Death -- it's part of life.
For my 22-month-old, it's already something very final and memorable.
Just yesterday, as she was playing with some toys outside, an oversized-ant crawled up on the toy in her hand.
"Bug!!" she exclaimed, pointing at it while looking at me, waiting for me to do something about it.
Without thinking, i grabbed my shoe, killed it and said, "ok -- it's dead. All done."
Alex looked at it .. then a little closer ... said the word 'dead' ... and went on about her playing.
I say the concept is memorable, because it's been how long since she saw that dead frog in our driveway....? Feels like forever ago.
A very VERY faint mark is still there -- thanks to the vehicle tire that smushed the frog -- and when Alex sees the mark, she says "Dead, fog."
So here's my dilemma.
Our wonderful, loyal, loving dog Lola ... will likely have to be put down.
She has hip dysplasia in both hips, and because of that -- other problems are arising, like tiny ligiment tears.
Lola's on so many pain medications, and in the past week has occasionally stopped using one of her hind legs.
We're going through the motions -- xrays, tests, meds .....
There are surgerieSSSS availible ... which are very expensive, and there's no guarantee they'll even help.
So yes, the closed-door discussions have begun about possibly ending Lola's obvious pain all together.
Even Lola has become much more clingy and needy -- just wanting to be in someone's body space.
It's so heartbreaking.
All the adults in the family understand what's happening .... but how do you explain to a not-even-2-year-old ... that the one "person" who never gets mad when Alex tries to run her over with a highchair -- might suddenly disappear?
Right now, Alex knows Lola's "leg hurts" and has a "boo-boo," and that's why we say "poor Lola," but that's about it.
I don't want to tell Alex that Lola's gone because of her boo-boo. Don't want Alex to freak out the next time a scratch (boo-boo) appears on her own finger.....
Do i want to say the word 'dead'? Or would that conjure up images for Alex of something violent happening to Lola (like the ant i killed with my shoe)?
I would like to incorporate God and Heaven into the equasion, but Alex's Bible stories are just that -- stories....
We could pray for Lola -- Alex knows how to say her prayers...
Then again -- maybe i'm over-thinking the entire thing.
Just really trying to think of what to tell Alex when she screams for LOOOOOLAAAAA! -- and Lola's not there.
My 2nd pregnancy -- DEFINITELY different than the first.
The first -- no morning sickness at all! I was just hungry all day, all the time. :)
This time around, I've had morning -- not so much sickness, but wooziness -- all day, every day.
I'm officially 3 months -- wonder if the uneasy stomach will subside.
The doctor told me to make sure i have something in my stomach by eating small snacks and meals all day long -- not helping.
An even stranger experience for me this time around -- what i can't stand to taste!
Mint DISGUSTS me right now. I thew out all my gum ... and i had to buy cinnamon-flavored toothpaste!
Also, i can't stand the taste of bottled water, which is all i ever drink!! -- Drank. lol.
Yeah -- i suddenly love the taste of tap water.
I don't understand it... any of it.
Yeeeeaaah.
Momma needs to slow her roll.... lol.
Ok, so Alexandra's got going #1, down -- no problem. We started giving her little stickers to stick on the back of her hand when she goes. She didn't even need them.
#2 - that's going to have to wait a bit.
Well actually, my hubby claims Alex DID go #2 when he was watching her.... walked into the bathroom, slamed the door shut behind her, and went.
Hmmmm. I have yet to witness the amazing event. :)
I saw Alex had to go #2 yesterday -- the pushing, and all else related -- so i "coaxed" her to her potty.
Ugh.
I think i created a stoppage. She wouldn't go!!!
Fortunately it all came out when she woke up from her nap later on.
Ah well. 1 outa 2 ain't bad.
Who knew such strides could be made in just 24 hours?
Not only did Alexandra pee-pee in her little potty.. on her own.. on day-2 of "potty training" (i guess we've started... lol!) -- she actually AKSED to go yesterday afternoon!
I was actually changing Alex's diaper when she blurts out, "Pee pee!"
