Play-Learn-Grow-Repeat

Hello all,

Our regular readers will be pleased to know that Monday Mom’s younger child, Hudson, is doing a bit better. He’s breathing on his own, and there’s reason to be optimistic now. Moms know how hard it is to have a sick child, so please keep Neetika, Hudson, and their family in your thoughts. We’re looking forward to having them back soon.

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
Haley, Hudson and I had an interesting time of it last week, our first as a daily unit of three. We were managing quite nicely until mid-week, when Haley got sick, in the literal sense. One night, she awoke throwing up and continued to do so all night. Hudson is still feeding every couple of hours, so you can imagine the state of our apartment—two pitiful little ones, their bleary-eyed parents wandering around zombie-like, attempting to attend to their needs.

Haley already seemed to be better by the morning, but of course we headed off to the pediatrician anyway. My instinct was confirmed when the doctor said it was likely a virus that would clear up in a day or two, and thankfully it has. For a fun bonus, at that same doctor’s visit, Hudson and I were diagnosed with thrush. That’s an infection that sometimes occurs in infants and if applicable, their breastfeeding mothers. It’s not the most pleasant situation, but our case is mild and will hopefully resolve before too long. The doctor recommended a homeopathic remedy. I went to four stores before I was able to find what we needed. It was also pouring rain that day for good measure.

Even though it wasn’t easy, I’m sort of glad things didn’t unfold in a picture perfect way. That’s not how life works. And now I know I can handle it. It’s amazing how well you can pull your exhausted self together when you need to for your children. Think of what I’ll be able to accomplish when they’ll let me sleep at night! Let’s hope that day comes sooner rather than later.

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
Last week, Haley had a summer cold. I am glad to report that she’s doing much better. Unfortunately, the inevitable happened and I got sick too. Nothing could have prevented it, really. The girl clings to me on her best days, let alone when she’s not feeling well. Just when I was feeling proud of how long it’s been since she’s been sick, and that I’ve avoided illness my whole pregnancy, here it is.

Since it is a three-day weekend, I had a lot of errands I was excited to take care of—easier said than done. Pregnancy already has me sore, tired, at times even nauseated. Add a scratchy throat, a stuffy nose and recurrent cough, and I was pretty much done for. There are some medications you can take when you are pregnant, but I opted to tough it out. I did manage to get most of my “To Do” list done, but it took a lot out of me. I guess I’m in my “nesting phase.” Nothing will stop me from getting ready for the start of school and the baby’s arrival. I’m a woman on a mission!

I don’t know what it is about mothers, but we always seem to rally. Don’t get me wrong—dads put their families first, too. But there’s something special about the way a mother will prioritize tasks that need to be completed for the kids. Perhaps it’s because we know that if we don’t get it done, there’s a chance it will never get done. Rather than feel weighed down by this sense of responsibility, I feel like there’s a load lifted every time I cross another chore of the list. Life may not be as carefree as it was when I was a single, working girl, but at least I’m being productive. I like the assignments I have now, and I answer to the best little bosses in the world.

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
My husband was away this weekend, so I was looking forward to having some quality time with Haley and doing more baby prep—it did not work out that way! She was cooperating with me, giving me an easy Friday morning when I noticed something curious—she was warm. I’m always nervous when it seems like Haley is developing a fever, but I was more so this time, because she had been coughing for about a week. The cough was minor and infrequent, and I had thought we were almost out of the woods. As soon as it was accompanied by a fever, off to the pediatrician we went.

The doctor said she thought the fever was unrelated to the coughing—not sure if that’s a good or bad thing, really. She did a strep culture and said to look out for signs of a virus, but I don’t think it will end up being either. In the meantime, there’s not much to do expect keep Haley comfortable, hydrated, and hold her down when it’s time for meds—a fun moment for all involved.

Once again, I was not all alone in my duties, because my father stepped up to help in a big way. But being really pregnant and dealing with a sick preschooler without her dad around was still tough. I definitely recommend avoiding it, if possible!

Haley has not had a fever for several hours and I’m hoping she’s on the mend. Either way, Dad is back in town to help, and I’m relieved that her period of contagion is probably ending. Being sick while eight months pregnant would put the situation over the top! My fingers are crossed that this will all be behind us by Labor Day.

