Want to feel helpless? Take care of a sick child.

Spunky Baby is sick.

Rewind six weeks: he got a stuffy nose 5 days after he entered daycare. Ah...three weeks later, it hadn't gone away so I brought him to the doctor: sinus infection and double ear infection, plus an abscess in his mouth where a tooth was coming in. Lucky him! So a round of antibiotics and voila! he's better three days into his ten day medication. I finished the meds as the doctor said, but near the end, he relapsed. So I called his doctor and the nurse said that it was most likely a different cold. That was three weeks ago. Over the next 10 days I called three times. Without a fever, it's not an infection so it's just a cold and will go away. OK...

He woke up Wednesday with a fever. I made an appointment and brought him in - to find out his ear infection (most likely) never went away and he needs to go on a different medication.

But this is the first time I've had to deal with a fever.

No fun. Limp, lethargic, moaning little boy with his head on my shoulder day and night. Even Children's Motrin isn't touching this thing. Poor little man.

The only thing that helps?

Freeze Pops with Pedialyte! No joke! I had no idea they made these. When I was little and was sick, my mom used to buy me popsicles. That helped replace some of the fluid lost. Years later, they came out with this Pedialyte stuff that helps with the electrolytes and other stuff lost while you are sick. NOW they combine them! Spunky Baby won't touch yogurt, crackers, or fruit. But he will eat his pops and reduce his fever. YIPPEE!

I just wish there was something I can do to make my baby all better...

First Steps: Where Were You?

Where were you when your baby took his/her first steps? Holding out your arms waiting for him to fall into them in a fit of giggles? Clapping with her as she smiles and holds her head up proud as a peacock?

I was in Manhattan. Five hours from my son.

At least I think I was. I'm not sure. I mean, I know where I was today, but I'm not sure they really were his first steps. So, I have to ask my mom friends: what, exactly, qualifies as first steps? One? Two? Three? Across the room? To an object?

Spunky Baby took his first real step on Thursday, July 10th. One step. Then, boom, down on the diaper. But a major first step! Then this weekend, he stood up on his own - without holding onto anything - for longer than he ever had before - maybe 30 or 45 seconds total.

Yesterday we had a house full of guests, so distractions were all around. He literally had 8 adults and 2 kids cheering him on as he stood there (see videos below) and took not one but TWO steps! Is that considered walking? If so, sweet! I was there and I even got it on camera.

Step one...(click photo or here to launch video)

Step two...(click photo or here to launch video)

Step two and a half...(click photo or here to launch video)

This morning I woke up at 4:00 and was on a 6:30 flight to LaGuardia - NYC. We had meetings all day for work. Spunky Daddy is doing a great job playing Mr. Mom while I am away (I'll be home tomorrow night). It's my first time away from Spunky Baby overnight (aside from the night me and Spunky Daddy left him and went out to dinner...) and the first time that Spunky Daddy is in charge for a full 48 hours.

He called as I was driving out of the city: Spunky Baby took three steps tonight.

Sigh.

My little man is growing up. So, all you parents out there...what did you use as the benchmark for "first steps" in the baby book? I'm curious to see if I was there and didn't pay much attention (one step), there and took video (two steps) or hundreds of miles away (three steps).

As guilty as I feel about being away from him tonight, I know he will be waiting for me with a big smile and open arms for a mommy-hug when I get home tomorrow. I hope traffic cooperates and brings me home before his bedtime...

Where was this when I needed it? Wishpot Delivers.

If you've read my blog for awhile, you'll know that I don't typically dedicate a whole post to a product or service endorsement. Bash? Yeah, guilty. But it's gotta be out-of-this-world for me to retreat to a quiet spot alone before or after Spunky Baby is in bed and Spunky Daddy is chillin' on the couch to write this...



The back story is a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away (hmmm...or maybe it was on twitter a couple of months ago) I met an amazing woman. Her name is Jessica Smith and we seem to have a lot in common so it was an easy cyber-friendship. When I announced I was making a career change, she confided that she, too, was making a major move just days later.



Her major move: Chief Mom Expert for WishPot.



How cool is that?!?!



Do you know what WishPot is? In a nutshell, it's an online registry where you can aggregate items into a wishlist without restricting visitors/purchasers to retailers in particular. But, Wishpot was primarily a wedding registry site. This is where it gets cool: since the baby registries were not yet live nor announced, Jessica recruited several of us to be "Mom Experts" for Wishpot - we created wishlists as guides for other new or soon-to-be moms to use as resources for building their own baby registries and wishlists. That way, if you want a gorgeous custom layette from a boutique, you can register for just that without "making" a registry at the store, and still use Target, Babies R Us, etc. to register for other items. It also helps gift-givers bargain shop (if one store has your registry item on sale, you aren't locked in to get it at the other store).

I made several lists and was sure to add in comments - an important differentiator from other sites and registries. So, even though something is on the list doesn't mean it's a must-have. In fact, I am quite honest about my product reviews and some things were not wise in retrospect. So, hopefully the knowledge I have will be passed on to OTHER people via this wonderful service!



Want to see Sarah the Spunky Mommy's Mom Expert lists on Wishpot? Click here!



Yesterday, Jessica and Wishpot issued a press release (ah, my other life!) which was an uber-cool announcement titled "Wishpot Delivers a Baby Shopping Space with a Social Twist and Announces Partnership with TotSpot." Check it out - it features a quote by yours truly! WHOO HOOO! Here's the quote:



"It's like having a bunch of moms holding out their hands to help figure out what's worth it (and what's not!). I am happy to offer my own lists to make recommendations for all the moms-to-be so they can learn from my experience, and I look to moms of toddlers to help me make smart purchases for my son as he grows." -- Mom Expert, Sarah LaLiberte of Spunky Mommy



Oh, and make sure to also check out the Wishpot Baby Blog.



So anyway, I feel extremely privileged to be part of the elite group of Mom Experts for Wishpot. If anyone wants me to review their products on Wishpot or Spunky Mommy, I'm open so please let me know! I have to say that the last 12+ years as a PR gal make me extremely curious about the OTHER side of the business so fire away. Spunky Baby is 10.5 months now and we are having the time of our lives!!!



Congrats, Jessica, on a job MORE than well done. BRAVO and KUDOS to you! If you are reading this, you KNOW you can use this or you know someone who can so what are you waiting for? Go check it out!!!