We made it through auditions and turned out a stellar cast. We are really excited about this show and group of kids.
Jack was well enough for me to leave with sitters on Monday and Tuesday. Still uneasy, still coughing from the November cold, but well enough that I would have sent him to school were he in school. Tuesday night he had another bout of stomach flu, complete with fever and nightmares and hacking cough. I think I slept 3 hours that night, between him and the usual Sam needs. So Wednesday and Thursday were spent in our never-ending convalescence. Sam and I are still healthy, and I don’t think Ben cough the stomach bug (though he suffers from lingering cough too).
I remember thinking, if we could just get well by Thanksgiving, I’ll be happy. Now I’m repeating that mantra but for Christmas.
Oh, and my hormones have changed and I’m losing my hair like crazy. And Sam had a weird rash this morning.
I’m so glad I don’t have to go back to a full time RN job now that Sam is 3 months. Being a mom is work enough.
Auditions have been pushed back AGAIN. Friday school was cancelled due to cold temperatures. I guess -23 wind chill is pretty cold. Whatever.
In a way it was nice, because I had tons of time to clean my house and put out goodies for Babypalooza! Our friends Trevor and Cate were visiting from Boston with their new girl Maggie. She was born within a few weeks of Sam, like many babies I’m finding out. They wanted to get together with all their old friends who had young ones and we volunteered to host. It was wild with all the creepers and cooers, but so fun. Bonus about having parties with friends who are parents – everyone left by 9:45 and they all cleaned up after themselves! It was the easiest party I’ve ever had.
We dedicated one moment to taking pictures, and it was no small feat.
The mommies:
Novline and baby McKayla, Jessica and baby Petra (for Petrachor), Cate and baby Maggie (for Margaret), Rachel with Jack and Sam (for Samwise), Libby and baby Wyatt
(the middle three babies all born within a month of each other)
The daddies:
Neil and McKayla, Josh and Petra, Trevor and Maggie, Ben and Sam and Jack, Brian and Xavier, Stephen and Wyatt.
Saturday was crazy fun and busy. Ben took Jack to the Apex jungle gym after breakfast so I had time cuddle and play with Sam. Then we went downtown to visit with Trev and Cate some more. Amanda watched the boys while we had a wonderful date at Bonefish, then I stayed up too late to make an appearance at another holiday party. How I miss my friends! I’m trying to host another one this coming weekend so I can spend more time catching up with everyone.
Before our date we made a stop at the mall for an important task. Can you guess who Jack spied coming back from break?
He was bounded up to Santa with a springing skip so fast I didn’t have my camera focused. But you can see him tick off his wish list right away.
I think here he was asked whether he had been a good boy. That was a real thinker.
He told Santa “Happy Christmas” then bounded back to Dad. So adorable.
We had such a fun couple days I thought it was all sugarplums and jolly and ho ho ho for the season. But Jack woke up this morning with a stomach virus. Egads. Give. Me. A. Break.
I think he’s better. He went from 9 vomits in the morning to only 2 after nap. He was keeping water down, a popsicle, some crackers, and asking for more food when we put him to bed. I told him no, to not push his stomach. I hope he feels better tomorrow. It makes babysitting difficult. Auditions are now pushed to Monday/Tuesday. It will be a Christmas miracle if they happen and everyone stays healthy for one solid week.
Miranda asked for more information about my new book, so here it is, Marshmallow Madness by Shauna Sever. She has a baking blog too. The book is adorable, with a puffy cover to match the candy. What I love is how exact her recipes are: she uses common ingredients (Knox powdered gelatin instead of sheets) and tells you exactly how long to whip at what speed for each recipe. She also tells you how to calibrate your thermometer for different altitudes. My previous recipes all required a lot of guesswork on my part, but these are practically scientific. The recipe itself gave me denser yet bouncy smooth marshmallows. She has me prep the gelatin a different way (melting it smooth before adding) and splitting the corn syrup . . . I forget why, but it works.
I definitely recommend it! I would feel bad about sharing her recipe secrets with the public, but she posted her classic vanilla recipe on her blog, so have at it!
Jack must have a mixed up understanding of holidays. On top of Thanksgiving, we started our Hanukkah sock opening per Mason family tradition (Thank you Betty and Rick, we love them!).
Then the Hanukkah socks have overlapped with Christmas decorating. Every day Jack asks me if it’s Christmas yet. I forgot to get a chocolate advent calendar, and my embroidered one is not ready for use yet. Poor kid. Time is abstract for a three year old who can’t tell when a new day starts or ends, give or take a nap, and changing daylight hours. But it doesn’t bother him too much. All he cares about is that Santa brings him Skylanders Swapforce. He tells everyone we meet who mentions Christmas to him.
