question, "ditty!". And what does Keith find hysterically funny? Tickles, belly buttons and the word "No". In fact, the more emphatic the "NO!", the funnier it is!

Keith will often bear the brunt of his siblings' aggression, usually with a smile and a laugh. He is very physical, so he thinks its great to be on the receiving end of a head-butt, which he will happily reciprocate. This exception is when Evelyn reaches over from her feeding chair, seizes his hand and chomps down on his finger. Keith sits there impassively... a few seconds pass, and then his bottom lip begins to quiver before he unleashes a torrent of tears and shrieking. She did that twice before he decided not to give her the benefit of the doubt. And although he has a long fuse, when he gets upset or frustrated, you will know! However, more often than not, the storm passes quickly and sun-shiney Keith reappears, quite likely humming "Uh...uh... Buppy..." softly to himself.

A Few Fun Keith Factoids:
- He is the king of animal noises. From an elephant to a donkey, Keith has them mastered. Although he thinks a squirrel makes a growling noise because that's Sprocket's reaction when he sees one;
- He beats his chest when he sees a picture of a gorilla... and an umbrella. The latter is my fault, because I introduced "umbrella" as a word that rhymed with "gorilla". Hence the confusion;
- He will sit and flip through books for half an hour. He knows what pictures are on each page, and will bring me other books that have pictures of the same things;
- If he hears a car or truck outside, he'll climb onto the rocking chair in the playroom to peep out the window and yell "Rooom Rooom!"
- He is Opa's #1 fan, and recognizes the sound of my parents' car as soon as it pulls into our driveway;
- Some of Keith's favourite words include: Down (which, for whatever reason, he pronounces "doon"), puppy, all done, opa, nana, mummy, up, daddy, cookie ("cooo-kay"), door, dog, bath and bubble.

EVELYN


Our Missus, and Miss Elevelyn. Try as you might, you cannot pull one over on our Miss E. Independent and somewhat mercurial, deviating from her meticulously planned course of action will net you an ear-shattering protest and the wiggliest worm on the block. People we meet often pronounce their sympathies for Evelyn, being "a rose between two thorns". I nod and smile, knowing the truth is that Evelyn exerts an iron will over her subjects. But when Evelyn smiles, and lo, when she unleashes that bubbly, throaty giggle, the world smiles with her. She will grab a favourite book, bring it to you with a polite "Ta Ta", plonk herself on your lap, and make little contented "yep" grunts as she settles in for a good read. She'll continue adding her two cents throughout the story, and should Colin grab the book and insist on pointing out every little fish, she'll yank it back and return it to you with the most emphatic "TA TA!".

She loves to organize scarves and bibs, and tucks her treasures in obscure corners for safe-keeping. When she gets excited, she flaps her hands and emits cooing "OOoOOs" - particularly after a meal, when she gets the "spa treatment" of a warm cloth. Evelyn likes her luxuries! One of her favourite activities is picking her barrette for the day, which is often why you'll see her with four of them in her hair. Evelyn is Evelyn on her own terms, and we wouldn't have it any other way.

A Few Fun Evelyn Factoids:
- Her favourite game is "BAA!", which is Nana's version of hide-and-seek that involves leaping out and yelling "Baa!". She asks for it by name;
- She lets me know she is dirty by holding her diaper and pronouncing "bo-bo";
- She knows most of her colours, and loves to find Mummy something that is blue;
- She still loves her "soo soo";
- She'll walk forever if you let her, even if she's exhausted. She wants to be on the move!!
- She is surprisingly talkative when in the bath, and will hold the soap dish with one hand, gesticulate wildly with the other, and wax philosophically for a good 15 minutes;
- Some of Evelyn's favourite words include: hat, opa, nana, knock-knock (?!), up, yellow, blue, no (more like "NO!") and bottle.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

We Alllmoooost Made It...

... to the end of the cold and flu season without ending up at the Emergency again. As you may recall, Colin has asthma and had quite a rough ride back in October with a chest cold, which resulted in a certain amount of misery for everyone. All three of the babies have basically passed nasty germs back and forth since then, and we've even had a few chest colds along the way. But, with our diligent use of Colin's daily maintenance inhaler and the Ventolin (when needed), we've been extremely successful at keeping Colin's lungs clear and healthy. Until two days ago...

We're not sure what end of the cold we're on - Keith had a flash fever (12 hours, total!) last week, Evelyn had a minor cold shortly before then, I had my second bout of Strep throat and a cold and Edward has been sick since the beginning of February. In any case, Colin's nose started to run a little more than usual, but with the warm weather we've had, I figured his allergies were starting up again (mine are!). On Monday afternoon, however, the chesty cough began to creep in, and by 3am this morning, Colin and I (and Woof Woof, his beloved puppy stuffy) were at CHEO getting him checked out. He had a small fever, and was breathing too rapidly for my liking. We were home by 7am. Edward stayed home from work, my mom came over and I gratefully slept for a few hours. Colin, the Energizer Bunny, kept trucking... until he crashed for 45 minutes at the mall.

Edward's Uncle and Aunt were visiting from Toronto, so they got to experience the babies staggering around the various stores - in different directions, of course. Colin was able to resurrect himself in time to enjoy his important social calls - he has a special friend he visits in a quilt and bedding store and he has charmed the ladies at Suzy Shier. He is also attracted to the upbeat music of another women's clothing store, so he stands in its entrance and dances... Evelyn knows better than to touch the merchandise, but she cannot resist gently touching the clothes hangers while murmuring "No no no!" to herself. Keith, well, even though he isn't walking yet, he will not be left behind. He loves to zoom around the sofas and chairs of the sitting area we invade and will shriek "UP UP UP!!!" until he gets out of the stroller. It's so much fun - and exercise!!

Here's hoping Colin will have a good, solid night of sleep and will be well on the mend for tomorrow's adventures.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Keith vs The Stairs



Keith, taken this morning.  He's wearing his super special Stair Climbing Tuque.  We make a concerted effort to have Keith crawl up the stairs at least twice a day to work on strengthening his leg muscles.  He's a little further behind in this department than we would like, and his balance needs some work as well.  Case in point, he and Colin have perfected the art of climbing on and off the rocking chairs in the playroom.  They love to live dangerously, and stand (and clap) while on the chairs - it's a pretty good balance test.  For Keith, this has resulted in a tumble or two, the latest causing a bloody nose and deeply injured pride!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Babies Walking - 17 months



In true Evelyn fashion, no amount of cajoling could get her walking. However, the moment the limelight was on someone else...

I really would like to capture Colin and Evelyn walking at the same time. They stagger around the room trying to maneuver into grappling distance. Once firmly attached, they cling desperately, each trying to use the other to stabilize themselves. In this wobbly embrace, they revolve slowly until they collapse in an indignant heap of arms and legs. It's a riot!