Sunday 28 December 2014

Italian Sausages & Apple Stuffing Recipe

So I really have no idea what I'm doing half the time I'm in the kitchen.
I love cookbooks and baking books and treasure them.

Most times things turn out pretty alright in the kitchen and I very rarely burn anything. :)


What you need (serves about 6 people):
  • 12 slices of whole wheat bread - left out to dry overnight
  • 1 vegetable broth jelly blob (it's not a cube -it's a jelly blob)
  • Boiled water for jelly blob - about a medium bowl worth
  • 1 small onion chopped finely
  • 1 medium apple chopped (I used Golden Delicious and left the skin on)
  • 4 Italian Sausages (I got mine from Craig Beckley in Helsinki - fantastic product and awesome service by the way!) 
  • Pepper, parsley and other favourite spices to taste
  • Butter
  • Duck fat to grease baking dish
  • Optional:
      • Celery chopped
      • Nuts
      • Raisins
      • Dried cranberries
      • Chopped bacon (Next year I'll add this! I was super pressed for time!)
        What you need to do (sorry Blogger is acting up and won't let me re-align things properly!):
      • Boil sausages in water and once in awhile poke them with a sharp knife to release the fat.  Be careful of possible splattering.
      • Cut the bread slices into pieces
      • Put bread pieces into a large bowl and add chopped oinion and apples, vegetable broth.
      • Remove sausages from their casings by using a fork and knife to slice the skin open and scrape the meat out.  Crumble it up a bit and add to the stuffing mix.
      • Add spices and mix well.
      • Add melted butter.
      • If dry looking - use a spoon and add some of the juice/fat from the pot you cooked the sausages in.  Mix really well.  Don't be shy - add more - as long as it's not too soggy or swimming in fat - you're good.
      You can put in a greased dish (I used duck fat) and if it doesn't fit in your dish - like mine - then you can flatten a turkey breast and line it with stuffing then roll it up to cook in the oven.
      To flatten turkey breast - use a meat mallet.  I don't have one - so I used my marble rolling pin and place the meat between two sheets of parchment paper.

      In a dish - bake at 175-200*C for about 30 minutes - or until bit crisp and golden brown on top.

      Enjoy.
      BIMU

Friday 26 December 2014

New Year Resolutions

I guess, like anyone else, I have NY Resolutions that I try to stick to longer than two weeks.
Also, if I write them down and publicly - surely it helps me be responsible.

It's something I start thinking and planning around November, when I should be writing out Christmas cards and knitting/crocheting/sewing.
  1. Don't buy ANY yarn this year.  Originally this was supposed to be "Don't buy yarn I don't need"...I do  have a gift card that needs to be used by the end of June.  That's my only exception - and I just might use it for needles or hooks instead.  Not sure.  Anyways, that's all I'll allow myself to buy.  Or if I absolutely need it to finish a project...but I really do have too much yarn in storage...and in my bedroom...in the closet...everywhere.
    1. Minor exception: I can buy yarn for others as gifts.
  2. Don't shop as much for anything.  It'd be nice to see the savings account go up instead of down...right?
  3. Eat healthier.  While I might not go to the gym (not worth the money if I can't guarantee the time alone), I do try and hike, take the kids out and walk the dogs etc.
  4. Try at least 1 new recipe a week.  - This is the same resolution I had last year with great results.  The reason for this is because I was so tired of having the same meals on the same days, week after week.  We were able to try new things and I was able to better budget and plan meals better - and the new dishes added new flavour and variety! :)
    1. This also forces SH and my kids to try new things too...they are the pickier eaters.
  5. Be a calmer parent.  Easier said than done.
  6. Blog & craft more.  I didn't do enough this past year - based on the number of WIP (work in progress) I have laying about...Sure I have knitting meetings every week - but I am usually spending that time entertaining A-Man and helping him use the bathroom it seems.  I also read recently that knitting an hour a day is very calming and good for your health and so on...
  7. Be better organized/Clean more.   I usually remember all the appointments and birthdays and so on.  But this past Christmas I was terrible at getting cards out on time...or ordering photos.  At this point, with the kids screeching - I'm probably going to have to skip it.  Sorry folks.
I try to make them realistic.
We'll see how this goes.
BIMU

Christmas With An Autistic Champ

From the moment V-Man was born - I called him a champ. 
Now, after a filling dinner (and a new artsy-looking bathroom sink...) and conversation with my friends - I realize that he IS a champ.  He has a wonderful temperament and is just (mostly) always happy to be around my friends noted.
From an outsider's point of view - I am ashamed to say I have never noticed.  Because we're so busy chasing him down from the very top of a high chair he climbed, from pulling down clean laundry off the racks or clip-hanger thing...or from doing this or that...

