19 July 2007

Maine and Back

Went to Maine for a couple of days with my mom and the twins. My daycare is closed this week, so Mom is here helping me, hooray! I love Maine, and taking two one-year-olds on overnight trips to a hotel is a bit beyond something I want to do alone. With Mom to help, though, it seemed like a great idea. And it was. Mostly.

GOOD
  • Great naps and wonderful nighttime sleep
  • The ocean! Maddie = AWESOME, Riley = pretty cool
  • Fantastic children's museum
  • Hotel buffet breakfast: something that appeals to everyone
  • Mad crazy running amok in the hotel lobby
  • Hotel pool and using our fun baby floats
  • Great weather
  • Down time with my mom after the kids went to bed: room service and the Red Sox on TV

NOT SO GOOD
  • Riley and Maddie try peanut butter* on the morning of our departure; both love it; Riley breaks out in systemic hives 20 minutes after breakfast
  • Poop in the hotel bathtub! Then poop on the carpeted floor while we clean the bathtub!
  • Finding places to eat with (a) enough high chairs, (b) food that appeals to the one-year-old set, and (c) quick service
  • Maddie drinks colossal amount of apple juice at O'Naturals, the pukes it up on herself because the belt on the high chair is rather tight on her, um, ample belly
  • Shopping at the giant LL Bean flagship store with the babies. Babies think shopping is boring, even if you are buying things for them

I learned from the experience, and overall we all had fun. I would change a few things, though. I would definitely pack more food for the kids. I naively assumed that since they like pasta and grilled cheese (among other things!), we'd be set on eating at restaurants. And, frankly, I'm not sure it was the food so much as it was the fact that restaurants are so! Interesting! There are so many things to look at, people to watch, etc. that the food pales in comparison. So they don't eat, then they end up hungry and cranky.

It was good to get home yesterday, but I'm really tired today. The kids were up before 6:00, a rarity at our house. Riley had cried at 2:00 and 4:00 and settled back down, but at 5:45, he clearly meant business and not in an "I'm impatient" way but in a "something is wrong" kind of way. I got him up and he was quite poopy and rashy and uncomfortable. I think he's a little sick, poor babe. I got him cleaned up and we had a snuggle while my mom got up Maddie. It was an early start, especially since I didn't sleep much after the 4:00 fussing. Now I'm at work, sleepy, with meetings to go to and boring stuff to do and a serious attitude problem. Bah.

*Yeah, I know, I was supposed to wait until they were 2. I got cocky. They don't have other food allergies and neither John nor I have any food allergies, so I thought I'd be safe. Ha. HA HA. HA! Bummer, because they thought it was delicious and peanut butter is such a good source of protein for vegetarians. Hopefully he won't be allergic to tree nuts, too.

24 comments:

uberimma said...

You could try Sunbutter--it's the sunflower seed version of butter. You can get it at Trader Joe's.

Unknown said...

I use Soy Butter since peanuts are banned at daycare. My daughter absolutely LOVES it. I get it in the health food aisle of the grocery store.

nickoletta100 said...

So here is how my mom found out about my nut allergy (tree nuts, not peanuts) When I was about 2 she ground them up real fine and put them in a cake. Se then fed the cake to me. I almost stopped breathing and got very sick. She never purposefully fed me nuts again. She and my father were not allergic but my grandmother is. When I am blessed with babies, I will never be feeding them nuts :) We will have to get them tested some other way first.

So I am very glad breathing remained a part of your story!!!

Anonymous said...

Welcome back! Poop ANYWHERE is bad... in the tub is the worst. Been there, done that. Not fun.

But glad the trip went well for the most part! Sounds like it was a nice break. And glad that your mom is there with you too now!

(I tagged/badged/whatever'd you, btw. :)

~ Jolene said...

oh no! Poop in the bath tub! :( That's what I have to look forward to when I become a parent huh? :) So happy you had a chance to relax and spend time with your mom. Poor Riley! No more peanut butter for him! :(

scarp said...

He could grow out of the PB allergy. My nephew tested positive for a ton of food allergies at 1 yr, and has definitly improved to where he can eat at least a little of many of his previously totally taboo foods. He's going on 2 now.

If not, there is a very good chance he'd only be allergic to the peanuts and not tree nuts - I know several people like that.

OTRgirl said...

That whole LL Bean store in Maine is overwhelming! Fun, but a bit of an overdose. Though the town is very cute. I'm glad you had a great time. And definitely glad the peanut butter allergy was the hives kind and not the throat-closing kind.

I hate being sleepy and pissy at work. Especially doing design. It's tough to be creative when I have a bad attitude.

Anonymous said...

