The Big Purge (And Menu Plan Monday -- April 4)

We had an awesome, fantastic weekend. We began The Big Purge, wherein we go around the house and get rid of all the junk we don't want to bring to the new house. If we don't want it and don't like it, it goes. Doesn't matter if we don't have a replacement. It goes!

Saturday morning started with me cleaning and the boys off with Ed to Taekwondo. Ed's parents picked them up at Taekwondo and took them back to their house so Ed and I got the day to ourselves. Woo-hoo! I had managed to get a lot of de-cluttering done around the house during the week, so by the time Saturday morning rolled around, I quickly wiped down bathrooms, spot cleaned the floors, and vacuumed and swept. The house was so clean (maybe not clean so much as neat), and since the kids were out, it stayed clean ALL DAY! A miracle, if ever there was one. After the landlord left, Ed and I got to work. We took pictures of all the furniture and lawn tools we wanted to sell and then posted them to Craig's List. Then we went out to lunch and browsed around Home Goods. Then we went home and went through file cabinets and drawers and tossed a bunch of stuff. And before we knew it, it was time to go pick up the boys. Even though we were busy doing stuff, we had such a great day together. I hate giving up time with the kids on weekends, but the boys had a great time with their grandparents, too. So really, everyone wins when you do it once in a while.

On Sunday, lots of people came by in response to our Craig's List ads, and we managed to get rid of our dining room table and chairs, a dresser, a bookshelf, and a file cabinet. The boys played all day and enjoyed the stream of people coming in and out of our living room. Seth spent most of his day outside on the front steps with some scrap wood and his tools. He was so busy and so serious about what he was doing. I imagine he'll do it again this evening when we get home! In between greeting people and playing with the boys, we tackled more cleaning out and purging.

We ended our day with dinner at a restaurant with some good friends and their little boy. We went back to the restaurant where we ate last week--the one with the separate room for kids. Awesome! William was actually excited to go out to eat! Can't ask for more than that.

This week, the purging continues. There's a huge kids' consignment sale this weekend, so I need to tag all the toys/baby stuff I want to sell. There's a lot more than I thought we had! I may be up late the next couple of nights, but hopefully it will be worth it.

So in case all of that wasn't enough, here's our menu plan for the week:

Sunday: Dinner out
Monday: Halibut with asparagus and wild rice
Tuesday: French Dip sandwiches, sweet potato fries (this is the 3rd time I've delayed this meal; I'm cutting it close on getting use out of the leftover roast!)
Wednesday: Ice skating (sandwiches and fruit and crackers and cheese in the car)
Thursday: Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread
Friday: Fried chicken, mashed sweet potatoes, green beans
Saturday: Meatloaf, roasted potatoes, salad

Allergy Update

After talking to the allergist, we tested both boys (with the skin prick test) for peanuts, pecans, almonds, walnuts, and cashews. William got an immediate reaction to peanuts and a milder reaction to walnuts. Seth had no positive reactions. (Yay!) We have to follow up with a blood test for William to determine if his numbers have changed. I didn't have the boys tested for seasonal allergies because they aren't showing any signs of seasonal allergies. They don't have the runny noses, itchy eyes, or dry cough at night. They only seem to show those symptoms when they catch a virus. So for now, we'll wait and see. I meant to ask that Seth be tested for dust mites, but we can do that next time. William is allergic to dust mites so I'm glad we'll be moving to a house with all hardwood floors.

So that's about it. The appointment went about as I expected. William was great and didn't even flinch when his arm got pricked. Seth did great up until it was to for his arm to get pricked. Then it was holy Hell for the two minutes it took to hold him down and nick his arm. (Probably less than 2 minutes.) And one minute later, he was completely fine.

Since I don't have any pictures for Show Me the Mommy, I'll post these from ice skating Wednesday night:

Brief Respite

This week has been long and busy. Lots going on at work, lots going on with daycare, and trying to get ready for our landlord's visit on Saturday. In the evenings, I've been going through toys, sorting out the ones that it's time to get rid of, and reorganizing the rest. I'm trying to stage the house for our landlord, who's coming on Saturday to discuss our deposit and to take pictures for her new listing. I signed up to take tomorrow off, but things have been so busy at work that I really need to go in and get some things done. I may be up late tomorrow night cleaning!

This morning we have the boys' appointments with the allergy doctor. Both boys will get tested, so we'll finally see if Seth is allergic to peanuts. We'll also test them for seasonal allergies and dust mites. And we'll talk about how their allergies might be related to their viral-induced asthma. Our appointment isn't until 10:30, so the boys have been downstairs playing since they woke up. Since 6:30 a.m., I've unloaded the dishwasher, showered and dressed, started tonight's dinner in the crock pot, made french toast for the boys, made my bed, checked emails, and now I'm blogging. This is the life! Traffic has been horrible this week, and I've been leaving work a wee bit late, so Monday night we didn't get home until 6:45 p.m. and Tuesday night, we rolled in at 6:30 p.m. It's really hard for the boys when we get home so late. No time to play, no time to hang out. And if we try to fit that stuff in, they go to sleep at 9:00 and then I feel guilty for shorting them on sleep. Ah well. What can you do? Last night was ice skating and both boys did great. Seth didn't participate in the class (he still runs away from the teacher if she so much as looks at him), but he was out on the ice "practicing" the whole time, and even threw a loud fit when it was time to go home. William is getting more and more comfortable on the ice, and he really enjoys it. Can't ask for much more than that. So, since our week has been so busy and rushed, this chance to hang out, play, and relax this morning is much appreciated!