Anyways, here's how our Christmas may have differed from yours:
  • I don't wrap his presents.  I should note that I didn't wrap them when he was first born because honestly?  What's the point?  He's a newborn...a month and a half old and not only doesn't know what Christmas is - but also doesn't care. :)
    • He's not at the age (mentally) where he cares about wrapping paper, ribbons or ripping them off in excitement.  His gifts were in plain sight on the sofa in the corner and not wrapped.  He occasionally notices the paper and wants to shred it.  That's about it.
  • I try to find gifts that would tickle his senses and he'd find interesting.  Like magnets, or GAK (haven't opened it yet) and this year I got him a "rain stick"...but with this said, I also try to not take it to heart that it takes him a few days (sometimes weeks) to get interested in a gift I bought him at Christmas time.
  • V-Man does not give two stinks about the latest video game, toy, gadget etc.  or Christmas itself.  Whenever he does show interest, throughout the year about some sort of toy or book that's acceptable for his age - I'll happily buy it (within reason).  We're trying to save up to buy him an iPad - as I think he can really benefit from one (with a military-style protective case of course) - but we'll see.
  • We don't have a (large or real) Christmas tree.  I drew it on for the last couple of years with Crayola Window Markers.  This year, I set up the foot-tall fake tree and only put ornaments on it that aren't breakable and definitely no lights.  After breakfast, he grabbed the whole tree and presented it to SH (Super Hubby).  By 10am it was on a shelf up high in the kitchen.
  • I don't decorate a lot.  I hang stockings on the 24th when the children are asleep and try to take photos of them with their new Christmas pajamas from the night before and then again on Christmas morning.  I visualize all the time and money into decorating being destroyed when he notices them eventually and decides to rip them down.
    • I especially don't even tack up Christmas cards we've received - they're a personal favourite of his.  And his new thing is trying to shove things down the radiator...
  • We don't have Elf on the Shelf...or advent calendars.  Can you imagine trying to explain to a child with a bottomless pit for a stomach - why he can't eat all 24 chocolate pieces in one go?  Or why the Elf -tee-hee- pooped peppermint candies in the toilet...or tried to bake etc.?  I can't either.
    • I'm considering learning origami to make boxes for advent calendars next year for all 3 kids...wish me luck.
  • We don't go to church for midnight mass... Well, we never did anyway.  But there have been some nice caroling events at the downtown church that I have enjoyed and heard were fun - but there's no way we could stay in a relatively quiet place for any length of time.
  • We don't visit many people.  It's not that we're anti-social.  Totally not.  Just it's easier to have people come here - where the Champ feels at home and comfortable.
    • It can be hard to Skype because he doesn't sit still for very long.  And our family understands. 
    • Also there's the possibility of our friends having a lovely decorated home and we don't want anything damaged or flat-out destroyed...
  • We avoid crowds of people or Christmas parties...It just means food and he'll usually opt for the cookies, chips and candy/chocolates...and making a mess everywhere.  And fondling people in-appropriately...Wait - is there a way to fondle stranger without offending them? Oh right - if you're a baby. V-Man is 5.
    • Also, he's a runner.  So if he's not interested in something - he's gone.  Also with the boys going to different day-cares - that means only one parent gets to go to A-Man's day-care Christmas party or we just don't go at all.
  • We don't travel or go anywhere exciting.  This is a downright bummer - especially where we don't have family here in Finland to cook our meal for us (I'm totally cool with cooking and deciding on a menu etc.) or in-laws to go to on the other holiday day.  So - we have stayed in our home every year.  We don't even go to Helsinki or Estonia - which isn't terribly far and doesn't require a plane.  We also don't have a car - ah well.  Maybe some day.
    • So we're thrilled and love having friends come to us to share dinner and chit-chat around our table.  Seriously - it's the best fun!
    • He does enjoy sledding - so we try to do that every night before bed time.
  • We don't have family photos together.  I try every Christmas Eve to take a photo of the kids together on the sofa and they all scattered or aren't looking at the camera at the same time...and again Christmas morning with stockings - and it just doesn't work.
  • We don't bother with Santa.  Santa is seen by kids in Finland on Christmas Eve - so the photography set up and long lines don't really happen here.  Occasionally there's Santa in the bigger grocery stores walking around and sometimes sitting down but you have to be lucky to have your own camera with you.  
    • 1.  Line ups are a no-go for the Champ.
    • 2.  Strange man?  He'll probably get dragged away by the Champ, who is ridiculously strong.  Or he'll get fondled by the Champ.  He wouldn't be the first man to get a nipple rub...
    • 3.  In all fairness, our kids don't quite get Christmas or who Santa is - so it's not just the V-Man.  When they're older and if they have the desire and patience to wait to meet the big guy - sure.  I'll do it for them.
  • If the lines will be long - then V-Man stays home.  He despises line ups and my phone battery life isn't the longest for him to watch endless Youtube - so it's just easier for him to stay at home.
  • We don't expect him to sit at the table for the full any length of a meal.  It's impossible to expect that of him.  He did join us and repeatedly left and returned at his leisure and that was fine by me.  Better than trying to keep a child still who doesn't want to be there at all.  
  • We want him to use a spoon or a fork - but it's okay if he eats with his fingers.  Please bear in mind, this is the child that has a sensory overload and also, as of 1.5 years ago - was the pickiest eater.  Thanks to the day-care he's at, which specializes in children with special needs, he is at least willing to try everything.  And when he likes it - nobody's plate is safe.
    • He is trying to use his utensils!  He just needs heavy supervision and constant reminders to try. :)
  • We haven't tried building (or baking) a gingerbread house...or men people to decorate...  It would get devoured by him and us before the decorations came out.
I don't mean for this list to come off as harsh or negative whatsoever.  This is the reality of life with an autistic/mentally challenged child in the family and just thought it might be worth sharing.
So if you have friends in similar situation as us - this is how it is and we don't mean to not visit your lovely decorated home...but it's just a wee bit safer for everyone (and their nerves) if we don't. :)
BIMU

Thursday 25 December 2014

A Hole, Flying Blueberry Pie...It Must Be Christmas

By A Hole - I mean - a single hole.  Not an a-hole.

Now that I have that out of the way - my day was pretty jam packed and I like it that way.  I do well under pressure.
Last night I decided I'd prepare the vegetables at least because we were going to have a total of 6 adults, 5 children (2 that don't eat as many as the rest) and I truly agree with my mother on one major thing:  "Guests should never feel hungry when they leave your home."
Totally.

