This week has been filled with the needs of three sick babies. And, man, I am exhausted. Too bad this next week might be more of the same. Bleh. (At least Ethan will be here to help out on his week off!) Anna got a cold/bug last weekend, but then got over it pretty quickly, within a couple days. Benjamin then got the same thing, which turned into bronchitis and a pretty bad ear infection (his first one), and lasted a bit longer. Then baby Caleb caught it, despite our best efforts to keep him separated, which ended up being a bad case of RSV AND pneumonia, which is NOT good for his compromised lungs. So. Incredibly. Sad.
It's everything the doctors said would happen if Caleb got sick...and this is even a tamer version because of a monthly shot he gets. Although, it's been pretty bad.
So, this week has been a blur of doctor appointments, needy/sad kids, medication, breathing treatments (every three hours now), diarrhea/throw up (from the bug, and side effects of antibiotics), 'roid rage (Caleb is back on steroids for a week...helps his lungs), lots of Kleenex, lots of laundry, and...well, you get the idea.
I know it's what you sign up for when you decide to become a mother, but sometimes it's still just hard. (And it's been hard even WITH the help of my sweetest mamacita!) So yeah, I think Caleb was meant to be a first born because when he gets sick, he is SO TIME CONSUMING.
BUT, nothing lasts forever, so let's just keep things in perspective. Anna and Ben-Ben just have lingering coughs now, and Benjamin needs to finish his antibiotics. Then we have Caleb to focus on...who will require a lot more: steroids, antiobiotics, breathing treatments, nasal drops, comforting, etc.
SO, looking at the positive, here are a few pictures of each of my three babers, having fun and looking adorable. (Taken before anyone got sick.) Enjoy!
Anna, Rorie, Meghan and I had a fun girls date a couple weeks ago. The main purpose was to find matching Easter dresses for the cousins. (Meg and fam are moving to San Diego this June, so it's one of the last times we can do matchy-matchy for these two cuties.) The first picture shows Anna all ready and excited for her date (and of course she wanted to look fancy...so we compromised with a skirt.) The middle pic on the bottom is hilarious - showing the dresses the girls wanted to get for Easter. Um. Nope. The other is the dress we convinced them to get. They will look beautiful. (Added bonus, it was a great deal/sale!) And not to completely spoil the surprise of the Easter attire, but I have something pretty handsome planned for the boys too...and it involves pink. hehe. After we found THE dress, we did a little more shopping, and the girls had a blast. Seriously, they were so funny chatting away in the back of Meg's car, like two little best friends. And the evening was topped off with a stop at Apple Bee's, with the best waitress ever...Auntie Ashley! (See last picture.) *There was only one mishap the whole evening, when Rorie was almost lost forever at Kohl's during an innocent game of hide-and-seek, but luckily she was found.*
When Benjamin heard us planning our girls date, he was pretty hurt. He decided he needed a date of his own, and with boys only. (Since Caleb couldn't participate, it was just Ben-Ben and Daddy.) Ethan tried to convince him to call it a Daddy/Son OUTING, but Benjamin was pretty stuck on the word "date." Unfortunately, they didn't have a camera with them, but they did have fun, and these are a few pics of them snuggling before and deciding what to do with their Man Time. Jilbert's Dairy was involved (Ben-Ben had just filled up another chart, and that is the ONLY reward he wants to choose). He has recently been informed exactly how that chocolate milk and ice cream came to be, and it just fascinates him. AND he likes to compare it to me, and the "pumping" I did for Caleb. Yeah, it's a little awkward being compared to a cow pumping milk, but it helps Ben-Ben understand it all a little better. Anyway, I think Eth and Benj walked around the mall for a bit and then got some McDonald's. One-on-one time, no matter what you actually do, is always so fun and special for the kids. And Ethan and I love it too. So glad my boys had fun!
Caleb loves to be snuggled and held. But sometimes he also likes to be put down like a big boy, and take in the world on his own. The first picture is him, alone, in our king size bed just enjoying the comfyness. The next two show him hanging out at Gra Melissa and Grampa Chuck's house, propped up in a chair, luring Aunties over to him with his irresistible cheeks and plumpness. The pic of Cabes with his tongue sticking out is just a classic look for him. Hopefully it will go away when he's older, but for now, adorable. :) The last picture is Daddy/Baby shower time! It's one of Ethan's favorite things to do with his babies, and he's done it with all three. I am always too nervous to try it...something about slippery, soapy babies...but they love it. (Caleb likes it when I give him baths in his baby tub too, but it's nice he gets to experience both.) Oh, and don't you just LOVE that smiley little face in the first picture?! Caleb J. smiles so easily...sweetness.
A Couple Other Pieces of Happiness...Or Randomness:
1) All my hair is falling out. I know, not so happy. It's happened a few months after I had each of my babies. But, my hair's pretty thick, so it doesn't make much difference. Anyway, I am happy because this is the last time it will happen. Yay! Yeah, I'm still excited to never again be pregnant, and do all the body changing things. Is that wrong? :) *Yes, I love my three babies...I just do NOT like the pregnancy part.*
2) Caleb, Ethan, and I are going downstate tomorrow because Cabers has an appointment with the Pediatric Pulmonary Specialists at University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor. It's exciting to get away for a few days (I haven't left Marquette since we moved here last August!). And, even though it's almost like a little get-away for Ethan and I, we will have a needy little baby with us. Still, it will be so good to get more information, and hopefully answers to Caleb's lung issues. I'll let you know what we find out!
3) Okay one last thing. A funny exchange between Me (30 :), Anna (5), & Benjamin (2) a few weeks ago:
Anna: Mom, I need to go to the Eye Doctor because my eyes are seeing two.
Me: I think your eyes are okay sweetie (they were), but maybe that's a good idea.
Ben: Um, Mama, Mama?! I need to go to the eye doctor becausthe I have eyesth.
Anna: Ben, you don't go to the eye doctor because you have eyes. Everyone has eyes!
Ben: Yeah I do!
Anna: No, Ben! The eye doctor is just for people who have hurt eyes.
Ben: (Poking himself in the eye) Mama!! I need to go to the eye doctor becausthe I hurt my eye!
Anna: Ben-Ben! You can't hurt your own eyes! That's not fair! Mama! Ben can't go to the eye doctor!
Ben: Yeah I can! I have eyesth too!
Anna: NO! Everyone has eyes! (She was getting pretty frustrated with her little brother...they just don't understand sometimes.)
Me: (Finally deciding their heated - but funny - discussion needed to end) You can both have your eyes checked at the eye doctor, even if your eyes don't hurt. (Someday. :)
2 comments:
I'm sorry your kiddos have all been sick. Isaac, the one that was born four weeks early and had lung issues, ended up being sick for the first two years almost. He got RSV at six months and from that point on every cold was an ordeal. It was hard. But he's super healthy now. There IS an end! I hope the end comes quickly for you and I'm so glad you have your mom to help you and I know it will be even better when your hubby gets there. Hang in there!
Hope everyone feels better soon and you have a nice smooth visit in Ann Arbor with Caleb. The good news is the snow is gone down here. So it will be like a mini tropical vacay
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