Of course, once we get to the allergist's office, I'm sure Seth will throw an awful fit. But we'll survive. And despite the craziness of the week, we aren't too far off the menu plan. We had fruit and cheese Monday night, saved the salmon and asparagus for Tuesday night, last night was a sandwich and pretzels on the way to ice skating, and tonight we're having the roast beef in the crock pot. Tomorrow will be French Dip sandwiches, and we'll put the pizza off for next week. It really is nice to have a plan.

For a future post, I'm working on a response to a book I read, How She Really Does It: Secrets of Successful Stay-at-Work Moms. Great book, but it was much more about dealing with the emotional aspects of trying to balance work and motherhood, and less about details, like how you get dinner on the table, and how you work out child care and how you keep your house clean and how get errands done and how you spend time with the husband and the kids and your girlfriends and how you manage your life. Those are the things I want to know, and that I want to talk about. And I imagine those are all issues that stay at home moms have to deal with, too. So more on this topic to come!

Weekend Report and Menu Plan Monday -- March 28

We had a whirlwind kind of weekend, filled with errands, chores, and time with friends and family. On Saturday, after hitting the grocery store with Seth, I cleaned out our van--really cleaned it out. (Seth helped me, of course. Lucky me!) I wiped grime and crumbs and God-knows-what from just about every surface that I could see. There are still lots of places that need attention, but it looks 90 percent better than it did. After that, I took the boys to McDonald's and then the library. They both fell asleep in the car on the way home so I sat in the car and read when we got home while they napped for 45 minutes. Saturday night, we met friends at a restaurant for dinner out. The restaurant is great because it has a separate room where kids eat. There's a server just for the kids, and they show movies in there. It's awesome, although Seth felt the need to go back and forth between our table and his table the whole time. That's okay--it was still a very enjoyable night out.

Today, the boys and I went to the mall while Ed went to work for a few hours this morning. I've never done the mall with both boys by myself. It wasn't too bad. We started at Barnes & Noble, where I trusted William to take Seth into the men's bathroom to use the potty because the women's bathroom was being cleaned. That was interesting. First, I told William to see if anyone was in there. It was clear, so William and Seth went in and William gave me the blow-by-blow of what Seth was doing. A nice man went in shortly after but when he realized what was going on, he told me to go on in and he would wait at the door. So I quickly helped Seth finish things up and wash hands. Thank goodness for nice strangers!

After B&N, we hit the Lego store, and then the crazy play area. Our mall has this designated play area with climber toys and a soft, resilient surface. It's a mad house and today was no exception. But it was nice not to have to be the parent hovering right next to her kid. I sat on the side and kept my eyes on the boys, but for the most part, it was pretty easy. When Ed was done with work, we went to his aunt and uncle's house for a family gathering. The boys had a blast since they got to ride the ATV around (with Ed or his cousin driving, of course). Ed's cousin hooked up a little trailer/wagon to the ATV and the boys took rides in there, too. It was pretty funny.

So, a quick and busy weekend, but enjoyable nonetheless. And I managed to plan this week's menu, too. Last week we did pretty well. I had forgotten about ice skating on Wednesday night, and we met up with my brother on Tuesday night, so that switched things around quite a bit. We ended up having chicken tenders on Thursday night, and burgers/tacos on Friday night. So pizza and fried chicken are carryovers. So here's this week's menu:

Sunday: Leftover tacos & fruit
Monday: Salmon, asparagus, dinner rolls
Tuesday: Bottom round roast (crock pot), broccoli, potatoes
Wednesday: Ice Skating
Thursday: Pizza, fruit
Friday: French dip sandwiches (using leftover roast), sweet potato fries
Saturday: Fried chicken, green beans, stuffing

Show Me the Mommy--Family Style

Unfortunately, I forgot my camera when we went out with my brother Tuesday night. But not to worry--I had my iPhone! We asked William to take our picture, but his turned out blurry. We asked Seth to take one, and here's his shot:

Too bad we were standing in the wrong spot for the light. Otherwise, it would have been a great shot! Seth has a steady hand.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Lots Going On at Casa Hahn

Things have been pretty busy and out of the norm at Casa Hahn. Yesterday (Tuesday) my brother was in town for a conference so after work, the boys and I met him for dinner. We went to a really popular local restaurant in Chinatown (not a Chinese restaurant, though--a place known for its pizza and sliders). We got there at 5:30 so we beat the crowd. And the boys did pretty well, thanks to the markers, paper, and play-doh I brought for them to play with. It was great to see my brother, and the boys enjoyed the break from our usual routine. (Terrible iPhone photo, but you get the idea.)

