Forget the glass

Give me the BOTTLE! Ok people, I know I'm going on and on about this stomach bug thing, but hey, this is my life at the moment. I have yet to mention that Molly has that horrible cold/cough thing going around. So in the midst of poor Addy's illness, Molly has been sick too. She initially came down with a cold 2 1/2 weeks ago and then seems to have caught something else just when the other was clearing up. So the poor thing is just not feeling well and quite frankly has been very fussy. Who wouldn't be, right??? Anyways, we missed last Wednesday's mid-week activities at church due to Molly's cold and Mary Ella really wanted to go this week. So Scott got home and I left Molly with him while I took the girls to church. We got through the food line and I placed the plates on the table ready to "settle" them in and Addy looks up at me with a horrified look on her face and says, "mommy". I pat her on the back and at that moment threw up all over the table.....LOVELY! Immediately after the "episode" she looked at me and said, "can I have dessert?" ....."um no, no dessert for you tonight." Dessert??? Some kids just have their priorities. I guess she comes by it honestly :). After some really nice ladies helped me clean it up (thank goodness the table clothes were disposable), I gathered the things to go home. At that moment, Mary Ella realized we would have to leave and the disappointment consumed her face. She was trying to hold off her tears of looking at me like, "please don't tell me we have to go." So what does any good mom do??? I start tearing up with her as I try to explain why we can't stay. Uggghh, the guilt. But the reality is, when one is sick....we all are sick.

So I started typing this last night and have now been to the doctor with Molly. She has an ear infection :(. Good thing is there's medicine for that, so it isn't all bad news. Another little tidbit of info is that she's a tall girl....90th percentile in height. You go girl! She also said this stomach bug going around is lasting 7 -10 days...so watch out people and bathe in alcohol rub :).

I knew....

I'd FORGET something!

What not to do

1. Do NOT eat after your children, especially during the winter months. I know that half-eaten Tyson Chicken Nugget looks good (only b/c you haven't had time to fix yourself something), but DON'T eat it! This is a "rule" of mine I broke on Thursday evening. Addy didn't finish an oatmeal raisin cookie, so I took advantage and would you know it, that is the night she got sick. Subsequently, I was sick two days later. You NEVER know what might be brewing! Scott ended up sick as well. Thank goodness, he has pharmaceutical connections. You wouldn't believe how much anti-nausea medication we went through to stay functional for our girls.

Cute little story too...

Mary Ella: Mom? Why don't daddy's and mommy's ever get sick????

Me: Honey, we get sick. We just can't be sick :).

Yep, long gone are the days of watching movies in bed, pajamas and chicken noodle soup. Hello, to "an extra shot of espresso is all the medicine I need" (and maybe some ibuprofen too) days!

Sharing the Wisdom

Over this last year, it seems as though our family has been afflicted with the stomach flu more than our fair share. In the last 3 months it has hit our home 5 times. Not fun. Since I'm somewhat of a "Pollyana" I like to try and find the positives. So, because we've had this so often, I've learned a lot on how to handle and be prepared for these situations. I thought I'd share some of this wisdom....

What you will need:

1. Lysol, Lysol, Lysol....Not only does it help kill the germs before spreading to the next victim, it helps cover up the vomit smell that seems to take over your home.

2. Antibacterial soap- no explanation needed

3. Antibacterial hand gel- just in case you're a bit worried the soap didn't cut it and you need an extra barrier of protection and also for those times you need a quick cleanse.

4. Super thick hand lotion (next to the hand gel)- add a squirt after the hand gel so you don't end up with dry, scaly hands from all the alcohol rub your drenching your hands in.

5. Paper towels- keep a roll everywhere for those quick mouth wipes after an episode and to also stuff in the bottom of a "puke" bowl. This takes care of the splattering issue and makes clean up much easier after bowl is put to use.

6. Puke bowl- Very important that you always have a bowl handy in very close proximity to the spewing child. Even if you don't catch the first part, you can catch the rest, resulting in less mess. As stated above, stuff paper towels in the bottom of it :).

