It all started yesterday, when my vibrant four year old boy was sitting quietly on the couch at grandma and papa’s house. This was out of character…but he perked up when his cousin walked in and he played for about an hour before I brought him home. He had a slight temperature and had been complaining of his ears hurting. Of course…one more trip to the doctor’s office. So, we put him to bed, and are awakened at 3am by a sniffling boy complaining of his tummy aching. Being the kind parents that we are, we tell him he can only stay in our bed if he stops snorting and sniffing and whining. The snorting is soon replaced by sounds I cannot repeat through writing, but in my sleepy mind, I realize…those sounds are not good. I immediately yell for Dae-Sung to get him out of our bed, and in his sleepy mind, the four year old gets tossed up out of bed and onto the floor. I soon realize, he can’t stay there, so I jump out of bed and pull him by his arm (I wasn’t going to get any closer to him than that) to the bathroom—just in time.
In the morning, the four year old acts as if nothing happened the night before. He is up chatting with daddy while daddy gets ready for work. I come down the stairs (sleepy from my very interrupted sleep), and he is dressed and ready for the day. Was I dreaming last night? He tells me his ear still hurts, but he is okay. I call the doctor, and get an appointment right away. I get the kids fed, dressed, brushed and rush out the door, just in time to realize I have not eaten breakfast. Oh well…it will have to wait. I know when I start shaking from my very caffeinated coffee, at least I will be in a doctor’s office.
The doctor takes one look at his ears and throat and tells me that he has strep throat. She also looks at the one year old’s ears and tell me that she has ear infections. Great. Should I start begging for money now or later for all the prescriptions? I walk out of the doctor’s office with a notebook full of medications to fill, and hope that cold and flu season is almost over. On the way home, the one year old and four year old pass out, and I enjoy the chance to turn off the kid music and turn on some music of my own. I sing at the top of my lungs, knowing that they won’t wake up. I drop off the prescriptions and ask if I can transfer the money straight from their college funds to Walgreens. I think that is a fair trade.
Upon returning home, both children are out and I actually enjoy some peace and quiet. Okay, so peace and quiet meant getting laundry done and prepping dinner. But, I felt good because my kitchen was clean, dinner was prepped, and kids were soon to be drugged back to healthiness. Daddy came in as a night in shining armor with all of the medications in tow. We wake the four year old up to give him his medicine, as his fever is now pushing 103.5. He, in his very cooperative manner, spits the medicine back in our faces. Awesome. I now have strep throat. After threatening his life (okay, maybe just the life of some toys) we finally manage to get the medicine in him. Thankfully, things are looking up now, as he begins to perk up and get an appetite. I make him my classic strawberry shake, with yogurt (good for the tummy, right?) About an hour later, I am browsing recipes (my new exciting stay at home mom hobby), and the one year old comes in and says, “Caleb, uhoh, uhoh, spit” (this was accompanied by spitting noises). I immediately jump up and run into the family room to find the most disgusting sight I have ever seen. I gag. I picked up the phone and told daddy to come right back home. I gag some more. I take the one year old upstairs and lock her up…only to realize that she sat right in his throw up. I gag some more. I run back downstairs, start the bath, and take the four year old straight to the bathtub. I really gag as I take off the soaking wet clothes. Yogurt doesn’t smell so good the second time around. Daddy walks in just in time to catch the diaper of the one year old, who has decided to take this exact moment in time to soil it. I really didn’t think I would make it through this, but I did. With lots of gagging.
I called the doctor and told the nurse what happened, and the first words out of her mouth were, “Did you give him dairy?” Me…nooooo…that was that other mom that thought yogurt would help. Ooops.
The four year old fell asleep on the couch again, and the one year old was left to play by herself. As I was getting a load of laundry out of the dryer, I hear something that sounds an awful like drinking. I run to see what has happened, and sure enough she is drinking his sprite. She gets a big grin, “Caleb’s”. That is all she has to say for herself. Awesome. Now she has strep throat.
Now, Caleb is awake and must carry his bowl with him wherever he goes. He seems to like his bowl. His bowl and him are friends.
Two hours until Daddy comes home for the night…and two hours until I get to leave. Where? I don’t know…but somewhere far away from children.
2 comments:
Please take this as a good thing, I am honestly laughing so hard I am coughing. You put that so well. I've so been there. Maybe not strep but the caios of sick kids. Your sense of humor is too much. Love you. Too bad I didn't know you were looking for an out! I would have run away with you. When are we doing dinner with the four of us?
Oh Jess! I am SOOOO sorry about your past few days. How awful! So well documented- you write beautifully. Man, that does sound like an intense day and I really feel for you. Hope they recover soon.
If it makes you feel any better at all- we've all been sick here for the past 2 weeks as well!!
Oh- HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! such a cute post about you and DS. Loved hearing all about it!
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