Hunker Down

Prepare yourselves... I've got the bloggin' bug today but we're so behind that I'm scattered so we'll just start with an update of sorts and see if I can do more specific posts later. The reason I'm letting myself post today is because it's what my husband calls a "Hunker Down" kinda day/week.

Thursday night we picked up Porter from our friends house who had kindly watched the kids for us while I sang in a Christmas Concert (more on that later). Aaron took P from our friend who explained that Porter had thrown up earlier that night and as if on cue Porter threw up all over his dad and our friends foyer! Humiliated (I had NO idea P was sick!) and uncomfortable I did my best to help clean up and apologized too much. They were so awesome about it! They are amazing people and we're so blessed to have them as friends! That was the beginning of a 48 hour stomach flu for P. He was a trooper about it and is doing better now.{He figured it out. Please note: that bowl is clean. He's just prepared.}{Cuddly blanket and Curious George was the best combo distraction for him.}

As P was getting healthier our Priya was coming down with a respiratory bug. {Kids are such a great example of being ill and handling it with the best attitude possible. This is her today during a good moment.}

I watched and listened for signs of something other than a cold and she was handling it really well. When I got home last night from YW Presidency meeting and finally dragged my butt to bed at 11:30 (I know girls I did dilly dally) I instantly heard Priya's breathing on the monitor and knew she had croup. I woke Aaron to give her a blessing, bundled her up and took her out into the bitter cold air. Her airways opened immediately, what a blessing! She struggled to sleep longer then 30 minutes last night so we turned her room into an icebox by opening the windows and closing the vents. Every time she woke up one of us would take her in there, her airways would open and she would get some relief. It goes without saying, it was a long night. We got her into the doctor first thing this morning hoping to get some steroids in her since croup is always worse the second night and she'll be feverish making it even more uncomfortable for her. The medical student was taken back by our familiarity with Croup-- thank you Porter. Really all we came in for was the prescription to help her. Well if you're gonna get sick for the first time in your life might as well make it a dossie, right Priya Lynn?

Side question: Whenever I bump into medical students and I have P I always ask, "Do you want to see his simian crease?" It's all I can do to keep myself from going off on markers for Down Syndrome, medical myths about Down Syndrome ect, ect, ect. Does that make me weird? He was grateful I was willing to show him what to look for.

December, really?{I was all set on a felt tree on the wall until I realized I could not do without my tree. Yes, it was all about me! Life is all about the kids the majority of the time but I want my tree so we compromised. Pretty tree on top, plastic ornaments on bottom and a basket to put them in as P decorates, undecorated, and redecorates. It's working for us}

I've been preparing for December for weeks now, hoping to be ahead of the craziness and I've done pretty well. The goal was to make the busiest time of year more manageable and peaceful. That it has been. We've started our Advent Calendar and I'm so grateful for it. I've observed the difference in the way Aaron would read the bible to Porter last year, verses the way Aaron teaches Porter from the Bible about Christ this year. Aaron is such a good Daddy. Porter still loves the songs we sing each night. He climbs up onto the piano bench and plays along with Aaron while singing, "Sing! Sing! Sing!" because those are his words. Priya kicks and squirms with delight as soon as Aaron starts to play. She also sings in her baby way. Such sweet memories we make in the glow of the Christmas tree during the Holiday season! (and so are you- I see from your blogs)

To finish this up I'll just tell ya one sentence about my trip to Costco with the kids today to pick up Priya's prescription: A berry smoothie exploded on my bum!

Go ahead, laugh. I did once I was driving home and over the fact that there was a big purple stain on my jeans as I walked through the store. :) Life as a Mom!

*Hopefully I can get some more post up, I currently have an overlapping nap time on my hands. That never happens!*