Have a fun and healthy end-of-summer!

From Friday Mom – Erin:
Our family fell victim to our first full-family stomach virus last weekend. Rory was sent home from daycare on Friday. Daddy took care of him all day and ended up ill himself first thing on Saturday morning. I was on full-time parent duty during the day on Saturday, and then fell ill over night, as well. Luckily, Daddy was feeling much better by Sunday morning, so he was able to take the lead that day.

Thank goodness the fates were on our side in attacking one at a time; otherwise, I have no idea how we would have managed. By the end of the weekend, we all wished we were able to take another day or two to recuperate.

Unfortunately, Rory wasn’t quite well-enough to stay at school on Monday, either. As a result, his Daddy and I juggled daytime duties Monday and Tuesday in an effort to get the little man back to feeling like his own self. Luckily, after calling his teacher on Wednesday morning to confirm her agreement that he sounded improved enough to return, he headed back on Wednesday.

Each time Rory falls ill, we find ourselves questioning our childcare decisions somewhat. After all, if he were home with a sitter, it is far less likely that he would be sick this often. However, by the same token, we know how much he lights up when he arrives at daycare each day and how much he is learning from the highly social environment. Upon his return this week he was running all over the room bouncing with glee at the toys around him. We know how much more at ease we are with the levels of accountability at his school, and we feel comfortable with its glowing reputation. At the end of the day, each of those things were drivers in our decision-making process. So, as inconvenient as it may be some times, we do our best to focus on getting him better, rather than obsess over the “what-ifs” and “what-might-have-beens.”

From Friday Mom – Erin:
I knew when we made the decision to put Rory in daycare that he would probably get sick more often than he would if he were at home with a sitter each day. But I did not know how difficult it would be to juggle it all when he got sick. Last week, Rory came down with pink-eye the day before we were scheduled to leave for vacation.

Luckily, we managed to get him in to see the doctor and pick up a prescription before handing him off to my parents for the long weekend. He improved quite swiftly and became quite used to having eye ointment rubbed on his poor ailing eyes. By the time we got home from California, he was back to his cheery self and ready to head back to school.

Unfortunately, on Wednesday of this week—the first day we took him off of his antibiotics—the goo returned. As a result, Rory and I headed back in to the pediatrician for a second go-round. The diagnosis: ear infection. Poor little guy is living proof of just how interconnected your eyes, ears, nose, and mouth really are. And I apologize for that mental image.

Having gone through the daycare/doctor gauntlet two weeks in a row, we are questioning our childcare choice a little bit. But, at the same time, he actually seemed cranky that he didn’t have nearly as large of a space nor nearly as many toys to play with when he was at home. So I guess that means he actually missed his classroom surroundings. And there is something very positive to be said for that. As long as we can keep him healthy enough to go back.

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
Technically it’s not summer yet, but the way the temperature in New York City has been lately, you’d think it is. We’ve had a few scorchers, and while it’s nice to see the sun out, the heat can quickly get overwhelming. Only weeks ago, we were trapped inside to avoid frigid temperatures. Now we stay in lest we suffer dehydration or sunburns.

Unfortunately, Haley and I are proof that illness is not just for winter as we’ve managed to pick up a summer bug. It’s not major—runny noses, a little coughing—but it’s not fun! I don’t like the feeling of the air blowing on me when I’m sick, but we need to have the air conditioner on to stay somewhat comfortable. I’m accustomed to hiding under the comforter until I feel better; it’s odd to feel sickly but too hot to have covers on. It makes temperate regulation for the little one and me that much more tricky.

One thing that has made this cold more manageable is that Haley is starting to be interested in movies. So far, Rango, Ice Age: Continental Drift, and Madagascar 3 have been hits. She doesn’t have the patience to watch an entire movie, but it’s cute to see her get somewhat absorbed for a little while. Twenty minutes to rest on the couch here and there is essential when I’m feeling ill and run down. I’m not condoning lots of TV for a toddler, but these are battle conditions! I’m just trying to survive.

Hopefully, our temperatures will stay low and so will temperatures outside for the rest of spring. Once Haley is feeling better, I’m looking forward to letting her enjoy the water features at the neighborhood park and the pool. I also see a lot of ice cream in our future, though I can’t say we ever held back from that. Colds aren’t just for winter, and ice cream isn’t just for summer.