Tonight was even more of a break from the usual routine. We had ice skating after work. Seth decided not to skate tonight (although halfway through he cried because he wanted to skate after all but I wouldn't let him) while William did an awesome job. He really found his balance, and he didn't fall at all. At one point, as I sat on the bleachers and talked to my cousin* (who was nearby and came to see us) while keeping an eye on Seth and watching William, I heard William's voice above the din of the ice rink shouting, "Look Mommy! I'm really ice skating!" The ear-to-ear grin on his face was worth every penny of the class.

After the class was over, we went to my cousin's son's band concert at his high school. The concert started at 7:30, so I was definitely going out on a limb by going there. But the theme of the concert was "March Madness" and they were performing a variety of marches. So I thought the boys might enjoy it. They've never been to an auditorium-style performance before, so it was a good experience for them. Seth spent most of his time playing with the seats (the spring kind that fold up when you stand up) and dancing in the aisle. William enjoyed the music, although he did keep asking if they were done. We stayed for about 4 songs and left around 8:00. Overall, it was a fantastic night, despite the fact that the boys didn't get to bed until 9:00 p.m. They'll survive, and every once in a while, it's okay to stay up late.

Switching gears a bit, the day was also a bit crazy because we had the inspection for the new house this morning. It was good to walk through the house again and start thinking about what we want to paint, where we want to put our furniture, and what we think we want to buy for the new house. The inspection went well and the house passed with flying colors. Now I have to begin the intimidating part--decorating. I am determined to make this a home I will be proud of. I'm sure I'll be asking for lots of help along the way.

As for details of the house, the development is just one long street of townhomes, built around 1980. Each home has a unique facade and floor plan, and they all have yards and nice landscaping. The homeowner's association maintains all the yards and landscaping, which is a huge relief to Ed, who does not enjoy yard work. He also loves the fact that everything is very well maintained. We have a big patio in back with a koi pond and several beds that need a lot of work. There's a big grouping of holly trees in one corner that provide shade, and another big tree closer to the house. I think we'll be spending lots of time out there this summer. The house is located in Falls Church City, which is a small, incorporated city within the boundaries of Fairfax County. It has its own school system which is highly sought after in the area. The breakdown of the schools is very unique--one school houses pre-k, kindergarten, and first grade; another school has 2nd through 4th grades, the middle school is 5th through 7th grades, and the high school is 8th through 12th grades. Interesting, huh? William will catch the bus to school right at the end of our street. And maybe the most exciting news of all is that the schools have an after-care program, and there's no wait list! Registration begins June 1. In Fairfax County, where we live now, I had to sign up for after-care last July, and I'm still number 35 on the wait list. I was pretty convinced that we would have to hire a nanny to pick William up from school and stay with him until we get home. We may end up deciding that that's a better option for us, but at least we have options!

I'll get into more details about the house itself in another post, or maybe even another blog. Toying with the idea of setting something up to help me decorate the place. In the meantime, I have style and design websites to peruse!

*My cousin is my father's sister's daughter. Like me, she is the youngest of five children. I moved to the DC area almost 16 years ago to be a nanny for her first son. Now that son is 16 years old! In my earlier days of living here, I babysat for them quite a bit (she had another son a few years later) and it has been awesome having family in the area. She's more like a big sister than a cousin. And it's even more awesome that I can turn to her for advice on how to raise two boys! These days, we hardly see each other, so it was great that she could meet us tonight!

Menu Plan Monday -- March 21

Beautiful productive weekend. We spent a lot of time outdoors. I got bathrooms cleaned and laundry done. Went to Target, grocery store, pet store. William went to "Ninja's Night Out" at his Taekwondo studio.  (From 5:30 to 9:00 p.m., the kids play games, eat pizza, and watch a movie. Unfortunately, Seth is too young to attend, so Ed and I didn't get a date out of it, but William had a blast nonetheless!) We put a contract on a townhouse. Overall, we got a lot done.

I even managed to plan this week's menu using up food from the freezer. It's not very exciting or original, but my groceries only cost $70 this week.

Wait, what was that? Oh, the contract on the townhouse. Yeah--thought I'd just slip that one in. Wanna see it?

It's a lot smaller than I was envisioning our new home would be. But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in charm. It has a front and back porch. (Back porch is screened in.) A really big patio in the back. A full bathroom and den/guest room on the first floor. Good-sized bedrooms upstairs. And it's in an awesome location with fantastic public schools. The lawn is maintained by the homeowner's association, and the street is quiet and private. Our closing is at the end of May. So Ed and I have already begun the big assessment about what goes and what stays, and what we thing we want to buy for the new place. I'm a little worried about where we will put all of the boys' toys. But I'm sure we'll manage. I'm really excited to get in there and make it ours, meet our neighbors, register William for kindergarten, and feel settled.

So now, back to this week's menu!

