Sick Day

I was sick all last week, although it felt like a year-John began to come down with it and in an attempt to prevent the spreading of germs and him getting it any worse his Mom talked him into staying home and sleeping today, Friday.

It actually ended up being a really nice day-I'm sure he'll get a little slack at work.

It was nice enough to have a picnic outside.

While we listened to the Oldies Tyler busted a move and broke out into dance.

She's the dancing queen for sure!

Shortly after these pictures were taken the rain actually began to fall...again.

Happy Spring!

What a weekend...Starting out with the Flu bug-I woke Friday morning feeling well enough when I stepped out of bed, not even 30 minutes later to find my stomach turning and churning. As bad as I felt Tyler and Tate did quite well, cuddling with me on the couch, coloring and letting me just lay and be still. What I found humorous was after McKenna came home I fell asleep on the couch and woke to my children running around with the bag of chips. I have to say that would be the first time my kids have gotten in the food and helped themselves. They really don't mind me being sick to much, back to back movies and chips and cookies, anything to keep'em happy. As the girls went to bed that evening they bid me a sweet "hope you feel better in the morning Mom!" It was really quite sweet!

It was a bad day, but alas 24 hours later it was gone and I was well...sadly the take doesn't end there. Saturday morning McKenna wandered into my room with a sad, "Mommy my tummy doesn't feel good." Yes a little over a month later McKenna came down with the stomach flu again. Poor Girl, although I'm proud of her for handling it so much better than she did the last time. I'm really one for details and I'm fighting the urge to divulge but alas you don't need to read it. Occasionally she called out for the need to have her back rubbed, but twice she asked us, "Does Jesus Love Me?" My heart dropped as I tried to figure out why she would wonder... WE quickly responded with a, "yes, of course he does!"

Many a prayer was said that evening, and by the time they all headed to bed, McKenna seemed to be doing better. She woke up quite happy and although I was planning on staying home with the kids from church, after quick baths, they informed me that we WERE going to church. By a miracle and the Spanish group starting 15 minutes later than the Dnglish we actually made it on time. The kids were great during Sacrament Meeting and afterwards Tyler was excited to head to Primary. She knew the other 2 kids were leaving with me, but with the knowledge that the Primary would be singing "Happy Birthday" to her gave her the courage to stay. Not only stay, but she sat so reverently with her arms folded waiting for her teacher and class to join her in the primary room. It was adorable! She's so excited for her upcoming birthday, she brings it up in each and every prayer she says.

Well this entry is pry long enough-so until the next time...

Cold & Flu 2010 the Fall edition

Sunday night, exactly an hour after company left and the kids were in bed, my throat began to feel a little sore. When I woke the next morning it felt like the life had been sucked out of me. Worst cold and Flu which walks a fine line of a sinus infection. It's been 8 days now and although I'm beginning to feel better, well I'm still sick. Tate has become the next casualty as his nose began to run a week later on Saturday. Let the cold and flu season begin...

Luckily my mother has been here and has been an angel as she helps with dinner and playing with the kids, but I fear despite our efforts of garlic, Po oil, echinecea, Vitamin C & D, and in desperation has turned to the Omish with a cayenne pepper & Vinegar concoction that will hopefully spare her from this horrid virus.

Well there is my explanation for the lack of posts. Will fill in the blanks later.

Sick....sick...and sick of sick

Love this time of year when someone always has some kind of ailment. What's a mom to do? A bubble around my kids would be nice, but really not realistic or feasible. We've gone through colds, stomach flu and currently trying to get over Pink Eye...which by the way is pretty much the plague because who wants it? Saying or hearing the term stabs fear into every Mother's heart and they start to slowly back away from you or quickly hang up the phone. Then you wake up one morning and your kid has it.....NOOOOOOOOOO! (I say this all very light hearted now, we are almost through it.)

McKenna had it a couple of weeks ago, she didn't want it, and didn't want to pass it on to anyone and she was really good at washing her hands quite frequently throughout the day. I did initially panic when she woke up with it. I text my good pediatrician who said their were drops but didn't suggest them. Confused I found out there were 2 kinds of Pink eye. Viral and Bacterial. He said that it would take 4-5 days and it would just go away. Before I knew there were 2 kinds everything I'd read said you had to have treatment-I mention this because when I told him this his response was one word, "Baloney". That left me with a smile and a little more confidence to do nothing. True to his word 4 days later we were free of the pink. Not before McKenna informed me she had pink eyes because she was Pinkalicious. (If you haven't read that book it's worth checking out).

