It's All About Timing

There are certain things you don't want to hear when faced with this kind of traffic situations.

1. "Mommy, I need to potty!" said with urgency from the 4 year old.
2. "Poop." This from the almost 2-year old.

American Excess (Or Why Laundry Ruins My Life)

is alive and well, as evidenced by the mass quantities of laundry in my hallway, laundry, room, kids' laundry hampers. . . my bathroom floor.  I'm basically saying that we each have about 4 million pieces of clothing.  Laundry haunts me.  Clutters my view as I type this.  Today I decided we should each be allowed 10 outfits.  So then that would be 50 outfits for our family.  That sounds like a lot, but we are lucky to have much, much more.  And by lucky I mean it's also a curse.  A curse that haunts me.  I think I need to downsize, which would make life much more simple or much more likely that you'd see us wearing dirty clothes. 

Oh, and did I mention my husband has pneumonia? Yes.  That's real.  No exaggeration for dramatic effect. 

Where I've Been: A dramatic timeline

I've been on a blogging hiatus mostly.  I mean, a few cute pics thrown in here and there, but this is what we've been facing:

January 15--Special K hasn't gained any weight & is SERIOUSLY underweight, as per his 4 month
                    check-up.  We add a new reflux med & extra coconut oil to his formula.
January 16--Brooklyn shuts her hand in mini sliding door.  ER visit.
January 19--Brooklyn & Ell diagnosed with flu.  I leave with Special K to try & avoid the germiness.
January 22--I feel crappy, but convinced it's just a cold.
January 23--I have the effing flu.
January 25--Special K is snotty & feels warm but actually has a low body temp.  This is its own
                     problem. 
                   Talk to the nurse line.  ER visit recommended.
                   Poppy comes over.  ER visting we go.  I still feel like crap. 

January 25/26--Stay up all night in ER even with flu recovery. 
                   Special K diagnosed with flu (duh) & IV placed for fluids.

January 26--Admitted to room.  Yeah, it was kind of permanent.  I have dirty hair, shelf bra & sticky
                    armpits.
                    Hospital staff heavy-handed with advice.  Skeptical of fast metabolism.  Like to throw
                    around Failure to Thrive (FTT) like it's an award, when in fact it sounds like an
                    indictment of my pediatrician & parenting.
                    Introduce Alimentum formula, which is hypo-allergenic.  In other words, milk proteins
                    pre-broken down.
                 
January 27--Ass-doctor visits.  Acts offended that I am concerned about getting home to my other
                    two small children.  Refuses to discharge us.

January 28--Finally home.

January 29--Realize I'm out of PTO, so paycheck will be 2 days short of pay. 
                    Realize one small can of Alimentum costs $28 and we have to eat beans and rice ONLY.
                    Forever.

February 1--Elliott running a fever at dinner.  Chris takes him to urgent care with diagnosis of a virus.

February 2--Brooklyn wakes up covered in poo--the runny kind.
                     Elliott's birthday.  He seems fine.  Party continues.
                    Elliott wakes in the night puking his brains out.

February 3--Sicky kids

February 5--I start pooing my brains out.  Sorry for that.

February 7--I'm better.

February 9--I'm worse.

February 11--Chris runs fever.  Starts pooing his brains out.

February 12--Realize we have spent $500 in copays since the beginning of the year.

February 14--Chris is finally better.

February 15--Special K is gaining.  All kids snotty.  Coughing.  Drippy noses. 

February 19--Elliott has double-ear infections, likely sinus infection.  Diagnosed after he wakes
                      SCREAMING at 3am.
                      Chris realizes he feels like poo & has terrible cough.

February 20--Oh Dear God, please make this sickiness stop.  I apologize for whatever wrongs I have
                      committed. 

It's not all bad.  We figured out Special K has a milk intolerance/allergy.  Check it:

Happy Baby, Maniacal Baby

It's a fine line.

A Little Rain Must Fall...

Brooklyn is all about yelling, "Mine!" When she yelled "Mine!" about my umbrella one morning this week, I just went with it. The benefit of driving a mini-van is that she didn't put an eye out when she opened it up in transit.