7. Pedialyte, water, saltines, bread....that will be their diet for the duration of the illness

8. Small plastic grocery bags- These are important (along with the paper towels) in cleaning up after a "spill". Also good to place over your hand while picking up the solid portions of the "spill", again with the paper towels.


What to do:

1. Remove all solid portions from laundry prior to washing, otherwise you end up with a mess when transferring to the drier.

2. If your kid has it coming out both ends and they are potty trained...for heaven's sake, let them wear a pull-up all day or just throw the undies away. Don't add anymore to your increased laundry load than you have to.

3. Let your kiddo only have a few sips of water at a time. They will want to gulp it down b/c they are so thirsty, but this will only stimulate another episode. Much better to wait until the vomiting has subsided, then let them chug all they want. Better to absorb a few sips than for it to all come back out, ya know?

4. Now, if you and your husband should both come down with it at the same time or you don't have any help at home....let your kids ransack the house, let them have cake for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and let them watch movies allllll daaaayyyy looooong. Hey, at this point, it is all about survival :).

5. Wash your hands all the time,Lysol door handles, toilets and anything else that could be infected.

6. Wine....just one glass, maybe two to help you relax after being on your toes for 24-48 hours.

Now, knowing me, I've forgotten a couple of things. Does anyone else have good ideas of their own??? How do you manage these mean little bugs???

***I can't believe I just typed a post all about vomit***

Memory Resurfaced

Last night our middle daughter Addy awoke at 10pm saying, "my tummy is hurting." I stayed to pat her back and she was beginning to settle down when Scott comes up asking if she needs "medicine". Now this was strictly intended for a placebo affect as we suspected she just wanted to come downstairs. She said "yes" and sat up to take down the purple, grape-o-licious Tylenol. I said to Scott, "now, she said her tummy was..." and at that moment she spewed all over the place and I said, "....and she wasn't kidding!" So from about 10p to about 8a, she got sick roughly every 30 minutes. We went through countless towels, paper towels, many squirts of hand sanitizer and lots of pats on the back. Now, some people sleep better when their kids are in the room. Not us. I hovered just above sleep so I wouldn't miss the opportunity to shove the bowl under her...poor baby was miserable. Ironic how I recently posted about things I have to put my hands in, well, this was one of those moments.

In the midst of last night I actually had a sweet memory come forth from my childhood. Since becoming a parent, things that did not make sense then, do now. I have apologized several times to my mother for always stepping on her heels and frequently wandering off. Well, last night a memory came forth that once again, made me appreciate my mom. Not sure how old I was, but it was definitely early elementary school when I awoke in the middle of the night with a stomach ache. I went to my mom's room and she got up to sit with me. She got me oyster crackers and tucked me in on the couch. Soon after getting settled, I got sick and vomited all over the couch and floor. As my mom was cleaning it up, I kept saying, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." At that moment, in the middle of the night, cleaning up my nastiness, she looked up at me and said, "Honey, it is ok. This is what mommy's are for." Yes, mom, I "get" it now....thank you for being such a good example.

By the way, I'm not too sure I'll ever get used to doing the laundry after a night like this. Those who have done it, know exactly what I'm talking about. Let's just put it this way not everything is dissolved or goes down the drain in the washer. You do what ya gotta do though :). Thank goodness, she is better. Only a few episodes here and there today. So we are praying for an uneventful night tonight and that no one else catches this icky bug.

Claiming the Title

No Fear

Recently Addy has begun to realize she also can claim a "big sister" status. She often performs little tricks for me saying, "watch me mama, watch me" The tricks usually involve jumping, hopping on one foot or twirling around. After completing her moves she states, "Molly not do that" I reply, "Nope, not yet." Today she "skipped" (more like galloped) across the room and turned to Molly to say, "Molly, you can't do that yet. It is ok". Funny gal. She is clearly watching Molly's every move making sure she is safe; however, Molly is not to pleased with this. She would rather have her personal space, but it is sweet to see Addy taking on the role like a pro.

