My Chosen Child

Moving on

Michelle — Wed, 07 May 2008 02:57:07 +0000

Well I think I hae decided to go back to my blogspot blog….I like wordpad-but there is alot of things I cant do over here…for free anyways….So I hope that you follow me back over…and Im not going to be moving again….Seriously

http://mychosenchild.blogspot.com/

Im also going to try to link over some of my more recent posts from here…..

Favorite Things

Michelle — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:55:41 +0000

My daughter Playing tag outside with my daughter

My family Family movie night

Old houses Reading her books at bedtime

Rainy Days Going out with the girls…

Snuggling Gardening

Pepsi (cherry that is…) Road trips

Shopping Quiet

Hearing her say,”I lub you mommy”

Asthma Warning Signs in Children

Michelle — Mon, 05 May 2008 12:00:06 +0000

My daughter suffered from asthma when she was one- thankfully she outgrew it. Asthma is a very scary disease-especially if it is a new diagnosis for your child…..

Every child with asthma has a built-in early warning system that signals when symptoms are on the way. Those signals can be seen, heard, and felt. Every child has his or own pattern of signals. But parents and children can make keen observation a habit and learn how to recognize those patterns — the body’s messages to get going and head off those symptoms before they get bad.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

Anxious or scared look
Cough, especially at night
Unusual paleness or sweating
Flared nostrils when the child tries to get some air
Pursed lips breathing
Fast breathing
Vomiting
Hunched-over body posture; the child can’t stand or sit straight and can’t relax
Restlessness during sleep
Fatigue and breathlessness
The notch just above the child’s Adam’s apple; when some children are having an asthma episode, this notch sinks in as they breathe in
Spaces between the ribs; these areas may sink in when the child breathes in

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR:

Coughing when the child has no cold
Clearing of the throat a lot
Irregular Breathing
Wheezing, however light
Noisy, difficult breathing

HOW TO LISTEN:

Put your ear to the child’s back and your hand on his or her chest. You’ll feel the chest go up as the child inhales, drawing in air, and you’ll feel the chest go down as the child exhales, releasing air.
Listen for squeaking or any unusual noises. They may mean asthma, bronchitis, or a chest infection. Only a doctor can tell for sure. So regard any noisy breathing as a signal that help may be necessary.
Note: If the child is having symptoms and there are no chest sounds, it’s a sign of a bad, fixed chest that requires medical attention. Call your doctor immediately.

WHAT TO DO IMMEDIATELY:

Reassure the child by your tone of voice, your attitude of being able to manage and your confidence. All these qualities are catching. Your child will take cues from you and relax.
If the doctor has recommended a medicine when signals appear, use it. (Don’t give the child a special dose unless the doctor said to.)
Encourage normal fluid intake. Excessive fluid intake may be counter productive.

ADDITIONAL STEPS TO TAKE:

Help your child relax.
If you can find out what triggered the symptoms, remove it – or the child from the area.
Your experience and judgment can help you decide what further measures to take in addition to calling the doctor.

FIVE EMERGENCY SIGNS

Having any one of these signs means medical care is needed. Call your doctor or get emergency medical care if your child exhibits any of these signs.

Wheeze, cough, or shortness of breath gets worse, even after the medicine has been given time to work. Most inhaled bronchodilator medications produce an effect within 5 to 10 minutes. Discuss the time your medicines take to work with your child’s doctor.

Child has a hard time breathing. Signs of this are:

Chest and neck are pulled or sucked in with each breath.
Struggling to breathe.
Child has trouble walking or talking, stops playing and cannot start again.
Peak flow rate gets lower, or does not improve after treatment with bronchodilators, or drops to 50 percent or less of your child’s personal best. Discuss this peak flow level with your child’s doctor.
Lips or fingernails are gray or blue. If this happens, GO TO A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER OR EMERGENCY ROOM RIGHT AWAY!

Ups and Downs

Michelle — Sun, 04 May 2008 22:03:09 +0000

So in the last 24 hours my grandmother- the woman who practically raised me- had a stroke, and my cousin and her 2 boys moved in with us.

My grandmother; who I call “Ma” has always been a mother figure to me. She helped raise me when I was little because my parents were young. She always considered me her seventh child. Even my aunts and uncles think of me more as a sister than niece. This Tuesday is her 80th birthday. I am blessed she has not really had any major health problems until now. I stll was not prepared for yesterday. When my dad called me i felt my whole world stop. I am not ready to lose her. So far she is doing well but the reality is-she is 80 years old- something is bound to happen to her sooner or later. I am closer to her than anyone in my life I just dont know what I will do without her….

Last night when I got home- my cousin was at my house with her sons who are 8 and 4. her relationship has been progessively down hill for a long time now. So she moved in. They didnt have anywhere else to go. Its going to be hectic and frustrating especially since I will be taking care of all the kids whe she works. Like today she works from 9am-9pm. Its crazy here- but I am making it work. God bless you all who have 3 kids-God bless you!!!

Zucchini Bread Recipe

Michelle — Sun, 04 May 2008 13:04:15 +0000

A few days late in posting- but it has been insane here…I will have to fill you in later

INGREDIENTS

3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional= I personally dont use any nuts)

Instead of nuts a like to make a crunchy brown sugar coating. Mix 1 cup of brown sugar with 3 TSP of melted butter until brown sugar is moist then pack over top of uncooked loaf!! YUMMY!!!!

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F ( 165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8×4 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Mix in oil and sugar. Stir in zucchini and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, soda, baking powder, salt and nuts; stir into the egg mixture. Divide batter into prepared pans.
Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until done.

