Saturday, July 02, 2005

The Big Sneeze

Michelle, Tenley and I were having a nice breakfast this morning in the dining room. Michelle was having hash browns, yogurt and fruit. I was having beef steak, hash browns and bread. Miss Tenley was having some warm rice congee. She already had the first course in our room when she woke up this morning. Anyway, as Michelle lowered the spoon with a pile congee on it, Tenley made a funny face and then sneezed. The sneeze itself was really cute but the resulting wind storm is what provided the best entertainment of all. Michelle was now covered in rice congee. In her hair, on her face and all over her shirt. I nearly spit out my food and fell out of my chair laughing. Tenley just looked at my with a look that said "Why are you laughing at me, jerk!"

After breakfast we went back upstairs and Tenley was ready for an early morning nap. Just as she was getting ready to nod off she got the hiccups. These are really cute in a baby but very annoying to them. After a couple of minutes with the hiccups she was starting to get cranky. Michelle got a bottle with some warm water in it and gave it to her. That did the trick...no more hiccups. Thank you Grandma Susie, it worked like a charm.

But too late, the damage was already done. Now she no longer had the hiccups but was so tired and now cranky. The screaming began after that followed soon after by the kicking of legs and flailing of arms. I knew she just needed to relax and fall asleep but she had other ideas. Finally after struggling against me and losing she started to slow down a little. I put her on the bed and she laid there with her favorite white wash cloth sucking her thumb and sobbing. The occasional fit of screaming mingled with short bursts of calm down and sleep. Finally after a good 15 min screamfest she calmed all the way down and fell asleep.

Darn those hiccups. She was almost out the first time and then they showed up.
Must be hard to be a baby and not be able to communicate what you are feeling. I know she is still teething and that she has some gas that is making her tummy hurt. She also has never had a bottle other than the bottle with food in it. So when we gave her some water earlier to relieve the hiccups she was very angry that we then took it away. It's been a very emotional and hard week for her. Her little life is changing so much right now and I think it is all starting to catch up to her. The other parents are all noting the same behaviours and most are having the same meltdown periods daily.

We have another week here in China and then another big change looms on the horizon for Miss Tenley...a new home with strange furry creatures who will be none too happy to see her.

Should be fun!

No comments: