I signed up with gmail about 3 years ago. I am using 1064 MB (15%) of 6960 MB free storage. I have over 35 different labels, including a "to be filed" where I threw the dozens of emails in my in box earlier this year.
My name is Christine, and I have an e-mail problem.
I believe I am an e-mail hoarder and after learning that the environmental impact of servers storing all our data is as bad or worse than SUV's, I think I need to nip it in the bud.
So this is the start of my new pledge. To archive anything that I "might" need in the next 30 days; delete more; and use labels sparingly.
I don't think I can get it down to 3 like some advocate, but my goal is 12 or less. I deleted the label where I put all the comments from my LJ. It was almost liberating.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
A history of night terrors
Bit was just diagnosed with having night terrors, although she hasn't had a traditional night terror since we did sleep training. I didn't realize at the time that they were night terrors, starting around 8 or 9 months old. When she would wake in the night, we went to her, as we were "trained" to when she was a newborn, except nothing we did seemed to comfort her. Often it seemed to make it worse. After many difficult months, we finally found the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weissbluth. This book helped us let go and use the "elimination" method of sleep training (aka cry it out). It more or less worked like a charm. Within 3 days, our nights were much more peaceful.
Bit often cries out during sleep transitions, but it's usually no more than single cry or short series of whimpers. The form her night terror general takes is what I call "nap terrors". Technically I believe it is "sleep inertia" (which is briefly mentioned in Weissbluth's book) or "confusional arousal" (this term brings up more articles on a google search). But according to our doctor, it all falls under night terrors, like so many medical definitions (morning sickness for example) it's a misnomer. Unfortunately I'm not sure when Bit had her first "nap terror" but I think it was between 13 and 15 months. It may have been closer to 15 months, when we took away the bottle (though she seemed fine with that transition) and we were house hunting and preparing to move.
During a nap terror, she wakes from her nap after a good amount of time 90 min-2+ hours, but she immediately starts crying. If you go to her and try to pick her up or soothe her, it gets worse: she arches her back, flails, screams more, hits and generally throws a huge tantrum for no discernable reason. If left in the crib, she kicks at the slats. It almost seems like she is in pain or very angry/distressed. She won't respond to her name and she doesn't call for mom or dad. It's just a "fit" generally lasting 15 min or up to an hour. The more you try to interact with her and soothe her, the longer it lasts. Nothing helps, except time. Her brain needs time to adjust to the wakeful state. According to her doctor she gets "stuck" in Stage 4 of sleep; she isn't truly awake.
It definitely took her a couple weeks to adjust to our new home (a very different home, two level townhouse vs. apartment). We had some rough mornings and I think that some of them were due to "sleep inertia". As far as I know this behavior didn't happen at daycare until recently. I was informed almost daily for the first 2 weeks of July that she was having disrupted sleep and crying inconsolably. I didn't know what to make of the reports as her napping at home was normal. Then last week I was informed that she had been "weaned" off the pacifier at naptime. The doctor and I believe this may have triggered the recent episodes since she is used to having a paci at sleeptimes. Having a pacifier doesn't guarantee that she won't have a "fit" but it may help prevent it.
The doctor also recommends that we try to do more quiet play with her before her nap and work to avoid her getting overtired. If she continues to have the episodes and it is too disruptive to the other children, she may have to be moved to a new daycare where she can be isolated during naptime. We hope it doesn't come to that.
There is also a chance that since she has difficulty with sleep transitions she could have sleepwalking episodes when she's older or true night terrors (crying out in the middle of the night, inconsolable...especially since I think that happened when she was younger). But at least we know what it is now and we know how to handle it. As well as how to maybe prevent it.
Family History: I know I had a couple instances of sleepwalking as a kid, but it was not a chronic problem. I also had severe nightmares, but those are different from night terrors in that terrors are usually not remembered and they aren't really dreams. My cousin has been known to sleepwalk as well and my husband's grandmother (who Bit was named for) also has had sleepwalking episodes.
Bit often cries out during sleep transitions, but it's usually no more than single cry or short series of whimpers. The form her night terror general takes is what I call "nap terrors". Technically I believe it is "sleep inertia" (which is briefly mentioned in Weissbluth's book) or "confusional arousal" (this term brings up more articles on a google search). But according to our doctor, it all falls under night terrors, like so many medical definitions (morning sickness for example) it's a misnomer. Unfortunately I'm not sure when Bit had her first "nap terror" but I think it was between 13 and 15 months. It may have been closer to 15 months, when we took away the bottle (though she seemed fine with that transition) and we were house hunting and preparing to move.
During a nap terror, she wakes from her nap after a good amount of time 90 min-2+ hours, but she immediately starts crying. If you go to her and try to pick her up or soothe her, it gets worse: she arches her back, flails, screams more, hits and generally throws a huge tantrum for no discernable reason. If left in the crib, she kicks at the slats. It almost seems like she is in pain or very angry/distressed. She won't respond to her name and she doesn't call for mom or dad. It's just a "fit" generally lasting 15 min or up to an hour. The more you try to interact with her and soothe her, the longer it lasts. Nothing helps, except time. Her brain needs time to adjust to the wakeful state. According to her doctor she gets "stuck" in Stage 4 of sleep; she isn't truly awake.
It definitely took her a couple weeks to adjust to our new home (a very different home, two level townhouse vs. apartment). We had some rough mornings and I think that some of them were due to "sleep inertia". As far as I know this behavior didn't happen at daycare until recently. I was informed almost daily for the first 2 weeks of July that she was having disrupted sleep and crying inconsolably. I didn't know what to make of the reports as her napping at home was normal. Then last week I was informed that she had been "weaned" off the pacifier at naptime. The doctor and I believe this may have triggered the recent episodes since she is used to having a paci at sleeptimes. Having a pacifier doesn't guarantee that she won't have a "fit" but it may help prevent it.