Oh, and check out this glorious marshmallow I made. My folks gave me a recipe book as an early Christmas present. I took the hint. These are marvelous, and I have plans for two more radical ones. This one is just a plain vanilla bean, to be sure I understood the basic recipe – it’s quite different from my usual one, and much better too.
Bonus picture of Sam’s first rollover, as previous mentioned.
Wow, a lot of pictures of Sam being held. I guess it was so remarkable to me that he was out of my arms and happy at the same time.
Play dough for Jack
A new rattle for Sam (loves it)
Cooking the feast
Assisting Andy via phone with the family recipe known simply as “rolls.”
Admiring our rolls
We had an amazing feast, and Jack ate leftover pizza for Thanksgiving. >:-P
It wouldn’t be a grandparent visit without a bath.
Amanda, Ben, and I went to see Frozen with Jack. He LOVED it. Seeing a movie with him is an experience all on its own. He’s crazy about Olaf and got super excited to see Carmike theater’s amateur artwork.
Bedtime prep
Sam is crazy for these “infant stim” pictures that go on a mobile. I brought some for his entertainment while away from home.
What better way to start December than with a screaming baby in the grocery store with a declined credit card, which apparently was stolen? Let’s add a snowstorm to thwart your mother’s attempts to visit, so you have no babysitter during auditions week. Fingers crossed the snow is underwhelming, and no further colds plague our house.
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving in Grand Junction, despite half the family being sick. I haven’t uploaded photos yet. Instead I got out our Christmas decorations and made marshmallows and attended to a cranky baby. This is just a quick note to say hi and to report that Sam rolled over twice today! At 2 months, 2 weeks, and 3 days he accomplished this, and fits best in size 9 month clothing. He continues to impress.
This week is auditions for the musical, so the busy-ness continues!
Through hand washing and prayer I made it to Saturday without getting myself or Sam sick. Why does this thrill me? Because I'm currently sitting in a salon, giving my hair some much needed attention. Ben gave me a break from the boys to go take care of myself for a change.
But the fun doesn't stop there. Tonight he's letting me go to the Alamo with Amanda and her friends to see the new Hunger Games movie. Can you believe it? A long, uninterrupted break from the poop and the boogers and the whines and the cries. Now, I love my boys, but you've been reading what a week it's been in our house.
Yesterday Jack seemed worse rather than better. He woke with his eyes crusted shut. After cleaning them we could see that they were red and swollen, with purple rings under his eyes. I'll spare you the picture I took of green pus oozing out. Later that morning he complained that his ear hurt. He also continues to vomit every day. I took him to see the doctor in the afternoon. (This was the first time I had to take him in for being sick). The rapid strep was negative (yay!) but he was diagnosed with secondary eye and ear infections, as I suspected. We started him on oral antibiotics last night.
I'm sorry Ben has to handle a sick boy, but so so grateful for this break. Ben, you rock and I love you.
Jack is still sick. Sam and I are not. For now. I’m handwashing like an ID nurse. I have separate hoodies to wear while caring for each boy. I have a mysterious dry cough and slight stuffiness, but otherwise feel fine. I’m choosing to blame the weather on my innocuous symptoms. We had a cold snap today with a couple inches of snow. Ben said we can light a fire tonight and I can’t wait. Even with the thermostat in normal range, I’m freezing!
Last night I was up every 1 1/2 to 2 hours with the boys: I went to bed at 9 (early, but not sleepy), asleep at 10 Sam at 12, eat and change Jack at 2, vomiting Sam at 3:30, eat and change Sam at 5:00, eat and change Sam at 6:30, pacifier given Sam at 7:15, poop and peed through diaper, eat, change Jack at 7:15 crying and retching
And keep in mind that at each waking I’m up for about 20 minutes, and then it takes me another 15-30 minutes to fall back asleep. Also, I could hear Jack’s hacking cough whenever I was awake, making me tense and gauge if he needs me.
Luckily Ben stayed home to work rather than face the blowing snow across I-25. He came up to soothe Jack while I cleaned and fed Sam. Of course, he peed the outfit again after his 9 am nap. Some outfits are cursed. I’ve been trying to get him to wear this four times, and it never makes it past his morning nap.
This is our agenda today: Also, trying to get him to drink and eat a little something. This is day three of his hunger strike and his bones are poking out with alarming detail. I offer him everything he loves, from french fries to Halloween candy. He nibbles and occasionally eats a saltine cracker. He does ok with juice too. We’ve watched about half that pile of movies and I put him down for an early nap. With any luck he will stay down for a few hours more. Anything I can do to kick this cold in the butt I’m willing to try. Get it out of my house!
Sam woke from his afternoon nap and we had a little chat.
Recent Comments