A must try for all of you gardeners who grow their own zucchini- last year we grew 300+ pounds of it!!!

Unbelievable

Michelle — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:30:03 +0000

So I was over at my cousins house the other day and her sister in law, Yvonne, came over. I have known Yvonne since she was 10 years old. She is now mid twenties-married, a mom, and now pregnant again. Growing up she always had a fiery attitude and loved to have a good debate. She knew what she wanted out of life; and she didnt’t want to depend on any one to get her there.

Now she has been married for 2 years-and it has been as long since I had seen her. Wow- what a difference this marriage has made. Im not so sure it is for the best either. The woman who entered through that door was meek and mild-not the outspoken person I was used to.

Turns out she has married a man who is super religious and has the ideation that women should be “barefoot and pregnant”. Gag me. Seriously? To top it off- we were discussing politics- and instead of blasting in with her thoughts she sat there staring at the floor. Anyone who knows me-KNOWS- that I am pro-Hiliary!!! So I asked Yvonne what she thought.

She looked up- and said words I never thought would have come out of her mouth “Its a mans job to run the country….” Wait a minute—did I hear that correctly??? A MANS JOB??? Give me a freakin break I told her and with that she left the room…First let me say-men have been in control of this country since its inception- and look how fucked up it is…Now I know there has been alot of good done sometimes…But LOOK at us…There are so many issues with this country and how it is run and I truely believe men have had their chance and now a woman should show us what she can do….

To my daughter:

Michelle — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 01:41:24 +0000

I just want to let you know how much I love you. You will be 4 in August-time has gone by so quickly. I remember the first time I met you and held you. I remember being so nervous the day we took you home from the hospital that we had to pull over on the side of the road so mommy could throw up before we actually got home. You were so tiny. 4lbs. Such a tiny little girl-daddy was afraid to pick you up at first.

And now look how you’ve grown. i still cant believe it when I look at you. i cant believe you are my daughter. You are so beautiful, caring, free spirited and so funny. Your sense of humor is amazing. You tell jokes and play tricks on everyone. You think the most hilarious word is “poop” and laugh uncontrollably when you say it.

You are a very determined little girl. You do not like to take “no” for an answer. Sometimes you wear thin on my patience- but I wouldnt have it any other way. I love teaching you things and watching your face when you finally understand what Im teaching you…You are quite simply the best thing that has ever happened to me.

Of course in the last year I have collected quite the blackmail aresenal for when you are a teenager- such as video tapes of you running around naked screaming “POOP”…LOL…I cant wait to see the person you turn out to be…

I love you more than all of the stars in the sky…thank you for making me your mommy

When men happen

Michelle — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:16:41 +0000

Ok, so I have a few things in my house I hold sacred. Things I cherish tha I do not want anyone to touch or mess with. One of those things are my saved Greys Anatomy episodes on the DVR. I know its silly and I know I should just go by the DVD’s-except they are really expensive… I am an absolute Greys Anatomy junkie. I mean like seriously. Right from the beginning I was there- that is the ONLY thing I watch on TV besides you know Dora, Backyardigans, and everything Noggin.

So I go to watch an old episode and they are GONE. All of them. ALL. OF. THEM. GONE. In strolls the hubby, he looks suspiciously like he is trying to avoid my gaze… In beloved shows place is what? What is this? A home improvement show? Star Wars? Lol…Errrr…All I can say is run white boy…. run!!!!!

So what does anyone think of the new show that just aired? I detest Rose…I am a MerDer lover. I have a hunch that Rose is gonna turn out to be a stalker chick…just wait…..

Stroke Warning Signs

Michelle — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:04:56 +0000

Ok another public service announcement from your neighborhood RN….

Stroke Warning Signs
The American Stroke Association says these are the warning signs of stroke:

Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

If you or someone with you has one or more of these signs, don’t delay! Immediately call 9-1-1 or the emergency medical services (EMS) number so an ambulance (ideally with advanced life support) can be sent for you. Also, check the time so you’ll know when the first symptoms appeared. It’s very important to take immediate action. If given within three hours of the start of symptoms, a clot-busting drug called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) can reduce long-term disability for the most common type of stroke. tPA is the only FDA-approved medication for the treatment of stroke within three hours of stroke symptom onset.

Ineffective Parenting

Michelle — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 00:20:02 +0000

Boy- I think the name of this post pretty much sums up how I feel. Im tired and frustrated and feel as though my parenting skills stink lately.

Sarah is 3 1/2. A fireball of stubborn energy throwing temper tantrums at me left and right. Barely giving me time to recover from one tantrum before she spirals into another one. I dont know what else to do. I feel as though I have “tried” everything as far as discipline and positive reinforcement to no avail.

She gets angry and grinds her teeth, screams, kicks, hits, bites, and throws things. Yikes. I know alot of it stems from her inability to effectively communicate her feelings/desires….But…..damn I dont even know what to say….I talk to her about her bad attitude and then I raise my voice that is normally followed by a time out- which normally ends with her kicking her walls and throwing things- then of course comes the kicking, hitting some more screaming and the occaisionaly biting. Speaking of biting she has never been a big biter until recently.

It always seems to end in the dreaded spanking. I hate spanking-strike that I loathe spanking her. I feel like a hypocrit- I tell her hiting is not nice but then I spank her when I have had enough- sending mixed signals to her… Sigh……

i especially feel guilty spanking or yelling sometimes because she is adopted, does that make sense? Anyon else feel like this? Any stories, thoughts or suggestions would be imensely appreciated…..