Life in the Slow Lane

Well, this virus has really knocked us off our feet.  Your prayers worked on Monday, because Tuesday Bradley woke up warm 100.5, but not blazing hot.  It was an improvement!

Tuesday afternoon he almost felt cool again to me.  He started laughing and playing on the floor with Ellie.  Man it was so great to hear his little giggles.

Wednesday he woke up warm again, but he seemed better.  He said he was feeling better.  I talked to the doctor and he wanted me to get him outside, off the couch, into the sunshine.  Get him hungry so he would actually eat.  Not just 1/2 of an eggo waffle.  We went for a trip to the park, where Ellie walked around picking up mulch and just happy as a clam.  I think she was in shock to see sunlight and something other than the living room carpet.  Bradley spent the entire trip sitting on the park bench sipping on water.  After 30 minutes he told me that he wasn’t feeling well.  We got home and I prepped lunch.  After a while I checked on him on the couch and bam…the thermometer read 102.5. 

mama lost her marbles.  I didn’t say anything in front of Bradley, but to see him laying there again, on fire, I was just beside myself.  A few frantic calls to the hubby and the doctor and I felt better, but how could this be happening again, I thought we were getting better?  So frustrating.  The doctor still seems encouraged that his temp was lower yesterday, and just thinks that this can happen with these nasty viruses.  The poor boy crawled right into bed and slept for almost three hours.  We are ordered to continue with dosing the medicine and to try again tomorrow to get him up and moving.  He is just plain feeble and weak from so many days of fever and laying around.

Tomorrow is a new day.  I am praying for a time when I finally don’t have to force Tylenol and ibuprofen down him.  I am just praying to get out of the house, have a play date, go to dinner, pretty much anything outside! 

I did set up the baby pool for Ellie the other day on the deck.  She was in heaven…

Of course Bradley wanted to join her on the deck to test out the baby pool. 

 

Just another day in paradise. 

Oh how much you love your children.  I would take this away from him in a second if I could.  I can’t believe how hard his little body is fighting to get better.  It is painful to see your children so ill.

my mantra, tomorrow he WILL get better.  xo, Clare

Earning My Mommy Badge

The past nine days have been a roller coaster.  Sick babies, sick big brothers, and two tired parents.

First it was Ellie.  She is the culprit.  She picked up the summer virus somewhere along the way (my guess is the children’s museum).

Three days of high fever and fussiness, but then all was well.

Wednesday we went to camp and Bradley started feeling sick.  I came to get him with a fever of 102.  Well, it didn’t drop for days.  Medicine made it tolerable.  But, he was miserable for the most part.

We vegged out.  We watched hours and hours of TV, movies, blu-ray, shows on the Wii.  We played on the couch.  We played in the basement.  Ellie and I played on the deck while he rested.  Three days passed and he didn’t get better. 

Still feverish on Saturday.  Still 103.5.  Still waking up at 11, then 4 or 6 on FIRE in the middle of the night, needing more medicine. 

Then Sunday morning he walked in HOT, and this mama started to get worried.  We called the pediatrician immediately.  Five days at 102 or 103+ wasn’t acceptable.  The doctor stopped by.  Yes, on Sunday afternoon (he is amazing).  Looked him over from head to toe.  Checked for strep.  Said, he was all clear for strep, but we would have to get blood work done on Monday if his fever didn’t break.  That this was a summer virus going around.  No other symptoms besides high, high fever and watery eyes.  Nothing else.

I was convinced it would be gone in the morning.  He is going to be fine tomorrow, I told myself.  We will wake up with our old Bradley back.  I missed his chatty old self.  He was so, so quiet.  So tired.  Gray circles under his eyes.  Sunday night he cried saying that he didn’t feel good.  He just wanted to be better.  His eyes hurt.  His brain hurt.  His arms ached.  His shoulders ached.

I have never in my life seen him this sick.  It is scary to feel so helpless.  To only be able to offer your child two teaspoons of some sugary medicine and tell them that it is going to be better tomorrow, when you aren’t quite sure yourself.

Monday morning came.  The thermometer read 103.1.  I was devastated.  We went to the hospital to get his blood drawn.  The pediatrician gave us good advice on how to handle the situation with him.  There was quite a bit of fear and tears, but we all survived.  Daddy went to Toys R Us and surprised him with lots of goodies to take home. 

