2 Peas in a Pod

Emma isn't feeling great, so last night she came into bed to cuddle with me. I let her lay down for a while so she could keep her head elevated a bit.

She was super cuddly and being sweet. She says, "Daddy will make me go back in my bed."

I responded, "He'll let you lay in here for a while since you aren't feeling well."

"Oh so Daddy knows we're supposed to be together?"

"Yep. We're like two peas in a pod."

She thinks for a minute, "oh, so we're 'poddies'?" and then giggles hysterically...

Doom on you...

Well, I'm alive.

Whoo hoo!!!!!!!

For those of you nice enough to email me to find out if I fell off the face of the Earth - well - I sort of did.

As I mentioned - we have been sick. Two and a half weeks ago I came down with the scary 105 degree fever - vomiting - chills, etc.

Tuesday it was Anna's turn at the doctor - nasty ear infection. Antibiotics (the fun orangy bubble gum tasting stuff)

By Wednesday I was feeling somewhat human again and didn't call the doctor.

Thursday night the 105 degree fevers returned and I couldn't breathe. On Friday - Dan literally drove me to the doctor where I was promptly diagnosed with pneumonia.

Did I fail to mention that Dan was flying out Saturday afternoon for 8 days??? Oh... well he was. Dan dropped me off at home, and ran out to pick up the Big Boy Antibiotic - the antibiotic that was going to kick the infection out of my body quickly so that I could be conscious and care for my children in his absence. Apparently I'm not quite man enough for the Big Boy and promptly had a fun little allergic reaction to it - and violently removed it from my system.

Then Dan ran Emma to the doctor where she could be diagnosed with her own nasty ear infection. More antibiotics.

Here is where my Mom called and asked if we wanted her to fly out and watch the children while I huddled in bed with fever.

We quickly conferred and agreed that having Mom traipse across the country was much preferable to having our children fend for themselves like wolves, or paying the $2K change in fare for Dan to leave Monday.

This brings us to Saturday - more fun fevers - Dan to the airport to fly out, Mom to the airport flying in. I had 6 hours alone with the kids and I thought I'd never make it. Mom arrives to the rescue.

Three nasty days of fevers and breathing issues ensued and then magically I began to feel better (ok - so not so much magic as modern day science and lots of antibiotics... but hey, it's sort of like magic). Now - another week later I feel about 60% better. I am still exhausted, still coughing and can't breathe but I can function. Anna and Emma are also doing much better.

So - now that you have had a full blow by blow re-enactment of my illness you may carry on. I'm sure that your life is now complete and full of meaning now that you wasted 2 minutes on reading this drivel.

Oh yes - and a huge, gigantic shout out to my mom (and my Dad for flying her out here!) for being there for us. You would be short at least one grandkid if I had been left to care for them. So thank you. We love you!!

Yes Mom...

Since I do as I'm told - I'm posting. We have indeed been sick. Julia came in our room last Thursday night with a fever. She woke up with a sore throat but her fever was gone by noon. Other than a bit of a cough by Saturday morning she was back to 90%.

Cue next illness... Sunday Anna is next with a fever and congestion. She never gets really sick but enough to spend a lot of time resting. On Monday, Dan and Emma follow. Tuesday, it's me.

Wednesday Anna is better, Emma is doing much better, Dan is ok and I am ok except for the cough.

Thursday I wake up and feel like a Peterbilt hit me. Thursday night Anna is complaining of an earache. By 10pm it has escalated into moaning and crying (Anna - not me). We settle in for a long night. Friday morning Anna is feeling a bit better but still has the earache.

Did I mention that Emma is acting up? Not eating???

So it's Saturday - I'm doing better but have a nasty cough (yes I know I NEVER get a chest cold), Dan is doing great, Julia is fine, Anna is still congested and has ear pain but it's manageable with the occasional Tylenol. Emma on the other hand is currently resting ON my hands as I type this. Holding one ear and starting, eyes glazed over, at the TV (which has Wow Wow Wubbzy on it), and I can feel the heat from her that her fever hasn't gone down yet.

Hurricane/Tropical Storm Kyle is on it's way and it's been raining for 24 hours already. I hope it blows all this illness right out of the house.

So... there is a post!

Day ONE

So our trip began with the alarming news that Dan had to work the morning that we were leaving.

For those that know Dan, know that this did not bode well for our timeline.

We ended up leaving our house at the time we intended to arrive at the airport.

Can you say holy hell?? How do we get all of our stuff checked in, drop the car off at the off site parking, and get 3 kids worth of stuff through security.

Dan and I split up. I took Em and Anna and stood in line to have our bags checked in at the skycap. Then I headed off to the security checkpoint.

The girls were great and we headed to our gate. They were boarding and so I headed to the preboard area to get in line.

They had me wait a moment until they finished boarding group A.

Little did I know they were summoning the big guns to tell me my ass was too big for their plane. The little ticket taker agent guy was so cute. He was too nervous to tell me what was going on, so he pulled me on the the little jetway thing to have his manager tell me my ass was big. The manager was super nice. She apologized since it was unneccesary since I was flying with two children and would have plenty of room for my excess ass if necessary. She escorted me on the plane to help me get situated with the kids which was super helpful. She was pleased as punch when my sizable ass fit in the seat. She also informed me that this was brought to her attention because there was another "customer of size", or C O S as it were, on the flight. She did not purchase an extra seat for her left butt cheek and since the flight was full, she was going to have to fly with half an ass on the plane and half out.

