Walks Are a Wonderful Thing (when not in France)

Fall is my favourite time for a walk. The crisp, cool air, the warm reds, burnt oranges, purples and greens from the leaves changing colours are just so refreshing. Today we went for a walk as a family +1 because I was babysitting our 3 year old neighbour. The 4 of us thoroughly enjoyed the sunshine, cool weather and the crunch of leaves beneath our feet. We were saying how much we’d miss the view from our apartment, how much we’d miss the road going down to the port. We were running and playing with the little neighbour through the park. We were saying how cute Charlotte was with her little mittens and toque. And then it happened.

For those of you who know me, you would know that tripping and falling is pretty much routine for me. My theory on this is that my feet are too small for my body, causing me to misplace my steps and lurch forward. There’s just not enough leverage! Julien’s theory, however, is that I just don’t look where I’m going, which is probably true too (don’t tell him that!). But today, my slipping and falling was not due to either of those.

If you’ve ever heard the rumour that France is horrible for doggie do, I can confirm that it’s true. Where there is grass, there are “land mines”. Where there are sidewalks, there are landmines. Where there are “land mines”, there are accidents and dirty shoes. Today was no exception. As I was pushing the stroller on the sidewalk amidst the leaves and acorns, I slipped in the biggest pile of crap ever. Not only did I slip, but it was the kind where you slide forward with your body backward, desperately trying to keep your balance so as not to fall flat on your behind. And then our little neighbour was struck. Only he fell in a different pile. Land mines were exploding everywhere! Julien, who has a horrible time with any type of ca ca, including diapers, started to laugh and gag at the same time. I, on the other hand, realized that I had thrown out my already sore back. What had started out as a lovely fall walk had turned into a war movie, complete with explosions, sickness, and a soldier down.

As I walked begrudgingly back home, dragging my feet all the way so as to attempt to clean them, I thought of the chiropractor I would have to visit, and that old toothbrush that would be useful with a hose. So much for a lovely fall walk!

5 Months

It's been 407 days since I discovered I was pregnant. It's been 244 days since I went into early labour and was hospitalized. It's been 154 days, 14 hours, 59 minutes and 10 seconds since labour began again, and 153 days, 22 hours, 56 minutes and 23 seconds since the forceps and stitches. It's been 5 months living on little sleep. 5 months of crying, pooping, and nursing. 5 months of cooing, cuddling, and kisses.5 months of laughter and my heart feeling so full it could burst. 5 months since my little girl rocked my world forever. Happy birthday little squeaky!

Franada, Our Home and Native Land

*Image from: http://www.crossed-flag-pins.com



Today we gave in our application for a Canadian residence permit for Julien. We pray that this will be the end of a long, complicated process, that the Canadian government will tell me that I’m accepted to sponsor Julien, and that we can finally move back together as a family.
I don’t know how long it will take to be accepted, but if I’m accepted, then the end is near.
I was reflecting today on what I miss so much about home, and what I would miss here. I was kind of surprised to discover that a lot of the things are the same, and that home is where your heart is. I guess being an international family means having your heart always torn in two.
Anyway, here are my lists of top ten things I miss about Canada and will miss about France:

CANADA:

Hanging out with family and friends

Having wide open, green spaces

Having a car

Tim Hortons

Dressing down and being comfortable

Not worrying about committing a cultural faux pas

Being able to work in the medical field

The sea and lakes for swimming, the mountains for hiking and skiing

Watching Hockey

Stores being open at lunch, after work, and on Sundays

FRANCE:

Hanging out with family and friends

Cobblestone streets

The convenience of the transportation system (when they’re not on strike)

Raclette, Foie gras, Tartiflette, bagette, pain au chocolat, excellent cheap wine, cheese,

Dressing up and looking classy

Not worrying about being politically correct

Having 5 weeks paid holiday per year

Free University

Watching soccer

Having the tax included on all the prices, so I don’t have to calculate the real cost

Another Day, Another Worry

First of all, thank you to all of you who left advice for me. I will try it and let you know how it goes. I forgot to mention that I bring Charlotte to the chiropractor regularly because of a difficult pregnancy and delivery. After each session she sleeps about an hour. It seems to help her tummy calm down more than anything else.

Disclaimer: This next passage is not for the faint of heart!