Sunday: Grilled chicken thighs with white barbecue sauce (this was soooo good! The white barbecue sauce is fantastic!), asparagus, dinner rolls
Monday: Breakfast for dinner (waffles, eggs, bacon, fruit)
Tuesday: Tacos/quesadillas (using up frozen taco meat)
Wednesday: Chicken tenders, broccoli, dinner rolls (using up a bag of frozen chicken tenders)
Thursday: Homemade pizza (using up mozzarella cheese that's been in the freezer a while)
Friday: Hamburgers/free for all (Found two hamburger patties in the freezer, so we'll use those up. The kids will probably eat something else.)
Saturday: Fried chicken, green beans, biscuits (using up frozen chicken legs)

So that's about it from me. Pretty awesome weekend, although now I'm exhausted. and just for the record, both boys seem to have runny noses again. I'm debating on whether or not I should take Seth back to the doctor tomorrow. He's not coughing a whole lot, but the cough is still there and it still sounds pretty cruddy. I guess I'll see how tomorrow plays out.

Show Me the Mommy--Reflections

We are finally getting some warmish spring weather, and I can't wait for the weekend. There are some flower pots that are begging for pansies and snap dragons and I intend to oblige. In the meantime, Seth is better and went back to school today. And even though it took us over an hour to get home tonight, which means we walked in the door at 6:40 p.m., the boys still got to play outside for a little while. I couldn't say no. Fortunately, dinner was in the crock pot, so while the boys messed around in front, I put the cabbage on to simmer and changed my clothes and got out the tricycles. I pushed Seth on the swing and they both rode around for a while. Then Daddy came home and I went in to get dinner on the table. William and Ed and I ate corned beef and cabbage. Seth lay on the couch. Three out of four ain't bad! We nebulized both boys, skipped bath, and had lights out by 8:30 p.m.

It's nights like this that I really, really, really wish I had some more flexibility at work. Don't get me wrong--my job is much more flexible than most. But an hour makes so much difference. It's nights like this that I question our choices--not just my choice to work, and to work full time, but also where we live, both the DC metro area, and our neighborhood. I can go over it in my head a hundred times, and it always comes down to the same conclusion. The good in our situation outweighs the bad, even if it's not by much. As we look for a new place to live, and as we face kindegarten and elementary school and all that it entails, we are rexamining everything, trying to be open minded, knowing that there is no perfect situation. There will be compromises, no matter what decisions we make. And things will be changing quite a bit anyway with William starting kindergarten. I'm a bit apprehensive, but for now, things work pretty well, despite the occasional traffic disaster.

So in the spirit of my reflective mood tonight, I thought I'd post this picture for Show Me the Mommy. I took this several weeks ago, when we had our first bit of nice-ish weather. Seth loves shooting hoops (with a soccer ball), so I managed to capture us both:

There are no right answers. Things can, and often do, change. And I'll keep reflecting on my choices, and I'll always wonder if I could be doing better. I think that's human nature. At least, it's my nature.

Sick Day

I wonder how many posts I've titled, "Sick Day"? I bet it's a lot. Today it was Seth's turn. He caught William's virus and started coughing on Sunday. He was acting fine though, no fever, so he went to school on Monday. He had a great day at school, but overnight, he woke up coughing several times and felt a little warm. This morning he had a low fever (100) and his coughing sounded worse. So we stayed home and made a doctor's appointment. The doctor said his lungs sounded okay and his throat looked fine. One ear had some fluid, so we are on a wait and see pattern. Despite the fever and fluid in his ear, Seth was totally normal all day. So it was kind of nice to spend a day with them at home.

Unfortunately, today is the monthly board meeting for our daycare, so I had to spend two hours on the phone in the middle of the day "attending" the meeting. Fortunately, Seth slept through most of it, and William managed to entertain himself for most of it. I did have to break up one fight towards the end of the meeting (between my kids, not the board members), and they were more than ready for me to hang up the phone by the time the meeting was over (the kids, and probably the board members, too). But all in all, it went really well. I was proud of William for respecting my need to be on the phone. And I was shocked that Seth actually willingly went down for his nap five minutes before the meeting started. I guess the stars aligned!

Other than the mid-day meeting, our day included a quick trip to Target, playing outside, building with blocks, drawing with new markers, and watching TV here and there. I'm tired, but this is the kind of sick day I can handle. Seth will stay home with Ed tomorrow, and hopefully will be well enough to go back to school on Thursday. Sick days every once in a while are great, but you definitely don't want to overdo them!

Menu Plan Monday -- March 14

I'm back on the menu-planning wagon. I was planning on having an "empty the pantry/freezer" week, but Ed loves corned beef, so I figured I should live it up for St. Patrick's day. The pork piccata, chicken breasts, and chicken thighs are all from the freezer, though, so I'm making progress. The pantry is a bit  more of a challenge, though. We have a lot of pasta and rice that no one really eats (other than me). I might try to come up with a few things to make over the weekend that I can bring to work all week. We'll see. In the meantime, the menu:

Sunday: Pork Piccata, green beans

Monday: Fish fillets (from Trader Joe's), broccoli, sweet potatoes

Tuesday: Spaghetti, garlic bread, salad

Wednesday: Garlic-lime chicken breasts, asparagus, dinner rolls

Thursday: Corned beef & cabbage with potatoes

Friday: Reubens

Saturday: Grilled (or baked) chicken thighs with white barbecue sauce (hoping to break out the grill!), broccoli, and maybe corn

Mummies

William has become very interested in Ancient Egyptian culture--especially pyramids, sphinxes, and mummies. After tonight, though, he might not be quite as interested in mummies. On Saturday we checked a book out of the library called Mummies. I didn't even open it to flip through the pages. I kind of wish I had because the first three pages of the book (the front matter) had pictures of pretty gruesome mummies. As William became a little less sure that he wanted to read the book, I start reading the introduction. The second sentence of the book reads, "A hook was pushed inside a nostril and into the skull and then twisted to break the brain into pieces to be drained through the nose." Um, yeah. I got to "a hook was pushed inside a nostril," and William said, "Maybe I don't wanna read this book." No kidding.

