Allergies

I love Ah Ha! moments.  When things click and all of a sudden, things make sense.  Some days I feel like I'm allergic to everything.  That isn't true, but I have a lot of little allergies to lots of different things.  It appears that Pookie is taking after me in that aspect.  Although, Rob's side of the family does have their fair share of allergies.  I went to an allergist at the beginning of college.  They did some testing, gave me some meds and sent me on my way.  Fast forward 15 years later and I take Zyrtec and hope for the best.  Well, I've had it.  I'm sick of sniveling.  Something has got to change!

So, I saw a new allergist, Dr. L., she's a nice lady.  A little hyper, but she's a good egg.  I had a scratch test done and I wasn't allergic to as many things as the last time I had it done.  That puzzles me a little, but this is only phase 1 in the testing.  One of the things I have issues with is over and under ripe fruit, random, I know.  Did you know that tree pollen can cross react and create issues with food.  For example, if you are allergic to Poplar tree pollen, you may have issues with apples.  Especially specific kinds of apples, because they have higher levels of allergenic proteins.  Apparently if you cook the food, it helps to break down these proteins and they become safer to eat.  (Ah Ha!) 

This helps to explain why Pookie can generally have blueberries, but sometimes he has issues with them.  It's all due to pollen!  I have to make an appointment for Pookie to see an allergist.  The only thing I am a little concerned about is the scratch test.  You have to lay on your stomach for 20 minutes after the scratches have been applied.  There is no way my child is going to sit still for 20 minutes.  Hopefully the doctor will have a brilliant idea on how to make it work! 

Drumlin Farm

Pookie and I met up with friends of ours to check out Drumlin Farm.  It's very cute.  I feel a little odd calling a farm cute, but really, it kind of is.  There are a couple of parts to the farm.  There is a wildlife area with rescued animals that have either been injured or have had too much contact with humans and would not be able to survive in the wild.  After that is a farm area with sheep, goats, chickens, pigs, cows and I think a donkey.  There are also hiking trails on the property.  At the entrance there is a farm stand where you can purchase items that have been grown on the farm.   

Naturalist and Owl.
They look surprisingly similar.

One of the naturalists did an Discovery Activity with an Eastern Screech Owl #3.  Apparently there is also an #4 as well.  I'm not sure about #'s 1 and 2.  The naturalist was very enthusiastic about ESO #3.  We stayed for the entire presentation.  Apparently that made quite the impression on the naturalist.  Especially considering that everyone else came and left in waves. 



After our lunch, we went to explore the farm area of the property.  I figured that I better let Pookie out of the stroller and run off some steam.  Otherwise, I don't think I would have been able to get him into the car seat for the ride home.  Pookie is definitely his father's child in many aspects.  He spent a whole 30 seconds looking at a sheep, before noticing a guy with a wheelbarrow and going to investigate.  I think Pookie spent more time looking at the farm equipment, than he did looking at the animals. 

One of the things that I thought was very adorable was the signage posted around the farm.  You can't see it in the picture, but in the chicken coop, above the door to the outside yard, reads "Flew the Coop."  Then on the goat gate, there was "Got your Goat."  There was one for the sheep gate, but I can't remember that one.  Someone has a sense of humor!

Take me with you!

Tonight, after dinner, Rob needed to run a few errands.  He got his shoes and sat down on the couch to put them on.  Pookie went over to "help" Rob.  Pookie then decided that he wanted his shoes on.  He picked up his sneakers and brought them over to Rob.  Pookie proceeded to point at his feet.  (Translation:  Hey you!  Please put on my shoes that I so thoughtfully brought over to you.  Especially considering that it looks like you're going to fly the coop, and you should take me with you.)  This was followed by a very decisive "UP!" from Pookie.  Rob did pick him up, and gave him a big hug.  Then proceeded to explain that it was Pookie's bedtime and that Pookie needed to get his pajama's on.  Pookie didn't look too happy about that explanation.  I was able to sidetrack him by making sure he looked out the front door so he could wave to Daddy.  I think it also helped that I put on America's Got Talent.  This kid has a thing for singing and dancing.   

Stairs

I had a wonderful Mother's Day.  I don't think I could have asked for anything better.  Pookie let me sleep in a little bit.  We are night owls, Pookie and I, it helps that we are on a similar schedule.  We had a nice leisurely breakfast and had a lovely chat with Pookie's Uncle R.  Rob had to work to catch up on maintenance and his brother helped him out.  So Uncle R stopped by to say hello to his favorite nephew.  Once we all got ready, we headed over to my Aunt's house for barbecue.  In addition to it being Mother's Day, it is also Auntie's birthday!  How can you beat a day with barbecue AND cake? 

We had a lazy day, sitting on the back deck, chatting about what-not.  I managed to get Pookie down for a nap.  Life is good!  After Pookie's nap, it was time for cake and presents.  I figured it would be a good idea to change Pookie's diaper before we sat down to cake.  After we sung Happy Birthday, away Pookie and I went.  We went about our business and as I was cleaning up, I put Pookie down.  Figuring he would stay with me.  Really, by now I should know better. 