Glad the trip was good for the most part at least! Time away with mom sounds fab! ON the PB, I agree he could grow out of it, my Emily did, she eats PB all the time now, no worries, but I tried it early too for similar reasons and it was hives galore, she was the only one of my 3 that had that reaction, and they both tried it before 2 as well...accidentally they tried it, i didn't serve it on the second and third kid...so you never know I guess. And poop in the tub, geesh, like halfmama, been there done that, and then poop on the rug, feeling your pain sista!

Get some sleep tonight, fingers crossed for you.

lots of love,
lil'sis

CappyPrincess said...

The Childrens' Museum in Portland is FABULOUS! So glad you got a chance to take the kids there. I made a special trip halfway cross the country just to go to that museum and was totally impressed.

Bummer about the PB issue, but maybe you'll find a good alternative among those mentioned or he'll grow out of it. Maybe it wasn't the PB but something else he was exposed to on the trip???

B.E.C.K. said...

Hopefully your son will grow out of it, as others have said. I gave my son peanut butter when he was about two or three because our pediatrician was pretty cautious about that, and the kiddo didn't have trouble with it. However, I gave my son eggs when he was one or two, and his chin broke out in a rash soon afterward. Now he's six-and-a-half, and if he even eats cookies with eggs in them (like if I haven't read the list of ingredients beforehand -- oof), his tongue "itches." I'm hoping he grows out of this.

Christine said...

Allergies stink, especially food allergies. Mine is to shellfish, which is fairly uncommon, thank goodness, but still scary. An EpiPen goes with me everywhere I go.

Sounds like a great trip. I love Maine!

Anonymous said...

TWO?? Really? My Ped told me that I could give Will PB & eggs (not at the same time, that would be gross) at his 9 month check up.

He's never had any issues with food (unless I'm not putting it on his plate fast enough)
Only Hubby has food allergies (Shellfish). and his stems from a bout of meningitis.

Sarah said...

Poor little guy! I hope all the other commenters are right, and he might grow out of it.

A few weeks ago my sister took her 2-year-old in the shower with her and he is still doing an impression of the scream she let out when she saw the little pile behind him. "Mommy skweeeeeming- AAAAA! NO!"

Tiffany said...

I thought it was one for peanut butter so to me you started on time. My daughter does have a wheat allergy so whenever we go out of town I pack lots of food for her. My best friend who has a 18 month old baby is always shocked when we go out to eat how much food I have for Mikayla. It comes in handy for Mikayla and her son Solas when they start getting ansty and the food has not arrived yet!

Anonymous said...

My father-in-law gave my daughter peanut butter without my permission or knowledge when she was 6 months old and we were on vacation in Kauai. I had no idea where the nearest hospital was.

Fortunately she wasn't allergic but I'm a little miffed about that one.

Visiting with your mom after the kids are in bed sounds lovely.

~ Jolene said...

Hi Snick,

thanks for your message. I wish they'd be able to find out what was wrong with me. Unfortunately, I don't ever go to Boston. Darn. that would have been great to meet you! are you ever in NY? :) Probably not or you would've mentioned it already. :(

Anonymous said...

Before you accept peanut butter as the allergen please check this site.

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01583.html

There was a huge recall on peanut butter a few months ago. Just trying to be helpful and I love reading your blog.

amyinbc said...

Sorry to hear about the peanut butter allergy. News to me you are supposed to wait 2 years, I thought the rule of thumb was 1 year; or it was when mine were little. Poor guy.

Glad to hear you got away and your mom is there to help out and spend time with you all. Your parents sound divine. (Your outlaws? Not so much ;)

amyinbc said...

Can I share my poop in the bath tub story, please?! My son was about 9 months and enjoying a bath with me. He pooped, and pooped, and pooped. By the time hubby responded to my yells the bath tub was full of bobbing round brown poops. Ahh parenthood!

Yankee T said...

Maine! I love Maine, and my kids loved it as little ones, too. Glad you're continuing to put one foot in front of the other.

Mouthy Girl said...

Aww hell, so you tried it a little early, who cares? My pediatrician made me wait eons for peanut butter and a whole myriad of things since HG has so many allergies.

Lil Sis' Izzy had peanut butter at 9 months. Nothing happened to her.

SO VERY HAPPY that you and your mom took the time to have an adventure in Maine. Such fun! Wish I could have tagged along!

Geohde said...

I'm simply impressed with the organisation it must have taken to take two children that age anywhere!

amyinbc said...

Just reading your archives (again, bad stalker! ;)

Wondering if you are considering moving back to Oregon in the future? Having family close is such a blessing. Especially with adorable little twin grandbabies to share.

Anonymous said...

Reminder -- peanuts are not nuts. They are legumes. Unfortunately, they seem to be in so many things nowadays! Will Riley have to avoid them for the rest of his life?? Hope not! Tessa B.