Instead we read about trains. And I'm crossing my fingers all night in the hopes that he won't suffer from nightmares. In the meantime, I've got a book about mummies to read. If you don't mind the gruesomeness, it's actually pretty cool!

Not My Brightest Mom Moment

On Saturday the weather was pretty nice so the boys decided they wanted to ride their tricycles to the pond in our neighborhood. The community center is across the street and I remembered that there was a big pile of sand in the parking lot next to a parked skid steer loader. I thought the boys would enjoy playing on the skid steer loader and climbing in the big pile of sand, so I told them to pick out a few diggers and trucks to bring along.

When we got to the pile of sand, William was ecstatic and started climbing immediately. I noticed the surface of the sand was kind of crusty, but I figured it was from the recent rain we had gotten. As the boys played, I noticed a white film running onto the pavement (anyone see where this is going?), and it started to dawn on me that it was salt. The pile of sand was the stuff they load into the trucks that salt and sand the roads during snow. The thing is, they usually use chemicals, too. And here I am letting my kids play in it. A couple of people had walked by and I noticed they were looking at me kind of funny, but I was thinking they were probably thinking it was cute that the boys were having so much fun on the sand pile. They were probably actually thinking, "I can't believe she's letting them play in that sand!"

Live and learn. Hopefully they'll be okay. I made them take a shower as soon as we got home. And I got a few good pictures out of the adventure. William absolutely loved it. And fortunately for me, when we passed by the parking lot this morning, we noticed that the sand pile and the skid steer loader were gone. So at least I don't have to worry about William wanting to play in it again. I didn't have the heart to tell him that there might be dangerous chemicals in the sand. Good going, Mom!

Good thing I'm cute, huh?

Photo Shoot with LauraC

Here are my favorites from the photo shoot with LauraC. Considering how uncooperative the boys were, and how unphotogenic I am, she did an amazing job! We have a photoshoot with a professional planned for late May, and I can't wait to compare the professional shots with Laura's. Something tells me Laura is going to be super successful when she goes pro!

Ice Skating!

Tonight was the boys' first ice skating lesson and they were awesome! I am so proud of them. They were taught how to fall, how to get up after they fall, and how to bend low and put their hands on their knees if they start to wobble and lose balance. William paid attention and followed directions and was very proud of himself for how well he did--hardly falling down at all!

Seth was raring to go when we first got there and had absolutely no fear. He fell down lots and lots of times, and got a little discouraged. A few tears were shed. Halfway through the lesson, he decided that listening to the teacher was for the birds. He was ready to go skate "with the big kids" who were having free skate. We'll see how he does for the rest of the lessons. But I was impressed with how well he was able to stand up on the ice and even skate a teeny tiny bit. He was by far the youngest kid there, and the other parents were very impressed with how well he did. The instructor said he catches on fast. That's my boy!

William is already looking forward to next week, wishing that his lesson was tomorrow instead. Maybe we'll take them to a rink this weekend for free skate time. Overall, I'm very encouraged!

Good Riddance, February

Well, maybe my title is a bit harsh. But I'm so ready for spring. We had nice weather on Sunday and the boys spent lots of time outside, helping Ed with yard work, riding their tricycles, playing on the playground. Today it rained most of the day, but the temperature was pretty mild. I'll take it. Tomorrow is supposed to be colder, but then Wednesday, a projected high of 63! And then back to colder on Thursday and Friday and the following week. Spring teasers for sure, but at least it's closer! We're hearing lots of birds in the morning, the days are getting longer. It's just around the corner!

What other random thoughts can I spew here? We looked at houses this weekend. I saw three that I would have been pretty happy to live in--one that I really really love. Ed is hesitant, though. I'm trying to be patient and I'm trying to not get all hung up on any one house because basically, I'll be pretty happy anywhere. I'm just frustrated because Ed seems incapable of making a decision. Yes, it's a huge deal and a HUGE amount of money, but we need to make a decision soon because we need to enroll William in kindergarten soon. We need to get him on waitlists for after-school care. It just seems like NOTHING will satisfy him. Ugh.

Over the weekend, I bought the first set of BOB books for William. He got the hang of reading them pretty quickly. It's mostly sight reading, but he can figure out the words by sounding out the first letter and the last letter. The best part was how excited he was that he was actually reading. It's a start anyway! He read one of the books out loud to his class today. I'm impressed! I think I've been underestimating him a bit.

I also bought the "My First Bob Books" for Seth, mostly because one of the charaters is named Seth. My Seth, of course, loves the books. There are 12 books in the box and we've already read them all twice. You gotta love vanity!

