A glimpse into our weekend
Freshly poured, homemade, soy candles - my first attempt at candle-making - one of the more pleasant aspects of the weekend. Some of the less pleasant aspects aren't photo-worthy. Namely, being all dressed up in our Sunday best and halfway to church and then suddenly having all our nice clothes (including my favorite blue suede Dry-Clean-Only fitted jacket) and the car, and the blanket, and mom, and the books, and well, anything else in range, being completely covered in throw-up, thanks to Kathrynne.
Poor girl. At least I had a box of baby wipes to use to semi-remedy the situation while we back-tracked 30 minutes to our home.
The never-ending adventures of parenting continue! And tell me, why is it that I still haven't learned not to buy Dry-Clean-Only clothes?
posted by Crystal Paine at 9:55 AM
23 Comments:
I can empathize, believe me. I think I have the perpetual smell of newborn spitup all over me :-) How's Kathrynne feeling today?
ewwwww, I'm so sorry for you all and hope the precious wee one is feeling all better. :-)
Your post on soy candles is timely as I've been thinking about beeswax or soy candles and even burning olive oil(like they did in the Bible...this doesn't continue to burn if container is tipped, I've read but can't speak from experience). The thinking comes from reading an article where folks were diagnosed with all sorts of ailments, including panic attacks, as a result of scented petroleum candles. Artificial scents, like those air fresheners, make me not feel so great, too. Some are quite nauseating. Love to smell lavendar essential oil, though. :-)
Here is a read(not one recalled from months ago that was better designed), if anyone is interested. http://www.healthandfitnessadvices.com/articles/health/nontoxic-and-healthy-candles.html
Any tips on making candles inexpensively, Crystal? Those folks with beehives have an added benefit, yes?
Awww...I am sorry little Katherine is not feeling well...poor thing.
I hope she will be better by evening.
What types of scented candles did you make?
Maybe you should try your hand at holiday scented candles. I know I would buy some off of you. One of my addictions is candles...my mom is always telling me "quit buying candles, you don't need anymore!" She's right of course, but during the holidays, it's worse...LOL.
Many blessings!
Oh Crystal!
This post reminds me of your trip to the grocery store when Katherine smeared chocolate fingers all over you. Don't you just love it when toddlers and small children can never seem to know ahead of time they are going to be sick?
I sympathize! I have been the victim of throw-up a lot recently...courtousy of my son. And no, not spit-up, honest-to-goodeness throw-up. So I feel for you b/c it is a tough smell to get rid of no matter what your cleaning method is. It really likes to linger.
I went and bought a bottle of Febreeze & I spray our car very frequently. (Although I'm not sure which smell is worse.)
Hi Crystal -
I am so sorry that Kathrynne was sick. Nausea/vomiting is the WORST!! I pray that she feels better very soon.
As for cleaning up vomit, we have had really good luck with a product called Kids'n'Pets. It is non-toxic, has a pleasant clean scent and it really works great! All you do is clean up the 'spill' as best you can by soaking it up with towels, then pour the Kids'n'Pets directly on it. Gently rub the area with a white towel, and voila - it is gone! No rinsing needed, so it would be great in your car.
We have been able to remove all sorts of toddler stains from carpeting, fabrics and upholstery ..... foods of all kinds, vomit, urine, diarrhea, baby-spit up, blood .... you name it.
My awesome husband found it at Target. Their website is http://www.kidsnpetsbrand.com/index.htm
PLEASE share more about candle making! Your candles look wonderful, I would love to make those for Christmas gifts! I am trying to come up with good, cheaper Christmas gifts to make for family and that would be perfect! Was it hard, Pricey, Time consuming? Share all!
So sorry to hear about Kathrynne, I do hope she is doing better. One of my first experiences with children is when I was thirteen, watching a toddler who threw up ALL OVER me! I loved that little guy though, and it didn't ruin my attitude towards children. I have yet to have my own children throw up on me, just spit up like crazy.
