Happy Birthday Elliot

 Dear Elliot,

3 years ago your mommy went into labor a few weeks before your due date. You are fortunate to be part of a loving clan. There were already so many people waiting to meet you.

Now that we had a good sense of your birthdate, your great Aunt Marjie went to work doing your astrological chart. Smart, generous, incredibly stubborn - check, check, check. She also let us know that you would have a distinctive birthmark on your back….check. Aunt Marjie is spooky.

Because of COVID, we weren’t allowed to go to the hospital. I remember waiting in the garage. We couldn’t even wait until you were inside.

Sandy and I both grabbed and held you at the same time.

Just so you know, grandparents have hearts that can be full of unlimited amounts of love, but you are the only one who turned me into a grandma.

You were SUCH a fussy little fellow. I tucked you into an infant front carrier and we danced together for months. Dancing and nursing were just about the only ways you calmed down. I could only help with one of those.

Lauren made a playlist for you. Build me up buttercup, Harry Belafonte, Broadway…It was an eclectic mix, setting you up from the beginning to have an appreciation for many musical genres.

I loved how you snuggled right in! You still snuggle and I don’t take that for granted.

Suddenly, at around the four month mark, you finally stopped crying. 

Your big dog Bowie decided that keeping you safe was his reason for being, and he is always nearby. It never occurs to you to be scared of him,

Papa and Grandma buy you a little Fisher Price ride-on school bus. You can pull yourself up on it, but your feet don’t quite touch the ground. The bus lives at our house and you spend hours playing on it when you are over..

Blink and you are more than  a year old. You  communicate with signs, and then your  language skills start to snowball and astonish us all. While you have so much to say, and your immediate family can understand you fairly well, your goal is for the echo device to follow your command.

“Alexa! Play the wheels on the bus”

I’m sorry…I don’t know how to help you with that

(Be patient, she will understand you soon)

Part of your early vocabulary included notable words such as golf cart (your favorite) and bulldozer.

 You eat most anything; Burmese, Mexican, Indian, Thai, Ethiopian. We all delight in your adventurous eating.

We feel your muscles as you eat all that ‘growing food’.

You are not quite two and you are a sponge, soaking up all sorts of information.

One day you and I are laying on the lawn playing the senses game. What do we see, smell, hear? You point out an airplane. It has the typical trail of white condensation leaving a line in the sky. I teach you that this is called a contrail.

Several weeks later you are out with family friends. You look up in the sky and accurately point out that you see an airplane and it’s contrail. The adults that you are with are essentially blown away. (Speaking of airplanes, you have been on 41 airplane rides!)

When you are tired, it doesn’t matter where you are. You take a rest on whatever is available. Your mom has a funny collection of the random places where you stop to lie down

Now you are two. You can easily climb up on the toy bus and your feet have no trouble hitting the floor. You like to zoom around grandma and papa’s house…Bowie is often either following right behind you or trying to avoid being run over.

One of the other toys at my house is a puzzle that has lots of colors and shapes. You have so much fun saying ‘yellow parallelogram.’ You tell your mom that you really like her purple rhombus earrings.

You are obsessed with music. You play on the piano and harmonica and can make a sound out of a saxophone and a flute. More often than not you are holding a guitar or ukulele. You know the lyrics to many songs, you know how a capo works, and your pitch is remarkable.

You like to help. One of your favorite things is to clean the carpet with Papa. You spritz the resolve and then scrub with the brush before moving on to another area that you notice need a little attention.

You throw up your hands and say “Oy vey..there is another spot”:

When you are 2/12 you move to LA. Luckily it isn’t so far and we make sure that we see you as often as we can.

You are in a supermarket shopping cart with Bobby, your other grandmother. You are singing the song “In my room” by the beach boys at the top of your lungs.

Another shopper stops to listen. The Beach boys? He is only 2? This made my day!

You like to give concerts. You arrange your assorted stuffed animal, dolls and puppets into a nice little audience.

You speak into your microphone:

“Good evening everyone, you are all sitting so nicely” and then you proceed with some singing.

