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A Blessed Christmas

I am up too late but I wanted to post a little something before I go to bed.

We had a wonderful day. My parents came out to spend the morning with us which was so great. The gifts we all received were so thoughtful and generous. The kids and we are already enjoying many of them and will continue to enjoy them once we are back in Torreon so far away from our loved ones. It was so great to have the time today to play, talk and eat with family that we miss so much. This is our first Christmas in BC since 2005! Looking forward to lots more visiting with loved ones over the coming days.

I hope you, dear readers, all had such a blessed Christmas as we did.

And now I must sleep. There are more photos to post but for now I'll leave you with this portrait of my Mom.

One Day Per Time Zone

They say you need one day per time zone to adjust to a change. That means that tomorrow we'll all feel normal again. It has been a wonderful whirlwind. Our flights on Wednesday went perfectly. We were worried about the short layover between our international flights, but it was all good! A great new policy meant that we didn't have to pick up our luggage between flights. And we were first in line for customs and security. We ended up having time to spare! Much to Andrew's chagrin, I insisted on spending it at a restaurant getting some quick eggs and bacon (no meals on the flights and I can only get so far on almonds and craisins- all I could think of to pack that would meet my wheat-free needs). My normally laidback husband gets a little skittish in airports and he was visibly relieved once we were on our final flight.

There was a huge welcome party at the airport which was so awesome. The kids weren't shy at all about doling out hugs and smiles. On the way home we stopped at a clothing store and I scored huge. Whoo! First new non-maternity clothes in a year and a half. So fun.

That same evening I took Josh to see a chiropractor. He said Joshua had stuff going on in his neck and in his back at the stomach level. Gave him gentle adjustments. Hard to tell if there's much change because Joshua is under the weather with the sniffles.

Though he did have a very extended happy time on the floor by the bed this morning! I put him down on his tummy and turned to organize some presents. When I looked again, he was on his back with only his lower half sticking out from under the bed, happily munching on the bed skirt.



The kids are all in their glory. I've barely seen Eva and Micah- they're too busy hanging out with Grandma or playing with cousins or the toys here. Joshua has been quite happy to go to Nana or Grandma.

We went to Christmas Eve service and got to see the Rehmans- whoo! We sure have missed those guys.

Had a nice quiet Christmas Eve dinner and the big kids didn't put up a fight about going to bed. So tired. Just finished wrapping presents and now it's time to hit the hay! Looking forward to a day with no outings, so I can just soak up the atmosphere and really settle in and enjoy. The last two days there has been so much to DO it's been hard to be still and really feel.

Orthopedist

Josh had a visit with an orthopedist this morning. Great news! Joshua's hips look totally normal! Also his spine is nice and straight. Often people affected with NS have scoliosis. The doctor wants followup xrays at 8 months to make sure all continues to be well. He said that carrying him in the sling with his legs in the froggie position is great.

I asked whether Joshua's hips are smaller than normal. He said they are the right size, but just look small because his tummy is quite round. He said that his 'intestines are thick', whatever that means. But since Joshua has digestive problems I would like to follow up on this peculiarity.

So we head off on vacation with pretty good peace of mind, plus an appointment with a chiropactor tomorrow night and with a pediatrician at the end of the month.

He has the sniffles, as does Eva, so we pray that their symptoms remain mild and especially that their ears don't hurt them on the
planes tomorrow. Josh has been nursing so much, I like to think I can see him growing before my eyes :) The great thing about airplane travel is that Josh will be just where he likes to be- in my arms. Yay for public transportation in that respect!

Choir Practice

Eva organized a little choir this morning and all the kids, plus a few stuffies, were part of it.

Monday Morning Sights

The kids were all up on the early side this morning and with nowhere to go, got a chance to watch some cartoon classics. Oh, the antics of Shaggy and Scooby, and those silly Looney Toons! So here they all are still in their jammies.