Chris and I didn’t talk about it much, but we were both really scared.  Why wasn’t he getting better?  Was there something more serious going on?  Ellie was only sick for a few days.  He should be better.  The doc encouraged us that this was just routine when any child has a high fever for over five days.  I was deeply worried.  I waited all day for the call.

He was fine.  All of the blood work was normal.  But, we were going to have to wait it out.  Two to three more days the doctor said.  I said some prayers last night for my little guy.  Please just let him get better.

He didn’t wake us up for medicine in the middle of the night.  We checked on him and he felt warm but not HOT.  This morning the thermometer read 100.5.  We are making progress.

 

We aren’t completely out of the woods.  But, it is a heck of a lot better than 103.5.  I’ll take it for now.  Bradley said he felt better.  Which is crazy, because this would normally be a high fever.  I am sure it must feel better than 103.

I don’t know why this virus hit him so hard.  Today I am just plain thankful.  I am glad we are healthy.  I am so thankful that this wasn’t something else, something much worse that I don’t want to even comprehend.  Even if his fever is gone tomorrow, it is going to take us a while to be back to normal.  He is really worn out.  He has hardly eaten a thing in seven days.  He is weak.

Next week I am hoping to be back at the pool.  Back in action.  For now, I just want that thermometer to read 98.6.  I will be one happy mama.

  stay well, love, Clare

sometimes its rough

sometimes it is tough to be the mommy

the baby gets sick, she gets hot, hot, hot

she wakes you up with her fever and her scared little moaning cry

she whines and clings and won’t accept anything less than being held by mommy for three days straight

but she is a really, really cute laundry folder

and she loves to play peek a boo with you for entertainment

then….

you know the drill, big brother gets sick next

he misses days at camp and gets hot, hot, hot

he cries and whines and takes lots of medicine

luckily for mommy, he likes to watch movies and lay on the couch

and legos have become a new favorite thing

they have 589 pieces and take a good majority of ellie’s naptime to put together (ok, only 231)

bradley insists that he knows how to put it together,

while mommy insists that we read the 70 page book and follow the directions properly

is it already in their DNA to not follow directions at the age of 4?

after a fun visit from the fed ex man, this arrived

mommy put it together all by herself, with the help of a sweet little baby

we gave it a test drive just to venture out of the house

I hope tomorrow is the end of it, poor little babies and poor mommy

thank you amanda for showing me instagrams on my iphone

I’m hooked in a major way

and yes my iphone hasn’t left my side since last wednesday

totally obsessed!!

since we are on a kick of phone pics, here are some from a sunnier day…

bradley riding a horse for the first time down by the farm

he even got to ride around the barrels, so big!!

gotta love daddy documenting the first time even though I missed it!!

Love, Clare

Up, Up and Away

Well, I survived the first week of summer.  The first week I have had both kids at home all day every day in almost 10 months!  Of course just give me a bit more of a challenge Ellie decided to go from this…

Stroller Walking June 2011

 

to this…

First Steps June 2011

Wow, I forgot how much walking changes things!  We went from the manageable crawl to the full blown, watch her every second, she is going to fall, let me help you, won’t let me hold her for one second, walking.  I know, I know, running is next!

I am totally a sucker for that adorable baby waddle.  I just spend time watching her with googlie eyes while she stomps around in that little flat footed walk.  Miss Independent here we come!

We spent the week doing lots of fun stuff.  Mostly the pool, little visits to the gym, and some great little play dates.  Daddy went golfing for father’s day with his buddies.  Mommy lost her mind by day four and was requesting personal quiet time from four year old that NEVER stop talking.  I mean never.  Going to one of our favorite Children’s Museums on Thursday, Amazement Square was a nice change of pace.

The kiddos spent a great deal of time at the entrance of the museum pushing these things back and forth on a large board.  If one side went in, the other popped out.  You can say it was a bit of a battle…

A few buddies met us for the trip.  I only took four pictures.  Four.

Remember, I was following this little girl that wants to walk all over kingdom come?  Don’t let her innocent smock watermelon outfit fool you.  She is on a mission!

At least strollers, and snack traps can keep her entertained for five minutes.

This week Bradley has “camp” and Ellie has been a little sick.  So I think our game plan will be to take it easy, rest up, and prep for my next three weeks with both kiddos at home.

I need to look up some other fun stuff to do, suggestions?

Love, Clare

Because He Rocks!