During this holiday season You OOH and AAAH over the sparkly lights. Says the almost 3 year old, “These are the prettiest lights I have seen in my WHOLE life!”

Here is a snapshot of a week that you spent here in December. Just shy of your third birthday…

You were naked more often than not; you have mastered potty training, including nights, so not wearing pants around the house isn’t an issue.

The only thing you were wearing most of the time was a guitar strapped around your neck.

Several times a day, you would go into the kitchen and say, “I am still hungry. Let me see what my options are”, as you opened the refrigerator and helped yourself to whatever you found. Cheese, yogurt, fruit and berries were popular finds.

One of your favorite things to eat is something that you refer to as ‘grandma noodles’ (Israeli couscous with little peas and carrots in it)

You still love to clean the carpet.

Another choice activity was  to go out and ‘drive’ papa’s car. You played pretend about all of the places we were going.

Papa allowed you to actually turn on the ignition and then it is time to clean the windshields and get the wipers going

During this week I noticed that you were getting big for the bus, but you still played with it. Now instead of riding it, you got out your tools turned it upside down and spent time “fixing it”

You were obsessed with Aunt Alana’s rainbow bath bombs and tried to convince us all to let you use more than one per bath.

I was sitting in the bathroom with you and you were getting annoyed that I wasn’t letting you have a third.

“Grandma, you can go…tell Baba to come in here instead”

You learned how to make the security pattern on my tablet. It took time and patience. You learned that it doesn’t work with wet fingers. Once you were on, you had access to YOUTUBE. You also can work a complicated remote control more easily than I can.

Your favorite thing to watch was Beauty and the Beast. You were able to fast forward through the scary part with the wolves. 

You liked to help in the kitchen.. We made cookies together. You stood on a little step stool rolling the dough and putting it on the baking sheet. You were naked of course.

Alexa now understands you. 

‘Alexa play the chipmunks”

Playing chipmunk radio from Judith’s pandora

The day after you left I got an email from Amazon confirming a purchase for ‘Green Gobbler Hair D…..’

I had to sign into Amazon so see the full order.  For a moment, between Alexa and access to my tablet, I was wondering if you had managed to somehow order something….hair dye?

It turned out you were innocent. It was a drain cleaner that Sandy had ordered, but I have no doubt that this could be a potential issue in the future.

While you were here, the house felt a bit like a sticky hurricane but we prefer that to the clean and quiet when you are not here.

You are not always easy. As Aunt Marjie predicted you are very very very stubborn. You like to do everything yourself. You occasionally like to push boundaries to see what exactly you can get away with.

I am grateful that I can watch excellent parenting in action as your mama and baba manage the moments when your behavior  reminds everyone that you are in fact just turning 3.

Most grandparents think that their grandchildren are the world's most magical creatures. But you, my sweet boy, are something special indeed. Your giggle is like no other. Your snuggles are the best. Your mind astonishes me. Your budding musicianship has my father, your great grandfather, dancing up in heaven.

I couldn’t love you any more! I can’t wait to see what you do next.

---

What is in your medicine cabinet? 2023

 

My grandson Sawyer is starting daycare next week. His mommy is getting prepared and asked me about what things she should have in the medicine cabinet.This was a good incentive to update this old post.

Take stock of what’s in your medicine cabinet.

What medications should you have on hand?

If you or your child becomes ill in the middle of the night, that 3 am visit to the local pharmacy may furnish you with some interesting anecdotes about the odd folks lurking in the aisles, but generally it is something you want to avoid. Try to have some basic medications on hand ahead of time. A little preparation goes a long way.

Fever reducers/Pain relief

Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen are the most common medications used for this.

Remember that you never want to give actual aspirin to a child.

Acetaminophen/Tylenol Infant and Children's Liquid are the same

concentration so they are actually interchangeable, but the infant bottle comes with a nifty little measuring system and a spill proof bottle which is safer.  

Acetaminophen also comes as a suppository, which is great for a child who is vomiting or resisting medication by mouth. Suppositories are best kept in the fridge or someplace cool. If they get warm and mushy they are much harder to insert.