Sweetie

Spidey

Smiley

Still working out the food thing a bit... maybe something in the meal I had at a restaurant on Saturday? Josh had a restless night last night so something was bothering him. But that didn't stop our little guy from grinning at his Mommy! I think it's because he knows he'll be able to finish all his naps today. So often during the week he falls asleep right before we have to go in the car. And car sleeping isn't a valid option as far as this fellow is concerned. :)

A Little More About Joshua's Appointment

As Andrew mentioned, we were encouraged at Joshua's monthly visit with Dr. Flores. He said that Josh's murmur sounds quieter, his colour looked even better, and developmentally he is right on track for his age. He measured a respectable 62cms (24.5") and a lightish 6kg (13 lbs). He has gained close to a pound in the 3 or so weeks since our last visit though so that is great. He has been crying less and eating more so I had been hoping for a decent gain.

Dr. Flores ordered some bloodwork so we had that done right away. So hard to see Josh screaming with that fat needle in his teeny vein. But the tech got it first try so that was good. Naturally I rushed home with the results and Googled my buns off. From what I could tell his white cells and platelet counts showed an immune reaction- perhaps from the episodes he had at the end of the week? Dr. Flores just said that his CDC was quite normal. He is slightly anemic but apparently that can be normal in a baby his age. I will work on getting more iron in my diet, I think. Bleeding disorders commonly come along with Noonan Syndrome but Josh if anything is on the other side of normal, an excellent clotter it seems. And this is the great news: his calcium levels came in smack dab in the middle of normal! PTL! His phosphorus levels are a bit high and Dr. Flores would like to check that again later on, but as per my Googling perhaps there is a relationship to the now-normal calcium levels. I don't know! I do know that it has been fascinating to see all his different test results.

I put together our insurance claim last night. The tests and consults sure add up! I am grateful for our great insurance coverage. They have been really good to deal with as well.

On Tuesday we see an orthopedist. The geneticist was concerned with the range of movement in his hips so she ordered some x-rays. Both she and Dr. Flores thought that they were probably all good, but she referred me to an orthopedist to be sure, since sonogram is really the best way to be sure on young babies like Josh. I'm glad to have a chance to visit a specialist and get that peace of mind, especially since skeletal deformities can come along with NS as well.

In other great news, good friend Torie scored us an appointment with her highly recommended pediatrician in BC. So grateful to have the opportunity to have Josh assessed by someone with different experience. Also with that consult I would think that the avenue would then be open for a referral to a Canadian specialist, should we need it.

Overall, we think Joshua is doing awesome. We are not wringing our hands about him by any stretch of the imagination. We just recognize the importance of early intervention, and with his diagnosis there is an increased possibility he will require some sort of intervention. So we want to know about any issues sooner than later.

Joshua's personality is showing more and more as he grows and is more comfortable. He has a good sense of humour, I can tell already. Patience isn't his strong suit. He is a visual and social person; he is quietly happy when there are lots of people doing things around him. He is a little on the sensitive side. He is chatty when he's happy, and honestly, it really sounds like he tries to repeat the sounds we make. He thinks it's hilarious when I bicycle his legs. He loves the shower. And he is very attached to his Mommy. Emotionally and physically. Thank God for slings and wraps!

Random Pictures from Saturday

We had an appointment with Dr. Flores yesterday and we were encouraged. Josh's heart sounds better, his calcium was in the right range and his blood work came back okay. God is really working!


Dana and Joshie.


Bertha babysat yesterday for us and painted up Micah's face. (and hands)
Micah cried a lot this morning when we washed it all off.


Bertha did a great job on Eva's face.


Bertha with the kids.

Orange Belt Test

A two minute look at Eva's orange belt test:

It was so fun to watch confident, self-assured Eva doing her thing. Especially since she is working her second language and the acoustics were terrible in the gym. The jumping jacks in warmup was one of my favorite parts.

Afterward she told me she liked doing the test. She is now very psyched to get to the level where you break boards!

Nativity Drawing

Eva drew this for me today. Just in case there is any question, the brown shapes above the camel are the doors, which are small because they're farther away. The small shape in front of the manger is a little lamb. And baby Jesus is definitely a boy.

Christmas Choir

Yesterday morning we attended Eva's school Christmas party. Sitting in the bleachers watching her, I found myself welling up. Eva is beginning the process of growing away from us. It makes me emotional and proud. Up until now she has mostly been right by our sides, doing most things with our direct help and support. And now her independence is increasing by leaps and bounds.

It really hit me that I'm a MOM attending her child's Christmas concert. I remember being Rudolf in my kindergarten Christmas play. And probably my Mom felt a lot like I did. Oh, the cycles of life!