So I dragged in the carrots from the balcony last night to only discover that they were frozen.  Crap.
I didn't know what to do and I don't know if you ever tried to peel a frozen carrot before - but it's not easy.  And the poor carrot had such a holey appearance - I felt awful!  They looked awful!
Yes, they look like mush going through your digestive system and out the back door - but it'd be nice if they looked like carrots before being chewed up...
I discussed on Facebook with friends and Google searched my heart out on what to do with thawed out carrots (I had ran them under hot water) and a friend suggested tossing them back in the freezer and if I can't peel them again (no I couldn't because they were chopped up already!) then pop them into the slow cooker.  Alright - simple enough.
While the children were asleep - I opted to set up the foot-tall fake Christmas tree and all the presents on the sofa in a corner and then went to bed.
I hadn't even wrapped all the gifts for the guests...go me.

This morning I woke up at 6:30am and decided I'll just sleep a bit more and then noticed it was almost 9am.
Our guests were aiming for 3pm...NOTHING else was ready.

Here's my menu and why I started to freak:
  • Roasted boneless lamb meat
  • Turkey breast (which I last minute opted to flatten then roll and fill with stuffing)
  • Italian sausage and apple stuffing
  • Slow cooked ginger carrots
  • Mashed potatoes
  • Roasted turnips
  • Buttermilk tea biscuits
  • Blueberry pie
  • Apple pie
This wasn't even including the stuff our friends were bringing!!
  • Waldorf salad (an apple salad - don't put a lot of mayo...it's so much better without that extra dallop apparently)
  • Green bean and bacon salad
  • Grandma's brownies (might be GREAT Grandma's)
  • A picnic ham - just in case.
  • Ice-cream
  • Glöggi
The meat was thawed, so while the hubby made breakfast - I pulled out sausages from the freezer.
I then began to peel and chop up turnips, onion, dried bread (I left out 12 slices overnight) for stuffing, apples (2kg) and potatoes (8kg).
I tossed the frozen blueberries and a cup of sugar into a pot to sit on the stove until I was ready.
I boiled sausages, loaded dishes, un-loaded dishes, made pie dough, made tea biscuits, prepared the meat, mixed up the stuffing...made pies....debated on a dish of fudge and said nah...

3:30pm - SH is showering and opened the bathroom mirror cupboard and I hear a clunk and an "Oh shit."
Yeah - we had a crack in the bathroom sink for awhile because his glass deodorant bottle had made a crack - which has spread...and well, the plastic disinfectant fell from the top shelf and hit the crack just so.  Boom - a chunk of the sink is gone.
I e-mail my landlord in a frenzy and rush to the bathroom, plop down on the toilet to pee and have clothes in the bathroom to shower - and guess what?


DING!

Our guests have arrived...no shower.  My kitchen looks like there was a Pokémon tournament happened in there...oh no.
But the meats were in the oven with the turnip and 1 pie was baked and cooling.

Well, the lovely ladies helped me speed clean that kitchen...so thankful.
Then my friend K turned and fffffffftttt - the blueberry pie went flying.

BUT! It landed face up!  Some blueberry streaks on the floor but we wiped those out after. 

Otherwise, a fantastic dinner and I'll post the sausage stuffing recipe tonight or tomorrow! 

Time to get 2/3 kids to bed...
Hope your holidays were as awesome as they could possibly be!
BIMU

Wednesday 24 December 2014

THE LIST: What You Might Have Forgotten To Get

It's almost 4pm and I thought I'd try to whip up a list for you last-minute folks (like me) who may have forgotten to hit up the local department/grocery stores before they close for tomorrow:
  • Toilet Paper (and of course if you have guests - you probably get the nicer, softer stuff - right?)
  • Paper Towel
  • Garbage Bags, biodegradable compost bags or recyclables bags
  • Bread
  • Butter
  • Sugar
  • Eggs
  • Aluminum foil and baking paper/parchment paper
  • Wax paper
  • Egg nog
  • Apple cider
  • Liquor, wine, beer etc.
  • Flour, baking soda or powder, yeast
  • Honey
  • Tea/Coffee/milk/juice
  • Cough Drops
  • Chewing gum/mints
  • Coffee filters
  • Pads/Tampons
  • Diapers and baby wipes
  • Band-aids
  • Pain relievers (nothing worse than a headache with the guests about to arrive in five minutes!) 
  • Prescriptions
  • Contacts/Contact cleansing liquid
  • Laundry Soap
  • Cleaning product for the household
  • Dish Soap or tabs for the dishwasher
  • Rubber gloves
  • Sponges for cleaning
  • Meat/Fish
  • Veggies
  • Fruit
  • Desserts
  • Christmas Tree
    • Ornaments
    • Tinsel
    • Lights
  • Holiday Gifts
    • Gift cards
    • Boxes of chocolate or candy
    • Packaging for home-made gifts
    • Tape
    • Wrapping paper
    • Ribbon
    • Name Tags 
    • Cards
  • Air freshners
  • Poop bags for dogs
  • Gift for the pets
  • Cat Litter
  • Batteries
  • Flashlight or candles (as the power often goes out when you don't expect it to...)
  • Light bulbs
  • Fuse (because they always burn out - like light bulbs - when shops are closed)
Hope this helps and yes, I also went to the store today!
Happy Holidays!BIMU

Learning About Finland: The Winter Holiday Edition

Here is a list of almost everything I can think of that is related to winter and Finland.
Ready?