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
Yesterday I found out that a dear friend’s son, Ayden, was diagnosed with leukemia.  He is only two years old and is unaware of what is going on, while his family is trying to come to terms with the disease.  Ayden was a happy little boy with no known symptoms.  He went to the doctor because of eye irritation from pink eye. But after a course of antibiotics and no relief, the pediatrician ordered blood work. As soon as the pediatrician got the results they were admitted to a major teaching hospital in the area.  Further testing confirmed Ayden had leukemia.  As I write this, Ayden is undergoing chemotherapy, and the long fight against cancer, and – hopefully –  a healthy recovery.

I learned of this terrible news over the phone from my family.  I was very upset and asked a lot of questions.  Jack overheard me and was concerned about why I was so upset.  When I got off the phone, I sat Jack down to explain. I told him that a friend of mine has a little boy who is Tate’s age, who is very sick. I explained that this disease can be fatal.  I told Jack to never take his health for granted and that not only old people get sick. It is hard to explain the severity of cancer to a child. I did my best to let Jack know why I was so sad and hoped it made sense to him.  I hugged both boys tightly and reminded myself not to fret over the little things in life.  I’m so grateful to have a healthy family.

Other than the results of the blood tests, you would never know Ayden is sick.  He is giggling and flirting with all the nurses.  He thinks he is having a sleep over at the hospital because he spent the night there.  I’m glad to know he is in good spirits and willing to fight this terrible disease. I can’t imagine the pain my friend, her husband and all their loved ones are feeling right now.  You hear these stories happening and feel terrible for these kids; but when it’s someone you know, it hits hard, very hard.  Please keep this sweet little boy and his family in your thoughts and prayers.  They would greatly appreciate it.

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
At the beginning of last weekend, Haley started randomly coughing. I did not know at the time if her coughs were “something” or “nothing.” The next day her nose was running and she was slightly feverish. People—we have a cold. Haley handled it pretty well. She was still a bundle of energy. What bothered her most was having her nose blown. Her poor little nose was red and irritated and we annoying adults kept on wiping it. I felt terrible that she wasn’t feeling well, and really relieved that the dreaded flu did not seem to be developing. Then on Sunday morning, I woke up sick. That was a game changer.

It’s one thing to be on top of Haley’s sickness and ensure that she has everything she needs. Doing so while ill is much more difficult. I don’t know if I was actually sicker than she or that as an adult, I let it get me down more. But I felt really tired and just crummy for days. Luckily, my parents bailed me out and cared for her while I was recuperating. I couldn’t believe how active Haley was while still fighting her cold. I would not have been able to handle her myself.

The timing was fortuitous, though, as it was incredibly cold last week. We didn’t really leave home. We stayed in our pajamas, played games, and did a lot of TV (listen, this is what it’s there for!). Now we are both on the mend. I’m hopeful that this week will be more temperate and we can finally get back out there. It would be nice if the next time Haley demanded, “Park?” I could say, “Yes, we’ll go the park later today” and actually be telling the truth.

From Friday Mom – Jaime:
I’ve been sick since I left work last Friday. Unlike half the world who has the flu, I had bronchitis and have been coughing up a lung all week. I haven’t been this sick in awhile and, quite frankly, have just been pathetic.

One of the hardest things about being sick is that you can’t stop being a parent just because you feel lousy… Really lousy… Or can’t keep your eyes open long enough to stumble upstairs to bed exhausted. I’ve had more of both of those moments than I’d care to count this week.

I’ve been very lucky that Hubby has been here, and healthy enough, to step up and take care of both of us. Tonight I tried to help him by picking up Andrew and letting him work late to get a big project wrapped up. I managed to lock myself out of the house because my keys weren’t in my purse where they belonged… My mom had to come rescue me to let me into my house so I could grab the keys and literally race over to daycare before it closed.

Andrew did have some fun this week, despite my being a total mess. He started doing swim lessons again. He was very proud of himself and his ability to make it all the way across the pool and back with just a noodle. He also got to ice skate Tuesday night. He did awesome. Even though he kept falling, he still got back up – though sometimes slower than others. He improved so much from the beginning of the night to the end.

I’m going to crawl back into bed now. Enjoy your weekend, everyone…