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We are Jenna and Mark, a designer and pastry chef living in Brooklyn, NY and parents of two little girls. Sweet Fine Day is a visual record of family meals and a journal of projects both in and out of the kitchen. In addition to working as an art director / designer and pastry chef, we started this blog to document our process as we launch our own food business.

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heatwave, and weird feet issues

June 8th, 2008 | Category: life, the girls

There’s not much to do when it’s 96 degrees outside but to be in water to cool yourself down. My mom lives in a town in Long Island that opened up a new park 2 years ago that includes the largest public pool on the island. It’s massive. But it’s also a haven for small kids because it features an interactive water playground in the 500 square foot shallow end of the pool, a water slide, as well as a smaller, fenced in sprinkler pool for babies and toddlers. Not to mention the playground, tennis courts, baseball field, etc etc all nestled in rolling green hills. Village tax dollars at work, and it almost makes me think that living in the burbs wouldn’t be half bad when I’m lounging poolside under the shaded canopies. Almost. Ok, maybe not, but it sure is nice to come here.

We knew that Claudine would be hesitant about the whole pool experience, even though she loves playing in the bath. Funny, but when we first got there, she strutted with attitude through the entrance and walked a few yards till she saw a man swimming lanes and then her face turned to confusion. What the hell was that man doing in the water? I think I’ve figured out that she seems to have some sensory issues with her feet. She doesn’t like walking on grass, sand, or anything remotely bumpy, and she didn’t like touching the floor of the pool. We eventually coaxed her to play in the water and we did sit her down, but she did the funniest thing while playing with her bucket and shovel - she actually held one of her feet up off the ground with her hand, with her other foot resting on my leg. Anyone else out there experience something similar with their kid?

Posted by Jenna |

Comments

Mery

I love, love, love your blog! … and yes, I have an almost 4yr. old boy with sensory issues. He can’t stand the feel of sand or any kind of dirt on his feet and he screams bloody murder when you cut his toe nails. He just started going to therapy for all his sensory issues and the one thing they told me that really helps them to desensitize is brushing them with a surgical brush (the ones surgeons use to clean their hands before surgery? the bristles are rubbery, so I guess there’s not much friction on the skin). You have to do it everyday, all over her body (arms, legs, hands, feet, back) and of course, on the soles of her feet. Just 10 times, up and down, when you do it on the arms and legs, you do it on the outer part. Do you know what I mean? Does she have trouble touching any type of stuff?

June 8th, 2008
Jenna

Interesting. Mery, appreciate your response. Well, she is a picky eater, as many of our blog readers know, which probably is part of the sensory stuff. She’s not usually too sensitive about hands, but yes, actually she doesn’t like to get gritty things on them like dirt, sand, etc. I guess I should ask my doctor at her check up on Tuesday.

June 8th, 2008
Mery

Mine is a super picky eater too. I’ve learned a lot of interesting stuff now that he’s going to therapy. For example, you won’t put anything in your mouth that you don’t recognize with your touch first. That’s why Tino won’t eat a lot of stuff because he can’t stand touching it. And he’s mouth is extremely sensitive! He’s a super taster. We used to live in the U.S. and when we moved back home (Guatemala) we went through 6 different brands of milk until he found one that he liked. He usually drinks ‘light’ mango juice and once we mixed ‘light’ mango juice with regular mango juice and he gave it back because he said it was too sweet. …anyway… yes, ask your doctor, if there is a problem she’s at a perfect age to help her re learn this responses and if not then you’ll know and she’ll probably just outgrow it. Hope this helped.

June 8th, 2008
HaeWon

I enjoyed your blog so much! You take beautiful pictures. Can I ask you what kind of camera you use?

June 9th, 2008
linda

My 1-year old daughter has also had issues with sand and grass / plants touching her feet. When we’d try to lower her feet into sand / grass, she’d raise her legs up as if doing the splits so her feet wouldn’t touch it - cute and funny. Yesterday we had a break through - she actually walked (assisted) in grass! We were surprised. Perhaps her previous aversions had more to do with her not starting to walk yet?

Btw, I love your blog, too! Your photos are great!

June 9th, 2008
Jenna

HaeWon, I use the Canon G series camera - my particular model number is G7, but I think the G9 is what is available right now. It’s a great camera!

June 9th, 2008
Jennifer

My eldest son has sensory issues. He actually has been diagnosed with Sensory Integration Dysfunction. We did go through some therapy for his issues. He’s six now and some things they do grow out of, but he certainly has issues with things being too loud, or the tags in his shirts bothering him, things of that nature. Where is this pool you were at, it certainly looks like fun!

June 11th, 2008