  1. It can be really cold - especially in northern Finland!
    1. It can be extra dark outside when there isn't any snow - be sure to take vitamin D!
    2. Make sure you wear layers.
    3. Make sure you moisturize - the dryness can really damage skin and cracked skin isn't pleasant for anyone.
    4. Be sure to have a reflector on your coat or bag.  At least a couple...
    5. Walking a dog or cat?  Same goes for them and yes, people walk cats in Finland.
    6. If there's snow on the ground or by December 1st - it's mandatory to have winter/snow tires (depends on what term you want to use) if you have a car.
  2. Shops are closed on:
    1. 6th of December for Finnish Independence Day (some small shops like Sale or Siwa may be opened).
    2. 24th of December - Christmas Eve - by 12pm.  Buses in JKL at least, are done driving at 1pm.
    3. 25th of December - Christmas Day - all day.
    4. 26th of December - Boxing Day to North Americans - all day. Some smaller shops may be opened.
    5. 31st of December - New Year's Eve -Fireworks are allowed to be set off from 6pm-about 2am.
    6.  1st of January - New Year's Day
    7. 6th of January - Epiphany - also the day where everyone tosses away their Christmas tree.  So do be careful and look up - so one doesn't fall on you.  It's much easier to toss a tree over your balcony than drag it down the stairs.
  3. Christmas
    1.  If you're shipping packages - do so as early as possible because the line ups can be quite long and tedious.  Bring a book for while you're waiting.
    2. You can hire a Santa to come deliver presents and sing songs with your children but it can be pricey!  You can even find advertisements for "sober Santas with own vehicle"....
      1. With that said, yes - children see Santa on Christmas Eve and generally presents are opened on that day too. 
    3. There is even a Santa's village in Lapland! 
      1. Sorry, he is not considered from the North Pole. 
    4. Finnish Christmas food is typically ham (a massive roasted piece of pork), vegetable casseroles (that quite often look like baby food), glöggi (drink it warm and never heat it in a water kettle!  Or be freaky like me and drink it cold or mix some 7Up in there for a cold fizzy drink!), joulutorttu (Christmas tart - a star-shaped flaky pastry with plum jam in the center) and Christmas porridge in the morning.  If you get the almond in the Christmas porridge - it's said to be very lucky. :)
    5. Santa's are usually in the bigger grocery stores and sometimes a mall - there doesn't seem to be a photography service included.  Be sure to bring your own camera or use your cell phone.
    6. It's alright to get a real Christmas tree - even in apartment buildings! (In Canada there tends to be more restrictions.)
      1. It's illegal to just go out and chop down a tree wherever you please.
    7. Finns don't do Christmas stockings - so they might be hard to come by.  You're better off making your own or using a real sock! :)
  4. New Year's Eve
    1. Don't drink and drive - it's illegal here too.
    2. Fireworks may be publicly set off from 6pm-2am in Finland.  Your city will have ones at midnight to welcome in the new year.  The reason for allowing them so early - is for those with children who don't want to keep their children awake so late.  Best to walk the terrified dogs beforehand if you can!
    3. You may get some tin metal horse shoes....and according to Finns - you melt them in a pot of boiling water then toss them in the snow or somewhere cold and whatever shape they take determines your following year.  Friend of mine got one that looked like sperm...still hasn't had a baby and this was 3 years ago at least.
As usual - I'm super late getting this out and posted. 
Well, happy holidays!  I'm back to cleaning and cooking - as we're going to celebrate Christmas tomorrow with friends visiting! :)

Happy Holidays!
BIMU

    Monday 22 December 2014

    Awesome Gift Ideas for a Crafter

    Rushing around last minute for your holiday shopping?
    Oh and you have one of those friends or family members with a birthday so close to Christmas (or actually ON Christmas) that you'd hate to leave out one or the other?
    I'm sure I'm missing a lot of ideas but here's the ones I can think of!
    Here's a list of awesome gifts for crafters in your life:
    • Any craft:
      • Organizing boxes for craft supplies
      • Labels for boxes
      • Notebooks 
      • Magazine subscription (or e-magazine subscription) to their favourite magazine.
      • Gift card or vouchers:
        • Etsy
        • Zibbet (similar to Etsy)
        • Local craft supply or yarn shops
      • Tickets to a craft exhibition or event
      • Art or handcrafted item made locally or from a favourite artist.
      • Baby-sitting time so if the crafter is a parent - they can actually craft! :)
    • Seamstress (sewing): 
      • Voucher to fix or tweak sewing machine
        • Or a gift card to the local fabric shop
      • A new sewing machine or serger
      • Thread
      • Fabric
      • Patterns or books filled with patterns
      • Scissors
      • Measuring tape
      • Chalk or washable/fading marker
      • Pattern paper (I hear this stuff is pretty expensive - so most people use baking paper or newspaper to trace patterns.)
      • Pin cushion or magnet for pins
      • Pins 
      • Seam ripper
      • Pinking shears (they're the scissors with zig-zag edges to prevent fraying)
      • Container for haberdashery
    • Knitter:
      • Needles 
        • Interchangeables
        • Circular
        • Straight sets
        • Double-Pointed Needles (DPNs)
          • There's different materials too!
            • Bamboo
            • Wood
            • Plastic
            • Metal
            • Stainless steel
      • Yarn
        • Or a gift card to the LYS (local yarn shop)
      • Patterns - printed and put in a binder or paper-free and e-mail them to him/her.
        •  Books - either full of patterns of techniques
      • Knitting kit - something you could put together yourself (and also applies to a crocheter):
        • Stitch markers
        • Measuring tape
        • Stitch holders (moreso for knitting than crocheting)
        • Row counter
        • Gauge and/or needle measuring tool
        •  Pouch for needles/hooks for travelling 
        • Pencil
        • Notebook
        • Small crochet hook for picking up dropped stitches
        • Little toppers so stitches don't slide off the needles.
        • Needle holders - come in a wide variety. 
    • Crocheter (Many gift ideas are applicable from the Knitter):
      • Hooks
        • Tunisian crochet hooks
        • Double-ended Tunisian crochet hook
        • Sets
        • You could buy cheap metal ones and use polymer clay and bake creative handles for them.
      • Patterns, books or technique books 
      • Yarn
        • Gift card to a local yarn shop or online shop
    • Drawing tools:
      • Paints
      • Cleaning products
      • Sketch books
      • Brushes
      • Sponges
      • Pastels
      • Pens
      • Paper
      • Pencils
      • Erasers
      • Canvases
      • Frames
      • Markers
      • Carrying case for portfolio work or finished pieces
      • Carrying case for drawing utensils
      • Refills (i.e. Copic Ciao Refills) 
    • Scrapbooker:
      • Paper
      • Scrapbook albums
      • Plastic refill cover pages (these are used to protect the individual scrapbook pages - usually 12x12 inches (30cm x 30cm) )
      • Inks
      • Stamps
      • Washi Tape or other decorative tapes
      • Gloss paint
      • Crackle Paint
      • Embossing folders
      • Stickers
      • Rub-on Transfers
      • Embellishments
      • Hole punch of various shapes
      • Embossing powder
      • Embossing heater
      • Glue
      • Double-sided sticky tape/squares
      • Pens, markers, water-colour pencils, pencils
      • Die cuts
      • Gift card
    • Cosmetics Maker:
      • Essential oils
      • Silicone molds for soap shapes
      • Jars with lids for lotions/body butter
      • Little tins or tubes for lip balm/salves
      • Digital scale for weighing ingredients
      • Gift card to purchase other ingredients
         