All of this fun and excitement was a nice diversion to my other concern. That my husband and daughter hadn't arrived. The plane was full. Very, Very full.

They made it on, as in last people on the plane made it on.

It was a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG six hour flight. The girls did really well, but we were all ansty to get off the plane.

My ears did not pop on the descent and I was in quite a bit of pain. I started popping decongestants in hope of relieving the pain.

Oh, before I forget. Here is where I mention that as we pulled our bags of the carousel Dan was panicked that one of our bags didn't arrive. I pointed out that all of our bags were indeed there. I checked them myself. 3 bags. Another Holy Hell moment. Dan had put one of our bags in the middle of the van and I had only pulled the bags out of the back. Of course it was Dan and Julia's suitcase. The two people in our house who do NOT need a single additional piece of clothing.

Did I mention we landed at 830p AZ time (1030P EST) and the kids did not sleep on the plane? Not at all? After bathroom breaks and fun at the luggage carousel, Anna and Em and I hung out side the airport waiting for Dan, Julia and little tiny rental car to arrive. At 11pm AZ time (1am EST) they pull up in an electric blue Toyota Camry. We load up and head directly to In and Out for dinner. By the time we had our food, 2 of the 3 kids were sleeping and Julia apparently was too tired to eat. That left Dan and I with 2 Double Doubles, 3 grilled cheese sandwiches, 2 milkshakes, 2 lemonades and 1 coke. Oh and 3 fries.

We make it to our hotel and are pleasantly surprised at how nice it is. We head up in the special "key card" elevator to our special floor. The room is awesome. A big old flat panel tv, cookies and milk and relaxing music set out. In a room with one King bed. Yes. One King bed. for FIVE people. No crib either. It was midnight (2am for my girls) and everyone was spent. The hotel kindly and quickly moved us across the hall to an equally cool room but one with 2 double beds and a crib. Everything is great except Anna is moaning as she tries to sleep. From a little after midnight until 2am I rocked her as she cried. Her little ears didn't pop either. Dan ran out to Walgreens and bought some Ibuprophen. She was out at 2am. I was out at 2:01am. Oh, did I forget the EST time? That would be 4:01AM Eastern Standard time.

At 430am the fire alarm begins chirping. After 10 minutes and it doesn't appear to be stopping, we call the front desk. Em wakes up and isn't thrilled. I spend until five AM getting her back to sleep. I bet you can't guess what time Julia woke up. That would be SIX. as in A.M.

I guess technically we're at Day 2 of the trip... So I'll leave you with the promise of dust and vomiting and hysteria for the rest of the day. Did I mention my doctor had me go cold turkey off of my Zoloft and start my Wellbutrin on this trip. You KNOW more hilarity will ensue... I know you can't wait!

Sleep, blissful sleep

I didn't get a whole lot of sleep, but more than normal, so I feel fairly decent today.

I slept in my comfy bed last night, with clean, fresh sheets. No vomit to be found.

Em spent 90% of the night in her bed, also no vomit to be found.

I consider that a success.

yack

For the third time this week, I am awake in the wee hours of the morning with a sick kidlet. Anna started last weekend with a fever and laid in my bed whining till all hours of the morning.

Then came Julia with her horking in the middle of the night on Wednesday. All 5 of us were up from 330-630a with her. Again. Fun.

Now this morning (as in 12:10 AM) Em just puked her little guts out. Soooo much vomit. Ick. I was holding her (well, of course I was!!) when it happened. She had just gone back to sleep, and she got me good. Not a single drop on her though. Nice. Again. Fun.

I'm hoping this fun ends soon. I need some sleep.

Oh - and no funnel cakes for me tomorrow... I have to stay home from the Fair with the puker.

Sickness - thee have invaded....

Yes - 2/3 Doughkids are sick, sick, sick. Julia is hopefully on the up end of it - after having a low grade (100 degrees or so) for over a week and a nasty, nasty cough. Em is having a much rougher go of it. Today we had a hard time staying on top of her fever - which hovered around 102 degrees for most of the day - and went as high as 104 degrees.

Poor baby. She has pretty much just laid on us and slept all day. Moaning and whining. She'll nurse for short amounts of time but then falls asleep. We're working on alternative nursing positions so she can be more upright when she nurses - that seems to help a bit. She will take small amounts of water in her sippy cup too.

The last two nights she won't sleep in her crib - even with it elevated and so I've had to sleep in my recliner with her.

I'm not really sure what gets to me more - the moaning or the sad little feverish look in her eyes.

I hope she's well enough to get her flu shot next week!

I'm praying Anna doesn't get it - since each time she gets a respiratory problem it's a long month to recovery and has included bouts of pneumonia.

Did I mention I have a sty in my eye? No? Yeah - so feel for me will ya???

Goobla goobla humonga!

Just thought I'd throw some Swedish chef on ya'll.

We're having the traditional spread here, turkey, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, dressing, baked yams, applesauce and green yuck (although I've been told it's called pineapple lime jello mold). We'll have pumpkin pie or double layer pumpkin pie for dessert.

Em has caught Julia cold and is miserable. She has a low grade fever, runny nose and cough. She's sad and whiny. Not like her at all.

We enjoyed the Macy's Turkey Day parade - Anna in particular was excited and loved the Dora balloon - but made me rewind the Grinch Who Stole Christmas performance about 5 times!

Now the girls are entertained by Barbie and the 12 Dancing Princesses while I wade through the side dishes to get dinner ready.

Update: Dinner was delicious - we really enjoyed it all. Em was covered in sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes. Now it's on to the pie!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!