Back to William, he has discovered the Evolution of Dance video on You Tube. He loves it and watches it over and over. The funniest part is that he sings along to all the songs. He also loves the flash mob videos, especially the Michael Jackson tribute in Stockholm. I get worried when he starts browsing You Tube on my iPhone, though. There's a lot of, um, inappropriate stuff on there. I always make him hand me the phone if what he starts playing doesn't sound familiar.

Seth's birthday party is all booked. We're going in with two of his friends from school who have birthdays right before and right after him. Makes much more sense then figuring out who wants which weekend, and then having three separate parties. Yay for combining forces! We're doing it at Pump It Up, one of those big inflatable slide/jumpy/bounce places. Seth is excited. Now I need to get cracking on William's party. I think we're going to have it at his Taekwondo studio. But I need William to comfirm that it's definitely what he wants. I can't believe we're already making plans for their birthday parties! Forget birthday parties, I can't believe it's time to register William for kindergarten!!!

For my final thought, I made ribs last night and the boys ate them! They thought the rib bones were pretty cool. Yay for adding more meals to our repertoire. And speaking of food, I need to go figure out what to make tomorrow night. Ugh. I really hate having to figure out what to cook every night. Whether I do it night by night, or weekly, or monthly, it still sucks!!

Wednesday Randomness

• Ten minutes ago, I thought of at least three things to blog about in randomness. And now those things have escaped me. I guess this is how it is as I approach 40!
• Oh yeah--I remember one thing. William has been eating!!! This is pretty exciting. Last night I made meatloaf, green beans, and mashed potatoes and he ate all of the meatloaf, all the green beans, and half of the mashed potatoes. (Eventually, the pull of the mashed potatoes got to him and he succumbed to playing with them. But he ate half of them!) Tonight, we made homemade pizza (with homemade whole wheat crust) and he ate his entire generously sized piece, along with a whole bunch of grapes. This morning he ate two waffles. Not to mention the three waffles he ate one morning at Laura's. I'm hoping this means he's having a growth spurt! He could use one. He only weighs 33 pounds!
• I fell off the bandwagon and bit my nails some time last week. Work is super busy right now, and there's a lot going on at the daycare center. Both have me pretty much completely absorbed during the day. Oh well. I'll just start over!
• Along with eating, William has been drawing like crazy. Today it was all about spaceships. Last week was volcanoes. He's been using the dry erase board on our easel, much to Seth's dismay. Seth likes to paint on the easel, and doesn't like to share it with his brother.
• Tonight was a very good night. I brought a huge box home for the boys to play in after work. They drew all over it and told me where to cut out windows. I love cheap entertainment! They also helped me make the pizza. After they ate, the happily cleaned up while I made them ice cream. (Except that Seth conveniently had to use the bathroom during the clean-up. That boy is so manipulating!) Little to no whining (except when they wanted sippy cups). No losing my patience and no yelling!
• We're getting the Incredibles for Friday night movie night. William hasn't seen it so he's going to be thrilled! I haven't seen it either. Looking forward to it.
• Seth was recounting something that happened in school today and he used "like" several times. As in, "he was like, 'oh no!' and I was like, 'yes!'" How does that word enter their vocabulary at such a young age??? Is it relentless???
• Government shutdown might occur week after next. Lots of decisions to be made as for whether or not our daycare will stay open. Best case scenario--work shuts down and daycare stays open. I'd gladly sacrifiice a few days of pay to have a few days to myself!!!

Weekend at Laura's

Over our long holiday weekend, we visited LauraC and her twins, Nate and Alex. To say we had a great time would be an understatement. William and Seth had a blast and I loved catching up with Laura and hanging out. Laura was the perfect hostess and I actually felt like I was on vacation. It didn't hurt that the weather was mild and sunny! The boys were really good and they got along really well with Nate and Alex. I also got to see HeatherV and meet Ben and Ian, which was icing on the cake. And as if all of that wasn't awesome enough, Laura took some pictures of the boys and me. Despite the fact that William and Seth were less than cooperative, she managed to get a few great shots, including the ones she posted on her site. I am so fortunate that THE Laura Case lives within driving distance!

I didn't bring my camera, but I got a few shots with my iPhone. Seth loved all the sports equipment in the Case's backyard.

William loved the light sabers! (Don't ask me about this pose though.)

And this is what four 4-year-old boys, a 2-year-old boy, and a 10-month-old boy look like together at the table:

Our trip almost didn't happen, though, due to sickness and car trouble. When Ed took the car to get the oil changed on Wednesday, they reminded him that he needed to replace the front brakes. Meanwhile, Seth continued to cough and cough, and it got worse by mid-week. On Thursday, I took Seth to the doctor and fortunately, his lungs sounded clear and his ears were fine. It's still the upper respiratory virus, but the doctor prescribed an oral steroid for him and suggested he stay home on Friday and lay low. So that's what we did. We hung around the house all day and he was noticeably better. Meanwhile, Ed got the brakes fixed on the car, and all the planets aligned. I had originally planned to visit both Laura in Cary, NC, and my mom and brother in Charlotte, but I didn't want to push things with the boys, so I decided to just go to Laura's for a 3-day trip. (She lives only 5 hours from here, while my mom and brother would take an additional 3 hours.) I'm glad we did that because it was nice to have today to recover and hang out. (The boys' daycare was closed today for teacher training.)

