This is going to suck ass

4 days of fever+ 1 day of vomiting, 3 days of diarrhea and a refusal to drink H2O or Pedialyte = 1 dehydrated baby. That still manages to pull out my ponytail, whack me on the back and jump on my lap.

Monkey has not gained any weight in 12 hours, after losing >5% of his body weight. Since the diaerrhia is not disappearing we're off to emerg for an IV as per doctors orders. It will take probably >2 hours to get seen by a doc / nurse and then it will suck complete ass to hold my child down while nurses poke a needle in him.

Sometimes it sucks to be a mom. These parts are too hard, but Mr.SM is not very good with having his son in pain. As in goes complete ape shit mad/angry / must protect at all costs bad. That leaves me.

Can I get the next size up please?

The monkey is sick, as you know. At 8pm, he was put to sleep in my bed, because lets face it, he has expected me to hold him all of last night and all of today. The probability of him wanting me tonight is pretty high. We put in our bed and Mr.SM offered to sleep on the couch, cuz you know a KING size bed ain't big enough for 2 adults and a not-yet-2 year old. Apparently, it is not big enough for just me and the kid either. I am currently attempting to finish reading about the Na/K ATPase and am being nudge off the edge of my bed. The boy is perpendicular to me and I can not turn around. I will be sleeping on a space that is as wide as my freaking laptop people. Yes I could move to the otherside of the bed, but you see my mama didn't raise no fool. If I switch sides, then his feet would be connected to me. The last thing I need is a heel to my nose, thank you very much. I'll take the head in the small the back instead.

Good Times. Good Times.

On a lighter note, he has not vomited since 1:45 am, monday morning. Although he's had wet farts the diaherrea seems to have subsided as well as the fever. He's still refusing to eat, but I'm hoping that will get better tomorrow. Fingers crossed. As much I love cuddling my little monkey, I do prefer it happening when he's healthy.

I get the need to have mommy near

Monkey is ill. A very bad ill. Fever, diarrhea and vomiting bad. He's not a happy little boy. He keeps crying "mommy ow, mommy mommy", which totally breaks my heart because I can't take away the ow. I do the next best thing, I cuddle him, rub his head and generally try to ease his discomfort as best as I can. It also means that he's even more miserable if he's not lying right on top me. Not beside. Not on my lap. Nope he is sprawled on top of me. Head nuzzled in my neck, arms engulfing me, ensuring that I can not move. Its been like this since yesterday. Mr.SM tried to take over. You know, so I could go pee and eat some sustenance. Yep that was enjoyable, listening to my dear husband try to comfort my child as he whimpered "mommy, mommy, mommy", totally not comprehending where mommy left. Like I said, I get the need to have me right next to him. I don't get the need to be completely attached so that I am blogging this with one hand. Especially since getting him to cuddle is near impossible when he's healthy.
The bonus is that I've watched Serenity (such potential) and The lonely guy, plus tons of crap tv...oh yeah and I'm doing some science reading

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

HomeCity has another 15cm (6inches) of snow predicted to fall in the next 24 hours. That is on top of the >30cm (1 foot) that has already fallen. I am going to go down to the fly room, pick some virgins, set up some crosses and then go home. I probably will not post again until the New Year, as I am going to enjoy spending some time with my monkey, my husband and our wonderful extended family.

I have not done the year in review that most of you have done. I think the changes that I have made in my career and the change in tone of this blog speak volumes about the change in my life. This is because of all of you. Thank you for listening and supporting me. Providing me with excellent advice, both about science and life. I truly am so happy to be welcomed into this wonderful community. Bean-mom, I will forever be grateful for the links that you provided.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Blessed Feast. I hope all of you get to enjoy this season in the manner that you most enjoy. Lots of love and hugs.

Wishing you all a very happy new years as well. Be Safe.

Staying out of the Doghouse?

I have been calling Mr.SM on his cell and work phone since before 3pm. Its is now 4:30pm and he has not responded. Which is odd. He always calls back or lets me know he's going into a meeting. This habit stems from when monkey was born and I was bored at home. We would call back and forth incessantly. He actually still does it when he's bored at work. Last week, he called 4 times in 1 hour to ask me about boots (for my christmas gift). The ungrateful wife that I am, neglected to notice those calls were all about me, and got annoyed for receiving so many calls. I was busy picking virgins and setting up crosses. I seem to that a lot, hmm.. Anyways, after that a colleague showed me this:



My point is, I am annoyed that he's not calling me back. I think he's not actually at work, which means he's out shopping. Avoiding the doghouse. I think.

SnowDay

sorta. Its snowed like crazy over here in HomeCountry. For the first time in 30 years, Canada is covered in snow from coast to coast. Everywhere has gotten at least a foot of snow. Normally, providing you with the information that we've had a foot of snow, you would very easily figure out where I am. Not today. Its absolutely beautiful outside as I look out my window.

