Malcolm At One

I started this post not really know how to encapsulate the last 365 days with our Baby Z.  He is growing up - despite being toujours toothless - and Edward and I enjoy and relish every new skill and every first.  But there is something about the last "firsts" that goes beyond milestones and markers.  Something about that last first sweet kiss for Mummy, those last first shaky steps that leave me a little emotional.  It was like this with The Ducklings, too.  But with them, our day to day (to night) life was so busy, there wasn't too much time for reflection.  Our lives are even busier now, but Edward and I now know how fleeting it is, so we do stop and enjoy moments with Malcolm as much as possible.  I also know that there are a myriad of delightful "firsts" for all my children on the horizon, and I am so excited to see where this crazy ride takes us.

The maudlin aside, here is a snapshot of Malcolm at one:

Malcolm looking windswept (and a tad damp - they spent the later afternoon under the soaker hose)

Nicknames:  Mr. Man, Booboo, Boobear
Favourite foods:  saltine crackers, spaghetti, blueberries and apples
Favourite toys:  my bedside clock (he loves to walk around with it in his hand), an octopus, doors/drawers/latches, Evelyn's shoes....
Favourite words:  oh-oh, ball.  Well okay, those are his only words.  However, he will meow and occasionally, and he loves to do his "dada" babble.  When he wants a cup of water, he'll ask for a "baba", and when he sees something on the kitchen counter he wants to eat, it's "NANANA" in a very persuasive tone.

Malcolm is very determined - I think he has to be, in order to get his needs expressed over the din.  And even though he doesn't talk much, he is extremely vocal, and his comprehension is growing exponentially.  Yesterday, I asked him if he wanted to push one of the toy carts around, and he immediately went over (with my assistance), and did exactly that.  Or if I ask him to put something away, he will (ha - how fleeting is that level of cooperation!).  He watches everything his siblings do with studied interest, and derives tremendous joy from mimicking them.  He loves opening Keith and Evelyn's bedroom door in the morning to wake them up, and peeking in their closet door, where they are often hiding, playing "bus".  Like his siblings, it takes him a while to warm up to new people, and when he is really miffed, he has a very R2D2-like shriek...

He is generally pretty easy-going, unless food is involved (hmmm.... the Keith food gene?), or if, God forbid, you try to finger-walk him away from a toilet bowl.  He still isn't walking on his own, but his balance is getting better and he loves to explore.  He does know how to dig in his heels, how to forage for crumbs squirreled away in drawers and cupboards, how to put on my glasses and turn on the TV using the remote, so we certainly aren't worried about him.  I mean, when one has indulgent adults, siblings who bring you toys and a hysterically funny (to Malcolm, I should clarify) puppy who hovers around continually hoping for a cookie and/or a pat, why exactly would one exert a whole lot of effort on mobility?  He is the party.  And he knows it.

We love you so much, Mr. Man!

Birthday Cupcake

This is a week overdue - as is my "Malcolm at One" post I've been mulling over.  But, better late than never... or unedited.  It is a tad on the long side, but he enjoyed his cupcake SO much, it would have been a shame to edit out any of it!

The Ducklings And Allergies

As many of you know, Edward and I have allergies.  Edward's are mostly seasonal, but mine run the gamut from cat dander to photocopier fluid.  Thankfully, neither of us have a cat, a photocopier or, more importantly, any food allergies.

Nevertheless, due in part to the whims of genetics and to the lethal peanut/treenut allergy my nephew has, Edward and I refrained from giving our kids any nuts, and we were careful when introducing other potential allergens into their diet.  We didn't scrupulously dissect the ingredients of every food item we brought into the house, but we bought peanut/nut-free items when possible.