Meanwhile, Mary Ella amazed us on Friday. She went to a friends house and came home begging Scott to take off her training wheels. It turns out her friend had already mastered the skill of riding a two wheeled bike. Scott and I had already discussed it. We knew when the time came, it would be best for Scott to take the lead in teaching her only because my "mom" instincts would kick in and my startle responses at near misses would probably cause more harm than good. We are so proud to announce that our first "baby", Mary Ella, has successfully learned how to ride her bike. What was even more fun, was that the other two kiddos in the cul-de-sac also decided it was time. So there were THREE wobbly kiddos riding around, but after two days they were doing and excellent job. The look of accomplishment on their faces said a thousand words. What a proud moment. This is one instance of peer pressure I think I'll be thankful for. Guess we need to get her a bigger bike now....

Molly is now toddling around with all the other kids. No longer is she content staying in my arms. She wants to be in the middle of the action. With this newfound independence comes several bruises and scrapes. I think, at this very moment, she has four bruises across her head, one on her cheek and two on her bottom. Everytime I take her to the church nursery I feel like I need to reassure them that I and no one else is beating her at home. Oh, this learning to walk stuff is tough especially when you're trying to keep up with two older sisters. The "toddler protest" (aka full blown temper tantrum) is also beginning to surface. She actually began to throw herself back onto the wood floor yesterday in protest over something (probably food) and then slowly lowered her head on the floor before she started belting out. At least she has some safety awareness. How on earth do they learn this stuff????

Happy Birthday!

Since she is not blogging anymore (I think we need to start a revolt), I'm going to go out on a limb and wish our sweet friend, Jillian, a Happy Birthday. Every year, she tries to sneak it by everyone. I'm not going to let her this year :)...... Maybe we ought to peer pressure her into facebook too, what do you think????

Another thought....

Molly and I got home from taking Addy to school. Molly went down for a nap and I began to tackle the post-holiday refrigerator...you know, all the left-overs that have been stuck in the back taking up space and becoming science experiments? As I was emptying the countless storage containers and using my hands to shove the nastiness down the disposal, I chuckled to myself. You see, 10 years ago I would have gagged and avoided touching that food at all costs....now I'm lucky if that is the only thing I have to put my hand in today. Golly, how things change!

Annual Job Review

"you are my best momy"

Mary Ella worked diligently on this while I was going about the house taking care of odds and ends. Art is her quiet activity while the others sleep. I'm so glad she can see past all my faults and parenting blunders :).

Bugs, Rodents and FB

Whew! What a week! Tuesday hit and we were revisited by that stinkin' tummy bug. This time it hit Mary Ella. I knew something was wrong when I made her favorite meal and she couldn't take down more than two bites. She requested a warm bath saying her tummy was hurting. Of course the first question out of my mouth (and would be from any other mom's I might add) was, "Have you gone to the bathroom today???" Her reply was, "no." So I *thought* I had this thing figured out and told her to eat some green beans to "help"the problem. She scarfed a few down and insisted on a bath, so I agreed. We head upstairs, get through bath and complete the other bath time routine. All throughout she was grabbing her stomach and I kept telling her to get on the toilet because, again, I had this figured out....NOT! Addy did something to make her laugh (of course) and in an instant she vomited all over the place. Then, I think what any positive thinking (actually hopeful) mother would think, "Surely, it is just drainage that upset her stomach???....again...NOT! She continued on this same course, vomiting regularly. After the fourth episode which happened to coincide with our bedtime, Scott broke out the Zofran. He somehow convinced her to take it and that made the night, well, tolerable. She missed her first- ever day of school which she was mortified about. I had to assure her over and over that it is "ok" to miss school when you are sick. They sure do stress attendance these days in school, don't they??? Anyways, as much as I don't like to see her sick, it gave me the opportunity to "baby" my first born. I don't get to do that too often anymore, so I took advantage and pampered her all day back to health. Fortunately it was just a 24 hr thing and she was up for school Thursday. By Thursday, my hands were cracked from all the hand washing and alcohol germ rub. They are now being pampered back to health too.

Molly is walking everywhere and now her little hands are free to take things along. She dumps them in random places often leaving trails of toys wherever she's been which, again, is everywhere. Here are a couple of her accomplishments this week:

Now you would think after finding the above Ritz Cracker box, I would be calling pest control. However, Molly spitting out pieces of card board put my mind at ease. This was also her good work.

