A Stomach Virus

On Friday, Jack came down with a bug of some sort. He was fine all day, playing and running like normal. At about 4:30 in the afternoon, he threw up and from there, it was all down hill. My mother-in-law was watching him that day and after he threw up the first time, he started running a fever. Then at 7:00 on their way home from a late visit, Jack threw up again in his carseat.

He went to bed almost immediately when he got home after a bottle of milk and a little baby Tylenol to bring his fever down. He slept for several hours just fine but around midnight while he was in bed with me, he started squirming, tossing and turning and trying to get comfortable. He kept trying to relieve his stomach pain by tooting but it just wasn't working. In bed, he started dry heaving and threw up just some clear liquid.

By the morning, he had thrown up a couple more times and wasn't able to keep any fluids down, not even water. After a call to his pediatrician, they suggested I take him to the children's emergency room at Emanuel because dehydration could become a concern.

After hurriedly packing Jack's diaper bag with extras like towels in case he puked in the car and a blanket and some snacks for me, I brushed my teeth, threw my dirty hair in a ponytail and got dressed. Thankfully my mother-in-law offered to come with me which is awesome because Jason was sleeping and had to move us back into our house (great timing huh?).

I got to the hospital in record time and the check-in was immediate. We didn't have to wait to get Jack back into a room. The nurse came in quickly and took his temperature (rectally, poor guy), got a blood pressure reading and a pulse. His temp was 101.8 which is pretty high for him. Not his highest fever ever but enough to make me know something was definitely wrong. He was given one of those little soft baby hospital gowns to put on.

The doctor came in and did an exam and his lungs sounded clear, his belly was making good noises and since he didn't have diarrhea, they were able to figure out it wasn't a few things. It wasn't appendicitis due to the good belly sounds. It wasn't food poisoning because of no diarrhea. It MIGHT be a UTI but they wouldn't know that unless they were to catheterize him and that was hopefully to be avoided unless his fever continued for a couple of days. She was pretty certain it was a stomach virus which is easily treated.

Another nurse came in the room and by this time Jack had enough. Everytime someone came in he would cry. This nurse made him cry even more when she gave him a Zofran and a rectal dose of Tylenol. We were told that if he could keep the Zofran down for about 30 minutes, they would start giving him small amounts of liquid over the course of an hour. If Jack threw up anymore, they would have to give him an IV of fluids. Of course, this scared me so I silently prayed that he wouldn't have to go through that. The nurse explained we would be there for a few hours and to make ourselves comfortable.

Jack was very tired so he mostly sat on my lap and snuggled while watching Disney. He dozed off and on as well. He was so warm, even in his little hospital gown. Poor little guy.

The nurse came back after a half hour with Jack's first dose of fluids. She had mixed Pedialyte with some grape juice and he was given 5.5 ml of that through a syringe. If he was able to keep that amount down, we should double it after 10 minutes. Over the course of 90 minutes, Jack got small amounts of his "juice" and at the end, he was up to 22 ml. When he was able to keep that down, he was rewarded with a popsicle. Because he had lost a lot of electrolytes and vitamins, a popsicle is good because it quickly gets his blood sugar back up.

After he ate his popsicle it was like I had a whole new child. He wanted down from my lap and explore his room. Once the nurse saw that we were told to go home, yay!

The rest of Saturday was spent nursing a sick kid who got very small amounts of food along with small amounts of liquid as to not upset his stomach. I tried following the BRAT diet as much as I could but since Jack is pretty picky, he had other things as well. Saltines, some pears, applesauce, toast and oatmeal was his diet for Saturday. Unfortunately, I had to go help at the house for a couple of hours but Nana took care of Jack. Between napping and watching "Mo Mo" (Elmo) he would quietly play with toys.

After staying up late - he literally would not go to sleep. It was like he was making up for being sick and all the down time. - he woke up bright and early on Sunday morning. 4:30 am came quickly and that was when I knew my little man was feeling much better.

We will never know what made Jack sick. None of our family is sick, no one at daycare has been sick, he hasn't come in to contact with any weird substance.......I will never know. I will definitely be more dilligent when it comes to wiping down the shopping cart and washing hands. That trip to the ER was enough to scare me into becoming the psycho germophobe.