A whole week went by before Tyler woke up with green/pink eyes. She had a very mild case where she mostly just complained about her eyes hurting. At that point it was inevitable that Tate would get it because Tate can't leave Tyler alone. He's always trying to steal a binki, water bottle or trying to tackle her. Two days after Tyler started Tate woke up with the Guppyiest Green eyes out of the 3. It's been about 5 days days now and he's doing better. It has gotten the kids out of church for a few weeks and school a few days as you are still contagious up to a week after symptoms. Just praying it doesn't come back around, once has been enough and I'm missing the world around us.

Thought about taking pictures...but who really wants to remember those kind of details.

Flu season is back!

It seems like last year I was constantly writing about my kids being sick...this must be my year. Yesterday morning John and I woke with queasy stomachs. The night before we'd had a can of clam chowder soup. When I was opening it, I had noticed that it was expired...not by much and it wasn't bulging and it smelled fine so I cooked it well and we ate it. It wasn't that great but it was dinner. I know I know, not my best move as a mother-it would serve me right to get sick. McKenna of course didn't eat any and Tyler barely touches her dinner these days and at one point I noticed her drinking and then spitting it back in the bowl so who knows if she really ate some or not.

Later that afternoon things were not getting better, but worse...much much worse. I'm also aware of the stomach flu making the rounds and by 5 pm I realized it wasn't food poisoning, but pry the stomach flu as I was achy and FREEZING! Tyler was also complaining by that time and hadn't eaten only her hot chocolate that morning. I HATE THE STOMACH FLU! Who doesn't? Nothing worse than throwing up-I did get lucky in one aspect. Tyler didn't throw up once. Smart girl to starve herself all day-I was too nervous with nursing to not eat. John wasn't a hundred percent but he was a trooper and even stayed home today to take care of us all. Anyway Tyler ended up staying in bed with us last night, John hung in there for a while but somewhere around 4 he gave up and found his way to the Futon in the playroom.

I quickly remembered why we don't let kids in bed with us at night-so much tossing and turning, kicking and lack of personal space. Then there's the worry that the kid is going to fall out of the bed and then the repercussions of then night after. As we were leaving the kids room Tyler actually told me she was going to throw up. She's been back to her normal comical self all afternoon so it was a no go. Then there was the crying and screaming for us to come get her to take her into our room which lasted 45 min.

Definitely glad we're all feeling better-got my fingers crossed that somehow McKenna and Tate were spared the experience.

Always Waiting for Something...

So I sit here with a load of laundry waiting to be folded on the couch, dinner and dishes waiting to be cleaned up, not to mention the toys that are strewn pretty much everywhere. Where am I? Well writing of course, if you can't run...then write. That's what I do when I'm stressed out. John is at the Convenience Care clinic with Tyler.

Last night I spent with Tyler as she couldn't sleep and just wanted to be held. John is not a big fan of ever welcoming the children into our bed, and after sleeping with McKenna who's limbs are everywhere and usually end up next to me I've come to 2nd the motion. (I don't have any opinions of those of you who do and don't sleep with your child a parent does what they need to do and in the dead of night that could be just about anything...as long as it gives you at least 10 more minutes of sleep. Chances are I've done it to...) Anyway Tyler's a smart kid and she's done a good job at keeping herself hydrated. She woke me up almost every 20 minutes for a big drink of water and then would go back to sleep. At one point she woke up in a sweat, her temperature was down and I felt a lil light shining that this "bug" was beat. Well she woke up with a fever still raging and after talking to a nurse I succumbed to wait til Sunday and try not to panic before taking her to the Dr. Well this afternoon Tyler woke up with a temperature of a 104-106 degrees and so I was back on the phone. I want to think that I'd be a great advocate for my kids especially when it comes to their health but after talking to nurses and the Dr well I just don't think anyone believed me and thought I was over-reacting. I think I'm infamous for over-reacting...I may have been called dramatic a time or two in my life...so I decided to wait a lil longer as suggested by the Dr waiting for this to burn itself up. She was afterall still drinking and she wasn't crying...although I didn't know that lethargic kids did a lot of crying. Anyway things started to look up, after a walk outside (thank goodness the sun came out) Tyler started to act better, almost like herself (with the exception of standing), her temp went down to 102.7 and well sadly that was good news. She ate a few frozen peas and called dinner good and so I put her down to play while I ate. Not too much longer the crying started because she had been left alone and so the tv went back on and I sat to hold my baby. I found a feverish child, who curled up and instantly went to sleep who was also lacking in color, her temperature was back up to 105.8. I was told to rectally take her temperature earlier, but I don't even know where that is and it took me 3 years to work up to the idea of giving my oldest a suppository.

