Sick Week

Unfortunately, we've spent the last week sick. Just a bad cold, but Eli's turned in to bronchitis so he was a bit more miserable that the rest of us. 

No one likes being sick, but Eli does not physically know how to be sick. Turner would milk it for all it's worth, but this kid still runs a million miles a minute. Something about this illness really knocked him out. I'm not sure if it was the travel or what, but he was down for the count for two days. 

 It was really weird seeing him on the couch. He didn't eat for almost four days and just as I was about to take him to get checked out again, he munched on some graham crackers. 

I think we're finally on the mend, just in time for a warmer week and Eli's birthday tomorrow! 

Valentine's Day

After much anticipation, the boys and I had a completely easy day. Both big boys were very excited to come and tell me it was the day so I tried to be super excited for them. 

Finding their treat mailboxes.

While the boys munched on breakfast of fairy bread (an Aussie thing I found out about while living next to one in Jacksonville), I made a rather large pot of coffee. 

I made the mistake of telling the boys they could open a box from their Noni and Pop Pop after nap time. Well, in the excitement of the day, naps (for either) didn't happen. I considered it a gift to myself as bed time would be coming super early and I had a fabulous bottle of wine that I wanted to crack open.

Opening Grandma's cards.

Gifts from Noni and Pop Pop were fun!

I should have seen the ominous clues...

To kill some time on such a beautiful day we headed out to "Trash Park." Eli acted off all morning but I just assumed his gaseous nature was from the junk food. While we were at the park he slipped and fell between two wooden structures, busted his lip, scratched up his back and then promptly fell asleep on me. When we got home all was alright. Around 10:30 he came in to my room saying he "didn't feel better." Just a few minutes later he was thrashing around and ended up with an upset stomach until the wee hours of the morning. He went through 10 diapers in two hours. Poor dude. After all that he started to vomit. Pink and red. Yay. 

It was a great day but this Mama is DONE! 

Before I Had Three Kids

Welcome to the first installation of "Before I Had Three Kids" where I'll tell you something I thought before I had three kids. Naive? Sometimes. Stupid? Abso-freakin-lutely.

Here we go.

Before I Had Three Kids...

I thought it was so gross that one's subsequent children could be sick at a young age. I mean, how can that happen to such a little baby? Honestly, my kids never had to go to day care of any sort so they were never exposed to tons of different germs and viruses early. Say what you want, I just thought it was a lack of attention on the parents' part. They could wash their hands better and try to not let the bigger kids put their dirty little paws and snot on the baby.

Well, it just happens...

Dunks with his first fever, thanks to his first run-in with the flu.

Now that I have my own day care of sorts, I see that some things just get passed around. My hands are cracked and bleeding from washing, but sometimes there isn't enough time between snot wiping to cleanse again. I tried to keep the bigs from kissing on the little, but they love him and I'm not going to be accused of squashing affection. 

C'est la vie. 

Crawling Back

...from the dead!

Holy crap, that sucked. After last night, we're finally on the mend. Turner's fever hovered around the 103 mark leaving him in a lump on the couch. The poor dude was confused; almost like he knew he was supposed to be up and running but he just couldn't. I'd ask if he wanted this or that to eat and he'd try a bite but put it down. He'd try to play but go sit back down. After not bathing for two days I tried to get the older two in the tub. Turner sat for a minute but I could tell he was just out of it.

I put the boys down for the night last night and finally turned my attention to the baby. He was feverish and starting to get restless. Eli came in to visit around 8:40 and I knew it was going to be a loooong night. Deacon needed to nurse as much as possible to fight the virus but Eli was NOT being a good bed buddy. The baby fell asleep so I brought Eli back upstairs, sat with him until I thought he was sleeping and went back down to comfort a cranky babe. Eli came BACK down at midnight and I thought I'd just let him stay in bed. He tossed and turned and tossed and turned and.... until 4am. I was SO furious. Just tired. The baby nursed all.night.long. Eli kicked and whined. Turner started crying that he wanted Eli back upstairs.

SO...

I brought Eli upstairs, brought Turner to my room and told them to sleep or I'd be very upset. I know, great mommy skills. Everyone was screaming; I was desperate. They slept til 7:23. Joy.

The good news is that the baby slept from some time in the early morning until around 10am. Fever free. He's on the mend now, too.

I felt terrible about the morning so I sneaked in to the shower and just washed the funk off. I promised the boys that we'd make cookies if they took a good nap. I've been able to put them ALL to sleep (Turner sounds like he's just laying in bed, coughing his little head off), have a cup of tea and read some "mom-spiration."

Here's to a better week!

Flu Schmu

Some how, we've managed to be graced with the flu virus. Between the library, gym and aquarium the nasty germies made their way in to Eli first. Saturday morning he woke up very grumpy, after nap he had a fever but I didn't really make much of it. We had some friends over and he just went downhill. It seemed like he was a little better as he made his way out of my room (he went to sleep again at 4:30 and just wouldn't move). He came out to play with our friends but I could see he wasn't himself. I feel terrible because if I knew in any way, shape or form it was the flu I would have cancelled. 

As soon as our friends left I felt a fever develop. I already had a terrible cough and that got worse over night. So bad, in fact, I pulled the muscles between my ribs. 

I decided to take everyone to the walk-in clinic on Sunday morning because I knew they'd give Eli tamiflu. Normally I'm not a treat the symptoms kind of person but with no extra help around, I wanted to shorten the length of misery. 

It's a good thing we did because this morning Turner woke up with a fever. The doctor prescribed two bottles of tamiflu so I've started Turner on it as well.