Mish Mash

* We are still living with my in-laws, although we are moving this weekend. It honestly hasn't been that bad.

* The house renovations are officially DONE! I am still in the process of painting, but I will be done by the weekend. I appreciate all the help that my friend Michelle provided this weekend. I wouldn't have been nearly as far without her!

* Jack is having a rough couple of days. I am not sure if he's teething, tired, or just plain wanting to go home. He cried when I dropped him off at daycare yesterday and when I picked him up, he was very cranky and ended up not having a bath because he wouldn't stop crying or let me undress him.

* I travel to Denver for work next week. This is the worst possible time. Seriously. I am very grateful for my job but with moving back in and unpacking and wanting to enjoy my house, it's just not a good time.

* Speaking of Denver, I didn't have any work appropriate clothes that fit my fat butt so I had to go buy a pair of black pants. I am going to be "that" person that wears pants for several different days. I have two dresses and plenty of tops so it won't look like I only own one pair of pants, which I sadly do.

* There is a huge list of house stuff that I want to buy. I am not talking an entire redecorating process, just a few things that would better match. For example, since the burgundy tile is gone from the bathroom, I can pick a new shower curtain that will look much better with the new paint. I am thinking of something in the aqua family to brighten the room up. We also need area rugs so our floors aren't ice cold in the winter. I can't pull the trigger and spend over $150 on a single rug though. I am cheap.

* I am 23 weeks pregnant today. If I assume that I am going to deliver at 39 that means I have 16 weeks to go. Holy chit.

* A Facebook friend of mine, Cara, delivered her baby boy early yesterday and he's in the NICU with several issues. If you could spare any good thoughts and prayers, I would greatly appreciate it and I know she would too.

I will get some new and updated pictures of the house soon. Keep checking back!

And Then There Was Floor

Our house is mostly done. There is very little work to be done and what there is should be finished by Monday. That means we are still living with my in-laws but that's another story.

When I went by the house yesterday the flooring was virtually done. The only room that was left to complete was Jack's room (the temporary kitty condo).

Here is what our floor looks like:



Along with the new floor there is also brand new baseboards. It really makes our house look virtually brand new. When we paint this weekend it's really going to look new.

I need to do some shopping for new rugs. I noticed that when Jack was running around the house and playing, he dropped a toy and it made a huge noise. We definitely need the rugs to muffle the sound.

It's all coming together. Keep your fingers crossed that we can move back in soon.

Go The F*%$ To Sleep

I want to buy this book or at least read it. I would be willing to bet it would help my mood with Jack's recent sleep regression. Folks, this sucks.

Jack was never a good sleeper by any means but it's gotten bad. I chalk this up to living with my in-laws. He is in a new place, a new crib, new people and all that crap.

My son used to go down to sleep at 7:00. I would place him in his crib awake and he would eventually put himself to sleep. Not so much now. The past couple of nights if I try to place him in his crib awake, he screams inconsolably. Normally, I would let him cry for a few minutes, but guess what? This is not kosher with the father-in-law. He gets distressed if Jack cries so he goes in and rubs his back to sleep. I keep explaining that it's no big deal and he will stop crying after three minutes max. Let him cry. No dice. The last two nights I have had to resort to rocking him to sleep. This sucks for many reasons. It's really friggin hard on my back to rock a toddler on a bed in the spare room. It teaches him that this is the new norm for going to sleep. This is the first issue.

The next issue? Since we are sleeping in the same room, when Jack wakes up, he refuses to go back in his crib. Guess what that means? My no longer bedsharing toddler now wants to bedshare. Damn it! I thought we had broken this habit. Almost four months of sleeping in his crib and not bedsharing and the child regresses. This is the second issue.

The third issue? Jack used to sleep from about 7:00 to 2:00 or sometimes 3:00 in the morning. Now? He is waking up anywhere from 10:30 to 12:30 and wants to come to bed with me. So much for a long stretch of sleep. Nope! He wakes up and wants to come to bed with Mommy. This child is spoiled.