    Enjoy and I'll try to update this every now and again! :)
    BIMU

    Sunday 21 December 2014

    Ikea Road Trip!

    I should be:
    • Knitting/crocheting/sewing gifts
    • Cleaning
    • Organizing
    • Menu planning
    • Changing diapers
    • Writing Christmas cards
    • Paying bills
    Instead - I went to Ikea today with a friend!  It was quite spur of the moment - as another friend had to postpone the trip to Ikea with her family and van - and with the holidays being in 4 days - I had to replace some cracked dining room chairs soon.

    So the lovely Lise (of Lise Richardson Art)- graciously offered her driving skills to Tampere Ikea and off we went!  (I'll be interviewing her again for this blog soon...I've previously interviewed her for my old blog - but anyways!  I'm working on it!)
    Please remember - last time we went to Ikea - I became a Highway Warrior Princess!

    And we even packed up two kids.

    I opted for M-Girl and A-Man.  Mostly because if the shopping carts aren't big enough for V-Man (without wearing a one-piece snow suit) - he won't walk the full hour we planned to be there for.  SO - as much as I would have loved to bring V-Man, especially with his odd temper at the taxi ride last Friday - it was just easier and gave everyone better peace of mind to bring the other two kids.

    I have heard of the Ikea day-care for customers and wasn't sure how A-Man would feel - so we had a big lunch of meatballs and fries (the Ikea class meatballs) and dropped him off.
    I had a paper to fill out, which asked the following things:
    • Child's name
    • Child's age (Child must be 3-7 years old I believe.)
    • Child's clothing being worn
    • Adult allowed to pick him up
    • A box number (keep reading)
    • Their phone number
    • A signature from the adult promising to be available at all times (aka be in the store and have your phone on and the volume at a reasonable level to hear them calling in case of emergency)
    A-Man was given a big plastic tub with a number on it and we filled it with his snow pants and coat, boots, hat, scarf and his favourite bus toy.  He was given a sticky label on his shirt with name on it and the box number.
    Both of us got our hands stamped with a matching number - so they can confirm the parent's identity when the child is being picked up - and he was asked to disinfect his hands and then he was allowed inside.

    I had 1 hour to shop without a running child.  (I've never used this service before - and yes, it is free to customers.)
    I waited and he waited and stared at me.  Then he ran off and we bolted around the corner to ensure no screams came from the day-care - and there weren't any.

    I repeat - I had 1 hour to shop without a running child.
    SH asked if in future I could consider bringing V-Man and dropping him off there - but I'm not sure how they'd do with an autistic child...they did ask me what language A-Man speaks and understands...

    So off we went.  We by-passed most of the furniture - as I really just needed those 3 or 4 dining room chairs (found one different than my current black Ikea chairs for half the price and just as comfortable) - and little bits and bobs.

    The funniest thing was this stuffed wolf - that's well, a plush toy and you can stuff him with Grandma.
    The coolest thing - probably this crank-yourself-flashlight.  A-Man hates falling asleep in the dark but hopefully this will help and thanks to little human energy - no batteries are needed.
    (Links are to the Canadian Ikea site...)

    I got some Christmas gifts for some of the guests coming - as I really don't have time to knit or crochet everyone something...may have to dig into my fabric stash to sew some other things I think!

    Anyways, I'll try to be more productive (almost wrote "reproductive"...oh dear!) on this blog and I do have some posts lined up - they just need to be tweaked...

    And I'm proud to announce that A-Man was the one that did the falling this trip - as the parking lot was quite icy!  Nobody was hurt seriously.

    BIMU

    Thursday 18 December 2014

    My Escape Artist & Ass Fudge

    Like the title of this post?
    It's not to catch your attention - it's the shortest way to describe this morning.

    Today is the last day of day-care/school for most kids.  This means that V-Man has 1 day left of day-care and then he can sleep in and hopefully allow us to sleep in too for the next two and a half weeks or so.
    Last night he ended up waking up after 2 hours and crashed on the sofa - after his first dose of melatonin.  He slept most of the night and crawled onto our new sofa with hubby and stayed quiet for most of the night!  We have to try it for 2 weeks straight and hopefully his body accepts it - but last night was a huge step!
    I, of course, was up by 3am, in preparation for being woken by screams, yells and light bulbs...but it didn't happen!