A cute conversation between sisters about a famous rodent

There are a few of you out there that know Mary Ella has an extreme (putting it mildly) fear of Chuck E Cheese. This has spilled over into putting a little of that fear into Addy who has never been to Chuck E Cheese, I might add. They had this conversation this morning:

Addy: I don't want to see Chuck E Cheese. He's scawee.

Mary Ella: Awww, Addy, it is ok. I know he's scarey (paired with a hug and a kiss), but you can go and when he comes out you can go up into the tunnel. He can't go up in there. He's too big.

Addy: I, I, I, I don't yike Chuck E Cheese

Mary Ella: And if he's already out when we get there, I'll protect you don't worry.

Mind you, we have NO plans to go visit Chuck E Cheese. Quite frankly, it is not one of my favorite places either. I just thought it was funny that Mary Ella was vowing to protect her little sister when last time she went, she hid under the table. Did I mention she had an extreme fear of him???

Another happening this week is that I have finally joined facebook. The peer pressure was just awful (wink, wink). I have found most of my lost Galveston friends and tons of others I've lost contact with along the way...too much fun. Scott has even gotten involved. So if you are on facebook, we are out there. Give us a shout!

Found!

Along with many other families this morning, we re-entered the "school routine". After a couple of weeks at home and some mornings to sleep in, we got up this morning and like zombies, got ready for school. Returning to school is a little bittersweet. We enjoy having some mornings where we get up and not have to rush somewhere and we get to fit in some fun family activities. However, as the weeks progress, sibling squables escalate and parents are ready to stop refereeing while the children look forward to returning to activities they call their own. It is all about balance. They heard, "stop aggitating," and "be sweet, " several times per day towards the end. I once heard Addy say, "stop attituding Mary Ella." She got a little confused on the words but definitely got her point across :).

Also, when the kiddos are home it is harder to keep things in their places, pieces to toys together, etc....Well, about two weeks ago some pieces to the fish puzzles went missing. I've been searching, asking...only to receive blank stares in return. This morning I took out Addy's lunch box to find them stuffed in a couple of baggies along with two pieces of stale toast...nice! Guess she had packed a lunch??? She responded, "oh, der are the pishy pieces. Look mommy. You found dem." Silly girl....

Just thoughts

The New Year, whether it is intentional or not, always brings about thoughts of reflection and feelings of anticipation. Last year it was clear we had a big year ahead. Scott was finishing residency, we were anticipating a move and all that entails, Scott had written boards, Mary Ella was beginning kindergarten, Addy was starting a new preschool, Molly was changing daily and had food allergies, and I could go on and on. Over the last year, we've had struggles; however, we have also been blessed beyond belief. Often, when I do find time to blog, the stories that are remembered and written about are the good ones. There were plenty of days of exhaustion, short fuses, and many weak moments. It is not like those were the days I felt like getting on the computer, so those stories and moments are lost and forgotten. I like to keep this blog positive, so that when I do have those moments it is like going to my "savings account" of good that has happened to keep me going. I know it sounds corny, but it is what it is.

So as our family prepares for another year, we are, again, expecting some big events. For instance, Scott will be taking his oral boards in April. These are tough to prepare for. Imagine going room to room in a hotel and being quizzed one on one by different oral examiners. He passed his writtens in August making him eligible for this last step in his training. Of course, this also means many family and personal activities be put on hold because "not being prepared" is not in this man's vocabulary! We are praying this is the only time he has to do this.

We also have many friends going through intense struggles right now from those affected by Hurricane Ike to those affected by illness and other major struggles. Rest-assured, my sweet friends, ALL of you are also in our family's daily prayers. We hope these challenges continue to work towards resolution and that you would continually feel the cloak of God's unwavering grace around you.

Many blessings to you all and Happy New Year as well! Love, Us

Oh yea!

I forgot....I did have a birthday. On December 30th, I, uh-hum, turned 33 years old. Yikes! Mary Ella came running down the stairs enthusiastically saying, "Happy Birthday Mom! I've gotta give you a birthday Huuuuuug!" How on earth can you start off a birthday better than that??? We had a good day. Scott got home and we went out to dinner. Bonus! No cooking or cleaning. Golly, I'm easy to please these days :).