The doctor also recommends that we try to do more quiet play with her before her nap and work to avoid her getting overtired. If she continues to have the episodes and it is too disruptive to the other children, she may have to be moved to a new daycare where she can be isolated during naptime. We hope it doesn't come to that.
There is also a chance that since she has difficulty with sleep transitions she could have sleepwalking episodes when she's older or true night terrors (crying out in the middle of the night, inconsolable...especially since I think that happened when she was younger). But at least we know what it is now and we know how to handle it. As well as how to maybe prevent it.
Family History: I know I had a couple instances of sleepwalking as a kid, but it was not a chronic problem. I also had severe nightmares, but those are different from night terrors in that terrors are usually not remembered and they aren't really dreams. My cousin has been known to sleepwalk as well and my husband's grandmother (who Bit was named for) also has had sleepwalking episodes.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Quick & Easy... & Yummy!
I've discovered 2 recipes lately that are quite the above (quick, easy, yummy). And I don't want to forget them, so I'm posting!
Mexican Beef & Bean 'Sloppy Joes'
- 1 lb ground meat (preferably lean and/or grass fed beef)
- bean dip (with or without corn)
- salsa and/or seasoning to taste
- corn (if not in dip)
- Optional: sour cream or plain yogurt, cheese, chips (if you want nachos/dip), bread/buns (if you want a sandwich), salad (if you want a taco salad), tortillas (for quesadillas or tacos)
Brown the meat (rinse if desired). Mix in the dip and (if using) seasoning, salsa and corn. Warm it up and eat it. Ideas: nachos, tacos, salad, sandwich
Mm...
Bean & Rice Bowls
- Rice of your choice
- 0 Point Mexican style soup (or similar veggie/bean Mexican flavored soup, meat optional, I designed this to be vegetarian)
- Can of beans (such as black or pinto)
Cook up the rice. Dump the soup and beans (rinsed) into a microwavable container and heat (or do it on the stove). Combine and consume.
Mexican Beef & Bean 'Sloppy Joes'
- 1 lb ground meat (preferably lean and/or grass fed beef)
- bean dip (with or without corn)
- salsa and/or seasoning to taste
- corn (if not in dip)
- Optional: sour cream or plain yogurt, cheese, chips (if you want nachos/dip), bread/buns (if you want a sandwich), salad (if you want a taco salad), tortillas (for quesadillas or tacos)
Brown the meat (rinse if desired). Mix in the dip and (if using) seasoning, salsa and corn. Warm it up and eat it. Ideas: nachos, tacos, salad, sandwich
Mm...
Bean & Rice Bowls
- Rice of your choice
- 0 Point Mexican style soup (or similar veggie/bean Mexican flavored soup, meat optional, I designed this to be vegetarian)
- Can of beans (such as black or pinto)
Cook up the rice. Dump the soup and beans (rinsed) into a microwavable container and heat (or do it on the stove). Combine and consume.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Funny things
It's funny how long it can take you to get around to doing something simple. My mom always tells me that she used to have a round piece of wood with the words "TU IT" on it. Get it? She had "a-round tu-it". Mm...puns!
At work, I finally scanned this cool stamp and gave the hard copy to our stamp-collecting office manager. Yet, the files waiting to be recycled are still sitting on the floor. Oh well, tomorrow!
On the homefront, I'm torn. I want to purge Bit's toys; she plays with so few of them that they are mostly just clutter. I'm very anti-clutter, yet I am very slow at getting rid of things because I can't throw away anything that's usable. So it piles up until I make a thrift store run. Anyway, I'm torn because I also want to work out. I'm way out of the habit and that needs to change pronto! (I just promised myself I'd lose 1 lb. a month for the next 10 months.) But I need to tackle the home projects or that will drive me insane, too. Ugh!
I'm also aware of the first step of the Fly Lady's home cleaning-organization routine: clean your sink, which Ryan's mom reminded me of today. So now I'm contemplating when I can finally get around to it (there's that phrase again!) because my sink is admittedly gross. The main thing slowing me down there, aside from time, is my refusal to use commercial/toxic cleaning products, like bleach and windex. So I have the added step of considering what homemade cleaner is best suited to the job. I'm sure you can imagine that is half the battle.
It's so hard to prioritize!
At work, I finally scanned this cool stamp and gave the hard copy to our stamp-collecting office manager. Yet, the files waiting to be recycled are still sitting on the floor. Oh well, tomorrow!
On the homefront, I'm torn. I want to purge Bit's toys; she plays with so few of them that they are mostly just clutter. I'm very anti-clutter, yet I am very slow at getting rid of things because I can't throw away anything that's usable. So it piles up until I make a thrift store run. Anyway, I'm torn because I also want to work out. I'm way out of the habit and that needs to change pronto! (I just promised myself I'd lose 1 lb. a month for the next 10 months.) But I need to tackle the home projects or that will drive me insane, too. Ugh!
I'm also aware of the first step of the Fly Lady's home cleaning-organization routine: clean your sink, which Ryan's mom reminded me of today. So now I'm contemplating when I can finally get around to it (there's that phrase again!) because my sink is admittedly gross. The main thing slowing me down there, aside from time, is my refusal to use commercial/toxic cleaning products, like bleach and windex. So I have the added step of considering what homemade cleaner is best suited to the job. I'm sure you can imagine that is half the battle.
It's so hard to prioritize!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)