Was this day not worth two weeks of snow? Fantabulous. We hiked Discovery Park, and I’ll be in a good mood for days.

Oatmeal, although not as gross as hotdogs, when puked back up stays frighteningly undigested, even hours later. (Just experienced that one first hand last weekend…) Also, my kiddo has the same pedi-ped shoes as Dylan and I love them!

I use a Vicks waterless vaporizer in my kids’ rooms whenever they get sick. It just basically warms up a strip of Vicks smelly stuff that makes their whole room reek of the stuff… but it really suppresses coughs and relieves congestion and stuffy noses. Totally a lifesaver on many, many nights.

Is that tall building the tall building you climbed?

Green grass! Eeee!

(We’re still several weeks away from green grass up here in Alaska. *sigh*)

I’m a long-time reader and lurker, but I just have to comment to say Daaayum, that man can jump. I think he should go on the David Letterman show in the Stupid Human Tricks game and just jump things for all of our amusement.

Total bummer on the cold/gagging issue. Been there, done that, don’t wanna go back.

As some one who has a kid just getting over an ugly ugly cough flu thing, can I recommend that Hyland’s Cold Plus tablets? They actually are ok’d for babies over a year. And they did seem to make a big difference especially with the constant faucet of a running nose. And with the cough. Brilliant. For like three bucks.

I’m so jealous that you went to Alki! I love it over there. It’s like a whole other little world. I bet today was gorgeous. Glad you go to get out and enjoy the sun.

And dude, why is it us northerners forget we’ve been bundled up like Eskimos for months and never put on sunscreen when the sun comes back out and we shed our clothes??

Shouldn’t JB be in the Olympics? Holy hell…

Oh, wasn’t today fantastic?! I’m bummed that’s it more of the same tomorrow and me stuck inside a cubicle at work. Good thing I work near Volunteer Park for a lunchtime walk!

I always elevate one side of my kadiddle’s crib with my old yearbooks (might as well use them for something, right?). Supposedly, said baby sleeps with her head on the high end and all of that nasty post nasal drip drains downward. In reality, I find her everywhere in the crib, mostly hunkered down at the low end, but, eh, whatever, I still do it.

Do you have any pictures of JB not making it over that table? That’s what I want to see…

I feel your pain on the cough/gag/throw up cycle because I have been there.

On a random note, both boys’ hair seems so red in these pictures. As always, they are both adorable!

He should’ve got into hurdles…

When the day comes that he can no longer leap over tables, you’ll have to take him out back and shoot him.

Parenting Fail – I remember being 7 or 8 and throwing up in my mom’s car. It was a hotdog barf and it struck me as hilarious that the hotdogs were still in their bite size form. My mom did not. So I got to clean up my own hotdog barf as punishment for laughing at my mom for having to clean up my hotdog barf. I never laughed at hurl again.

My Son was and IS the same way with the coughing till you barf thing. Every time he is sick and starts coughing hard he ends up barfing. It is totally unexpected on his part, one second he is sitting on the couch watching cartoons and the next he coughs and barfs into his hands, which is totally gross when he is running to the bathroom with barf in his hands dripping onto the floor.

You are so lucky you had nice weather! We had ok weather, sunny but windy.

Also, JB continues to amaze me with his jumping abilities.

I second Lisa. When cold season hit my daughter got cold after cold after cold and I always moved the crib mattress supports up a notch or two on one end of her crib and it really seemed to help with the coughing and drainage thing, I also run a vaporizer with just water and a pinch of salt. My pediatrician told me that the Vicks liquid you’re supposed to add can be fatal for children under two. Emma’s almost four and I still just do water and salt and it works wonders. Hope this helps.

Ha, we also have noticed the alchemical what-the-fuckery of the unchanged hot dog:

http://www.alittlepregnant.com/alittlepregnant/2006/01/yes_again.html

EIGHT HOURS LATER GAAAAAH

Feeling your meat-related-product-related pain.

1. Put the Vicks on his CHEST. Worth a shot.

2. Warm mist vaporizor. I know those are supposed to be more dangerous because of potential burns, but I like the way they don’t allow SPORES to BREED.

3. Mucinex (grossest name ever) syrup is really helping my older kids, but it says not to give it to kids under the age of 4. I might call the nurse and ask her what the dosage is for a littler kid.