We live on a busier than normal street, so at night you can usually hear cars or motorbikes zipping up and down. Over the last couple of days, its been beautifully quiet. I am reminded of the time I lived out on the farmlands.

I have no issue driving in the snow and could easily drive to campus, but b/c of the road conditions and the craziness of other drivers it would take >1.5 hours. Its basically not worth it. By the time I get to campus, it would be too late to pick virgins. So I've dropped the monkey off at daycare and am having a quiet reading day at home.

So nice. nice.

I will try to get another post up but if I don't, wishing everyone a very merry holiday season.

Welcome to Grumpy, PhD

I've noticed a new commenter at some of the blogs I read. Grumpy,Phd is new to blogosphere and I am sure would appreciate you clicking over to say hello. As I mentioned on Alice's post at ScienceWoman, its important to support our fellow bloggers. Go say hello!

Raising the White Flag

I'm done. The boy is winning. I find it hard enough to be consistent, set boundaries on a daily basis, after a long day in the lab. Monkey knows what he can and can not do. He also knows when mommy is tired and daddy is being lazy. I love the boy and I know that he needs me to be consistent and set boundaries, so despite being tired from a day in the lab, I come home, make dinner and parent. Which is all fine and manageable until I get sick and its snows and I'm cold. How he knows, I have no idea but he knows and pushes harder and faster. I'm raising the white flag. I'm the mom curled up in ball, under the blanket whimpering.

Lesson #432861 for new moms

So you wake up at 7 am on a Sunday morning because you can hear your not-quite-yet-2-year old laughing in his bed as he practices all the words he knows (>10/language now). Since you went to sleep at midnight after watching stupid crappy X-files movie and reading old science papers related to your hot research, you think "he's happy and laughing, I'll just sleep a little more".

This a dangerous dangerous thought process. It will lead you to sleep for another 20 minutes and wake up well rested. You will hear you not-yet-2-year-old still happily laughing and playing in his crib. You can also hear the crib creaking and some jumping going on, and since you know your young child is able to climb out of the crib you'll go to get him. You'll walk toward his door, smiling to yourself about the wonderful day you're about to have, since he's woken up happy and you're well rested.

He hears your footsteps and gets very excited as he realizes you're coming to get him. This makes you very happy. Thinking all is well, you open the door to his room, he comes running to the end of the crib, arms reaching out. My gosh you think I"m getting a big hug first thing, what a great morning. You turn on the light and you see your monkey, arms reaching out as far as they can over the side of the crib. You walk in to get that hug.

And you get a diaper handed to your with a sweet "ank you" instead.

Oh and he peed on the bed.

The lesson? Perhaps it not a good idea to let you child play in his crib, if he can remove his diaper.

Coming up For Air

I can not believe that its already the middle of December. Where the hell did the month go! I know, I know the month is not over but at this rate, by the time I actually post it will be over. I've barely posted anything this month, nor have I commented much on the blogs I regularly read. Heck my reader consistently has 50+ posts in it. I had a bit of set up back in the lab, data wise, so I've been madly trying to get / keep things on track there. Life itself has been crazy busy between going away on a weekend and getting ready for Christmas that I feel like I've had no time to sit down, let alone have time to myself. Since I started this blog back in May, I always had some time that was 'me time' after monkey went to bed for the evening as Mr.SM was usually studying. Now, monkey goes down and mr.sm is all like nudge nugde wink wink or chatty McChatteron. When I am supposed to visit with the internetz!! I'm also trying to learn genetics and all about fly department so I feel guilty reading blogs when i should be reading science. Though I'm pretty sure scienceblogs is a fair mix of fun and science but still its not teaching me about the pupal case dissections.

I also know that I'm not supposed stress out about the blog but its not stressed out need to cross this off my list type of stress, its the OMG I so haven't talked to my BFF and I totally miss her need to find time for her type of stress. Well I must now go do some laundry, get out the christmas lights, put up the wreath, figure out how to make samosas (of course the one dish I count on grandmother-in-law for, she no longer makes), read about the Na+K+Atpase and drink some coffee, make a grocery list....
First up, laundry, coffee and samosa's.

The best answer yet

In response to a question about muscle strength and temperature, requiring an explanation of the physiology behind the effect:

this causes slower functioning due to slower ATP turnover and other mechanisms needed to perform the movement

really? perhaps you'd like to expand on the those other mechanisms that you were asked to explain!!!

When did undergrads become so dumb??

I am marking the finals exams for Work and Exercise Physiology. Not a terribly demanding course. Its third year course and is taught by the guy who TA'd me during my first undergrad physiology course (He's cute so I totally went to 5pm lectures). My point in telling you this, is that I've had him for a teacher, he's a good teacher. Thorough, encourages questions, easy to approach etc.
The students are not getting the material. On Q1, I was consistently giving 1/4 or 0.5/4. I am almost done Q2, the average being .5/3.
How did these people get to 3rd year???!!!!