With the specter of full-day school hanging over us, I realized I had to be able to inform the school of any allergies the Ducklings might have.  I was most concerned about Colin, because of his perpetually runny nose and eczema, so he went first.  We discovered that he has an allergy to cashews and pistachios.  On the scale of 1 (minimum) to 10 (maximum), it wasn't a horrible reaction - it was just a 2 - but as the allergist pointed out, it was an "untested" allergy.  As Colin has never eaten either of those nuts, the depth of his allergy was unknown.  He could have an anaphylactic response if he were to consume them, or he might not.  But the allergist instructed us to err on the side of caution and treat his allergy as anaphylactic.  So, we had to provide the preschool with two Epipens and pictures of Colin, in addition to completing the necessary permissions and treatment plan paperwork.

Evelyn and Keith went to the allergist yesterday.  I was almost certain Evelyn would be allergy-free, as she has never presented with any of the tell-tale signs of having issues - no chronic ear infections, eczema, hives, wheezing (unless it's cold-induced) or chest infections.  Keith often wakes up with a stuffy nose and he had pneumonia over the winter, so I fully expected that he would present with at least one reaction.

I was wrong on both counts.  Keith is absolutely allergy-free, thankfully.  And Evelyn... Well, her poor (non-casted!) arm swelled up with half a dozen welts.  I was hoping it was a reaction to dust and pollen, but no... it was the nut series.  She reacted to peanut (2), walnut (1), hazelnut (3), cashew (4), brazilnut (2) and almond (2), as well as to horse (2).  The latter wasn't a shock, because I have a horrendous horse allergy, but the nut reactions took me by surprise.  They aren't severe reactions (my nephew is a 9 out of 10 for his peanut allergy), but because we consider tree-nuts to be untested for Evelyn, we are treating them as anaphylactic.

My sister is wise on the tips and tricks of dealing with a school-aged child who has food allergies (Hallowe'en candy, birthday parties, Christmas treats, class pizza parties... yikes) and while it isn't easy for the child (or parent), it is so much better to be aware and proactive.  Ignorance is not always bliss... In any case, as she suggested, we'll focus on what they can have, as opposed to what they can't, while making sure they are well-versed and vocal when it comes to their dietary limitations.

Firsts And Lasts

First Day of Preschool, September 2013

Last Day of Preschool, June 2014

Sigh.  So bittersweet.

Touch A Truck And A Tumble

Last weekend, Edward and Opa took The Ducklings to Touch A Truck, an event they enjoyed last year.  However, we did learn from our previous experience, and in order to avoid withering in long lines in the heat, they went later in the afternoon.  Evelyn wasn't in her finest form, but the boys marveled at the BookMobile, the hospital truck and, of course, the fire engine.  In a twist of fate, Keith's Car Show nemesis, the cat, was also there. This time, Keith chose to ignore it, so pandemonium and a quick retreat were avoided.

 

The following day, Monday, Evelyn and the boys were at the park with Myriam and I drove over to pick them up so we wouldn't be late for our afternoon school-readiness program, Backpack Adventures.  Evelyn and I were chatting while walking to the car when she stumbled going down a small incline.  She tried to break her fall with her right hand, and ended up breaking her arm.   I could tell immediately that there was something wrong, due to the odd angle of her elbow... and the amount of screaming that ensued.  My kids are pretty rough and tumble and I've seen them walk away unscathed and unfazed from some pretty big dust-ups.  But this time, Evelyn was in a lot of pain.  

I took her to the ER at the closest hospital, and an x-ray appeared to show a fracture of her ulna.  They casted and bandaged her arm, and after a few restless nights and some rather serious swelling of her affected hand, Edward took her to the ER at the Children's Hospital.  After examining her x-rays, they thought she actually had a buckle fracture of her radial bone.  Regardless, they broke part of her cast to shorten it, and re-bandaged her arm.  The swelling is much better, and we will have another series of appointments on Monday, as well as another x-ray.  Apparently, it is easier to tell what was broken after the bone has started to heal, as signs of a healing bone are more obvious than the initial break in some cases.  Luckily, the treatment is the same for both injuries.  I'm hoping it won't be on for the 6-8 weeks we were told, initially!

Evelyn with her first cast, and my sorry attempt at a cute sling.  It did work, though, to ease some of the weight of the plaster cast.