This past week has been a little difficult for us. Charlotte had her last vaccine for a while (Thank the Lord. She is not having any more!!) and had 2 days of a very high fever and the runs, despite the Tylenol. I had called the doctor who said that it was normal, that I was just a paranoid parent and that things would get better. Then Friday night we had just gone to bed when we heard the most horrendous sound. It sounded like a spit up, but then kept going. And going. And going. As I raced to get my retching baby, Julien got the car keys. I didn’t realize that so much stuff could come out of such a little body. We raced her to Emergency, where we were told that because of the vaccine her immune system had taken a huge hit and that she had contracted gastro-enteritis. She was treated for dehydration and was put on medicine to stop the runs and vomiting. By Saturday night she was a bit better, though still running a slight fever and had the scoots.

That night we put her to bed in her little cradle beside us and she went right to sleep. Thinking all was on the mend, Julien and I went to sleep too. Then the **** hit the fan: I woke up at about 4am with some horrible rumblies in my tummy and made a mad dash for the bathroom, where I proceeded to be sick all over the floor. This continued for the rest of the night and all day the next. I even learned about a talent I never knew I had: changing very runny diapers with one hand while holding a bucket and puking with the other. Poor Julien did his best to help me with the baby, but he had also caught the bug and was out for the count. We really started to panic when I got so dehyrdrated that I couldn’t nurse Charlotte anymore, because it was Sunday and everything in France is closed on Sundays. In utter desperation Julien’s mum managed to find the only open pharmacy for miles and picked up some formula; only to realize that we didn’t have any bottled water to mix it with. Of course the pharmacy doesn’t sell it (that would be too easy), so Julien ran to the neighbour’s to borrow some. Julien’s mum was able to take over after that, so Julien and I were able to get some very much needed sleep. This story does have a good ending though: I don’t need to vacuum today because with all our crawling and dragging ourselves around on the floor, I think we picked up every dust ball and spec of dirt!

The problem we’re facing now is that Charlotte has contracted a very bad cold that has gone into her lungs. We brought her back to the doctor yesterday who confirmed that it’s turning into double pneumonia and she needed antibiotics stat and respiratory therapy to get all the stuff out of her lungs. If there is no improvement by Friday we have to bring her to the hospital. I’m not sure what will happen then; right now the goal is for the antibiotics to start working so that we won’t have to go down that road.

That’s it for now. Please keep little Charlotte in your prayers!

A Plea for Help

This is a cry out for advice to all you parents out there.
I have a little stinker for a daughter. Ever since I was pregnant with her, my little girl resists sleep. In utero she would kick for literally hours at a time. She was born face up with her eyes wide open. Her first week, she would go 12 hours without sleeping, and then have a 45 minute cat nap. The problem I’m facing now is that she is Miss Grumpy pants all day long. She has the biggest hissy fits known to man and she’s only 4 months old. She resists sleep with everything in her. Once she does (finally!) fall asleep, it’s her staying asleep that’s the problem.
Here’s some background: I nurse her on demand, (usually every 3-4 hours) and I don’t drink any caffeine at all. I also stopped taking dairy, as the paediatrician thought she may be lactose intolerant. She takes medicine for acid reflux, but it doesn’t do much for her.
She will not sleep for Julien (whenever we’ve tried this she has huge crying spells that last 2 hours) and for me she will but only in my arms or with me next to her.

Here’s what I’ve tried so far to help my little one sleep:

*White noise (it makes her scream because she gets overstimulated)
*Calming music (again, overstimulates her)
*Swaddling (this works to calm her down, so I keep doing it. Then she isn’t swatting herself in the face and wiggling all over tarnation)
*Nursing her to sleep (this also works, but she wakes up the second we put her in her bed. Then we have a crying match for about an hour)
*Finger sucking. This works wonders; the problem is that we can’t stay with a pinkie in her mouth 24/7. We have tried the pacifier many many many many times to no avail. I don’t know how to break her of this habit, any suggestions?
*Letting her cry it out. This resulted in a screaming match for 3 hours until I finally cracked and went to get her. She had wiggled her way out of the swaddle and was all over her cradle. The poor little thing was so upset that she was still sobbing as I nursed her and it took another 2 hours to get her to sleep after that.
*Putting my t shirt in her bed. This has worked a little, as she buries her face in it and then I can actually leave the room for 15 minutes. Then she wakes up.

To me it seems like she is afraid of being alone, but I could be totally off my mark. I am tired of spending 2 hours trying to get her to sleep for every nap, only to have her sleep 20 minutes.
Any suggestions you have would be most welcome, as I’m really at my wit’s end.
Thanks!