Seth's cough is better, but it's still not knocked out. And on Saturday, William started getting the sniffles again. I guess this would be back-to-back-to-back-to-back colds for us. Hopefully, we can get through the rest of this week without having to go to the doctor's office!

In the meantime, I left Laura's inspired to make a few changes in our house. First and foremost, no more sippy cups! It's funny how your second child often gets to do things or see things much earlier than your first child ever did. But on the other hand, sometimes your older child hangs onto things much longer than you would like because your second child extends the boundaries a bit. William LOVES his sippy cups and is loathe to give them up. And because we use sippy cups, we pretty much let them drink anywhere in the house. Thus the chocolate milk and juice stains all over the sofa in the living room. After being at Laura's with nary a sippy cup in sight, I realized I just need to rip the band-aid off. When we got home, I declared that sippy cups will only be used in the car. At home, we drink in the kitchen from regular cups. They both whined and complained about it all day. I did let them use straws, but they still wanted sippy cups. I stayed strong, though. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

The next thing to work on is getting them to play without me in the room. They are so freakin' attached to me, it's ridiculous. And you would never have known that while we were at Laura's. They left me alone there. (For the most part.) But at home, I can't be out of their sight for more than 3 minutes. Drives me crazy.

The third thing to work on is staying calm when the boys are pushing my buttons. Laura showed amazing discipline and restraint when one of her boys pushed her buttons all weekend. I was so impressed, and it reinforced what I already know--that getting upset and angry and then yelling does nothing to address the behavior and is very ineffective. Unfortunately, I was not very successful at remaining calm and unaffected today. But I will redouble my efforts tomorrow.

So to summarize, awesome relaxing weekend with Laura, Nate, and Alex. Professional pictures taken. Inspired to be a better mom. Boys still sick, but not so bad. And I almost forgot--newfound love for Trader Joe's! I dragged the boys there today and got a bunch of goodies. Score! Definitely could not have asked for a better weekend. Thanks a million Laura!!!

William 4.75 and Seth 2.75

I've been working on a post in my head about the boys--William at age 4.75 and Seth at age 2.75. I have lots to say about them, but I'm so freakin' drained at the end of the day, I just don't have the energy to make the words flow from my brain to the keyboard. So I'll have to aim for a brief summary. The best way to describe the boys at these ages is challenging.

William 4.75 is surley, saucey, obnoxious, demanding, and not always my favorite person. He talks back. He whines. He complains.He thinks it's hysterical to utter any word having to do with any bodily function or private body part. He thinks it's hysterical when he snorts while laughing. Which induces him to snort while laughing even more. He thinks that I was put on the earth to serve his every need, at the instant that he needs it. He thinks it's okay to punch his brother when his brother doesn't do what he tells him to.

Seth 2.75 is stubborn, argumentative, and prone to fit-throwing when we make him do something he doesn't want to do. He often thinks that the rules don't apply to him. And he's pretty confident that he can talk his way out of anything. He is demanding and not very good at entertaining himself. And did I mention the fit-throwing? Ah yes, I think I did.

Despite all of this, and thankfully so, there is still much to love about William 4.75 and Seth 2.75. William 4.75 is, for the most part, a very thoughtful and sweet boy. When I was sick, he spent hours drawing pictures for me to make me feel better. He has done the same for his favorite teacher, who recently lost her father. He also loves to giggle and is quick to laugh. He is curious and inquisitive and has a fabulous imagination. He loves his little brother and is very protective of him. He engages Seth in his imaginative play and he is, in fact, capable of negotiating with Seth and working out compromises. Much of the time I am proud of him.

Seth 2.75 is often too cute for words. And speaking of negotiating--if that kid does not end up as a lawyer, I will be shocked. He tries to talk his way out of everything. He is not super sensitive--things tend to roll off his back pretty easily. He is tough and independent. Although he definitely enjoys the company of other people. He is also very affectionate and very funny. He likes to walk around with no pants and one sock on. That's just his thing. He loves his brother, but he doesn't take any you-know-what from William. He has learned, however, how to play the victim when William lashes out at him. He has quite the dramatic flair. Like his brother, he is thoughtful. And he is super helpful, in the way that 2 year olds can be helpful.

It's really hard to reconcile how crazy you are about your kids with how crazy they can make you. Each phase of their lives has the good, the bad, and the ugly. Making it through the bad and the ugly and hanging on for dear life to the good is what parenting is all about. Really, that's what life is all about. Fortunately, the good tends to linger long after the bad has been forgotten.

The Money Shot

The weather warmed up today (into the 50s) and we FINALLY got to play outside for an extended period fo time. We got out the trikes and the boys had a blast. I grabbed my camera, and while I know this won't win any photography contests,  I LOVE this picture.