So far little dude doesn't have any symptoms. I had a really long night with him as he just couldn't be satisfied. He did wake up with a cough but I'm hoping it's nothing a little extra nursing can't cure.

We're pretty miserable over here and I wouldn't have survived the last few days without the help of my friend, Joy. She has gone out of her way to bring us supplies. 

Grow Your Own Easter Grass!

This is probably a little late to serve as any sort of tutorial, but this year I've decided we're going to start a new tradition: growing Easter grass. Not only is it a little more interesting than the fake "grass" that is sold in stores, but I won't have to deal with random strings of fake grass for weeks. It's as bad as Christmas tree tinsel, to me.

I started with the boys baskets. They're not heirloom nor super expensive so I won't be sad if our experiment goes awry.

Ok, just had to show you this. I accidentally bought 3,000 square feet of plastic wrap in Monterey, California...3 years ago!

I added a plastic bag on the bottom for some 'lift' while the grass was growing. Then, I lined the basket with two sheets of plastic wrap.
I taped the sides so when the boys added dirt the entire thing didn't collapse.

We added our soil.

Then the grass seed made up of mostly rye seed, so it's quick growing.

Then, I let the kids squirt away!

Poor Ollie, he couldn't quite figure out how to spray anything but his face!

We started this little project a few days before the illnesses slapped us! So, I'm happy to say we actually have some grass growing in our baskets. I'm hoping it turns out and, if not, we'll try something else.

Well, That Sucked

I last left you hanging on the edge of your seat (I know, gripping, right?) with our illness. As luck would have it, we were whacked with a doozie (do people still say that?) of a cold. Saying cold really lessens what we've been feeling around here for the past 5 days. Actually, it's been over seven days of feeling lousy but 3 with our diagnosis from the Mayport Naval Health Clinic.

When I took the boys in, we were looking a bit offensive. It was obvious that Turner had pink eye, but after examining his ears and chest she concluded a bacterial infection had caused everything. For Turner it was pink eye, an ear infection (right ear), a very inflamed throat, a terrible cough and chest congestion. He was given augmentin, a cough medicine, eye drops and an inhaler. Eli had pink eye, a bilateral ear infection and the same harsh cough. Luckily, he was a few hours/days behind Turner and nothing had moved to his chest.

For the days leading up to the visit to the clinic our nights were long and restless. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were absolutely sleepless. I spent every ounce of energy trying to make them comfortable, doing what they needed, etc. We all slept in the same bed, took the same showers (I think it helps to move the boogies along), at the same crap, cried the same tears and watched the same cartoons. Finally, Thursday, we were able to get the boys to the doctor and on medicine. After the first dose of drops their eyes cleared and by the second dose of augmentin and cough stuff they were much more normal! Last night we all slept through the night. Well, at least, I don't remember waking up...

Oh? Me? Yes. I got almost everything the boys got. Pink eye, cough, and bronchitis. To add a little more insult to the entire situation, I "threw out" my back. While carrying Eli from the clinic back to the car I coughed and my back just went in to an entire spasm. The spasm makes a muscle in my butt squeeze around nerve that runs from your spin down your legs. Any way, it causes severe pain and your body spasms the muscles (again) to try to compensate. Needless to say I drove home in tears and am still walking around haunched over. The rest of Thursday was terrible and in addition to alllll that, I found out John was in port Turkey but couldn't even email because of all the craziness going on for his end. Friday, I still wasn't able to get a phone call and my mom couldn't come up until today. THEN, I started having Braxton-Hicks contractions that continued until today. I called the midwife and she confirmed what I was thinking: probably just dehydration. Seven Gatorades and countless bottles of water later they've stopped (I don't remember them being so uncomfortable!).

I am so done after all of this. My mom is here now and I'm heading out tomorrow to try to find a homeopathic remedy for my cough. I need relief as I'm coughing so hard it's exacerbating the back problem and it makes me gag. I feel bad enough I had to take zythromax to get relief, so a natural remedy for the cough is a must.

There's no time to be done, though. I guess if it doesn't kill you...cue Christina Aguilera's 'Stronger' and dance in your undies when no one's watching.

Are We There Yet?

Where is that half way point? I know it's on the horizon...

Compared to others, we've had it easy. I know that. However, when your babies are sick the days seem endless.

A few days ago Turn started out with a dry cough. I thought we'd have another cold on our hands so we went out for orange juice from the Fresh Market, loaded up on the vitamin C tablets and started their Children's ACF. The cough progressed to deeper cough and then, the eye gunk came.

Now Turner looks like this:

Eli is crusty, but his eyes are not as red and irritated looking as Turners.

They are both coughing up a storm and Eli coughed so hard he threw up. Poor little guys. I really hate taking them to the doctor, especially a clinic on base. It's not that I'm against doctors or even antibiotics, but if the kids can fight something off naturally I prefer that route. This time, however, my little boys need relief. They are miserable, they miss their daddy and the haven't slept well in days. We are off to base for a back-to-back appointment session.

It seems like it's been so long since they've slept really well for very many days at a time and I'm feeling like the wall is coming. I'm about to hit it hard and it's going to be painful!

Here's to another crazy night in our bed and the patience of Mother Theresa. My throat is sore, I can't stop coughing, I was head butted last night, my back is killing me (2 back surgeries + pregnancy + carrying around large toddlers + sleeping in random positions = ouch), I've had a headache for days and my entire body is sore. I just want to sleep...

Duty calls.

**And not even my new Orla Keiley bag made anything better. Crap, I think my husband reads this now... Hi, sweetie, I used my Gap card. It's like Monopoly money! Muah hahahaha... love you! **