Today is another bittersweet day. One of those days where I look back and can’t believe how old my little babygirl and boy already are. He is done with 4th grade and my baby is graduating from Kindergarten. I never expected her to do as good in school as she did. I haven’t talked much about her struggles since she was born but I have mentioned before that she was the reason that I didn’t start my blog earlier. She drained every ounce of energy out of me for the first couple of years and I invested all my time into trying to get over her struggles.
While we were blessed with a beautiful and healthy girl and boy, she always had certain issues that made every day a major struggle and for most people it was hard to understand. I got little to no help and understanding when it came to her. She was horribly colicky and I had gotten to the point where I wanted to punch the next person who told me to let her cry it out, because there are only so many hours of crying that you can take in a day. Later we figured out after trying everything, including different formulas that she had sensory issues. Again most people can’t understand it but I was persistent and she had occupational therapy for several years.
But that wasn’t all and here is her dark secret that we also struggled with for several years. She had Encopresis. And I’m so glad to say “she had”. She struggled with horrible constipation and started withholding, which led to a bowl obstruction and a visit to the ER. Long story short it got worse and horribly embarrassing for her because kids started to make fun of her. I went to psychologists and lots of specialists. But I finally received help from a doctor that I found online (Dr. Collins – Soiling Solutions® The Clean Kid Manual, click HERE). And by the age of almost 5 she was finally out of diapers. Yes, that is how long it took her and she couldn’t have done it alone. She didn’t do it because she is stubborn or spoiled like certain people told me.
I thought about sharing this on here or not for the longest time but it was so terrible for all of us that if I can help anybody with this I will. So shoot me an email if you need to chat, ok? It took my husband a long time to get on board and his family pretty much just laughed at me. It was a frustrating and lonely time.
So with that said, I’m so proud of my little girl. She has come so far. Clothes and certain other things are still an everyday struggle but I’m thankful that she is healthy and doing well in school and that is such a reward.
Anyways lets get back to design because after all that’s why you are here, right? Not really because you want to hear how I’ve become a poop expert, right?
So as the headline said already, I have had blue sofas on my mind. I grew up with a blue velvety corduroy sofa in my parents house when I was little. There is something about the look that makes me think of my childhood and home.
When I was at Ikea last week I noticed the dark blue VELLINGE fabric. I love it, it’s so, so soft:
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| I don’t care for this shape as much though. |
You are probably thinking: why is she talking about sofas if she has that beautiful leather sofa in her living room? Well, we need a new one for our basement family room. Hopefully after our summer we can finally buy a new one. Preferably a pullout couch.
Part of me wants to buy a blue snuggly velvety sofa but part of me is reasoning and telling me to go light again. We have a white cat which doesn’t do well with dark furniture or clothes and I like to change out colors which is way easier when you aren’t restricted to a certain sofa color.
So here are several looks of blue sofas that I love and I’m sure you have seen Emily Hendersons room design with a blue sofa already. She loves blue sofas.
I mean how can you not like this one:
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| {image via Emily Henderson} |
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| {image via Emily Henderson} |
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| {more by Emily Henderson} |
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| {image via www.theaestate.com} this websites post is dedicated to the velvet sofa |
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| {image via designtraveller.tumblr.com} |
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| {Pinterest image with no link, sorry! I’ll fix it if you tell me where it’s from!} |
There is something special about a blue couch, am I right?
And a while ago I had found one on Craigslist but didn’t get it. I’m still so mad at myself.
So that’s it for for today. I could have gone on and on about the blue sofas. There are so many pretty rooms out there with one in it.
What do you think about the blue couch. Should I just invest in stocks for lint rollers and buy one or is it really better to play it safe again and buy the light neutral?
Thanks for sharing about your daughter, I know that will probably really help someone who is reading. I had a friend who went through a very similar situation. That’s the thing about kids, each one is so different and has their own struggles. We can’t judge anybody else until we have walked in their shoes. Hope things continue to get better, so glad she is doing well in school! Love the gold sofas, would look great with some gold accents! 😉
Yes, each child is so different and people are so quick on judging without trying to understand first.
Such pretty inspiration. Tough call with the cat though…for me, the lint rolling would probably drive me nuts enough to go with something different.
So glad your daughter has been able to move past some of those issues. Such a tough one with kids because they are all so obsessed with bathroom humor to begin with!
They are totally obsessed with potty humor, I agree!
I love the inspiration. Pull the trigger and get one. =) Have you checked West Elm? They have some gorgeous blue velvet chairs.
You can also looked at your pins by:
http://pinterest.com/source/cuckoo4design.com/
All of the Pinterest tracking stuff is pretty interesting.
Yes, I know to look at the pins that way but didn’t know the other way.