    Anyway, this morning - he didn't want to go to day-care.  This has been normal for the past month.  It's gotten darker and colder outside - so of course it's nice to just stay in bed ALL day.  I agree!
    But it's against his schedule system!  So this morning we wrestled him into his clothing - screams and all - and I ran downstairs with him, his backpack, his booster seat and a plate holding some prettily wrapped up fudge for the teachers.
    *Cue insta-scream.

    There was no way he would stay seated.  I finally got the seat belt clicked in and we closed the door and as always, I waited to see him drive away safely.
    The driver didn't even close his door.  Taxi drivers here are super polite and open the door for you and help to put your groceries in the trunk if needed.  They also open the door for you if you're un-able to - once you arrive to your destination!  I just open the door myself usually and plop the booster seat and V-Man in myself.  
    V-Man opted for yanking hard at his seat belt and standing up in his booster seat and screaming.
    The driver looked at me and I sighed.  I apologized for wasting his time and I'll take him by bus.

    We ran upstairs so I could grab my bus card and coat and we had less than 5 minutes to get up a huge hill with my arms full of stuff and holding his hand - and we made it.  Mostly because the bus was 7 minutes late.  Huzzah!
    This also meant that we missed our connecting bus downtown and had to wait 20 minutes.
    I refused to let him see my phone or watch Youtube because I consider that to be a real treat - and by this point - I'm exhausted and he just keeps wanting to drag me to the shops and McDonald's.  Tough - they're not open at 8am.

    24 minutes later - we're boarding the second bus with him screaming and trying to assume his boulder position - refusing to lift a foot onto the bus.
    GREAT.
    I haul him onto the bus and as I'm re-arranging my arms full of stuff so I can press my wallet on the electronic panel reader thing - he's off.
    Yeah - he's running to the back door and about to jump off the damn bus like James Bond.

    Thankfully it's a 7 minutes long bus ride.  He screamed for 6 and then tossed his hat at me, I bend down to pick it up (he's standing) and THEN decides to sit beside me and onto the plate of prettily wrapped fudge.

    We get off the bus and cross the street - we have a 2 minutes-long walk to his day-care.  1 minute if he co-operates!
    Then he opts for the boulder position.  Absolutely will not budge - as I'm clasping his hand and leaning at a 45-degree angle trying to get him to move.  Also - I don't want to drop that fudge!
    Nope - not happening.  Eventually - we get there and the teachers sense my nerves are splitting in half by the handful.  They're excited about the fudge and I got a lift close to home from the speech therapist.
     
    I don't mean to brag - but the V-Man and I raised a fuckton of autism awareness this morning.

    BIMU

    Let's Be Honest: Parenting

    A mini series I'll do in my blog regarding various topics, in which I will be 100% honest and not sugar-coat anything (I rarely do but try to be as "nice as possible").
    I'll do a separate one regarding raising an autistic child - because really - that's a whole other league on its own!
    • Pregnancy and pushing a kid out the hoo-ha is another whole other league of its own.  Same with C-Sections (not that I've had one - but from what I've heard)!
    • I love my kids and don't always tell them this everyday.  But I hope the happier moments show them that although they drive me up the flipping wall on some days - I do love them to bits and pieces.
    • My home is never clean.  It wasn't before I had children and now - it's just disturbing.
      • There are tampons all over my kitchen floor...not used ones - just again, my kids get into everything.
      • I don't remember the last time our place was spotless with everything in place.  It could be when my husband and I were dating and living separately.  Almost 9 years ago.  Yep.
      • I can't find the little Tupperware salad dressing container because my kids got in the drawers and toss out my CLEAN pots, pans and utensils everyday.  It's some sick game they have in common.  
        • *Update:  It was found four days later.
      • M-Girl can walk (10 months old) and pull stuff down...including the clean laundry hanging on the drying racks.  Then she tries to wrap herself up in them.  She'll probably be a fashion designer or at least craftier than me when she gets older.
      • V-Man has discovered the knife block - which doesn't bother me as much it should.  The only problem is when he leaves the knives on the counter instead of putting them back.
      • Regularly when I'm trying to blog or write an e-mail - I hear A-Man stirring whatever I forgot on the stove for a couple minutes. 
    • I have mastered the ninja/yoga/sneak-away technique after breast-feeding a baby and needing to escape the bed without making a sound.
    • "Night Life" for me is going knitting and maybe for a drink with a friend (when V-Man is at overnight care)  - ALONE.  I'm home by 9-10pm.
    • Date nights are few and far between...
      • We collect DVDs because we can watch them at home and pause when a kid wakes up and use subtitles and minimum volume.  Just finished season 3 of Breaking Bad!
    • When 1 kid wakes up - usually all the others do too.  Unfortunately.
    • None of the kids I baby-sat (not that I baby-sat a lot as a teenager) have prepared me for my own children.  
    • Having 3 kids also means always having an excuse to leave a party or event early.
    • I've tried to catch a full bladder of pee once from the (at the time) 4-year old V-Man.  Yeah - tried to catch as in ...WITH MY BARE HANDS.
    • I take my kids out in public so I don't disturb the neighbours with my kids screaming and so I won't scream back.
    • Except for purple - I have seen every colour and shade of poop and diarrhea possible.
    • V-Man took a few coins and tried to shove them into the Xbox One.  
      • I might kill my husband for leaving it out again, and getting mad at V-Man for climbing onto it.  I probably won't tell him about the "piggy bank" incident either.
    • We're on our 2nd copy of Shrek, Shrek 2, Cars and Madagascar /Madagascar 2.
    • I've had a good chunk of melt-downs since having kids that seem to worsen with pregnancy hormones or period hormones.
    • It's really hard to keep a straight face when A-Man says stuff that means something else - but sound like swear words or totally different words.  I.e. : "Hei hei poop." (Good bye moon).
    • It's kind of a relief having all the kids sick at once or one after another (i.e. chicken pox) - then it's done and over with.
      • It's also true that I'm the last one to get sick and my body lets me crash for 1 day tops - whereas everyone else gets a few days to a week off.  I clearly need to fake it.
    • I also have had my fair share of stares and lecturing grannies on the bus and in the shops and honestly - I want to punch about 90% of them in the face.  I wouldn't criticize someone to their face and child's about how to raise them - why do it to a complete stranger?!
    • I'm excited for when they're a bit more independent - diaper-free, can speak clearly and help out/learn how to do things independently.  Like cooking, baking and doing more intensive crafts or hobbies.
    • I'm also terrified of the teenager phase.  Absolutely dreading it.  The dating, the hormones, the broken hearts, the bullying, the attitude, the sneaking out, the rejecting of EVERYTHING...
    • I look forward to sleep-overs, birthday parties (still hope the boys will enjoy having a joint party for the rest of their lives...), school trips and stuff like that.  Yep - Mama-Nerd - right here.
      • Yep - even boyfriends and girlfriends over for dinner.  And watching SH grill them all.
    • The idea of travelling with my kids sounds great in about 5-10 years.
    • I'm pretty sure we've said "No" in various forms and languages at least 4 million times - among the three kids.  Half of that alone is for V-Man alone.
    • I don't know what a weekend is anymore.
    • The best part of the day has become bed time. 
    • I've been crapped on, peed on, puked on and had boogers displayed to me with pride and wiped onto MY shirt.  
      • This just doesn't happen with cats or dogs.
    • Bonus of holidays?  Not having to get up AS early...
      • We're terrible at keeping a strict schedule with the kids.
    I'm sure I'll update this every now and again.
    Enjoy,
    BIMU