Your boys are so cute! Glad warm weather is finally reaching Seattle. I’ve had plenty of friends complain about how long it was taking.

In addition to Vick’s on the feet, buy a Vick’s strips – they sell them in the humidifier aisle at Target. The newest version is a little device you plug in next to their bed (it also works as a night light). You put the strip in and it improves their breathing. They are, however, very attractive to small children.

i’ve never tried it and don’t know if a 1+year old will let you try it, but isn’t there that tea cup thing that you pour down/up your nose and clears you out? i can’t remember the name of it…

Oh, Alki. I can’t tell you how much I miss that place. Thanks for sharing the view and the sunshine. Sorry about the cough-gag-barf cycle.

Is he past the age where honey is dangerous? I’ve read that honey is a great cough suppressant. I find it works for me. Plus, it tastes good.

That’s it JB train those boys how to effectively break your leg! ha

1. Dylan’s shoes are so.freaking.adorable.

2. You have real grass. Am jealous.

3. I have the cough too. Thankfully not the gag reflex. Coughed myself into a bloody nose this weekend, so be thankful that hasn’t happened in conjunction with the vomit. Definitely try a vaporizer or whiskey.

OK, I know this is completely unsolicited assvice, but did you know that “coin-shaped” hot dog slices are one of the top items that choke babies? They’re apparently the same diameter as their throat, so if they get turned the wrong way they can lodge there. You’re supposed to cut the round slices in half again to prevent this.

*Sorry* I know I sound like a worrywart & I’m really NOT *that kind* of mom. But ask anyone who works in a pediatric ER.

I’m so jealous – we got snow this weekend! Though the jump is impressive!

My baby has the cough/gag thing going on right now, too. She spit up on me this morning twice! Yuck – phlegm!

And the NYC health department advises against using products with camphor (like Vicks) on children. Check out Snopes.com: http://www.snopes.com/medical/homecure/vaporub.asp
So much “advice” on the web though, just take it for what it is… :)

We had a great sunny day out with the kids yesterday. Wow – your little boys are looking so much like boys now…even Dylan. Growing so fast! And keep the jumping JB pics coming…awesome. What will he jump over next?

LMAO at that last picture – very unexpected.

Dude, are you sure you’re not married to Spiderman?

I am leading a parallel sleep life, as the CROUP set in not long after receiving a couple of 8 hour nights. The hardest part to remember is that they once did sleep well, but to get back there you have to resort to some of the same tactics that brought relief in the first place. But exactly when to initiate OPERATION SLEEP AND AWE, with a still somewhat sick babe, right?

Once I put my “technique” back into play, things have slowly been returning to the new normal. I hope the same happens for you, and PRONTO!

I could stand on that beach and throw rocks for hours.
Dylan’s hair is going to get him girls someday, you wait and see.
Riley has become quite the little man hasn’t he?
And I can finally see why you worry so much about zombies. After all, even your table is clearly attacking JB in order for him to jump so high. (How many times did you make him do it to get the shot? LOL, I would have to have a malfunction and make him do it again.)

Second the Mucinex suggestion, it’s liquid gold in this house and I’ve given it to my daughter since she was a year old! Be sure and give the regular Mucinex, not “D” or “DM” and it’s very benign and hard to OD on.

There something pretty hot about a man jumping like that.

I LOVE that pic of Riley on the bike! What a great series of captures!

I feel your pain. SAME THING happened to me. Just finished enduring the cry-it-out stage, got three nights of decent sleep and then WHAM! baby got a cold. Sufferin Succotash. I’m just about ready to start the whole thing again, and now she won’t be calmed with just the pacifier this time.

I know you’re not dealing with a tummy bug issue, but applesauce with cinnamon mixed in is gentle on the stomach. And, the cinnamon helps sooth stomach issues (if needed). Additionally, according to my husband, applesauce is the best thing in the world to throw up. It doesn’t hurt, and isn’t anywhere near as nasty as any other food the second time around. Good luck!

I’m envious of your green grass. We spent the weekend bundled up because The Weather decided that those spring-like temperatures we experienced for a week or two right before the official start of spring just weren’t good enough. For the love of Christ is snowed ALL weekend long. HATE. I want sunshine.

JB can jump like a fool! Get that boy into some contest – quick! What else can he jump? The freaking house?

