Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Child #2: The Plague Continues...

This kid never stops.
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Aidan Kai is a mover and a shaker. Always has been.
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He cried for the first 4 1/2 months of his life...not a typical newborn's disgruntled mew. No, this kid wailed. Shrieked. Screamed. Indignantly.
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Around the time the crying stopped, the exploring began. He just couldn't sit still. He couldn't even lie still. He'd wriggle around the crib so much that he'd bump his head several times a night. Now? He gets into stuff. He pulls things off counters. He climbs into drawers. He whops his big brother on the head. And he does (almost) all of it with a big toothy, dimply smile.
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Tonight? Not so much.
Tonight? He just wanted to be held. He wanted to be still.
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We had an H1 scare over the weekend. After Ben hit 104.3 for a second time, we took him in to see the after-hours pediatrician, who diagnosed him with H1...just off the top of her head, really. Then, after insisting there was nothing to be alarmed about, she insisted that if the baby got even 101, we had to bring him in "immediately."
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The baby hit 101 yesterday. And yes, I was alarmed.
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Turns out, according to our family pediatrician, who knows all of my kids' quirks by heart, there is no H1 in the household (Hurry! Knock on wood!!!). This is a product of all these damned colds and viruses that have been swimming around here for 8 weeks. So now we deal with more antibiotics, more ear infections (currently, 3 out of 4 children's ears in this house are officially infected), more green slime coming out of noses, more coughing and sneezing.
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Ben is finally getting better (will it last longer than a week this time?), but Aidan Kai is in the worst of it (we hope). This will be our 5th night in a row during which our alarm will ring every 2 hours so we can check a child's fever, apply a cold washcloth, administer medicine or hugs.
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I'm not real big on blogging about my kids' day-to-day stuff. I prefer to limit my posts to when I really feel like I have something to say...or share...or complain about. I try to make this blog more about my struggles and victories with being Me while being Mama. But these last few days, this is all my life has been, and so it is during these times that that side of Me that I often write about...the one I work so hard to hold onto and help grow...the non-Mommy me...the Just Me...that one is pushed (shoved) completely out of the way for a bit, so the Mommy Me can be out in full force. When my kids are sick, I can't be anything other than Mama. Nor do I really want to be.

12 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry that you're still dealing with so much illness. I love, though, the perspective you bring to this post: "When my kids are sick, I can't be anything other than Mama. Nor do I really want to be." What a wonderful mother you are to realize that your family deserves a Mommy who is a Me too, all the while recognizing the times we need to be a MomMe all at once. Hope everyone feels much better - and soon.

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  2. I can't believe how much sickness you guys have been dealing with. I'm so sorry! This is definitely when our super powers come out in full force and we just become one big heart full of love for the little guys. They look so helpless and meek when they're sick... kills me.

    Keep giving those hugs - they'll be better soon and tearing your house apart again in no time!

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  3. Hang in there! We were there about a month ago. When the baby would only sleep on my chest, and the fevers were SO HIGH, and the coughing up mucus into a towel, and thinking we were only moments away from having to take one kid to the ER. I hope recovery is in your near future!

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  4. Oohh- Mama. I am so very sorry for your family. Those are the dog days of parenting, truly. And it just seems as though it will never end. But it always does- sooner than later, I hope. For your sake and theirs. Hang tough Liz.

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  5. Ohhh - the picture says it all! I soo remember those days; it's a knife to the heart to have babies that are sick. Soon, they'll all be well and you can go back to splitting your time betwee being YOU and Mommy!

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  6. Sending you healthy, good vibes. It will pass. The question is when. Time will heal!

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  7. Oh, hang in there Liz....great post, very well put.....I can empathasise, my two and me are all sick right now, it seems to have gone on for weeks....a temp of 104 is pretty scary though.

    Take care....

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  8. I hope the sickness leaves soon -- but how cute is that baby in his little diaper? So smooch worthy!

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  9. Yikes. I'm thinking positive thoughts and sending you positive-get-better-mojo.

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  10. Eeek, two sick kiddos, I'm so sorry to hear that - I hope they get well soon! My 21 month old had swine flu last month and is still fighting the subsequent ear infections (yes, two of them!) that came along with it. I hope your kids aren't out of commission for too long. Good luck! Stopping by from SITS this morning.

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  11. stopping by from SITS

    LOL you are going to be a tired mommy for many years to come!

    enter my giveaway for a $25 American Express gift card!♥
    http://theredheadriter.blogspot.com

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  12. Liz... you poor things. Hope you're all better now (I think from the comment you left at mine you are - so hooray!!). Its awful when everyone gets sick for ages. But I'm sure you will now be able to enjoy a germ free Christmas! Gorgeous picture by the way - you know they're sick when all they want to do is cuddle! It gets me right in the heart! x

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