Dr. Google My Baby Is Colic - Can You Help?

My baby was born. It was me and my husband - new parents, some experience from others, little knowledge from the books. However it all comes naturally anyway when comes to taking care of the baby. Well how hard can it be - they need food and need to be changed? I was breastfeeding. Totally new to breastfeeding - new as I could be. Baby latched his way, chewed my nipple. I got thrush and infection, but I was still breastfeeding (believe or not two years later I am still breastfeeding). My Matthew was a hungry baby, as far as I could tell then. Now days, probably comfort and soothing. Every two hours he would eat. I remember that one day, I was holding him for four hours, no washroom break, no getting up. Yes I would do anything for my baby. Well, the best thing about Matthew was that almost exactly 7 pm he would get fussy, and started to cry. All this in the first three days being home. We tried everything, radio, rocking on the chair, walking back and forth, singing, playing CDs, moving in the stroller - nothing worked.

When Matthew was dismissed from the hospital we suspected that he had jaundice, and he did. His doctor scheduled him for blood test. All we could do was keep him in on the sun. After the test, next evening doctor called and confirmed that the he did in fact had mild jaundice. Told us to keep Matthew on the sun, and to bring him for another test in few days.

- 'Doctor, can I ask you a question' - I thought I get some advice on the crying, while I have him on the phone.
- 'Yes' - deep voice answered.
- 'Baby is crying around evening time, and I cannot figure out what is wrong' - I told him.
- 'He is colic, too young to know, look up on Google - okay' - he said.
- 'Okay' - I answered in shock, especially about the Google part.
- 'Good bye' - he said and hang up.
- 'Good bye' - to any body if still left there on the phone.

Okay what did just happened, I thought. Look up on the Google? Doctor, you get your advice from Google too? May be every time there is something wrong, I will just look up on Google and Dr. Google will solve all my baby's illnesses and problems. Never mind may be make him even more sick. Self diagnosis can be very frightening, when you start reading any medical book or web sites with medical information.

That night I read everything possibly about colic. To my conclusion I have learned that everything was wrong with my baby. I got scared.

'I cannot take it anymore.' - I said.

Next day we have scheduled appointment with breastfeeding nurse. Believe or not she was the best thing ever that happened to us. She thought us how to breastfeed properly. She told us when baby is fussy just put him on the breast. 'He wants to be close, he wants to be nurtured' - she said. 'He is growing, and needs to adapt fast to the new environment outside mommy's belly. He needs to be close, and breastfeeding is the best thing you could give to your baby' - she continued.

That was the best thing someone ever told us. We really have been blessed with nurse that really cared. Baby was and is now healthy as it can be. As long Matthew was close to me and had access to food - he was happy.

'Dr. Google may be another time we will consult you, but this time you were wrong. There was nothing wrong with our baby.'

100 & 112 Years Old - Remembering Those Who Departed

On March 10th 2010 it was my grandmother's birthday. She passed away about 14 years ago, and on that day if she was still alive - she be 100 years old. 1910 she was born. She lived through both WWWI and WWWII. I will always remember her. Those sweet moments sleeping beside you in the bed and listening to your stories are always with me.

My grandfather on the other hand, don't know the day of his birth day, but he be 112 years old. 1898 he was born. I was 5 years old when he passed away. It was sudden, and I cried - as it was captured on the photo. I will also remember you, and I will always remember when you used to sit in the dark and smoke the home-made cigarette. I couldn't see you very well in the dark, but I could see the small light in the corner of the room. You were always thinking.

I will always remember both of you. It is always nice to see you in my dreams. You made my childhood fun and exciting, and thought me a lot and told me many happy and sad stories from your childhood and life in general.

Kids Say the Darndest Things - The Parrot Talk

Watching Vancouver Winter Olympics 2010 been very exciting for three of us. There were moments of happiness, sadness, surprise, shock, excitement. You name it. All that for three of us.

Olympians fall down the hill. Not a pleasant view for all of us. Ouch, ouch something I will have to say. With Matthew around repeating everything we say, definitely there can be a possibility for him to pick up some words you don't want him to know yet. But yet, did happened.

