Tuesday, April 19, 2011

I want to live with you forever

Oh Spring!  I have been waiting so long for you!  Tonight Drew got home at five o'clock.  We ate dinner together and then went on a nice walk around the block.  It was such a pleasant night and the kids had a blast.  They collected rocks, sticks, pine cones, and a couple of other questionable treasures.  Usually Amelia runs ahead of us...but not tonight.  She held my hand the entire way.  As we were climbing the big hill toward our house, she looked up at me with those big blue eyes and said, "Mama, I love you."  I knew exactly what she meant.  It was such a perfect night....just our family, walking and enjoying each other.  I looked ahead to see Drew carrying Maddox on his shoulders.  His legs just couldn't go anymore.  We got to the top of the driveway and Amelia stopped for an announcement.  She said, "Mom, when I get older and get married, I'm still going to live here with you and Daddy."  I looked at Drew anxious to see what his response would be.  He said, "Of, course you are."  She was more than satisfied with that answer.

 I remember when I was little I said the exact same thing.  Obviously I moved out and obviously I'm happy but there are days (alot of days, actually) that I wish I could still live with my mama.  So I know there will come a time when Amelia moves out for good.  But it's nice knowing that on one spring day she felt she wanted to live with me forever.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Just A Virus my Butt!!!!

I hate to complain, I really do.  But some things I just can't let go.  I feel it is necessary to vent so that I may move on to a brighter place;)  First let me say this is what Amelia looked like on Thursday....full of life and having a blast with Maddox.



I picked her up Friday from school and she was crying., saying she wanted a dog.  Not that unusual.  I fixed lunch and she refused to eat.  That happens occassionally so I still was not too concerned.  An hour or so later, she asked me if she could take a nap.  Fearing the worst, I felt her head and knew we would be visiting the doctor.  My gut said STREP THROAT!! Of course, this happens on Spring Break...I mean, life is sometimes that cruel.  Drew took her to the doctor on Saturday morning and came home with what we thought was great news.  "It's just a virus."  After much discussion, Drew and I decided to continue with our original plans of the kids and I going to Horse Cave.  Long story short...Amelia continued to get worse.  She stopped eating, stopped drinking, and brace yourself, she stopped talking.  She said her throat hurt so badly that she couldn't even open her mouth and she still had that dreaded fever.  So Tuesday, I took her to the doctor in Horse Cave.  He confirmed that is was strep and a horrible case at that.  He couldn't believe how bad her throat looked and that she had not been put on an antibiotic.

So now, my thoughts on this experience and the lessons I learned......

1.  Always trust that maternal feeling.  I knew it was strep.  I should have told Drew to ask more questions when they first diagnosed her.  Please believe, next time I will.  I really felt like I should have taken her back to the doctor on Monday but I just kept thinking that she would eventually start to feel better.

2.  Medicine needs to not taste like medicine.  Strawberry flavored just ain't cutting it with Amelia.  We need chocolate chip cookie dough up in here!  I dread "medicine time" as much as she does.  It is such a struggle to get her to take it.  We finally started doing a countdown from 5....you know, 5..4..3..2..1. and had mediocre succes with that;)

3.  After seeing Amelia so lifeless for the past 5 days, it really makes me appreciate the running, yelling, flipping, crawling, dancing, singing, and playing that goes on in my house everyday.  Amelia didn't talk for a day and a half.  It was weird, like she wasn't even in the room.  I did NOT like that.  I love that sweet little voice of hers and want to be able to hear it all the time.  I know it was hard for her to rest her throat, too, because she whispered to me tonight, "I have so much to say and I just can't say it."  Breaks your heart, doesn't it.
 
4.  Maddox has been pretty much lost without his big sis.  Now don't get me wrong...  He still found cabinets to open, doors to write on, balls to throw, cups to smash, and toys to play with, but he is just missed playing with her so much.  He would walk over to the couch and  pat on her as if to say, "It will get better, sis.  Hang in there."

Okay, I must admit, I'm feeling better already.  I have been carrying around this guilt since Sunday.  I felt like I should have taken her back to the doctor sooner.  Every time she asks me, "How much longer will I be sick?" I get so sad.  She should already be bouncing off the walls... but then again, it is hard to get over strep when you don't have an antibiotic.

So sweet little girl, Mommy is sorry.  This is not the first apology you have heard from me and I am certain it will not be the last.  Just know that if I could take your place I would.  So get your rest and surely, by tomorrow, you will be on the mend. 

Just a virus, my butt!

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Poopy Day

I'm just gonna say it...Today was a "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day."  (Btw, a must read book).  It actually began this way because of a little basketball game last night.  I hardly think it is healthy to get so emotionally invested in the games, but nevertheless, my brothers and I were a wreck last night.  When UK came out in the second half and cut it to 4, we were screaming.  Then, one minute left in the game, Tyler stormed upstairs, Drew went outside, and Matt and I just stared at the television in disbelief.  I felt like somebody punched me in the stomach.  I immediately went to bed and thought for sure I would be over it by morning... but no, not even close.  I actually felt worse.  All the media just reminded me of what might have been.  But a mother doesn't dwell on a UK basketball loss...nope, no time to.  Amelia woke up at 4:00 am with a fever again...and Maddox, well, he was up at 6:00 am.  Sweet, energetic Amelia just wasn't herself today.  She just wanted to sleep on the couch and watch movies.  She refused to eat or drink anything and trying to get medicine down her made me crazy.  Maddox began a dirty diaper marathon at about 7:00 am and at last count, we were at about 11.  The stomach bug has caused him to have painful diaper rash and now he screams bloody murder every time he needs to be changed.  So a UK loss, 2 sick kids, and a very tired momma make for a (excuse the pun) poopy day.