The Flashlight family had one of those weekends, and it has carried into this week. We went “big grocery shopping” on Saturday (good thing!) and Tim mentioned a couple of times that he felt funny. I assumed it was a Man Cold (YouTube link) but is seems to have been something much unfunnier. He has spent the last 2 days trying to keep down water. We’re up to watered-down Gatorade and bouillon for him. YUM!
Funny conversation Sunday night:
Mary: (grabbing the cup on the edge of the bathtub) You want some of this Gatorade?
Tim: (answering from somewhere down inside the bowl) I think the cat may have drank out of it. Do you think it’s still OK?
Mary: NO!
The boys both have colds – a newborn having a cold is just AWESOME, y’all! Plus, since we went to Dale Jr’s 6 month appointment last week (which is probably where we all picked up the germs), and were roundly scolded for not having him already on “3 meals, plus a snack,” of solid foods, we’ve been trying to shove more food into him. And that? Has resulted in unpleasant tummy. Screaming, crying, straining, unpleasant tummy. Today I tried adding prunes to the mix, and have decided we’ll have to work up to those 3 meals plus snack.
The J-man is constantly wiping his nose with his sleeve, which means that he has a sore spot underneath his nose, and some serious cheek chappage. I wish there was some way to teach him to blow his nose, but I can’t figure it out. It’s not like he’s going to mimic me doing it. He’ll also hand us a tissue and ask for “no z” but that just gets the tiny bit under his nose, and doesn’t really help because right after we use the tissue, he swipes with this sleeve again anyway. He’s been watching WAY too much Laurie Berkner and Signing Time, but that’s about how much I can handle while carrying around the other sick baby.
And then there’s me. I’ve been OK, except getting a cold, but am being worn down by the lack of sleep, and keeping up with 2 sick kids and 1 sick husband. I now sound as though I am a 55-year-old, 40 pack-a-day smoker.
Thank goodness for Pepaw who came over on Monday, and for my friend Elly who came over on Sunday night when I thought I might have to take Tim to the ER.
We’ll be back!
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
UGH. Sounds vaguely familiar. Um, except for the cat drinking the Gatorade. Eeww. Hope you all feel better soon.
Oh, no fun at all. I hope that all of you recover quickly and get that energy back!
One line that really jumped out at me was about the nose-blowing. “It’s not like he’s going to mimic me doing it.” Oh my, did you hit the nail on the head. The missing impulse to imitate is just such a stymie for all the ways I’m used to teaching!!
Lots of get-well thoughts coming your way.
I really hope they feel better. If you figure out how to teach nose blowing, let me know. I try with Little Bug, but he would much prefer to run around with snot covered sleeves and a bright red nose.
Take care!
Why are they so keen on him suddenly eating more solid food? I though the child was a large healthy size!
Thanks everyone for the good wishes! We’re much better now, but I wouldn’t say we’re WELL yet (except Tim is no longer worshiping the porcelain throne.
I’ve considered making a picture board for nose blowing, and I’m pretty sure I can get the J-man to do everything… except the actual BLOW part. We’ll see.
Yes, Jenny, Dale Jr is massive (19lbs 7oz at his 6 month appointment). Truly, I think that for all doctors quote “breast is best,” they really don’t think it can sustain a child! I wonder how they think people did it 100 years ago? They can’t measure it, can’t add vitamin D or iron to it, can’t CONTROL it, and I think that makes them nervous. No wonder so many women in the US don’t even make it 6 months nursing, besides the year that the AAP recommends or the 2 years that WHO recommends.
We’ve added back in like a solid feeding per day, and will continue on with that for a while, and then we’ll move up to 2. I’m guessing that before his 9 month appointment, he might be eating 3 meals of solids a day.