Ibuprofen is also known as Advil or Motrin. This medicine also comes in a more concentrated infant form. The infant and child dose are not the same. Make sure you understand your child's proper dose. The above link has a dosage chart

Antihistamines

Benadryl, Zyrtec and Claritin tend to be the most commonly used for pediatrics. These antihistamines would be given for general allergic reactions, itchy skin rashes or insect bites.

The generic name for Benadryl is Diphenhydramine HCL. There is no formulation specifically for infants. The directions on the bottle usually have a caution not to use it for children under 4. Most pediatric offices ignore that and are fine giving to younger patients if indicated. It is always a good idea to check with your doctor to see if they are comfortable with it.

While Benadryl will make most kids (and adults) very sleepy. Sometimes that sleepiness is a good thing!!! But be warned, it also can cause a few patients to be jittery.

Zyrtec (Cetirizine) typically has a more level response, with less likelihood of either sedation or the jitters. There is a dosage chart in the insect bite link above.

Claritin is fine for sneezy allergies, but perhaps not quite as effective for itchy rashes.

All of these come with the option for liquid or chewables.

Tummy issues

If your child is vomiting, you will be glad to have an oral rehydration solution in the house. Poplular options include:

Pedialyte and/or Drip Drop . Breast milk is also great for that, but not everyone is lucky enough to always have it on hand. Pedialyte also comes in popsicle form, which is great for older kids. 

These both come in little packets of powder that you can mix with water. As well as keeping these in your medicine cabinet, they are worth taking along with you on any trips.

Pedialax or glycerin suppositories are worth having on hand If your child is prone to constipation. If days have gone by without a poop, and diet enough hasn't helped to get things moving, these are often the next step. If it is the wee hours of the morning and you have a miserable, grunting and straining kid, getting the poop out is a good strategy.

Eye issues

For young babies, breastmilk in the eye can cure a variety of issues. For older kids and adults, it is worth having Zaditor. It is an over-the-counter treatment for allergic conjunctivitis. It works quickly if allergies are the culprit. I also find that the homeopathic brand Similason is very soothing.

If eye irritation or discharge continues, it might be viral or bacterial. It is time to check-in with your doctor. Most offices will want you seen. Gooey eyes can be a signal of an ear infection, so a visit is the best way to make sure you are getting the care you need.

Stuffy nose

XLEAR nose spray!!!

Mouth sores

If you child is prone to mouth sores or irritations, I find Glyoxide very helpful and seems to help things heal up pretty quickly

You can also do a combo/1 teaspoon Maalox/1 teaspoon of Benadry...apply topically

Respiratory

If your child has a history of wheezing, now is the time to make sure you have asthma medications available. Many of those are light sensitive so you should always mark the package when you open them. If your child uses a nebulizer, the tubing should be replaced every 6 months. If you or your child use an inhaler, the mouthpiece should be rinsed out at least once a week.

Check the directions on your specific medication to see if it needs to be primed. Some need an extra spritz into the air if they haven’t been used in more than a week.

Topical creams/ointments

• Triple antibiotic ointment for cuts or scratches
• Antifungal cream for yeasty rashes or fungal infections
• Arnica for bruises
• hydrocortisone cream for mild itchy irritations

HC cream comes in a variety of strengths. You can get the weakest ones over the counter.

Please pay attention to this rather disgusting factoid:

It is easy for tubes of ointments to get contaminated. If the tip comes in contact with bacteria from a finger or directly from the body...there you go. Yuck! One study that I read suggested that more than half of the tubes of creams and ointments that people have laying around are contaminated with Staph. The best way to avoid this is to make sure that you don't directly touch the tip to anything. Try to keep it sterile. Squeeze the desired amount onto a spoon and then use whatever applicator you want (clean fingers are usually fine.)

BASIC FIRST AID products

Consider getting some self adhesive bandage like Coban/Co-flex. They come in lots of colors and are fairly inexpensive. The advantage of these is that not only do they not hurt when you take them off and your child can’t pull them off without help. Also, your little one can’t eat the band-aid!

Deep cuts should be evaluated, but consider getting some butterfly adhesive strips for clean gashes. Those might save you a trip to urgent care. 

