Sunday, November 30, 2008

Thanksgiving Weekend Post

Michaela: no accidents!
Maeve: ??
Alasdair: ??

yeah, I know. I'm disappointed in me too. I didn't spend every day of the holiday weekend tallying up my kids poop. Sorry! :D And, we did not have any scary whole cranberry poops like I was fearing! Although Doodie really liked the cranberry sauce. Probably because grandma put amaretto in them. ;)

But last night Doodie kept waking up and not wanting to go back down. He would keep crying even though he was covered up and plugged in. Those are usually his issues. Come to find out this morning that he had pooped just a little bit, so I couldn't smell it when I was in his room. But that little poo make a big red bottom, balls and penis. Poor guy. It's not bleeding and weepy yet, but he definitely doesn't want me to change his diaper at all. We'll keep smearing up the Desitin and see if we can get the redness healing before it gets out of control.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Pre-Thanksgiving Post

Michaela: no accidents!
Maeve: 1
Alasdair: 2

And boy were the kids nasTEE. I can't wait to see what happens in there after a day full of eating, playing, eating, napping and eating! Cranberry poops can't be pretty. ;)

I probably won't post tomorrow seeing as how i'll be at the in-laws getting my turkey on. Then hitting the sack so I can head out for Black Friday. yay.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Diapers, Yes! Diapers, No!

Michaela: 2 accidents yesterday, none today!
Maeve: 1 yesterday and 1 today
Alasdair: 1 yesterday and 1 today

Okay, I suck. I got off track, then back on it for 1 whole day, then off again. Ack. But I have a good excuse. I was at the NKOTB concert on Saturday and it was SO much better than poopy diapers. :D

Anyway, we got some reward charts and put them on the fridge. So we've (meaning I've) started handing out stickers every night for the things on their charts. One of Maeve's is using her potty and one of Michaela's is no accidents. We'll see how it goes.

So, I thought maybe I'd post some of my own opinions about brands of diapers and why I would or would not use them. Here goes!

Pampers
Pros: They work! At least for some babies. We used them for a while, then had to switch because they started leaking, then we eventually switched back because the Huggies started leaking.
Cons: $$, don't sell them at Costco anymore.

Huggies
Pros: They work! But see above. AND they sell them at Costco.
Cons: $$

Luvs
Pros: Cheaper than the two leading brands. They used to be plastic lined like the diapers from the 70's, but they changed that a few years ago. In a money pinch, these are okay.
Cons: Barney is on them. They don't work as well as the other leading brands. The smell heavily of perfume.

Kirkland Signature
Pros: They work just as well as Pampers and Huggies. They sell them at Costco. They are cheaper than Pampers and Huggies.
Cons: Um, none! other than being a disposable diaper, I mean. :)

Store brands
Pros: They're usually much cheaper and you don't have to buy 600 of them at a time if you're just trying to get by for 2 days until you get to Costco next.
Cons: They don't work. They leak, bad. All of them. Just don't use them. Don't.

Nature Boy and Girl Diapers
Pros: Supposedly "Biodegradable", which is a myth anyway. BUT, they are made with cornstarch so they breath really well. And they're very slim, not bulky at all. We loved these diapers, but couldn't use them regularly. See below. They are a local company!
Cons: Freakin' expensive. Not sold at regular stores.

Cloth
Pros: Keeps diapers out of landfills. Can be cheaper than disposables if you don't use a service (unless the service is paid for by grandma!) The diaper covers are super cute!
Cons: Uses up water resources. Messy to clean. Time consuming with all the extra laundry. Hard to travel with. Bulky on the baby's bum. Leak more at nighttime.

Anyway, these are just my own personal experiences with diapers. I am a woman of convenience and very little time, so cloth diapers just couldn't work economically for me. I've tried LOTS of different kinds of disposable diapers, and they are NOT all created equally. Take it from me!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Okay, we're back on track

Michaela: 2 accidents
Maeve: ?
Alasdair: ?

I haven't a clue about the little ones as they were with the sitter and then Daddy after that. I didn't get home until 8:00 tonight. But I do know that Michaela's got some serious butt rot and she had TWO pair of soiled panties on my bathroom floor. I think tomorrow I might see if I can get her an official appointment with our pediatrician at the same time that i bring the little ones in for their well baby visits. It just can't be that a bright almost seven year old who has been potty trained for almost 4 years still can't figure it out. She can't make it to the toilet reliably, she can't wipe properly, she makes a complete mess of my bathroom, clogs the toilet AND forgets to wash her hands. Where did we go wrong?? ARGH.