Caroline
I'm sorry... I don't mean to laugh... but I am! :-) I remember when our first daughter was 6 months old, and we went to our church's Resurrection Sunday sunrise service. We all were dressed to the hilt. During communion, she threw up all over me and the pew in front of us! I was so mortified! I was able to get everything, but myself, clean up before the people arrived back to their pew. Then, as we were leaving, she threw up all over my husband. It's amazing how much a little person can wipe out! LOL! I think I gave up dry clean only clothes around the 4th child. :-)
A story to help you laugh more.Our daughter was about 18 months old and we were driving back from Ohio to Alabama.She got sick in the car while we were on the freeway.Needless to say we smelled awful when we stopped to clean up-Allison got to change but we stayed in our clothes for the rest of the trip.I think it was about only 3 more hours!!
So sorry to hear Kathrynne has been sick, I hope her tummy has settled down again now.
We've had much experience cleaning up such messes.Our daughters both had to be bottle fed,due to health problems I had following both births.Daughter no.1 was diagnosed as a "happy chucker" by our doctor.A non-serious reflux problem which meant she through up 10% of nearly every bottle-but it looked far worse-we got totally caked many times-including our poor car!
We always carried spare clothes,heaps of wipes,cloth nappies & good fabric deodorizer.We were on holidays once & she threw up in a shopping centre all over hubby's shirt.We were going to wash it out in the parents room & dry it with the hand dryer but by the time we got there,the spew had eaten a HOLE in his shirt.Needless to say we went shirt shopping.Oh the joys!! BTW we found that even more formal clothes can survive a machine wash& napisan gets spew off nearly everything.
Claire
I've always wondered...how do squeamish parents get used to the whole barf thing? When I was little, barf was not that big of a deal. As I got older and did it less and less, I started to get more and more grossed out by it. Now that I'm the ripe old age of 23, I'm wondering how you parents deal with it, especially if you hate barf (which I'm sure many of us do).
I'm also asking on behalf of my fiance, who posts as Harmony. She's possibly more squeamish about this than I am. Do you just kinda get numb to kid barf after a while? Or do you just live with the fact that whenever the kids get sick, that you'll feel sick along with them?
Any "advice" (or whatever you can call it) would be greatly appreciated, as I can say that this is a great big future fear we have about raising kids.
JunkMale: My personal thoughts are that when it is your own child, you just do what you have to do. I honestly am a very squeamish person but when it's my own child, I guess I forget about that for the moment because they need help. I think it's the motherly instinct because I certainly usually would run away from any child throwing up. :)
I'd love to hear what others say. I wondered if I am weird to not be bothered if it's my own child.
Junkmale - I am afraid of throwing up too. I HATE it. Many people are afraid of it too, or it can be a real phobia called emetophobia. If you feel that it is interfering with your life, you might want to check out http://www.emetophobia.org/ They can help you. Also ---PRAY! :) God will help you.
I wondered as well about how I would handle vomiting before I had children. God was very good to me and I never vomited with my 'all day sickness' but I sure was nauseous for 3 months. When my DD was 17 months old she vomited for the 1st time. It is gross and it does make me queasy....but you just get through it because your poor child needs you. A mother's love does help. Crystal is right - if it was anyone else, I would run FAST! LOL :)
I plan on making a 'sick/cleaning kit' for the car and my home: Kids'n'Pets, white car towels, paper towels, Wet Ones wipes, plastic bags that zip to encase the stench, *a small rubbermaid trash can, an old towel to use as a blanket, a bottle of water to rinse out their mouth or hair, and another bottle of water to sip on for rehydration. A change of clothes for Mommy, Daddy and children is a great idea too.
This kit will also be handy for toddler diarrhea or urine accidents.
*Tip from personal experience: KEEP A SMALLER RUBBERMAID TYPE TRASH CAN IN YOUR CAR. Children tend to get car sick more easily and if they or someone else does get ill while you are out or in the car, you have a way to get them home without your car becoming as gross.
Poor Crystal sounds like she had no warning - children often become very quiet before they vomit because they feel so poorly and they are scared and don't know what to say or do.
Junkmale -
I forgot to add to my 'sick kit' list - those blue disposable filter masks that you can get at hardware stores - I wear them when I dust and vaccuum due to asthma. They might help keep some of the stench at bay while you clean up.
