What a Day!

I have just washed my hands and applied super-duper-germ-killing-goop to my hands for the 100th time today, boiled a little boys toothbrush (because you never can be too careful), given out the appropriate doses of codeine elixir (might grab some myself!), wiped a nose too stuffy to be blown and picked up all the tissues wadded on the floor from the days' use. The only thing left to do is to place buckets in strategic places next to the beds in case anyone pukes in the night. Ahhhhh.....all in a days' work.

It started as a normal Tuesday, except it was anything but normal. I was awakened by Grayson's groaning, complaining he couldn't breath well. I took him back to the doc who took one look at him and announced, "I'm stumped as to a diagnosis, but he looks sick enough to be hospitalized". Yes, those were his exact words. Grayson promptly burst into tears as I asked for the next steps. We found ourselves driving to Children's Mercy in Gramma's new Volvo (easier to park than the beastly Suburban) and I explained to him that Thelma got to order ice cream whenever she wanted and could watch movies any time day or night when she stayed in the hospital. That's all he needed for a buy in. We checked ourselves into the ER and waited.....and waited....and waited. A guy nurse came in and taught Grayson how to "cough up the biggest loogy you can" for the flu test (so much for all those manners we have been teaching!) and told him how it was by far the grossest and coolest one he had seen that day (what's a mom to do??). Apparently Gray didn't make the cut for an overnight stay, much to his dismay, and we came home loaded with drugs that will help his pain and give him rest.

We walked into the house to the sound of Zion crying his head off -- kid #3 got it. Less than an hour later he barfed up lunch onto the dining table. I guess the Pepto didn't work so well. Randy was so great as he cleaned up all the "big stuff". Jackson was comatose in bed, still in jammies and feeling like his head "was in another universe". Again, exact words.

It is 10:55. I am attempting to get to sleep before midnight. That would be luxurious. Tomorrow is a new day and maybe this was all a bad dream.....but I will still wake up and boil toothbrushes and wipe the doorhandles down with Lysol just to be safe.

** Thanks to Therese Engle and Ann Cone -- what would we do without extra mothers???