Ice packs/warm packs

I suggest that you invest in a child friendly ice pack that you can keep in your freezer. There are loads of adorable ones on Amazon. Holding a soft little penguin or bunny against the booboo might elicit a bit more cooperation.

Having a microwavable hot pack can also be useful. If you don’t want to buy one, you can fill an athletic sock with rice, and that warms up nicely. Another option for a warm pack is to pour some water in a disposable diaper and heat it in the microwave for a few seconds at a time until it is a good temperature.

Keep a bag of Epsom salts on hand. They come in handy for all sorts of things.

Useful Equipment

• Have a working thermometer that you have tested for accuracy before someone actually has a fever. As long as your baby is over 2 months, I am not one who is going to focus too much on the exact degree of the fever, but we do want to get a sense of how high it is.
• Have a syringe or dropper on hand for much more accurate measuring.
• Pulse oximeters have gotten very inexpensive. If you or your child is congested, you can easily check the oxygen level.
• Have a good set of tweezers for removing splinters.
• If you are a hiker, I also suggest having a special tick removal tool.

• Nebulizer if you have asthma in the family
• Humidifier

Storage

Make sure that all your medications are stored in a safe, dry, childproof location (a steamy bathroom is not the best place.) Don't underestimate the ability of a climbing child who knows where the gummy vitamins or yummy medicine is stashed.

Pro Tip: With any of your medications, put a strip of masking tape on the side of the open bottle and sign and date your doses. This will avoid the common incident of parents double dosing their babies. This also will help you keep track of doses when you are sleep deprived. I get plenty of frantic calls from parents who have inadvertently overdosed their kids by giving the medications too often. If there is a concern your first call should be to Poison Control: 1-888-222-1222 

Here is my blog post on poison action and prevention

Boost your Immune system

With the cold and flu season in full throttle I would have the following on hand for the first sign of congestion or a throat tickle

Sambuccol/elderberry

Zinc

Manuka Honey (Not for babies under 1 year)

Make sure you are already getting routine Vitamin D (all year round)

Equipment

Humidifier

Nebulizer if you have asthma in the family

Do a routine check for expired medications. 

Even though I try to stay on top of this I can be occasionally stunned by the old stuff that I find lurking in the back of my own medicine cabinet (it runs in my family.) We sometimes do a contest to see who can find the oldest thing in there. (Without knowing what the topic for this weeks post was, Sandy told me earlier that he cleaned out our medicine chest today and found medicines that had expired in 2018. BTW, 5 years is not even close to things we have found in the past!)

How to get rid of expired medications that you find?

Please don't randomly toss expired medication down the drain or flush it in the toilet. Medicine can pollute the bay and ocean, or be accidentally misused or abused. Wastewater treatment plants are not designed to remove medications or other chemicals in waste-water, so after traveling down your drain, medicine may affect our environment. If you go online, you can easily find a list of places where you can drop off expired meds. If you live in SF, I did it for you.

http://sfenvironment.org/article/safe-medicine-disposal-for-residents

What does that expiration date mean anyway?

In 1979, the FDA required that manufacturers include an expiration date on prescription as well as OTC products. This is the date at which full potency and safety is guaranteed, Usually, that date is roughly 1 to 5 years from the time of manufacture. 

The US military, which maintains large stockpiles of medications for both military and civilian populations for use during an emergency, became very interested in this issue following the 2001 anthrax scare. The cost implications were obvious. Throwing out large numbers of expensive drugs simply because they were past their expiration date was an enormous expense that could potentially be avoided if it was determined that the drugs were effective beyond that date.

To explore this, the FDA analyzed the potency of 122 common medications. The was called the The Shelf-Life Extension Program (SLEP). After vigorous testing of more than 3000 different lots of these drugs, almost 9 out of 10 lots were determined to have more than 90% potency at 1 year past the expiration date. The average extension of this degree of potency was 5 years.

So, while obviously if your child is ill, we don't want to take chances with medications that may be out of date, the bottom line is that in an emergency, expired medications are likely not dangerous (always double check); they may simply have lost a bit of their potency.