(watching tv)

Matthew - Olimpics, Olimpics. Watching Olimpics.
Mommy (me) - Matthew man is going to jump.
Matthew - Oh man jumping, ready set goooooo.
Mommy (me) - Matthew watch, man is jumping high.
Matthew - High. Juuuumping. (yes he likes to emphasize his words)
(pause, man falling on his butt)
Mommy (me) - Oh Sh_t!!!
Matthew - Ohhh Sh____t, Ohhh Sh_t, Oh Sh____t.
Mommy (me) not responding, not reacting so Matthew stops to repeat. Sporting event changes to commercial.
Matthew - Mommy more sh_t. (looking at me)
Mommy (me) - Matthew wait few more minutes and it will be back. (looking at Matthew and trying hard not to laugh)
Matthew - Ohh baaaack. Olimpics back.

Next time Mommy needs to watch her language.

Vancouver Winter Olympics 2010 Spirit Stories: Shoe-less Skis

The only winter sport I ever did is going down the hill on the sled, yet I always been scared of downhill speeds - God Bless those on the luge or skeleton track. Bottom line I am not much of the Olympian when comes to winter or even any other sports - walking is my only and the only sport. However, since Olympics are so much fun to watch especially because we watch them with Matthew (Olimpics, Olimpics, Set Gooooo - Matthew would say), I will write some of my small memories that popped in my head watching 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Olympics 2010

My parents once wanted me to be an Olympian - not really. When I was in grade 5 they got me my first skis. Yes full size nice skis. The only problem was I had no shoes to go with it. They promised to get them next year, and the next year it was next year and then next year again was the next year - I think you know what I mean. So I spend next few years looking at them, and sometimes to take them outside for a walk. Meaning, I would take big elastics, wrap them around my normal boots and the skis and trying to go down a small hill. I was just hoping and dreaming that the elastic would not interfere with sliding - very stupid idea. Well, then I would bring them home, clean them, and wax them, and store them. Every year I would repeat the same, hoping my parents would get the hint eventually - but looks like the idea was forgotten. After all they were very nice yellow with red accent paint skis. The time passed, winter passed, Christmases passed, and the skis neither me never saw the ski shoes or the boots.

Memorable Moments - Unforgettable Wedding Moment Goes To The Dog

White Rose

If I start writing my traditional romantic stories, you probably be sleeping after few lines - very little romance. Our unique romance revolves around laughing and joking around, and having fun. We are just one of those where it is impossible to be romantic - it makes me laugh and I cannot help it sometimes. I am glad that my husband (he is the romantic one) goes with it - and its fun. I still laugh until this day how my husband wanted to be original and proposed to me during the dinner, going on his knees. But that did not go very well with me because all I could think was 'just get up up up fast' and 'lets eat those pirogies I ordered' - or I will start laughing. Yeah, only me to order pirogies during this romantic and life making decision.

So finally we got married after year and a half of planning, and been married for 12 interesting years. My wedding day was beautiful. We had so much fun, and I did not shed a single tear during that day - yes I was that happy. Okay I did some shedding before wedding, as some things didn't go the way I wanted, but then on the end it didn't really matter - it wasn't the flowers I was marrying, it wasn't the dress I was marrying. Beside me being happy, my husband being happy and the rest of the family being happy - one wandering wondering dog was happy too. And the story goes....

I didn't like my so perfect bouquet of flowers florist made me. I wanted something just simple and almost looking like it was hand picked. No she had to do her way. Well during a photo shoot whenever I had a split second time I would shake my flowers to make them look a bit messy. But the florist was good, it was hard to mess them up. I tried and tried, and finally walking on the side walk, pretending to be a star (yeah I had to do that once), beating the bouquet against my dress - hurray finally I lost one rose head. Then, to my surprise, from nowhere - a small white dog shows up, eats the rose head, lifts his/her tail up and walks away happy - a moment I will never forget of all wedding moments. Too bad photographer didn't see this one coming.

....and this is my Valentine story for this year! Its small may be meaningless moment, but been in my head for years.