    Zzzz - Oh What IS That?

    Zzzz - the typical symbol of snoring...of sleep...of peace and quiet.

    Something we haven't had in at least a month - at least when the V-Man is home. 
    Remember my nasty doctor appointment from awhile ago?
    Well, today - right before I crashed for a nap - a nurse from the overnight care called me and asked if we had seen the doctor and what her suggestions were for V-Man to sleep better at night.  Because apparently he hasn't slept a wink at overnight care these past few days! (4 hours a night...ouch.)
    Oh dear...
    So I told her my quick-version of the story above (in the link) and she quickly translated to the doctor that was present.  Well, it turns out this doctor is a specialized doctor.  One that actually specializes in treatment of children WITH autism and mental retardation.
    She asked why I wasn't prescribed Melatonin - I explained as kindly (but as bluntly) as possible that the district doctor felt that it wasn't necessary and that pain meds would solve everything. 
    Well, it didn't work. 

    So I'm going today to pick up the A-Man and a new prescription of melatonin - which is in pill form and somehow we have to shove that down V-Man's throat with water an hour before bedtime.  It doesn't come in liquid form unfortunately she said - so we'll try anything to get a solid 6-8 hours of sleep...10 from him would be awesome.
    I'll update as we try it out - she wants to try it for 2 weeks to see if it makes a difference and if it works - she said to keep using it.

    I apologize I haven't been a frequent blogger here!  I'm swamped with a week to Christmas - loads of knitting to do and card-sending...and cleaning - I don't even want to talk about the mess my home is in currently. 
    And to top it all off - little M-Girl is now my little pet cheetah  as she's caked in chicken pox but seems to be quite cheery about it all.  (No - you can't adopt her...she balances the boys out rather nicely!)

    But I'll be writing up a post soon regarding my new year's resolutions.  Which I desperately need.
    I'm sure I'll also be updating my Instagram on the regular as well!
    Did you notice my advent calendar posts/photos on Instagram?!  My lovely and talented knitting group created me an advent calendar in a pretty shoe box and every night before bed - I treat myself with opening up a match box to see what goody I have!  It's been so amazing and exciting as I have never had one before!
    I'm contemplating MAKING one for my kids next year...yeah long shot but I have a bit over 12 months to do it - right?

    BIMU

    PS Thankfully I was able to buy chewable melatonin!  Let's see how it goes!

    Tuesday 9 December 2014

    Noro Virus, Chicken Pox, No Sleep & A Flu

    Some cursing involved...oh do I feel so grown up now!

    This past month or so - has been awful.
    Ready?
    About a month ago - A-Man came down with a fever and for a week straight he vomited, had a fever go up and down and pretty much had Norovirus.  We thought he was done mid-week and the day-care called as soon as the last spoon of lunch was being devoured by the little ones because A-Man displayed what chewed up lunch looked like for the rest of the class...
    Then it was V-Man's turn for a week...then it was my husband's turn for about 3 days...I had half a day of sickness - vomit, diarrhea, cramps galore...it wasn't fun.  M-Girl had diarrhea for a week straight...
    We had half a week of calm before the chicken pox decided to visit.

    A-Man thankfully had it first and didn't have a fever - but we kept him home for a week from day-care and that was alright.
    Now it's V-Man's turn and I'm ready to choke someone.  I'm going out of my fucking mind right now being cooped up inside for the better part of 2 weeks. 
    Yes, I've had some sneaky outings like going to get groceries and one knitting meeting (had to miss last night's) - but really - I am done.
    Because guess what?  M-Girl still hasn't shown signs of chicken pox and maybe that's due to the super magical powers of breast milk (which we're not doing much of but mostly at night) or because the week is still young and she's going to be my polka-dotted baby by next week.

