Just Write (2)

A Marpac white noise machine set on high, a box fan set on level 2, and a humidifier. I'm doing my best to approximate the sound of a jet engine to lull my children to sleep, lest they be bothered by the incessant jack-hammering going on next door. I have tried not to complain about our neighbor's construction project since I know there's nothing I can do about it, and in the end it may improve our home value, but c'mon, it's been over a year now. Work ceased for months, allegedly due to money woes, and I did not complain about the eyesore or the sound of the giant tarp blowing in the wind, covering the gaping back of a house that looked more like one of those fake house fronts from a movie set. Now the job has recommenced, and when work is on, it's on, sometimes from seven a.m. to ten p.m., six days a week. 

Yesterday all three kids had fevers at the same time, a first for us. We headed to the pediatrician's office and discovered Waylon has a double ear infection. In theory, Joe was going to help me wrangle the kids to the doctor's, and then we'd drive him the rest of the way to work. Instead, June threw up all over him minutes after we were shown to a room. That sentence really doesn't do the scene any justice. June had to be stripped down to her underwear, not even her shoes were spared, and we were given hospital swaddling blankets to wrap her in to take home. Joe left in his undershirt after wiping vomit from his pants, shoes, sweater, shirt, and hair. When vomit seeps through to your underwear, it's time to head for the shower, not the office. Thank goodness Joe was able to help out yesterday.

Sometimes I think he and I do best in crisis mode. I mean, once any initial panic subsides, (and there often is some), we seem to come together, stop instructing, stop criticizing, and just deal as best we can. It's nothing admirable, really, we just find peace in difficult moments, I guess. Maybe it takes the pressure off when you know there's nothing you can really do to improve things, so you might as well just get along getting through it. Of course, kid barf in a pediatrician's office isn't exactly rock bottom, but I'd like to think we'd do as well in a more serious crisis.

Everyone's doing better today. Waylon was at his most snuggliest of all time yesterday, truly a little hot potato. His need to be held was so great that his feet did not touch the ground until 3:17 p.m. by my watch. A lot of parenting isn't necessarily instinctive, but to me this sick stuff comes pretty naturally.



[linking up via Just Write]

What a Day

First off, I'm just going to assume the comments feature is broken or that your fingers are, because was that last post not hysterical?  Well, Joe and I thought it was anyway.

But back to today.  Steph the Nanny was out of town, so I took the day off work and was looking forward to adventures with the girls.  Had considered an IKEA trek, or the Shedd Aquarium, but decided on a good ole fashioned day-long playdate at Maggie's house....which was apparently not meant to be.  We had adventures alright, just not the right kind.

In chronological order:

• Georgia got sick, so we had to cancel and stay home. (Begin juggling routine of doting on sick child while attending to June who did not get it (or like it) that Georgia needed extra attention.)
• On his morning commute, Joe was verbally assaulted on the el by a man who was clearly not well, to the point that for the first time he actually had to get off his train car and move to another one.  But when he arrived at his stop, the man spotted Joe from the train and continued to point and yell!
• Georgia started puking. 
• Joe's credit card number was stolen, and $900 of fraudulent charges were rung up.
• June fell backwards off a step stool and hit her head. 
• Georgia choked on a bite of apple so badly that I had to perform the Heimlich maneuver and sweep her mouth with my finger to dislodge it.  Terrifying, but over quickly.  I'd venture to say that was the low point of the day. 
• Georgia spilled an entire Shakespeare's cup full of milk all over the place.  This probably doesn't seem to you like it should've made this list, but trust me. 
• June fell backwards off the step stool AGAIN.  (Is she a slow learner, or are we terrible supervisers?)
• Georgia broke out in hives on her face, chest and arms at the dinner table and had to be given Benadryl.   
• I ended the day in an (intentionally) uncomfortably cold oatmeal bath, because I'm incessantly itching like a MF, but that's a topic for a whole 'nother post.  

 Better luck tomorrow.