All of my children have thrown up on me. My hair, face, clothes, everything and everywhere. Even soaked right down to my underwear. LOL! That one ended up in the hospital for 3 days. I just clean it up, take a shower, bath the child and wait for the next round. Doesn't bother me at all. My husband can't handle it. He has a horrible gag reflex. LOL!
There are lots of things worse that baby puke or pooh...things that smell, sound, and look worse...I'm sure Zan,RN can think of a few things! I wont detail them to the rest of you squeemish folks! Dt's wife, RN
PS-I used to be a touch squeemish too, working as an RN cures that pretty quickly!
On a positive note those candles look great Crystal!
Hope Kathrynne is feeling better.
Diana
Anonymous (whoever you are ;) )
Thanks for the tips/testimony. I don't think I'm quite severe as the emetophobic level. My squeamishness doesn't affect my daily life.
I too have thought of making a car kit for those sorts of accidents. And DEFINITELY have decided that I am going to stock each car with a small trash can. I always have an extra shirt in the trunk as well (you never know when a man will need an extra shirt). I guess when time comes I'll put a whole change of clothes back there.
I'll have to drill it into my future kids that if they're feeling sick, say something! Or maybe I'll just have really talkative kids and so if they're being really quiet for some reason, I might know why. Anyways, who knows if that'll work, but it's worth a shot. I'd rather be expecting it than be taken by surprise.
I wonder how my mom did it, raising my sister and me. We were the normal garden variety children with our share of episodes, but I never once noticed her act any differently after we'd do our thing. It seemed like life just went on as normal for her; she'd go back to her cooking or whatever.
I cnanot even tell you how many times my son has vomited on me. Thankfully my daughter has only done it once. One Thanksgiving we were headed to my parent's house six hours away. Two hours into the trip, our son vomited. Do we continue on or go home? We chose to go on. I don't remember anymore how many times he threw up in the remaining four hours. We finally made it there! The first words out of his mouth were "Hi DeeDee" and then threw up all over her carpet. It was a looonnngg weekend.
I'm sorry your little one has been sick! It's so hard to watch them not feel well....it may sound silly to some but those are the times when I'm so glad to be a mom. It's an honor to take care of my littles...especially when they are sick. Those are the times that I'm really reminded of God's loving grace and gentleness in that His plan is to give them someone that will take care of them...even when they feel their worst. It makes me feel special too, knowing that I have such a special place in His heart taking care of the little ones that He loves so much and has placed in my home.
**On a different note...PLEASE share the candle making instructions!! I would love to make these at home!
Thanks!
Tracy
Hi! I would love to hear where to get the supplies for making soy candles. My last post was about how I love candles, and I want natural ones. I have votive molds from Michael's, but I really like the size of your molds and the idea of making them natural. Did you scent them?
I, too, would like to hear more about the candlemaking adventure! Have you an inexpensive source for supplies? Favor the metal cup over the clear(Target had a recall of the clear last November because of their melting due to a high flame issue)? Favorite natural oil(s)? I've used the unscented white petroleum tea lights(ugh) in the past and scented them with a drop or two of lavender from the HFS(health food store). Wonder if that would work with the soy or beeswax versions? The scent remained in the color-and-seal protected bottle until needed rather than fading away in a candle exposed to air and light for an extended time.
Crystal, this thread is encouraging to me in many ways, including the topic of vomit(who would think?). You see, when I was a wee one, I once "kindly" vomited upon waking."Kindly" because it ended up on a throw rug beside the bed. My mother went into a tirade because she had recently washed it. What a blessing to read sharings from the perspective of God's mercy and grace, even from those anticipating parenting in the future. Many new parents would be amazed at the memories, good and bad, that can resurface some 46 years later. :-)
Our kiddos didn't have much of upper issues but I was christened with diaper overflow with a newborn(nursing provoked major digestive issues from that end ewwww) when company came to welcome the little fella. ;-)
I'm yet another poster who likes your candles and would like details on how to make them and where you got the supplies!
Thanks!
Hope the wee one is feeling better.
Post a Comment
<< Home