We just did the fabric and white cat test and it wasn’t pretty…LOL
i got all teary eyed reading about your daughter… why do we put so much pressure on not ourselves but each other as moms…. and alienate other moms in the mean time? i am so happy you share your struggles, because i am certain you are reaching someone right now who is lonely and frustrated like you were.
and as for the blue sofas… YES YES YES. we came close to getting blue in our living room, but i was afraid all the white dog hair would show. 😉 so we went with the dove gray.
Lilly just took the blue fabric and touched the cat with it. It’s a hair magnet 🙁 maybe not such a dark blue would work better.
Yes, it is! ANd some people don’t even want to try to understand.
I am so so glad you shared. Every child is so different and unfortunately if a child doesn’t fit into the “mold”, then people feel the need to judge them and you as a parent. What a blessing that you searched and searched for answers to help her become the girl she is today.
I love blue sofas, too, and really wanted to get one but because of our furry boys, they would be a nightmare. They do not even get up on the furniture, but still their hair is everywhere!
Thanks Jesse and I fear that the blue sofa won’t work for us either.
Julia, I am so sorry to hear that you struggled. I know how lonely it can be, especially when others are telling you that your nuts and spoiling your child. You aren’t nuts at all, you’re just being the Mom that you daughter needed you to be. So hurray for strong willed Mama bears in the world!
I seriously have no advice on the couch, except that I love velvet. We have a dark brown couch and a half-white dog. There is hair on it all the time…and it shows cracker crumbs, snot and other random toddler left-overs. Maybe you could find a velvet couch in a different colour?
Julia you have been through more than anyone should have to go through! I am so sorry about the years of struggles you and your daughter went through. I am also glad it is under control. I am positive you have been an inspiration to many “out there”!
As far as the blue velvet sofa goes…Does it have to be velvet? Would a different fabric, still in the rich blue, work?
Will be looking forward to the solution to this decision!
I’m so happy and proud of you! Many wouldn’t have the persistance to go through what you went through…but you did, and now look at how far you and your sweet daughter have come! Kudos to you!!
And yowza, that’s a ton of pins! Awesome for you, lady!!
Back to design though…I am LOVING your blue couch inspiration! I say go for it…it’ll be gorgeous.
Way to go with sticking with your gut and persisting with finding a treatment for your girl! So glad that she is doing better! I love the blue sofa idea….it’s a classic!
Oh, Julia, this is first time I comment (I have no Internet identity) but I understand you very well, I am also new to this country and have no one besides my husband, our son had (has) speech, sensory and learning problems and it is not easy to face the judgment, the loneliness, the explaining with every new therapist and teacher, the therapies…so many things.
But I am writing you to congratulate and to encourage, my son is now 13, has never been retained in school and has friends, both things great achievements most therapist did not dare to promise.
I love your house, I wish I had your talent for decoration, my house looks horrible.
thank you for sharing your experience and your talent.
Thank you so so much for the sweet words. People and comments like you are what makes this blogging experience so rewarding.
Sensory issues are so hard to understand for other people and you are right about the explaining part. I’m glad you son is doing so well and I have heard that it gets easier as the kids get older.
My daughter finally does have lots of friends and she is an excellent student. I’m so grateful.
I hope to hear from you again 🙂
Julia
I can only imagine how difficult that was Julia ~ and thankful that you persisted and she is now a kindergarten graduate! Our Lauryn is just wrapping up her kindergarten year too. 🙂 And as for blue couches, HUGE fan here!
It’s been a heart tugger for me, too! Same grades — oldest finished up fourth and baby finished up kindergarten (I have one more between them). I’m so impressed with your decision to trust your gut with your baby girl — I think that’s one of the toughest, but wisest things you can do as a mom! Proud of her accomplishments and about those blue couches — LOVE! XO, Aimee
I have gone through this with two of my children, and currently with my nine year old daughter. She has high functioning autism, is smarter than you think, and holds in her poo. We are on day 4 of nothing and it’s so frustrating, I know her tummy hurts, and I worry about her. She will go for months doing fine, and then it starts again. I totally understand and my mom is constantly telling me it’s my fault, I should feed her more fruit and veggies. I just shake my head and bite my tongue. Love your style and now we have something else in common.
I can’t even imagine to go through something like this with more than one child.
Don’t even listen to your mom, it’s not your fault. There are so many reasons why this happens but it being your fault is not one of them. That makes me mad.
Thanks so much for your sweet comments, they mean the world to me. Hey and if you ever need to chat send me an email.
The doctor that I mentioned above is great though and his method was the ONLY thing that helped me.
There’s nothing harder than seeing your kiddos struggling and being at a loss as to how to help them, I’m so glad she’s overcome those rough times and is doing well! YES to blue sofas! 🙂
I have never heard of Encopresis but I am so glad you got her some help. I caught on real quick raising three daughters that I was their only advocate No one else cares or understands like a mom, so good for you!
I LOVE my new blue tufted sofa in my office…it’s like a dream come true every time I lay on it. It was custom made, but oh so worth it! The chaise lounge is the bomb, you gotta have that for the basement, it really takes lounging to a new level!