John finally made it home and gave into my stress and called the Dr which puts us where we are now. Him at Convenience Care waiting for Tyler to Pee in a bag because my kids anatomy is messed up and they can't do a catheter on her. I know this is a long and detailed story, one of which will have a happy ending...but until we'll just keep on waiting...

I did have thoughts of taking a picture of Tyler but just couldn't bring myself to do it. She hates the camera so why torment?

Going Bananas

Tyler is "down" again, not quite sure what it is as I thought she was just teething since her molars are coming in, but I don't think fevers get as high as a 104 when your teething. I'm waiting to see if lil miss T has another UTI but so far she's drinking a TON and still eating so we'll just wait to see what happens. In the meantime I do my motherly duty of holding the sick while we sit and watch Lil, (meaning younger than McKenna) shows such as Baby Einstein, Baby Genius, Fisher Price's Little People, and Sesame Street because what kid doesn't like Elmo? McKenna couldn't be more thrilled to have the TV on, despite what's on, she's such a Junkie.

Today we were watching Elmo's World and it was on Bananas, one of Tyler's favorite foods, but definitely not one of McKenna's. After the introduction they proceeded to show a variety of different people and animals eating bananas and as McKenna watched you could see the wheels turning. She made her way over to me and very politely said, "I want a banana Mommy." Kind of laughing to myself I encouraged her to get the bananas and bring them to me and after starting the peel, and giving Tyler a piece I handed it over. She continued to watch the show and carefully put it up to her mouth and I could see her trying sooo hard to like it. After a bite and swallowing it (to my relief as I didn't want to pick up a mushed banana) she brought the banana back over to me with a "I no like it." I assured her it was ok, but I was proud of her for trying it, successfully holding back the chuckles inside. She sure is cute and I was proud of her for going outside of her comfort zone to try something new.

Sadly McKenna is relapsing on Potty training, completely! I think it is partly due to my constant holding of Tyler and her lack of receiving attention. She tells me "potty" after she has already started going in her pants defeating the whole purpose. Tonight she even went as far as to pee in her pants and then continued to sit in it. That wouldn't have been so bad but since she was sitting on a hard lil plastic chair she lifted her butt to see the puddle and then proceeded to splash her butt in it over and over again. I'd like to say it couldn't be worse, but I know it could... She was really good about cleaning herself and the chair up but I just don't understand.

Over and Over again

Does it seem like my family has been sick for over a month to anyone else? I know we all had the flu at the end of Feb, and then a few weeks ago is when Tyler came down with her cold and now I'm in full swing. Lost my voice and my energy and even took a dose of Nyquil last night so I could get some sleep. It worked like a charm, but I'm ready to move to the next chapter of our lives. McKenna's teacher wrote me, and they really aren't too happy that she hasn't been to school only once in the last few weeks. Tomorrow is picture day...so cough or no cough she's acting fine and begging to leave the house so off to school she goes. I think it might be one of the best birthday presents I could give myself. :) 2 hrs free of children (Tyler will be sleeping).

Tyler is in her "copy-cat" phase of life...at least the 1st one. Yesterday as we were eating dinner McKenna had finished her food and wanted some Cookie Crisp cereal so I put some in a bowl and she sat on the floor and ate it. As I tried to feed Tyler some Fruit & Oatmeal she flipped and started pointing towards McKenna and the floor. Apparently she wanted in on that action, so I got a bowl out and put a small amount of cereal in it and they had a lil dessert picnic on the kitchen floor. For the next 10 minutes whatever McKenna did she followed suit, cracked me up!

Oh yeah McKenna's new smile includes teeth and closed eyes, one she's chosen for herself and uses when we ask for a smile. She actually sits in front of the mirror and looks at it when she's all dressed up in her "princess" dress. The funny thing is, it reminds me of a dear friend of mine who used to "Practice" the smile she wanted to have. I won't mention names in fear of embarrasing her, but I think it was One of her cute lil quirks.

This would be another "silly smile"

This would the "real deal", nothing like Spontaneity