This past week was the worst of times and the best of times for us, depending on the day or sometimes the moment. I don't have any pictures, but so many mental images that I'll probably never forget. Warning, you might need a strong stomach for these stories.
First, the worst:
Saturday Morning Oct. 22 - Kellen's first little stomach bug. Just one throw up and then he was fine.
Sunday Night/Monday Morning - Kellen wakes up around 1pm then as soon as I get back into bed I hear Jenna cough and then splatter. Now, she's got the stomach bug and it's everywhere! Kevin gets up to help me clean up her bed, pillows, mattress (who knew that a waterproof mattress cover is actually only waterproof on the top, not the sides!), and carpet. I get a bath started for her and she gets sick again, this time just on the linoleum. She has a grand time in the bath, then I get her settled into my bed because her bed is being laundered (3 full loads worth!). I go start one of those loads of laundry and then try to go back to sleep. Before I get to sleep, she grabs the bucket and says, "I want to spit up, but it won't come out." Well, it did. Just a little, probably everything that was left. Then we settle down to sleep, but every little noise she makes causes me to sit up and get ready for more. Then Kellen wakes up. Again. I'm still awake when Kevin gets up at 5:30 to get ready for school. I finally do get to sleep at some point and then we all get up around 8am. Poor Jenna has a fever all day.
Wednesday - Kevin wakes up not feeling well, achy, a little stomach upset. Here we go again, I think. But, he's better by the end of the day.
Thursday night/Friday morning - I wake up around midnight hurting all over, chills, fever 101.9 and you guessed it stomach bug for a few hours. I'm finally ready to go back to sleep around 5 am, then Kellen wakes up. Kevin brings him to me, then puts him back in bed. Jenna wakes up at 8. I make it to her bedroom, then have to lay down. Made her some breakfast, then had to lay down. And, that's pretty much how the day went. Do something, then lay down. Fever of 100-101 all day.
The good and the bad (only because I'm laughing about this now):
Friday - There was no way Kevin could stay home because there was a big band contest for both his bands today. So, I'm at home really sick with both kids. Mima came and dropped some gatorade at the door and that helped a lot (note to self - always have gatorade, chicken noodle, crackers in stock). Somehow we made it through the morning. I fed the kids lunch, got them cleaned up and let them start playing a little. I went to the bathroom for maybe one minute. I come back in to see Kellen falling backward and bumping his head. He's tired, too so the combination is making him cry really hard. So, I scoop him up and cuddle him on the couch. He cried so hard that he threw up all over himself, me, a little on the couch, a little on the carpet. So, here I am with a 101 fever and Kellen and I covered in a mess. I call to Jenna to help. She says, "Yikes, we need some towels!" I survey the situation. The towels we have to clean up yucky stuff are in the child-proof cabinet under the sink. Other possible towels are upstairs, but the child-proof gate is up and Jenna can't get over it or pull it down. So, I say, "How about paper towels." Then, she runs to the bathroom (by passing the whole roll that's sitting on the sink there) grabs her step stool and runs back to the kitchen. She climbs up to reach the paper towel roll and grabs one LITTLE sheet off the choose-your-size roll. Then she rushes back and says, "Here Mommy!" Well, she did try to help and she definitely provided comic relief!
I decide to make a break for the linoleum and get all the yucky clothes of Kellen and me. Then I try to tackle the couch and carpet real quickly before Kellen crawls over. I then go upstairs and put Kellen in his crib to contain him and have Jenna entertain him. They have a grand ole time while I'm cleaning up and starting a load of laundry. I say to Jenna, "I guess he just cried so hard he threw up." She said, "Or, he really doesn't like peas!" I finally get them both asleep, then I sleep for two hours. There's a football game that night, so Kevin takes Jenna and I stay home with Kellen. I put him to bed early and go to sleep by 8:30pm. Whew!
Now, for the best of times:
Saturday Oct. 22 - Kellen rolled a ball for the first time (kind of).
Sunday afternoon - We had a great time at the park in the afternoon. (I think I actually took some pictures, but that will have to wait.) Then enjoyed a dinner out together at a new restaurant. Jenna is always wanting to go to a restaurant or have something new to eat. The best of both worlds for her.
Tuesday - Kellen got a new tooth - his left "fang."
Wednesday - I brought Kellen downstairs in the morning, he saw that Daddy was home, pointed to him and said, "Dada." His first word! It snowed all day - my favorite kind of day. Kevin stayed home a little sick. So, Mima met me at the salon and watched the kids so I could keep my haircut appointment. Then she helped me with them on an errand. After lunch, I decided to let Jenna skip her nap so we could make cookies together. We had THE BEST time! She's really good at helping now, even scooped all the cookies onto the baking sheet and lined them up just right. And she couldn't wait to wash the dishes!
Friday - Kellen said, "Boo" (like book without the "k" sound) as he grabbed a book. It was great to watch Jenna and Kellen play together. Jenna was a great help to me all day.
Saturday - Kellen clapped his hands. And, he's just noticed the animals on the blanket that covers the rocking chair in his room. He really loves the giraffe. So, I showed him how giraffes stick their tongues out (something Jenna taught us). He immediately imitated me. Then later in the day, I asked him, "Kellen, what do giraffes, do?" And he stuck his tongue out a few times!!
So exciting to see his intellect come to life and have more communication with him! So, glad for Jenna's comic relief. More glad that my fever is gone this morning and I'm feeling a little better. Now, I must sleep!