It’s true, he does!!  He will do it all.  Change diapers, bath kiddos, heat up bottles of milk for his sweet princess,  play t-ball in the backyard (just one more hit daddy), color endless spider man pages, and cut up hot dogs into bite size pieces. 

All of it.  Fatherhood.  He embraces all aspects of it.  He passes the test.  Here’s the proof.

Not many Daddies volunteer to coach 4 year olds playing t-ball.  He was awesome with the team, and I wouldn’t have expected any less.  Even when they missed the ball for the third time in a row, Chris was right there cheering them on.

Babe, you work so hard.  I don’t know how you balance it all?  Your business.  Your customers.  And still giving us so much at home.  I am one lucky gal.  And these two are the luckiest of them all.

Because they have you.  And that is priceless.

Bradley got the cake right.  You are the #1 Dad around here.

Happy Father’s Day to you and all of the other amazing Dad’s out there!

Including my Dad!  You’re pretty fabulous too! 

Can you believe how little Ellie looks in this picture from Christmas?  Crazy!

Love, Clare

After Dinner

Sometimes after dinner we like to go outside.  Sometimes it is still really hot and sticky.  After we eat our ice cream, we watch daddy turn on the sprinklers.  Then chaos ensues. 

Clothes get stripped off.  Bradley waits patiently for the cool sprinkle of the water to reach the front porch.

Ellie isn’t sure that she is up for this game of getting soaked before bed.

Then Bradley goes for it.  Full force in the yard.  Butt crack and all.

Sometimes he just reminds me so much of Chris.  The resemblance is unmistakable.

We try Ellie one more time under the water.  Just to see if she likes it or not.

I think NOT. 

Off to bed with one wet baby and one soaked big brother.  Isn’t summer the best?

Love, Clare

No Explanation Needed

 

This is pretty much how it goes.  It’s hot.  Super hot.  Like 105 degrees with the heat index. 

Children and I go to end of the year “water” party at Bradley’s school.  Very fun and cute for Bradley.  But mostly Ellie and I watch and sweat while all of the kiddos run around throwing sponges and cups of water on each other.  Then the sprinklers turn on.  It gets even hotter.  Ellie decides to walk and crawl around in the mulch, dirt and sand. 

By the end of the water party, I decide that my feet are swollen and we won’t be making our second planned stop at the pool.  Home and air conditioning are calling me.  That and the fact that a red faced little baby falls asleep in the car after .2 seconds of leaving school.

This is where I find myself.

Back home.  In the AC.  Staring at the huge mess that is our family room.  And resting this puppies.

I think that this summer heat and my third pregnancy might take a toll on my body.  My hands got swollen the other night after a late night walk with my girlfriends.  That usually doesn’t happen until week 36.  We have a way to go people!  Soon I get joined by a little person on the rug and then I look like this.

Really adorable.  Super squishy.  And almost edible.

Then this little baby decides that looking at a pile of board books on the carpet is really boring.  And she goes off for better adventures.

She finds Caterpillar back hoes.

And little people school buses.

All this while the big man watches his third show on Nick Jr.  Bubble Guppies is annoying.  But, I am HOT.  And my feet hurt.  So I continue my stay on the carpet.

Of course I also have the view of a sweet, sweaty baby crawling around in her diaper.  Does she look tired?

I think I have many mornings at the pool in my future and if the heat index crawls up above 100 again, I don’t think I will be leaving the house. 

Besides just talking about the heat, and my feet, I have been on a movie kick.

Hangover II and Bridesmaids are funny, funny movies.  I loved them both, but I think Bridesmaids gets my final vote.

Do you think this will hold in #2 at the pool?  Not quite sure about it, and really don’t want to be ‘that mom’ that made everyone get out of the pool for a poop accident.  That would be bad!

This is all I want to eat.  Tomato, cheese and avocado sandwiches.  Yummm.  Every day for lunch.  For weeks now.  I know I am boring, but they are so good.

My children are away for the weekend.  Off visiting Grandma on the farm.  Riding the jeep, eating fried chicken, and having a ball.  Bradley might be taking his first horse ride tomorrow.  I can’t wait to hear about it.  I miss them terribly when they are gone, but it is so nice to get some things done around the house.  It is good for Chris to have time with just them too.  Ellie gave him a run for his money on the trip down.  Fingers crossed they have a smoother trip back tomorrow.

I think I pretty much covered everything.  Feet, sweat, babies, baby bellies, and sandwiches.

Love, Clare