I am hoping all these issues can be corrected once we are back in our own place. It will likely take a week of breaking the "habits" he has acquired while here. This week will consist of crying it out in his crib (likely), waking up every hour (very likely) and wanting to sleep with Mommy (almost certain).

This SUCKS. Truly sucks. I am tired and want my bed back. My 22 week pregnant body needs rest without a toddler constantly kicking me in the stomach and smacking me in the face.

House Updates

Today is day 11 of the house remodel. It's going very well! The contractor is hoping to be finished this week. I am keeping my fingers crossed that he will be done Wednesday or Thursday so I can go in and do some painting on Thursday night and Friday night. We'll see.

I want to show the dramatic changes of before and after on the bathroom and the kitchen. These rooms are virtually done with the exception of paint.

So without further ado!

The bathroom before:

The bathroom (mostly) after:

The kitchen before:

The kitchen (mostly) after.

Obviously, paint needs to happen here. I am thinking a nice neutral tan-ish color since a lot of my kitchen accessories are red.

And because it's so beautiful, a close up of the countertop and backsplash:

I still want to do some smaller projects like replacing the cabinet and drawer pulls in the kitchen. And because we are now having hardwood floors rather than carpet, I will need some area rugs.

I can't wait to see today's progress! The floors should be mostly done. Keep your fingers crossed that we finish on time!

Living "Abroad"

I put abroad in quotes because let's face it, living 8 miles from your home isn't really abroad.

I want to do this post because it's important to evaluate our situation at the in-laws while our house is being remodeled. I was leery of living in their home for potentially up to a month. Not because we wouldn't get along, but because I didn't want to invade their space.

The first week was rather smooth. They were on vacation and out of town for the majority of the time so our paths really didn't cross. We have our own bathroom here, our own bedroom (which the three of us share) and during the day when I am working, my in-laws are both at work. The house is very quiet.

The biggest advantage? The space. Their home is at least 1400 square feet which is about double the size of our home. Jack has a fenced in backyard to play in. He has free roam of the open floor plan and he loves running from room to room and causing trouble. I can be in the family room/kitchen and not bother my in-laws if they are in the living room. As a matter of fact, that is what I am doing now. There is a tv in here and I have my own little space. I can read, watch tv, surf the net, or whatever.

My mother-in-law cooks every night but I have made it clear that she is under no circumstances to cook dinner for us. She offers but I tell her no most nights. I don't want to eat their food on top of staying in their home. She will cook for herself and my father-in-law but since they eat pretty late, Jack has already eaten and usually so have I.

I have bought almost all our own groceries and cook for Jack using food I either brought or have purchased while we have been here. Yes, I have eaten some of their food as well (so has Jason) but I have either restocked it or bought something similar in its place.

We are really trying not to be a burden. I tidy up the house every night, put our dishes in the dishwasher, don't rely on them to take care of Jack, have vaccuumed and cleaned when they were on vacation so they don't come home to a messy house, watered the plants and cleaned the cat box. All our laundry is done by me and I have it out of the dryer immediately so as to not impose. I do not want to be "that" houseguest.

If you asked my in-laws, I would be willing to bet that they don't notice us most of the time. Yes, we are present in the house but all in all pretty quiet.

Ask me again in a week. Things may have changed dramatically. Let's hope not.

The Toddler Tantrum

We have all witnessed it. The child that pitches a fit in a public place. The mom that is very clearly embarrassed, or even the mom that doesn't give a rat's ass that her child is screaming.

I had "that" child and I was "that" mom today.

Jack and I went to the mall today in search of maternity slacks for me and new picture books for him. I told him over and over on our car ride that if he was a good boy that he could play in the play structure when we were done and maybe pick a new toy. I am not delusional enough to think that he actually understood me but what the heck? Maybe he did.

Off to the mall he went and honestly, he was an angel like he usually is. He has always been very good about sitting in his stroller for short periods of time. Jack likes to people watch and the mall is always a good place to do so. I tortured him through two clothing stores looking for pants. We made a trip to the book store and I got him two awesome new books.

Then, as promised, we went to the play structure. All was well for about 10 minutes. He happily played with the other kids, ran around and climbed the tree. Then he realized that it was an open structure and started taking off down the mall. He was almost three stores down by the time I caught him. That kid is super fast! I had my eye on him the whole time but I had to dodge other kids to gather him up. Jack had seen those little riding toys and wanted to climb on them.