Here is a little one minute video of the event. Andrew also posted photos on his Photog Blog. Josh enjoyed himself so much he even sang along with the last song!

Wordless Wednesday

La Vida Es Buena

Life is good. Feeling very content.

Josh had a good day. Big kids are happy, well-behaved, and increasingly self-sufficient. Husband awesome as usual. Falling more in love with each of them every day.

Lots to look forward to!

Eva's class Christmas party is tomorrow morning. She and all the other 3-6 year olds will be singing some Christmas carols and then we'll party down in their classrooms. Count on photos and video.

Friday is Eva's Tae Kwon Do test. She got her uniform today and she is so proud! She looks awesome.

Only eight more sleeps til we leave for Canada! Wow, we will be in the air before we know it!!!!!!!! We are all UNCONTAINABLY excited.

The food thing is looking up. I was really frustrated that Joshua had a bunch of episodes over the weekend even though I didn't think I'd had anything suspect. But he seems to have gotten better and so I am thinking it was the fruit and nut snack mix I had middle of last week. It had maltodextrin in it. Corn Flakes and Rice Krispies also have some sort of malt something in them which seems to affect him. If Josh continues to do well, then I will have finally nailed a "safe" diet! It would be so great to have a baseline to work from. Then I can experiment more with dairy to see if any form of that is safe. It would be great to have yogurt back! It has been so tricky to find this baseline because sometimes it is two days before Joshua reacts to what I've eaten. And the effects can last up to four or five days after I consume it.

I made a (super expensive) yummy gluten free cinnamon raisin bread today. SO great to have some bread in the mix... I always feel like something is missing. One can only eat so many corn tostadas. Mom, do you want me to bring some up for you? I know how much you enjoyed them, ha ha.

I have been doing some serious dabbling in green smoothies. I like knowing I'm getting so much nutrition in just one glass. Expecting my energy levels to go through the roof any second now. ;) It is pretty fun to experiment with exotic combinations of vegetables and fruits. I have learned that pomegranate seeds are terrific on a salad, but not so good in a smoothie. Not good at all.

Here Comes Santa Claus....

This is what we came upon on the way home from school today... fun!

Santa and a Crying Baby.

Last week we had our Palliser expat Christmas party in Saltillo. We had a great time hanging out and eating.

Here are a few shots of the kids with Santa.

Eva's first glimpse of Santa.


Even though Eva was a little shy when asked what she wanted for Christmas, she did not hesitate to go up there and sit with Santa. By the way, she asked Santa for a computer.


Micah was not shy. I had to hold him back and make him wait his turn.




I love these photos. So angry.

Cloth Diapering Update

The cloth diapering is going really well. I am actually finding it kind of fun. It's probably a good thing that it's logistically challenging to add to my stash, otherwise I'd have already spent a fortune trying the different options out there. :)

Andrew is on board. Five years ago when changing a disposable felt like an ordeal, he probably would have been less than happy about the fiddlyness of prefolds and snappis, but as a third time dad, he's cool with it. It would be easier for him if I'd stuck to one system since each type has its peculiarity to learn (such as fastening laundry tabs and not putting wool covers in with the rest) but he holds his own and doesn't complain.

Since my original purchases, I have added some Fuzzi Buns pocket diapers and a Bummis Super Brite Wrap cover.

I am very satisfied with the Super Whisper Wrap covers, but I wanted to see whether I like the Super Brites even more. (Not sure yet, as I bought a medium and it's still a little big even though that style is supposed to fit small.)

Joshua is such a slim baby that he may be using the infant prefolds/fitteds and small covers for some time yet, but I have been thinking ahead to medium size, which will likely take him through until he's out of diapers altogether. I have two Stacinator products on order: a fleece cover and a stretch wool cover. Got good deals on both. I'm looking forward to trying them out.

I think there is really no "one best" cloth diapering system. It depends on a number of factors: baby's shape, baby's elimination patterns, lifestyle, and just plain personal preference.

That said, probably good quality prefolds and a bunch of Bummis covers would do the trick for most. It is economical, both the diapers and covers dry quickly, and together (in my experience) they do a pretty good job containing wetness and mess.

