Keeping it all in Perspective

This weekend was most certainly not a good one.  We had a wedding to attend in Wisconsin Rapids, and James was going to stay with my in-laws in Onalaska.  Earlier in the week, I noticed the onset of a runny nose which has become a normal occurrence over the last two months (since he started daycare).  We get two weeks of a healthy little man, and then booger face strikes (which translates to me being a walking Kleenex- with snot all over my shoulders)!  Dealing with a little runny nose is child's play compared to what went down this weekend.  So late Friday afternoon, we head out to Onaslaska.  Prior to our departure, I noticed that James had been a little warm (just waking up from a nap- I thought it was no need to panic).  By the time we made it to Onalaska, he was definitely feverish.  I broke out the Tylenol and decided that we would take it easy to try and draw the fever down.  Jake decided to play a round of golf, so James and I decided to visit Aunt Winnie's new apartment.  As we were on our way to Winnie's, it hit me.  I FORGOT my dress for the wedding.  It was hanging up on the coat hook upstairs, and I didn't check to ensure my husband had loaded it in the truck.  Luckily, we were on our way to Winnie's so I could try and dig something out of her closet (I found a dress that would work- it was a little shorter then I would prefer but it would do). It was while we were there that James' fever spiked, and I noticed a little rash on his lower back and on his bottom.  This was new territory for me, James had suffered from the common cold here and there but NEVER a fever and rash at the same time.  So it was off to Urgent Care, the last place I wanted to be at 5:00 on a Friday evening.  I was worried sick, as his breathing was very shallow and labored.  My poor boy had a fever of 103, he was miserable.  They gave him another dose of Tylenol at the Clinic; and they diagnosed him with Roseola Virus (a.k.a. Sixth Disease).  Essentially it is a souped up virus, with high fever that tends to last about 72 hours.

Friday night was adventurous; we were staying at my in-laws and James went down very easily but was up with fever round 2 at 11 p.m.  So I woke up with him, stripped him down, gave him water, and headed to the basement (where it was much cooler) to try and sleep in the recliner.  That worked for a bit, but he was up and WIRED at 3 a.m.  He started to run around the house pushing a doll stroller.  So, I decided we would take a little field trip to Walgreen's (we were in need of some Ibuprofen anyway).  I thought all Walgreen's stores were open 24 hours; I thought wrong.  Knowing that Festival Foods Grocery Store would be open, we headed there.  I had  just intended to run in and grab the medicine, so of course James did not have any shoes on (as I was certain he would want to be carried).  Again, my thinking was WAY off that night.  Festival has shopping carts for kids, so of course he would want to get down and push one through the store.  The floors had just been cleaned, so I didn't feel quite so guilty letting him stroll the isles BAREFOOT.  It was the happiest he had been all day.  I decided to kill to birds with one stone, and began making a mental list of items we needed at home.  I felt the need to explain myself to the woman at the checkout lane; I felt like the world's worst parent.  She said she had been there and done that, she also noted that James looked to be pretty happy.  On the ride home, I saw eyelids fluttering in the backseat!  Success!  We made it home and into bed by 4 a.m.  FINALLY SLEEP!  James was up at 6 a.m. and ready for breakfast.

We headed back to Rochester late Saturday afternoon, after no napping all day James was exhausted.  He crashed early after his bath at 5:45 p.m.  I knew that the chances of us getting a good night's sleep were not very good.  I was correct.  I decided to sleep in the guest bedroom (across the hall from James' room).  Jake later joined me, to help with a little tag team action.  We were up several times throughout the night.  Another nasty round of fevers, stripping him down, water, and trying ANYTHING to make him comfortable.  Once his fever broke around 4 a.m. he was comfortable enough to go back in his own bed.  We all slept until 8 a.m........BLISS.

Today I think we turned the corner, although James' appetite is still not back up to par.  He has had a lot of milk, so that helps with his caloric intake.  I will keep him home from school tomorrow, so he is able to catch up on sleep and work up a better appetite.  I did some of my work items tonight, in preparation for the unknown that tomorrow will bring.

So in the end, we missed the wedding, hardly got any sleep the whole weekend, and had a minor panic attack due to the forgetting of the dress.  However, as I sit here tonight and think back to the terror attacks that occurred 10 years ago on this day.........I feel lucky to have experienced such a chaotic weekend.  I feel lucky to have my husband by my side, helping take care of our sick child.  I feel blessed that I am here (no matter how tired) to see my son explore the world everyday.  God Bless Our Beautiful Country, and all of the brave men and women that serve it!  I hope everyone else was able to count their blessings this weekend.

Change Is In the Air!

The air is getting cool, there is no denying that the changing of seasons is upon us.  I LOVE summer, but I am a big fan of Fall as well.  No AC, Football, Chili, Reading in front of a roaring fire, Comfy Sweaters and Sweatshirts, and who could forget Pumpkin Spice Lattes!

In addition to the changes in the weather, we are experiencing HUGE changes with our little boy!  I can hardly call him little anymore, seeing as he is weighing in at over 30 lbs.  Who needs a gym, when you have a jumbo Toddler to haul around?!  I have been reading a lot about children and their vocabulary, and understand that 18 months is supposedly the "magical" age when it comes to stepping up the language game.  I was also shocked to read that the average 18 month old girl is usually saying about 100 words; while the average 18 month boy has about 30 words in his vocabulary.  Chalk one up for the ladies!

James has (almost) mastered the following:
Mom
Dada
Ball (Football- Big Surprise, and Basketball)
"All Done" (which is famously stated at the BEGINNING of every meal, and sporadically throughout the entire period of dinner....the real clue to James being done....is food flying off his plate and onto the floor!)
Bicycle (which can sometimes be hard to decipher- sounds exactly like basketball- so I have to rely on those chubby little fingers to show me what he wants)!
Bird
Eggs
Milk
Bus
Motorcycle
Bye
Hi
Fish
Elmo
Ouch
Uh-Oh
Cereal
More
Dog
Moo
Cow
Bug
Apple

So I guess that list puts us at about 20 or so, I will round up to 30 knowing that there are probably a few I have missed and of course my kid is brilliant!  Not to mention, I will give him some additional credit for the fact that some of his words are multiple syllables!  Good to know that the all the hours of reading, "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" and "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" are paying off.