Okay, another belated post...

Michaela: no accidents!
Maeve: 1
Alasdair: 2, plus he was gassy

But I was so damn tired! By body and brain literally just gave out on me long about 7:00 last night.

Here's a tip for anyone who needs to get more fiber into their kids diets: Feed them greens! My husband makes this dish with chard (swiss or bright lights) and rice, onions, garlic, whatever. Basically it just boils down the greens and stalks and cooks the rice. But Maeve loved it when she was small, and Alasdair really loves it, too. The disturbing thing is that a lot of it comes out perfectly whole. And it's much more frightening than, say, those raisins or the corn that you see periodically. The greens in there just make it look nasty. But boy is it good for you!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Belated Post, but for a good reason!

Michaela: 1 #2 accident
Maeve: 1
Alasdair: 5

So, I didn't post last night because I had a horrendous day. Between a crappy day at work and a day full of crap at home, I pretty much lost it. As soon as dinner was over, I wiped the kids down, got them in their jammies and went shopping. I even missed all my shows on "Medical Tuesday". Yeah, it needs some alliteration there, but the shows are on Tuesday, not Monday. What can I say?

But it wasn't a good day in the diaper department. We finally got more Miralax last weekend and M's back on it. But then she has an accident? What's up with that?

And then Doodie has had some seriously weird colored and strange consistency poops, and a LOT of them. I'm kind of worried that his gut isn't doing well. But I don't see any of the red flags of enterocolitis, so I'll sit tight and see what happens with him.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Today was one of those days that made me want to write this blog

Michaela: no accidents!
Maeve: 2
Alasdair: 4

So, even though Michaela didn't have any accidents today, she totally clogged the toilet with toilet paper because she uses an entire roll to wipe her butt. And then when we went to swimming lessons today I took her into the locker room, got her ready to go, handed her goggles to her and asked her point blank: DO YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM? Nope! So off we go. We wait for about 2 minutes for class to start and when I start walking her over to where her class meets she says she has to go to the bathroom. Seriously?? Really?? Ugh.

And with Maeve and Alasdair today, they each had some poops during the day, maeve 1 and Alasdair THREE (and one of which made the poor guy wake up from his nap screaming bloody murder). In the afternoon we went to pick Michaela up from school and take her to her dentist appointment. And since Maeve will be three in January, she's due to go, too, so I decided to take her back and let her watch Michaela get her cleaning. The great thing is that she was raring to go! She wanted her turn now and wasn't interested in waiting until next time. So that's good. The not so great thing is that after the hygienist came and called for Michaela, i went to the play area to grab the little ones and smelled Doodie right away. Great. So I picked him up and took Maeve's hand. We walked through the door and Maeve turns to me and says, "I poopie." Yup, she was. So I got to trot both my poopie babies through the dentist office and stink up the corner of the place for 30 minutes while Michaela gets her teeth cleaned.

How to kids learn such great timing?

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Okay, so the fast food backfired.

Michaela: no accidents!
Maeve: 2
Alasdair: 3

About 15 minutes after I posted last night Maeve pooped. Argh. And today I went to hang out with my friend at her place with the kids. I swear it was constant poop. I was there for about 4 hours and changed 5 poopy diapers! Apparently the happy meals worked in reverse. Instead of plugging them up, it lubed them up. :)

The great thing though is that Michaela's been relatively accident free lately, and she's been able to actually hold it. So that's a good sign that nothing is physically wrong. It's a bad sign that she's a total butthead. She MUST be a Guthrie. ;)

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Weekend craziness

Michaela: no accidents!
Maeve: 1
Alasdair: 2

Today was a pretty fair day as far as dirty diapers went. Mike changed the first of each kid, and then I took care of A's last one that happened, oh yes, on the way to the park in the car. So I barely had to do anything. Fair, right? :)

And we had McDonald's for dinner, or at least the kids did. So maybe I won't have anything to change at all tomorrow!

Friday, November 14, 2008

Ha ha grandma!

Michaela: no accidents! (except 1 in the shower left over from last night!)
Maeve: at least 1
Alasdair: ?