Your boys are deliciously cute. I love Riley’s face in the photo of him riding on the scooter. Dylan looks like a man, but in mini-form in the photo of him standing by the shoreline. And I have to ask, are you afraid of heights Sundry? You look like you are shying away from the ledge of the dock.

Love your photos, sounds like you had a fantastic weekend.

We are having sleep issues as well. We were doing good with the whole sleep training thing too until the wee babe cut another damned tooth. UGH.

We are getting SNOW today and tomorrow… so much for spring. On the flip side, do you LOVE those shoes that Dylan has on?! I bought my daughter a pair and they totally rock. I need to buy another pair ASAP!

Well, I breezed through the previous comments and already saw the one suggestion I have in my back pocket, but I’ll repeat anyway.

Whenever my kids have had colds that produce gag-like reflex coughing that can only lead no where good, I have found that elevating the crib mattress on one side does help. We use a pillow underneath and it gives just enough incline to help alleviate the effects of post nasal drip. Yum.

How did JT do that? And did you get my email? About the Around the world in 80 clicks project?

FWIW: Sister-pediatrician says a spoonful of honey helps the cough. Kids like it so what the heck–try it. I’m not sure I’ve seen it help, but it certainly isn’t hurting.

We still sign for the motrin with pseudophedrine from behind the pharmacist’s counter. Love it and only administer at night but it stops the every-2-hour-wakeups when a kid is sick.

Yep, I had a child almost choke to death on those little toddler hot dogs, so glad to hear they are dime-sized!

Seeing that pic of JB makes me sigh that my hubby can no longer do things like that – ’cause he totally would – since his knee replacement (at the age of 50). Someone else mentioned it, but really, was he ever a high jumper in school? He should have been!

And, those 3 boys of yours are cute as all get out.

Haven’t seen the hot dogs come back up. Yet. :o) Nut I’m sure it’s something I’ll get to enjoy some day. However, my husband always asks what the point of corn is. I mean, it goes in looking one way and comes OUT looking the exact, same, goddamned way. WTF?!

We had a lovely weekend here in Bend. Everyone has cabin fever and so everyone was out. However, the 10-day forecast has snow again later this week. Gah!

[1] super jealous of your west coast spring weather. here in nyc its currently cold and miserable. wtf spring? where are you?

[2] as a pediatric nurse practitioner whos spent some time in both ERs and ICUs, i cant stress enough the VERY BAD things i have seen happen to kids from eating hot dogs and grapes [sadly, but truthfully, we had a kid die from aspirating a tiny part of a grape], so thanks for the clarification. make sure things are cut up SMALL and cooked WELL and maybe stay away from the hot dogs etc while hes choking things up in bed at night. (which im sure youre already doing!) and ill end my soapbox rant there, sorry!

[3] just a thought, but does dylan maybe have some allergies instead of a cold? ’tis the season and maybe he would benefit from some allergy medication to stop that post nasal drip. speak with your pediatrician [or nurse practitioner, since i am partial…] and see if they can offer any ideas.

I cannot recommend enough saline nose spray. I’ve used it myself for years, and started using it on my son when he was 3 months old. Since it’s just salt water, it is totally safe and you can use it as much as needed.

The “teapot thing” someone else mentioned is called a neti pot. I’m a fan of it too, but probably a little too complicated for a 14 month old. But when he’s older, I’m sure he’d love to learn how to pour water in one nostril and out the other!!!

i think it’s time we saw a video of these jumps. i just cannot picture how on earth he does this!

Linda, sorry if I started something obnoxious. You know I’d rather walk on my lips than criticize a fellow blogger.
Signed,
Crazy Concerned Hot Dog Choker Lady (in the un-porny way)
(although the porny-way kind of chokes me, too)

I also use honey for the older two but I think honey is a no-no for 2 and under. But what would I know, I’ve been pouring the vicks liquid in every night for the baby. Guess I should read the label.(fatal? really??) We use phonebooks instead of the yearbooks. I feel for the poor little guy, sucks to be sick when it’s so nice out.

We just had a shit ton of snow dump all over us on Sunday, I thought spring was here:(!!

So I’m doing one of those boot-campish workout in the park things and we often do a circuit with 5 or 6 different stations. One is a set of small cones in a row(like 8 inches high) that you have to jump over. Like a bunny hop.

Why does that seem like *the hardest thing ever* and yet JB sails over a freakin’ patio table with ease?