What the hell people

I leave for 4 days and there are 109 posts in my reader, >5 from some of you crazies. Don't you have better things to do over your weekend!!! Just teasing. Big White was great, and I will tell you more once I catch up with what you guys/gals have been upto. I do think I'm allergic to my "real life" though. As soon as we 45 minutes from home, my sinus and cold symptoms came back with a vengeance.

OMG is this his leadership????!!

His tape is fuzzy, he was late, and then beginning was cut off...OMG this is not inspiring confidence.

He's lying!

It not undemocratic. He totally talking down to us. He's full of shit. He claimed that Bloc is part of the coalition. they are not. Go to your MP and let your views be heard. Let the conservatives know that Harper needs to resign by visiting their website at www.conservative.ca

Make your voice heard

Our country is heading for some crazy times. We have a PM who has instigated a huge political mess and put the state of this country in jeopardy. There is a possibility that we may have a new coalition government that can't even get its shit together. They announced a panel of the economic wise men without first making sure they agreed, ( I can't find the link), and now Jack Layton wants his own air time. I know I don't trust the current PM to be willing to work with the current parliment and I'm not sure I want Dion as PM either. I would prefer Harper to resign.

Gone for the weekend!

On Monday, Mr.SM hopefully wrote his last exam. This is a HUGE relief as I will no longer feel like I am alone in the whole running the house and taking care of the boy department. I know that previous statement isn't entirely fair as despite being school, working full-time and helping out the family business, Mr.SM has been very good about keeping up with the housework as well. He cleans up after supper, does all the laundry and cleans the bathroom. But he was very rarely home. He wouldn't arrive home from work until after 7pm and then would eat, clean and hit the books as I gave the monkey his bath and put him to bed. On the weekends, he would spend some time in the morning and evenings with the monkey, but during the day it was either off to study or off to work for his family. Needless to say, it was hard both physically and emotionally on both of us. It is not easy being on your own with a kid. All. The. Time. Its especially hard when talking to your partner about it is difficult because he is already feeling extremely guilty for his lack of ability to be involved with the boy or you.
But that is all over and tomorrow we're heading off for an extended weekend. Some quality family time. It will be good.
See you all on Monday

I will gladly get up at 2am to change wet sheets&PJ's

As much as I like to joke about what a mischievous monkey my little boy is, no matter the number of times I complain how exhausting / frustrating he is, make no mistake. I will happily wake up at 2am to give him a mini-bath and change my sheets, if that would keep him warm and safe. There isn't anything that I would not agree to, if it would keep him warm and safe.

I was all set to continue with political blogging, but this, this , this and this made me hug my boy a little tighter, give him a few more kisses. My thoughts, prayers and good wishes are with those families and all others who are not as lucky as me. I have a wonderful husband and a great kid.

You've got what you wanted so be happy

Finally we have political parties putting aside their differences and working together. If anyone says that these parties are power hungry, I respectfully tell you that you are wrong. They are taking a huge risk by working together, having to comprise on some policies and possibly being seen as undemocratic. These are not characteristics a party wants to be associated with. They are taking this risk, I believe, for the benefit of Canada. I have never been a fan of Harper, nor of the NDP or Bloc, but Harper has shown poor judgement and will put our country at risk. Frankly the fiscal statement was the icing on the cake. Eliminating the election financing without a debate is undemocratic. It would destroy all parties except 1 and without more than 1 party, you can not have a healthy democracy. Furthermore, changing collective bargaining mid-contract is wrong. It is fair to offer the Public Employees the opportunity to agree to no wage increase in return for no layoffs. But they had to offer it to the employees to agree to it, they can not legislate it. Lets list all the major areas that Harper was wrong:

1. The fiscal update - he played politics instead of putting the country first
2. He recommended buying stocks during the election campaign
3. The GST cut - reducing consumption taxes during a economic boom added inflationary pressures and did nothing for improving Canada's productivity or investment ability. Secondly it did nothing to help middle-lower income Canadians. For most of us, our major expenditures (Shelter, food, child-care) are GST-free. An income tax cut would be more helpful because then we would actually save some money. We are heading into deficit, possibly having to sell assets because of it.
4. He was pro-deregulation of the Canadian Banking system. We are being buffetted from the current global crisis due to our strong regulated system that was not able to invest heavily in risky mortgages.
5. He was pro-Iraq War. If he was PM during the USA's invasion of Iraq, our troops would be there.

If that is not poor judgement, I don't know what is.

The idea that forming a coalition government is unfair is not only ludicrous but wrong. We are a parlimentary system. This is how parliment works. PE but they are doing to