Auntie's house is a split.  There are stairs to go from the front door to the main living area.  Of course Pookie is beyond interested in these stairs.  However there are two problems.  One, Pookie has not mastered the art of going down stairs.  Two, there are no railings on the stairs, so I can not put up a baby gate to keep Pookie in.  As I was cleaning things up, I heard the holler of POOKIE, STOP!  Yes, my child was at the top of the stairs and decided to take the fast way down.  Oy Vey.  It took several minutes to calm him down.  I think Pookie was more afraid of everyone yelling than falling down the stairs.  Either way, he came out fine, just a small bruise on his forehead and a red mark next to his eye.  He was back to his usual cheerful self in no time!  I'm thinking that sometime this week a very sturdy railing will be going up at Auntie's house.  Maybe one with a baby gate built in. 

Pookie's Mom

I have acquired a new name. Actually, I've had it for a little over a year at this point. My new name is now and probably will forever be, Pookie's Mom. On one hand this really irks me. I have a name, it's Marie. It took me a while to like my first name. Now that I actually like it, I would like to keep it. Thank you in advance. I fully realize that it is much easier to just refer to me as Pookie's Mom, rather than remember my first name. Just think of the horror, having to remember two names instead of just one! Eek! However, I am in no position to really complain about this. I have a horrible time remembering names. 

Recently, I was talking with another mom.  She was saying how she is always referred to as (fill-in-the-blank)'s Mom.  Now that her daughter is 19, she feels a sense of pride that her daughter likes her to be referred to as that.  Her daughter is proud that her mom is her mom.  My brain started whirling.  Back in the day, people were called the "son of", aka Erickson, Davidson... you get the point.  The Son of Eric, the Son of David.  It's a way of saying where you come from.  In an odd way, being "Pookie's Mom" is like that, only in reverse.  It's a way of saying that we belong to each other.  Frankly, that is a good thing indeed.

Oil and soap

Normally today Pookie and I would go to playgroup.  Pookie's naps have been all over the place and he is now in a trend of taking a nap when we are supposed to be going to the playgroup.  Boo.  I had purchased some pansies and wanted to get them into the ground sooner rather than later.  I decided today would be the day!  We had a bit of a rough start this morning.  Pookie was playing with the dresser drawers and managed to shut a finger in a drawer.  We moved to the kitchen, and while I was making breakfast, I hit him in the head with the refrigerator door.  Ouch.  After Pookie's nap we went out to plant some flowers. 

Pookie was an excellent helper.  He helped our neighbor to our left and to our right.  With the first one, he helped her look at her flag.  Then with the second one, he helped play with her dog.  He had fun waving at the garbage men.  Let's not forget about the hole he was trying to dig to China.  Such a pretty hole!  Of course the best place to put the dirt was on his lap.  He helped me water the flowers.  Then he decided to mosey on over to the garage.  As he was coming out of the garage, I noticed a brown liquid on his hands an face.  He got into the motor oil.  A phone call to the Poison Control Center later, and we are all good.  (Did you know that the PCC will call you back at regular intervals to make sure everything is still okay?  Talk about customer service!  They rock!)  Seeing as Pookie was covered in oil, I needed to scrub him down.  I grabbed the dish detergent, seeing as it's tough on grease.  Plus, it was the closest thing I could grab.  Wouldn't you know it, Pookie ate the soap.  I think I am officially surrendering.  This child will eat anything.  I'm just waiting for soap bubbles to be coming out one end or the other. 

The great outdoors (aka the backyard)

Pookie is not a fan of grass.  I find this remarkably funny, because Rob is a landscaper.  I don't think Pookie likes the feel of it.  I can't say that I blame the kid, it does feel a little scratchy.  For the past year, whenever I try to put Pookie on the grass, he lifts his feet up.  Pookie will go to great lengths to make sure he is touching the least amount of lawn possible. 

Last Monday, Pookie got his first pair of real shoes!  He is very proud of his new shoes and loves to show them off to people.  Later in the week, we had gone for a walk and when we got home I tried to get Pookie to walk on the lawn.  He kept making a bee line to the nearest form of pavement he could find.  Poor kid.  I finally managed to get him to walk around on the lawn.  Of course he aimed himself for the most dangerous part of the back yard.  At the end of our property is a piece of city owned land.  The edge of our backyard drops off and is covered in rocks.  At the bottom the rocks there is an area that tends to get a little swampy with wet weather.  It's full of trees, brush and an assortment of wildlife.  I'm sure Pookie is going to have a grand old time playing back there when he gets older.  For now, all I can think of is Pookie trying to walk on the rocks.  Then slipping, falling and getting cut up by the various debris. 

At the edge of the rocks there is a rather large tree.  Rob has taken an arm of it off and has left the stump behind.  Of course the stump has some very interesting splinters coming out of it.  That means that Pookie is beyond interested in this stump.  I think it helps that it's about Pookie height and the that Dada cut it down.  Nothing like having something right at eye level.  This means that every time we are in the yard, we need to go and visit the stump.  Pookie proceeds to point at it and say dada, in a quiet voice.  Yes, Dada cut down that part of the tree, I reply.  It has gotten to the point where one of our neighbors was at her window and called out, mentioning how Pookie is in his favorite spot.  We have since introduced Dada to the infamous spot.  He was appropriately impressed.