Since he wasn't able to be contained I told him it was time to go. Cue the tantrum. He arched his back, started screaming and kicking making it impossible to get him in the stroller. Instead, I carried him down the mall to some benches (all the while he was kicking and screaming) so he could calm down. I struggled to get him in the stroller but I did somehow manage. I was sweating and I am sure people were looking at me and thinking "Wow, that child is out of control". I kneeled down on the floor and told Jack "I know you are upset but you can't run in the mall. Mommy can't see you and you could get lost". I try to reason with him but I know he doesn't understand.

Once in the stroller, he finally calmed down and we walked towards the end of the mall where we were parked. I thought as I walked "Wow, I managed to keep my cool. I never raised my voice. I corraled him the best I could". I honestly was proud of myself. I survived a temper tantrum in public!

Tomorrow we are heading to the state fair. I am hoping to avoid the tantrums but we will see. I can just do the best that I can in the situation. I think that might become my new parenting mantra: Do the best in the situation.

It's a.............

Today was our "big" ultrasound. It went great! The baby is measuring right on track. With Jack, he was a few days ahead and weighed 14 oz. This baby is exactly on track with it's due date and weighs 13 oz.

I just love watching the sonographer take all the measurements and point out the body parts and organs. It wasn't quite as foreign this time since I remember Jack's ultrasound.

The difference this time is that this baby is a huge wiggle worm! The sonographer could not get good measurements at first because of the baby's position. It was laying on it's side kind of transverse but facing my back. That meant that measurements of the heart were difficult. In the end, the sonographer was able to get the right measurements, but every time she would go in and get a good shot, the baby would either flip or completely change positions. I honestly don't remember Jack moving around that much at his ultrasound.

We were asked if we wanted to know the gender and of course we said "yes"! Well, it was very very clear as to what the baby's gender is! BOY! Everyone was wrong except for my husband. He has been the only person this whole pregnancy who has thought boy. I thought girl (I did last time too) and so did everyone else in my family. Jason admitted that earlier in the ultrasound he thought he saw a peek of the penis but didn't want to say anything. Me, being the ultimate unaware person didn't even notice.

It was a pretty great appointment. Today was also our big boy's 19 month birthday. I can't believe in 4 months I am going to have two little boys! It's exciting to think about Jack having a little brother to play with. And the best part? We have all the clothes and toys and things for a little boy! I had saved all of Jack's clothes and I am so glad that I did.

What a great day! Happy Friday to everyone.

Days Two and Three

I didn't do a separate post for Day 2 since there wasn't a huge amount of change. Therefore, I am combining. It's dramatic the changes that have been made over the last two days!

Here are some pictures of the progress along with my thoughts.

The carpet is gone! I was concerned that when the carpet was pulled up that the floor would be in super good condition. What a concern right? The reason I was concerned is because then I would regret our decision to lay new floor instead of refinish the existing. However, with the patch work that would need to be done on the fireplace hole (picture in a minute) along with the supplies, it would have significantly added to the budget.



Look at this floor. It's beautiful. Sigh.....



But here is the deciding factor as to why we won't be refinishing. The gaping hole where the fireplace used to be. Finding flooring to match and making sure it's secure would be a project. We will be keeping the hardwood underneath in case the new owners really want to refinish it.




Here is the kitchen. The backsplash is gone, revealing lovely 80's wallpaper. Isn't it nice?




Lovely wallpaper complete with pastel flowers.




Does anyone have an idea as to what this mysterious hole might be? I am not sure. Maybe old plumbing?




The hole where the wall heater was is now spackled (or is it mudded?) and covered. I am shocked at how good it looks!




And now that the wall heater is gone, the thermostat is no longer needed. Yippee!


And, here is the bathroom! The drywall is up and mudded. I am not sure how many more layers of spackle are needed but I am hoping the tile will come soon.




All in all, I am very pleased with the progress. Today when I go over, I am hoping to see the tile in the shower being started and maybe the kitchen counter destroyed. Am I the only odd person out there that loves seeing destruction of ugly house stuff?