Yuckiness

So, I'm not going to lie. It's been a hard 11 days (is that how many it's been?). I came home from the hospital last Saturday morning to a house full of sick kids. Allie had been sick the week before (cough, sore throat and just not feeling well) and Damon and Kyla both seemed to have caught it, too. Damon's fever was gone, but he was still coughing. Kyla was still pretty miserable. She was feverish off and on, coughing and was hoarse. We took apart one room upstairs and disinfected everything. We told the kids that room was completely off limits and we quarantined McKay (and myself, for a lot of the time) in there.

We did let the kids see the baby. For a few minutes. With masks on and their hands dripping with sanitizer. We just wanted to do everything we could to avoid a repeat of last year's RSV.

On Sunday, my family had a special fast for all the sick kids. My sister (who is due to have her baby next week) has been sick for a month and her girls were getting sick, too. So my sweet family was fasting for the health of all these sick kiddos. We let Allie hold McKay for a few minutes (with her mask on), because we thought she was the healthiest. But Monday morning she was running a fever and feeling terrible.

The kids were really good about staying away from the baby, and when they wanted to get within five feet of him, they were good about putting on a mask. I love this picture of my mom and McKay, with Kyla lurking in the background. It sums up our week.

Carter started sounding like he was getting croup again Monday night. Luckily, he had his one year well check scheduled on Tuesday, and when the doctor saw him, he immediately started him on steroids. I know that helped a lot, because although he has developed a little bit of a cough, he never got croupy and has seemed pretty healthy. Although he has been a miserable little boy. I can't say that I blame him. Besides being a little sick, he also had to get shots, and his entire life has changed. He now sleeps in the pack n play in our closet. And someone else is in his old bed. And he's not allowed to go in that room anymore. AND his mommy is always holding someone else. I would be grumpy, too.

Still, even though I understand, it hasn't made it any easier to deal with his tantrums. Two nights in a row, he threw a complete fit during dinner and refused to eat anything. And nothing seemed to make him happy. I just sat at the table and cried. My kids were concerned (I don't know if they have ever seen me cry before), but I just told them that having a baby makes you emotional. I doubt they bought it.

Allie missed school on Monday and Tuesday, but seemed to be a little better on Wednesday. Thursday she was still really lethargic and didn't feel like eating anything and missed school again. Friday I made her go, but her teacher called and said she had a headache and we went and picked her up. She was just not getting better.


This is how she looked most of the week. Poor girl. Finally, I decided we better take her to the doctor. It was almost the weekend and I wanted to know if something was really wrong with her. We waited forever, but the doctor quickly diagnosed her with a sinus infection. He said the cough wasn't in her lungs (that's what we were worried about), and prescribed antibiotics. She has been feeling so much better since we started.

And so I was feeling like maybe all the sickness was finally behind us. But then Jeff came home from his trip and he's got the cold now too. And Kyla is complaining about her tummy hurting and I just took her temperature and she has a slight fever. *Sigh*

One night I was really stressing about things (this was probably Tuesday or Wednesday) and I was on my knees praying, really asking for my kids to get better so that McKay doesn't get sick. I felt very strongly these words: "I am aware of your little ones." So I have tried hard to remember that and know that this time of sickness won't last. And then maybe it will seem easy having five kids. Doubtful, but maybe.

So, having my mom here was SO nice. I honestly don't know what I would have done without her. Trying to keep all the sick kids away from McKay has been very hard, and it's only been manageable because Grandma could distract them with something fun. Kyla kept saying every day, "When grandma leaves, I'm going to be all better and I can hold McKay." And as soon as my mom walked out the door yesterday, she asked to hold him. So I let her. For 5 seconds with her mask on.

I call this the "please don't let me get sick" pose.

McKay has been a dream. He is so sweet and perfect and I have loved every second I get to snuggle him. He is awake a lot for a newborn (like Kyla was) and looks around so calmly at everything around him.



He has looked right at me and smiled, which made my day, even though Jeff thinks it was just gas. He nurses every 3 hours, and my only complaint is his tiny fish lips. He just won't open his mouth wide, which hasn't helped my sore chest. But he nurses calmly, rarely spitting up or burping, and his cirumcision and belly button are healing well. He likes to sleep cuddled up with me at night, so even though he always starts the night in his bed, he usually ends up with me for several hours. I love it.

Here he is at 1 week with the cute moose Noel gave him. I can't wait until we get all the yuckiness out of our home so I can let the kids enjoy him like I have. Carter laughs every time he sees him, but we haven't even let him touch him yet. That will come. Hopefully sooner, rather than later.

Okay, baby's crying. More to come.