You’ve got me thinking about a blue sofa! They are beautiful Julia…I bought my last 2 sofas with Reba-the-cat and my shedding pup in mind . I really did match the hair color 🙂
Love love love all your photos 🙂
xo
Hi Julia! What an awesome mom you are. I always tell people you have to advocate for your children bc no one else will.
And I loooove blue couches! Like completely adore them. The only reason we don’t have one is bc we have navy walls and I thought it may be a bit too much. Now that I think of it, I’m not so sure I care that it may be blue overkill. I mean honestly who knows how long the walls will be blue anyway! Love all the inspiration pics. Thanks so much for sharing.
Thank you so much for sharing about your daughter Julia. I’ve had some challenges with my son as well and I’ve never found the right time to share his/my story on my blog….maybe some day. I am so proud of you for sharing and I know you will help so many that feel lost when it comes to their child. So happy to read how far she has come. Give yourself a huge pat on the back for not letting outside influences affect the way you handled the situation, you can thank yourself for taking her situation seriously and helping her overcome her challenges.
As for the sofas..love the blue! I do however feel like you need to have a good eye (as you do) to pull if off. I think in the right house with the right modern decor a blue couch could be that perfect piece…but I don’t think a blue one would exactly ‘fit’ in say my mom’s house. Ha.
sorry to hear this Julia, I didn’t know about this, it must have been very difficult for you and your family to go through this but very glad to hear she is doing great and is now graduation from kindergarten. Sorry that people don’t even try to understand!
And yes, after you showed us those beautiful pictures of blue sofas; I think is a great choice! 🙂 We have blue walls in our living room with light brown couch. I don’t know but blue is a color we don’t see all the time, I think we should use it more when it comes to décor! 🙂
I’m so glad to hear that your daughter is doing so well, Julia. How unfortunate that you didn’t recieve the support you needed. My sister had a different health issue when she was young that most people didn’t understand. (And the worst part wasn’t dealing with the actual issue, but in the insensitivity of others.) Hopefully, your sharing can encourage someone else who is currently feeling like they’re dealing with something alone.
As for the velvet blue sofa, I love them and want one! But due to the fact that I share my home with a pup and a kitty, the velvet will just have to wait. (But then again, Emily H. has two cats…)
Well done you, for staying the course! I’ve never really got why some people ignore a mother’s intuition when something is wrong. IMO there is no-one better qualified for the job of knowing when something is not quite right with their child. I found myself in a similar predicament many years ago when my infant daughter contracted Cryptosporidium (http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Gastroenteritis_Cryptosporidiosis). We put her to bed and she had a really bad fever and stomach cramps. It worsened during the night, and despite my then first husband’s negative thoughts that something was wrong, I got up, dressed and took her to the hospital. She was admitted for seven very long days! We brought her home after that, yet two days later she relapsed and was back in hospital for a further week. It was the scariest time of my life – and like yourself, I felt horribly alone and unsupported during this time. Besides working full time, I was at the hospital first thing in the morning to feed and bathe her, back again during my lunch breaks, and again at night until closing time for visitors. It was dreadful. My thoughts are that when a mother worries, it’s usually justified! I’m so glad you pushed through the barriers and got her the treatment she needed. If you ever feel in need of a belated chat to someone who’s been there, done that, call me! Sending hugs your way from Oz. mwah Hx
Hi Heather, long time no chat. Thanks for still being here! That sounds so scary what happened with your daughter and I can’t believe what you went through having to leave her in the hospital. And I agree a mother has the best instincts when it comes to their children’s health!
Thanks to the internet I found a support group though and now blogging is even better 😉
Talk to you soon hopefully!
Hey Julia…I’m so pleased you’re hooked up to a really great support group. That’s awesome. Every little helps. 😀
I never left (love your blog too much!)… I’ve been lurking, reading, absorbing, but not contributing due to busy-ness. We have our house on the market and are planning on moving interstate or to Tasmania when it sells. The whole process is driving me bonkers! Also been trying to get the last kiddo’s learner driving hours up so she can have more flexibility over travel to and from Uni every day. Here in Oz the training requirement is 100 hours, and I think we’ve clocked up around 130 so far. Today was her test, and sadly she failed! So…back to the drawing board.
Anyways, it’s great to catch up. Note to self: no more lurking!!! ;-))
mwah Hx
Aww, thanks so much!
Hope the test goes better next time!
Just goes to show that mom’s know best! Good for you for sticking to your gut feeling–it couldn’t have been easy!
I like the concept of the blue velvet couch, but I’m too practical 🙂 My one dog sheds quite a bit and it would be a nightmare to keep it clean. We have leather furniture and it’s so fantastic–I love it. How is the lighting in your basement? If it’s kind of dark you may want to go with a lighter couch color to keep things from looking too small…
Way to go with sticking with your gut and persisting with finding a treatment for your girl! So glad that she is doing better.Thomas the Tank Engine Beds
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