No Frills, No Problem

No maternity shoots for me. BUT, I am glad of this shot captured in digital. 

Chris and I have been completing the groceries together as of late. Two people. One to take care of Rylyn and the other to take care of food. We all get a fresh air outing.

Going to the grocery store on a Saturday morning is never the wisest time. Prime time. Going to the grocery store 9 months pregnant, with an almost 14 month old, and a full list, while your husband is at a hockey tournament, on a Saturday morning is, well, stupid. On the other hand, for someone as predictable as me, a little spontaneity and recklessness is probably a positive thing.

Problem #1: 11:15 am - I need to leave now or Rylyn will be grumpy and I will have to postpone shopping until the afternoon. My breakfast consisted of a glass of skim milk. Ry has her snack pack ready to go. I need to eat something.

Solution #1: Take Friday's lunch leftovers already packed in a bag in the fridge and eat on the way. Goldfish crackers and an apple. Mmm.

Problem #2: I realize I have forgotten my change purse. I have my wallet, but no change. This is a problem because I am at No Frills which requires a quarter deposit to get a cart. There is no one returning carts in the lot to be a potential Good Samaritan and sacrifice his or her quarter.

Solution #2: Walk to Tim's and grab a hot chocolate before entering the grocery store. Rylyn on hip, baby bag and reusable grocery bags in hand on one side, Tim's cup in the other hand and massive baby bump in the middle. I must look ridiculous.

Problem #3: In transferring all my items from arms to the cart, I lose my grocery list.

Solution #3: Shop from memory.

Problem #4: Produce floor stock personnel keep parking huge carts in front of areas I need to reach. May I repeat: 9 months preggo, 14 month-old and huge shopping cart. I am NOT agile, people.

Solution #4: Politely ask staff to pass me items as they stock.

Problem #5: Rylyn decides to have a temper tantrum in the bread section because she wants to grab the bread off of the shelf and I won't let her.

Solution #5: Turn cart, get bread later and talk happily to my screaming child while looking for milk and Mum Mums in the baby bag. (The redirection was successful so we could finish the shopping and not have to checkout before the shopping was complete.)

Checking out was also successful. The cashier served three other customers while I bagged my groceries. Their shops were about half the size of mine. Nonetheless, I felt like a tortoise.

Problem #6: The car is packed, including Rylyn strapped into her car seat. I put her in her car seat before loading the groceries because one, I don't trust carts or cars in parking lots and two, she had sat in the uncomfortable cart long enough. The problem is I still need to return the buggy. Rylyn is settled and sipping milk. I usually park beside the cart carrels, but No Frills doesn't have them, so one must return the cart to the front of the store. I have never left Rylyn in the car before.

Solution #6: It is a warm winter day and I am parked close to the entrance. Estimate time for a pregnant person attempt to jog a cart back? 40 seconds. Rylyn's tired and I would rather not take her out of her car seat. Power lock car doors and off I go.

I drink my hot chocolate, which is thankfully still warm, on the drive home. If I had a third arm I may have been able to drink it while shopping. Rylyn is asleep before we arrive home. Perfect. I can change her bum and put her to bed while I unload the groceries.

Problem #7: I grab a diaper to do a bum change in the speed equivalent to a flash of lightening, so as not to fully wake my sleeping angel. Sticky poo everywhere. I didn't grab wipes...this was supposed to be a quick and easy one. Are my olfactory senses dull? As I use cloth diapers, it would be more of a mess to put the diaper back on. I need wipes.

Solution #7: Position baby on body to prevent spread of ick; think modified Fireman's carry over a pregnant belly, and grab wipes. Change bum quickly.

I sing Rylyn a song to resettle her and put her in the crib. Groceries unloaded and away. I can't wait to do this with two children, just maybe not on a Saturday morning!

Bible Reflections:


Yet, if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
- 1 Peter 4:16

-My problems at No Frills are menial compared to the current trials of other families I know. Whether frivolous or mountainous, when we are presented with a problem, we show our character. It is my hope that when faced with trials, my character says to God be the glory. 

Teething Terrors

Practicing for what is to come.

This is not a rant. This is an entry in hopes of providing empathy to any other parents or caregivers taking care of a one-year-old cutting molars. Or two-year-old cutting molars or teen getting his or her wisdom teeth out!

Disclaimer: I believe families must do what works for them, provided their children's best interest is at heart. I regularly feel the need to say this, because in such a scenario I don't believe parents should have to justify their choices to one another. Rather seek to understand and share experience, even if another's experience is not another's cup o' tea. I say this so others feel free to comment and share their experience out of love of parenting.

Second guessing. We all doubt ourselves. My doubt of late has been: Maybe it is not Rylyn's molars bothering her?

Rylyn has been clingy, cranky and throwing screaming fits. All hours. It wasn't until yesterday, I could once again trust my instincts and let my doubts go. I came home from work. Rylyn smiled a cheeky grin and crawled to the door as fast as she could saying, "Mum. Mama. Mama."

The past week I would come home from work, try to take her from Dad (to give him a break) and she would scream bloody murder.

Last night no fits of pain in the middle of the night. Just sleep.

My girl is back...for now!

Rylyn seems to cut 3-4 teeth at once so it bothers her. The 4 molars, one which is now through, and the others which we can now see, have been the worst.

Here is how we respond to what we believe to be teething pain. If step one doesn't work we move on to the next. It is a progressive process.

1. Cuddles.
2. Milk. Typically if it is teeth she will push her milk away.
3. Freezie.
4. Distractions: Reading, playing, watching Elmo on TV, having a bath...etc.
5. If the crying persists, as a last resort, we use Pediatric Advil. It works in 20 minutes. We try to do this only if the pain is making her sick to her tummy or at night. We went through 1 bottle the past two weeks. FYI: Tylenol is recommended before 6 months, but a nurse sent me recent research indicating that Pediatric Tylenol is only good for fever, not pain. We switched to Advil once Rylyn was 6 months. As always consult your own health professionals and not my blog for advice!

Other strategies:
-frozen washcloths...we found freezies work better.
-teething toys...Rylyn really only likes her bumpy primer toothbrush. The others aren't long enough to reach her molars, but she didn't use them for cutting her other teeth either.
-Anbesol...we have used this sparingly. It was great for first teeth when you could put where the pain was. Now she just eats it...I am not a fan of numbing her entire mouth.

Happy 80th Birthday G.G.
Showing Auntie Laura my teeth through a balloon.

-amber teething necklace...some moms swear by this. Many say it helps with excessive drooling, pink cheeks and diaper rash associated with teething too. As Rylyn's only teething symptoms are a personality change and swollen gums, my research has not yielded enough scientific evidence to warrant investment in one.
-bibs and Kleenex...for excessive drooling or a runny nose.

Husband appreciation:
Chris knew I was worried about being reliant on Advil. I wanted it to be a last resort. He did a placebo experiment one day while home and assured me when we were using the medicine, it was needed to help with the pain.

Bible Reflections:


"O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" -Matthew 14:31b


-The words of Jesus said to Peter on the rocky sea while saving him, who took a leap of faith to go out on the water, from his doubt and sinking. It is when we second guess ourselves that the sea looks more rough and the waves look higher. All the more reason to trust the intuition God gave us and His guidance.