    I realize - it can be worse.  I totally do.  I could be in school right now and missing classes and notes and such.  It could be much worse than the chicken pox.  And I'm thankful that SH and I both had it as kids and the kids are really young and having it now.

    I'm bitching and exhausted because V-Man's "newest" thing is to wake me up by turning on the lights before 5:30am (I consider anything before 6am pure evil - especially on a weekend) and crawling into my bed...which already houses A-Man, M-Girl and two dogs and if I'm lucky - I'm in there clinging to the edge of the bed.
    A-Man manages to sleep right through this - my grumbling and cursing of my eye lids being boiled by an early light bulb being turned on...and M-Girl is like me.  Not impressed at her beauty rest being disturbed at such a wicked hour.
    The first morning this happened was at 4:30....the Momster was released pretty quickly.

    I even managed to squeeze in a doctor's appointment, where I decided the doctor for my district is not for me.
    I've spoken to other friends that live in the area and they've all said she's "weird and un-professional" and "doesn't know what she's talking about".
    I called the doctor's switch board last Monday morning because V-Man wasn't sleeping or pooping - so it was time to face the reality of him needing to visit the doctor.
    Well, I luckily got an appointment that Monday afternoon and the doctor didn't take me seriously.
    I told her he hasn't been sleeping at overnight care (go to bed by 8pm, awake by 11pm and staying awake until 5am the next day), his stomach is overflowing with food and he hasn't had a crap there and he has been smacking his ears - so perhaps a tube is loose?
    The nurse at overnight care had written the doctor a note in the central system and she couldn't find it for whatever reason.  So of course, I'm coming off as the "overly concerned" parent.
    I got a lot of phony smiles and "mm-hmm" and the attitude was clearly she didn't take me seriously.
    By this point, I'm exhausted with fighting him to stay in the room and I whip out my phone, call overnight care and ask if they can tell the doctor what they had the joy of experiencing the past three days.
    As she's listening, the doctor's tone takes on a different tune.  One of concern, one of seriousness, one of a doctor that actually cares.
    So after she hangs up she agrees that it sounds quite serious and we attempt to get her to check his ears.
    "1 tube is loose and not in position.  The other is in place but it's red inside," she advises.
    "Should we schedule another surgery and get that tube replaced?" I ask - because that makes the most sense to me and obviously the tube in the fitted ear isn't working because it sounds infected if it's red inside...
    "No, we'll leave it be and just give him pain killers."
    So let's leave a piece of rubber/plastic/tube roll around in my kid's ear for the better sake of saving her a request for surgery...and doping my kid up on strong pain meds is the way to go.  And hope the tube falls out on its own soon.  Right...
    Yes, it's been almost a year since he had the second successful surgery - and I guess they don't last as long as I thought (2 years) but still!
    The first time V-Man had the tubes surgery - it wasn't successful.  Within a month we had a check-up and she determined that the tubes didn't open up properly and had come loose and he was in a great deal of pain and immediately requested a surgery to fix this.
    So, now we're supposed to wait until they fall out and at the expense of everyone in this household not getting any sleep?!
    Now, regarding his constipation - she prescribed two types of laxatives.  Since he's been home, he's back to his poop streaked diapers but nothing solid.  Even on the laxatives.  We're still going through 8-12 diapers a day.
    When I advised her that this isn't my first time asking about his stomach and bowels - she asked if we gave him laxatives before. 
    "Yes, of course - you prescribed us to.  I don't remember the amount because it's been over a year."- me clearly confused as to why she's asking me a relatively stupid question (only because his full profile is sitting electronically in front of her).
    "Well, perhaps you didn't give him the right amount."
    Funny enough, we followed her instructions and this has been an ongoing issue for almost a year - if not more.  For fuck's sake...
     
    I've been advised to request for another doctor.  But in fact, I think I'm going to book another appointment to confirm that he needs to see a specialist regarding his bowels and stomach.  I'm not going to budge or leave her office until my son gets an appointment regarding his ears and his stomach...
    I don't think I should have to ask and complain about my son's shit stained-diapers three times or more, in order to get a specialist to check his insides out.  She knows full well that this has been an on-going issue and that we have some digestive issues in the family history (SH has crohn's disease for example).  Plus it's super common in Autistic kids that their insides are a bit on the funky side.
    I also suspect that she doesn't have many autistic patients like V-Man because she didn't know a place like overnight care existed. 
    Alright - I'm done venting about that hideous doctor's appointment...

    Oh and my body has been so go-go-go that now it's shutting down.  I'm burnt out, I'm not getting enough sleep, I have a hard touch (more like a bitch slap worth) of a flu,  and I'm trying to eat super healthy (loads of fruit and veggies etc.) and yesterday I just crashed.  The SH stayed home and I blissfully slept all day.  I woke up for a sandwich and then crashed again until it was time for A-Man to be picked up.
    I made home-made chicken and veggie soup, home-made tea (boiled lemon peel and lemon segments with massive chunks of ginger root) and felt like 150 bucks.  I can't say a million entirely because I woke up with a killer headache.

    I've already cancelled day-care and taxi drives for the week - so I'm trying to tough it out as best as I can.
    SH went to work today - which he should - and I'm thinking that all of the chicken pox spots are now hideous little scabs...so I'm going to try and drag out my spotless M-Girl and my scabby-polka-dotted V-Man to get some grocery shopping and other stuff done.

    I have two Christmas parties to organize this week (one is tomorrow night)...so you probably won't hear from me until next week...

    Wish me luck.  Loads of it.
    BIMU

    And there goes my laundry rack full of freshly hung clothes and dry ones folded on top....my nerves...