Joshua is a frequent pooper, and we still haven't mastered the Perfect Messproof Diaper Fold, so it often gets on the cover. If he's wearing a wool cover, this is annoying because then I have to hand wash it. Which, admittedly, really isn't all that much work. But since I only have a couple of wool covers, it annoys me. I also have only a few Bummis covers, so this is also annoying. But if I had enough Bummis covers that I didn't feel like I were rationing them, it would be no big deal. So, to this end, even though he will probably only be in smalls for another couple of months, I bought another size small Bummis Super Whisper Wrap.


The Kissaluvs fitted diapers do a great job of keeping the mess off the cover, but I only have a half dozen of them so they are used up long before it's time to wash diapers. They are quite absorbant, but in kind of a different way than the prefolds, so that I feel like Joshua's skin gets more soggy from being exposed to them. So I won't be buying more of them in the next size.

I have three brands of pocket diapers. This type of diaper is quite nice, and all the rage in the cloth diapering community. They dry quickly, absorbency and fit are customizable, the fleece lining keeps the baby feeling dry (important overnight), and if they are pre-stuffed, they are as easy to put on the baby as a disposable. This last feature is great for dads, grandparents, and sitters.

All three kinds of pocket diapers I purchased are "one-size". This means that they will fit most babies right from newborn through to toilet training. They are somewhat bulky on a newborn, but I think it's a small price to pay for the versatility. I use pocket diapers for night time and for outings.

The Baby Kangas diaper is unfortunately pretty useless on our skinny legged baby at this point because there's only one row of fastening snaps. Either they gape at the legs or they pinch around the middle. We may be able to use this once he gets older, but for now it's out of circulation. The poor design probably explains why I got it on sale.


Fuzzi Buns is one of the most popular pocket diapers on the market. They have a unique buttonhole elastic adjustment system which I like much better than the front snaps. The fleece inside is luxuriously soft and feels dry through heavy wettings. The colours are yummy and the diaper feels well made. I like it that they come with two sizes of inserts. I own two FB diapers, and have two more on order.



A Winnipeg company, AMP Diapers, makes really nice diapers. I have one and another on order. The outer layer of fabric is nice and light which makes it less bulky, though one reviewer wondered how well it would wear over time. The fleece on the inside is not as plush as Fuzzi Buns, but then the lighter weight fabric would reduce bulk as well. I particularly like the gentle, well-fitting leg elastics.

The jury is still a bit out on the wool covers. I don't love them as much as some do, but they do have their place, in particular when baby has diaper rash. The extra circulation wool affords helps clear it up quickly. Provided they don't get soiled, wool covers are great for traveling since they don't get stinky like the PUL covers do. On the other hand if you do have to hand wash a cover or two, the PUL covers dry much more quickly.

Now, this could just be Joshua's elimination style, but I am going to postulate that cloth diapers contain blowouts better than disposables. I recall not-infrequent poonami occurrences with Eva and Micah. With Joshua we've only had a couple, and evidence points strongly to operator error versus equipment malfunction.

My advice to parents considering cloth diapering? Try a variety before committing to one system. If you're going to go with prefolds or fitteds, don't skimp on covers. It really stinks to run out of covers. Four months (approx how long most babies are in size small) may not seem so long, but in the days of 12 or more changes per day and all the adjustments that come along with having a new baby, the last thing you want to worry about is emergency cover washing.

If you have or have had a child in diapers: what system did you choose and why? What did you like and dislike about your choice?

El Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe

December 12 is the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Wikipedia says:

According to the traditional account, the image appeared miraculously on the cloak of Juan Diego, a simple indigenous peasant, on the hill of Tepeyac near Mexico City on December 12, 1531. The icon is on display in the Basilica of Guadalupe in the same locality and is regarded as Mexico's most popular religious and cultural image.

Mexonline tells the story of Juan Diego's encounter:

Juan Diego was a young indigenous Indian walking toward the Hill of Tepeyac on December 12, 1531 when he was stopped by the appearance of the Virgin Mary. The Virgin Mary appearing to Juan Diego was a young woman with black hair and dark skin which looked more like an indigenous person. She ordered Juan Diego to go to the Bishop and ask him to build a church at the Hill of Tepeyac. Juan Diego then ran to the Bishop to tell him what the Virgin Mary had told him. The Bishop didn't believe what this young men was telling him and decided to ignore the petition.