"You have to pee-pee?" I asked.
"Yah!" she smiles.
"Do you want to use your new potty?"
"YAH!"
So, Alex walked her naked little butt over to the potty, opened the lid again, sat down and peed right away this time!
Not so perfect when it comes to her poopy... Oy.
Yesterday it was obvious she had to go #2, so she "played" on her potty -- up and down, up and down, up and down -- for like 10 minutes.
Nada.
Suddenly, she goes tearing off to the living room where the dog was.
What else do you do but hurry to get a diaper and chase after her ... but in that short amount of time, Alex returned to the bathroom and says, "Lala pee-pee .. Lala pee-pee!"
Well, "Lala" (Lola) is our dog.
"Sooooo show me where Lola 'pee-peed.'"
Off she trots -- with remnants of #2 on her little butt -- to the living room ...
Lying near Lola, are 2 small mounds of baby poop. HAHAHAH!
Oh boy.
Well, at least she told on herself, i guess....
And after all-- she usually runs to hide in the living room when she goes #2.....
Mental note for next time: Let her go #2 in the bathroom without an adult hovering over her. LOL....
OH .... MY ..... GOODNESS.
I was so excited, I almost peed!
Alexandra used her new potty ALL BY HERSELF!!!
I mean, i had to show her how to sit on it from the front instead of trying to swing her leg over the entire potty like a man flipping his leg over a horse in an old Western movie ... but other than that -- SHE DID GREAT!!!
See ..... I had bought Alex a potty some time ago -- very plain, white, no frills -- that matched our bathrooms.
She would "play sit" on it ... occasionally.... but that was it.
I just thought she either wasn't interested, or it made her nervous.
I never pushed her, but i explained to her how "the potty" works every chance i got.
Well apparently she's been listening.
For Christmas, I bought Alex a new and improved potty -- that makes a little "magic wand" sound when you "flush" the potty lever, and it has a lid she can lift ....
Hubby made fun of me, btw -- buying a toilet for our baby for Christmas. Whatevs.
Like any new toy, she's played with it when she happenes to remember it's there ... but nothing more --
UNTIL LAST NIGHT !!!!
Just before a bath, I asked a naked Alex if she wanted to use her new potty.
That itty-bitty walked right over to it.. lifted the lid .. sat down (with a little help) and started playing with the wand-sounding potty handle, just a-laughin' like there was no tomorrow.
I offered her a towel to wrap around her while she sat -- didn't want it.
After about 45 seconds, Alex stood up. I said, "All done pee pee?"
She said nothing -- just sat back down and starting playing with the handle and giggling again..... when suddenly -- what sounded like a broken water spicket bursting at the seams.....
WE HAVE SPLASHDOWN!!!
I was so excited! Started cheering!!! Startled Alex a little because the spraying water sound stopped for a second... then she realize I was cheering for her ... lol .... and she finished!
Totally emptied her bladder in her little pottie, then stood up ... i gave her some toilette paper which she used to rub her butt (i helped her do it the right way) ... and finally she joinined my celebrations, throwing her arms up in the air yelling, "YAAAAAAY!" while running around the bathroom.
It was a beautiful moment i wish i had my cell phone cam nearby to capture! :(
Now if she'll only do it when she has to go #2..........!
Now try explaining that to a 21-month-old! HA!
I tell Alexandra -- especially when she wants "up" but i can't deal with her kicking and fidgeting -- that there's a baby in my tummy.
....Silence .....
Blank look on her face ......
Then she says, " 'Gain?" ..
Translation: Say it again mommy because you make absolutely no sense right now.
I try all different approaches..
Alex likes to flip through my cell phone pictures of her -- yes, all 500 of them -- so she came across a sonogram photo of the baby-to-be.
"That?" she asked.
I said, very excitedly, "That's a picture of the new, teeeeny-tiny baby in my tummy!".
After telling her that a few times, Alex started using her high-pitched "baby" voice to say "BABY!" every time she comes across that picture.
Not sure she gets it yet, but i think we've broken ground!