So, yeah. Mike tells me today that when he got in the shower there was a turd by the drain with one of our bathtub cups turned upside down over it. Um, gross! But he had to clean it up, so ha ha!

And it was my day in the office today, so I'm not sure what the report is from the sitter, but tonight was Mike's "holiday" party at work so my mom came to watch the kids for us. She said that she changed the little ones' diapers before she put them to bed. She tucked in A, then tucked in the girls. But when she got to Maeve, BAM! Let's go change that diaper again! Classic. Glad it was you and not me! :D

But thanks for watching the kids, though. Really. Poopy diapers and all, they love you grandma!

Thursday, November 13, 2008

They saved it all for me!

Michaela: no accidents!
Maeve: 2
Alasdair: 1

So, technically it's my office day today. But I got a personal invitation to a very fancy Teddy Bear Picnic in my daughter's first grade classroom this afternoon, so I worked from home. But I did send the little ones to the sitter's house for about 4 hours. She came and got them before lunch and brought them home after she got her oldest from school. So I was with m & a for the morning with only one nasty to speak of. But when I went to the curb when they were getting dropped off, the sitter's like, "um, they both pooped. But I swear I just changed them before we left to get Chloe!!". ;) Wink wink. Yeah, they just like to save it up for me. Maeve's was a really nasty one too.

Tonight I made chili for dinner. We got the big container of milled flax seed from Costco a few weeks ago and cracked it open. I put 4 scoops of flax in our chili! It thickened it up nicely, although it did sort of have a strange sort of gooey consistency. But I'm expecting with the fiber from that and the chili beans that tomorrow will be a busy day in the diaper department. Sorry Tina! :D (it's my office day!)

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

I got lucky today!

Michaela: no accidents!
Maeve: 1
Alasdair: 2

I didn't get the huge explosion from Maeve that I expected today. I wonder if I'm really in for it tomorrow? :)

Monday, November 10, 2008

Tuesday is Doomsday

Michaela: no accidents! Well, almost 1 accident, but...
Maeve: 0
Alasdair: 2

What I've learned from this blog is that when there's that big fat zero next to Maeve's name, I'm gonna get it GOOD the next day. Can't wait for that. Even though I can now see my poop future, I can't even do anything to avoid it! ugh! :)

Sunday, November 9, 2008

It's been a slow day on the diaper front

Michaela: no accidents!
Maeve: 2
Alasdair: .5

Oh, except for when we took the kids to the Pacific Science Center and the minute we got in the car Maeve pooped. How does she know to do that?? So, in true Guthrie fashion, the first place we went when we got to the science center was the bathroom. Always, always, always.

But Dude only did one little half-poop today, this evening actually. I'll be keeping an eye on him. I hope he doesn't poop in the middle of the night. Then we'll be starting the whole rash thing again, and right now his bum looks so good!

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Saturday

Michaela: no accidents!
Maeve: 2
Alasdair: 2

I don't know how my kids do it, but they know how to poop in unison. I'll smell the stank, change a diaper, throw it away wash my hands and the minute I walk back into the room I smell a new stank! Rinse, repeat!

On another note, Maeve actually sat on the potty yesterday 2 or 3 times willingly! I didn't have to force her to sit and have her throw a huge tantrum about it. She actually wanted to do it. I'm going to have to take advantage of those days. And I think i've decided that starting off the day by putting her directly on the potty, even though I know she's definitely got to go, is not a good idea. She wakes up like me, grumpy and nasty. So forcing her to do something she's not interested in will just put us on the wrong track for the whole day. So we'll have to just work on the middle of the day and see how that works for us. I had such high hopes that Maeve would be my easy one to train, but now I think it will be doodie. He's close enough to Maeve's age to see the training going on and it won't be such a foreign idea for him as it is for Maeve. Anyway, we'll keep chugging along with it and hope for some success!

Friday, November 7, 2008

How to get your kids to eat Beets

Michaela: no accidents!
Maeve: 1
Alasdair: 2

Honestly, I hate beets. I always have. They rank right up there behind celery as some of the foulest food on Earth. But we can get our girls to eat beets! Yep! All you have to do is tell them that they'll have pink pee and pink poop and they'll gladly eat them just to see the results. :P Although it doesn't seem to have worked with the Dude. And it also helps to try to cook them in at least a semi-edible state. I think tonight's recipe involved vanilla extract of some kind.