The Virgin Mary appeared again in front of Juan Diego and told him to collect flowers from the top of the hill, but because it was December Juan Diego knew that there was not going to be any flowers at the rocky hill. Upon reaching the top of the hill, Juan Diego was surprised to see that it was covered with colorful and beautiful flowers. Juan Diego, as he was asked to, collected the flowers using his overcoat and ran again to see the Bishop.

Juan Diego gave the coat full of flowers to the bishop, and here the bishop discovered the image of Virgin Mary's picture was miraculously traced on the coat. Seeing both the unseasonal flowers and the image of the Virgin, the Bishop realized Juan Diego had told him the truth and The Basilica of the Virgin of Guadalupe was built on the hill of Tepeyac in Mexico City.

MexConnect explains the significance of the Virgin of Guadalupe to Mexicans:

Truly, the Virgin of Guadalupe is the rubber band that binds this disparate nation into a whole. She is the common denominator of this land, it is she giving Mexicans a sense of Nationalism, and Patriotism. Their brotherhood comes from the strength of intense faith rooted in indigenous attributes, images, symbols, magic and myth. The focus of this intense faith revolves around Our Lady, La Virgen Maria de Guadalupe, the mother of God who appeared in Mexico in 1531.
[...]
On her special day, December 12, all of Mexico, and all Mexican sons and daughters on the other side gather for the celebration of the Virgin. An endless parade of pilgrims from the country’s four points appear at her Basilica with their flowers, songs, chants and prayers. They stream in processions led by indigenous dancers, to every church named for her. Wreaths of flowers adorn the signs of streets, neighborhoods, and towns bearing her name.

The church in our neighborhood is called "La Capilla de la Virgen María de la Medalla Milagrosa" (Chapel of the Virgin Maria of the Miraculous Medal). The church members tonight made their offering to the Virgin on this day of celebration.

Every little while they would stop for a Bible reading. I heard the story of Christ's birth from the book of Luke and I heard the Lord's Prayer. I'm not sure what else they read, or what they did once they got back to the church.

We watched with interest and enjoyed the dancing, drums and shakers. Eva was very excited to see her classmate Lorenzo dancing in the procession.

Here is a clip of the procession, a stone's throw from our house.

Even some of the littlest ones participated.

A tea party and growing Josh.

Dana has been blogging up a storm lately so I thought I'd spell her off and guest blog today. But I had to first wrestle my camera back from her. She has been on fire with the photogging. I love it. Although if Dana really gets into it it could mean no early retirement for us.

Okay, so this morning we found the kids with this set up. Ironically they were having a tea party on top of the coffee table. Too bad we didn't get any video because it was quite entertaining. Eva and Micah are playing so well together.







When I got home Dana held Joshie's feet in place and I snapped a few pics of the tall guy. He's even giving out some smiles.




Later, Dana grabbed this shot of Josh and I. Josh actually hung out with me without crying for almost 10 minutes. WOW.

A Typical Morning

A glimpse into what we see and do weekday mornings:

We might see the produce truck... (I would love to buy from this truck but apparently I don't buy with enough frequency and volume to make it worth the seller's while to add my house to his route.)

While it's not unusual to see military convoys, we saw this rather incongruous scene of military trucks- guns, balaclavas and all- parked in front of the local church. I wish the photo were better, but I wasn't sure how apropriate it would be to take a photo so I was sneaky about it.


We travel the short distance down a highway to Eva's school... (39 secs)

Then we wait in line to drop her off at her gate. It's a pretty slick system where the parents don't even get out of the car for drop off and pick up. All the teachers know which cars/parents belong to which children- impressive- and escort each child to and from the corresponding vehicles. Quite safe and efficient.


The usual sights and sounds at the back of the school bus... (15 secs)

Did you pick up the accusatory glance Joshua shot at me?

More Brothers Photos

(again with the ISO 800... my bad)

Joshua had a really good morning. Didn't even cry at all in the car and was happy and relaxed enough that when Micah asked to hold him it worked out great! I was lucky to capture a few smiles from Josh. He smiles at me pretty easily, but stops the minute I cover my face with the camera!

Brothers

I'm really happy with this shot. (I'd be happier if I hadn't shot it at ISO 800...!)