But I can guarantee that Michaela will be watching the toilet tomorrow to see what color her poop is. It's like solving two problems in one! Get them to poop, and get them to eat their veggies!

Thursday, November 6, 2008

More Miralax!!

Michaela: no accidents!
Maeve: ?
Alasdair: at least 1

Yesterday and today were my days in the office, so I only know of 1 pooh from yesterday and then the stink bomb that Doodie dropped while we were at the pool with Michaela. Man, that kid is rotten inside!

And Michaela is out of Miralax, so I've gotta go get her more of that. Her charting is going well. She actually goes a lot more than I think she does, so that might help our case with the doc. If she's "constipated" to the point that she's having accidents, but she's still having 1 or more BMs a day, there's something wrong there.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

It's a poopy kind of a day

Michaela: no accidents!
Maeve: 2
Alasdair: 3

Days like today were my inspiration for this blog. :) So, here's how my morning started:

Wake up kids to get M ready for school.
Girls eat breakfast while I make lunch
M gets herself dressed
I change m's diaper and get her dressed
I change A's poopy diaper and get him in some warmer jammies
We get into the car to drop M off at school
"Maeve, are you poopy?"
"Yeah."
Dammit.
We're back at home after dropping off M.
I change Maeve's poopy diaper.
I make A some oatmeal.
A refuses oatmeal.
Maeve eats said oatmeal.
I go to take a shower.
After shower I open the bathroom door and A falls into the bathroom (he was sitting propped up against the door waiting for me! awww...)
"A, are you poopy?"
"Dammit."

So, at this point it's 8:30 am and I've already changed 3 poopy diapers.

Maeve drops another bomb at 9:30 a.m.
A wakes up from his nap with another nasty diaper.

Luckily for me, that's it. But it was a very busy and very dirty morning! :)

Monday, November 3, 2008

Now I'm getting nervous...

Michaela: no accidents
Maeve: 2
Alasdair: 1

Alasdair has been running a really high fever off and on for the last 24 hours. We went to the doc today and lo and behold, there's nothing wrong with the kid. So now I'm even more worried about the big "E". Especially since he only poohed once today, and it wasn't very big.

And I had a poop gross out today when changing one of Maeve's diapers. You can read about it here. It was so nasty I don't want to retype it. :)

Sunday, November 2, 2008

To the Pot, I Say!

Michaela: 1 small accident
Maeve: 1
Alasdair: 2

Michaela's been in the bathroom every 30 - 60 minutes from about noon until about 11:00pm. I'm not exactly sure what's going on there. And Doodie has started running a fever. He started shaking at dinner like he was freezing. After dinner we got into a warm bath and his jaw was shivering. So we got him out and got him in some warm jammies and cuddled up on daddy's lap with a blanket. Within a half hour he was roasting! He's running a fever of about 104. Every time this kind of thing happens I just get terrified that it's enterocolitis, even though so far it never has been. Off to the pediatrician's in the morning!

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Post Halloween Surprise!

Michaela: no accidents!
Maeve: 2
Alasdair: 3

I changed a really full Doodie diaper this morning and found a holiday surprise!! In dude's second diaper of the early morning (like before 8:30 a.m.) I found 5 whole and intact pumpkin seeds! Let's see, we carved our pumpkins on Wednesday, and today is Saturday, so it takes 3 days for pumpkin seeds to pass through an HD kid. :)

This isn't the first time we've found neat things in his diaper either. The first incident was a Friday evening. I took off his diaper to get him into the bathtub and it was poopy, of course. But nestled right inside the nasties was a little red rubbery frog. Yep. A frog. Now, I have photos, but that's even too nasty for me to post on my blog, so you'll just have to trust me. It was hilarious frankly. I called my husband to tell him, and then I called my babysitter to see if she was missing a small red frog toy. Lo and behold, they were! :) She was mortified, but I wasn't upset. In fact, when we went to our next check up with Dr. W at Children's Hospital I told him that his colon was working just fine and told him the story. He was cracking up. I love a surgeon with a good sense of humor. :)

The second incident was just a couple of months ago. I was changing his diaper, poopy of course, and found a rubber band in there!

Between Doodie's diaper surprises and Michaela's cramming foreign objects up her nose, I think I'm doomed. I don't even want to think about what Maeve will do someday. :)