They have been playing together so much lately. William wanted to wake Seth up from his nap this afternoon because he wanted to play "helicopter" with Seth. It is gratifying to be at this stage, to see the relationship developing between the two of them. They fight all the time, don't get me wrong. But I don't think it's going out on a limb to say that they are friends.

As far as my lack of posting goes, we've been busy. The boys are still coughing a bit, and I've got another sinus infection, but it seems like we're all on the road to better. I'm swamped at work and my house is a wreck and I'm definitely not getting enough sleep. But we've got a plan for that! More on all of that later. For now, I'll revel in a good weekend and hope that everything else falls into place.

February Not Turning Out as I Had Hoped

So February has started out much the same as January ended--with sickness. Seth caught another cold last week that started with a bad cough and ended up with wheezing. He went to school for part of the week, but we were home on Monday and Friday. William started showing cold symptoms on Thursday. Or maybe it was Wednesday, Hard to keep track. At first it just seemed like an average cold. But this weekend he started wheezing. And last night he spiked a fever. So home again yesterday and today. (Yesterday with me, today with Ed.) 

We went to the doctor yesterday and she ruled out ear infection and strep. She sent us to get a chest x-ray to determine if he has pneumonia. William did such a great job. I had Seth with me, so we had to wait outside the room while the technician took William to get the x-rays. He wasn't the slightest bit concerned that I wasn't going in with him. They let him pick out stickers when he was done, and he got one each for Seth, Daddy, and me. So sweet!

So anyway, the doctor called a short time later to say that the x-ray showed no pneumonia. So she diagnosed him with a viral-induced infection that caused asthma flare-up. She prescribed an oral steroid and said if he has a bad night, we should give him the oral steroid for the next 3-5 days.

In the meantime, I started feeling bad again on Saturday. Great! Fortunately, it's just a cold so far--enough to make me tired and grumpy, but not enough to allow me to stay in bed all day. Seth, meanwhile, is still coughing away, but otherwise seems fine. Nevermind that he has been throwing monster fits lately, crying so hard that he can't stop crying. He cried this morning on the way to school for 20 minutes and I had to carry him into school screaming. Not fun. His teacher said he calmed down quickly, so that's something, right? Man, this parenting gig is hard.

So that's where we are. Good thing I breastfed, right? (Note the sarcasm.) William is supposed to outgrow this whole asthma thing, and we're still waiting. If it gets much worse, I may have to pull on FMLA leave to get through this winter. Not good. But to keep things in perspective, they could be soooo much worse. If viral-induced asthma is the worst of my troubles, then my life must be pretty damn good. For now, we'll just keep hoping that tomorrow will be a better day.

Show Me the Mommy--Mommy Style

I FINALLY asked Ed to take a picture of the boys and me. It wasn't easy. They didn't exactly cooperate. But it's a picture of me and my boys, so I'll take it!

Happy weekend!

Wednesday Randomness--on Thursday

• Bridget's surgery went well and she is on the road to recovery. Thanks for your prayers and kind thoughts! In true Bridget fashion, her final thoughts expressed to me before her surgery were: "Please don't let me wake up with a headache." Hopefully, the pain meds are doing their job!
• Ed stayed home with Seth yesterday (Tuesday) because he was still coughing a LOT, and because I was afraid he'd go to school and tell everyone how he threw up the night before. Even though the vomiting was caused by mucus and gagging, I didn't really want to have to explain that to his teachers and the director. His teacher was already less than thrilled that he was at school on Monday. Not to mention the fact that now that I'm president of the board at our daycare, I feel like I have to adhere to a bit of a higher standard. Fortunately, he's better today, not coughing nearly as much. Hopefully he'll have a good day!
• I still haven't bitten my nails. Woo-hoo! I have to admit that it's getting harder. I keep reminding myself that it's cold and flu season, and really, it's disgusting to be biting my nails this time of year!
• Dinner this week is going well, even without a plan. I made salmon and asparagus on Sunday, with my own butter/garlic/white wine/dill/lemon juice sauce. It was pretty good! I rarely stray from recipes and wing it, so I was pretty psyched it turned out well. On Monday we did waffles and sausage and fruit. And last night, I made fried chicken, broccoli, and biscuits. Tonight I may be winging it a bit. Maybe chicken nuggets for the boys. They're homemade, so it's not as bad as it sounds!
• I'm signing William up for ice skating lessons. I'm debating on whether to sign Seth up for ice skating, too. I was thinking I'd sign him up for soccer. But it would be nice to have the two of them taking the same class together. I'm also trying to decide which class to sign them up for--weekend or weekday. Since William already takes taekwondo on Saturdays, I don't want to overload his weekends. I could sign them both up for a Wednesday night ice skating class that starts at 6:30, but I might need to leave work a little early to make it there in time to get both boys in their skates. And that would definitely make for a late night once we eat dinner and get home. Not the end of the world, but something to consider. I could sign William up for a Sunday class. There's only one time-slot available right now, so that would leave Seth out. But I could sign Seth up for soccer and let him wait on the ice skating. Decisions, decisions.
• I never finished this post yesterday (Wednesday) so I'm wrapping it up today (Thursday).
• I decided to sign both boys up for ice skating on Wednesday nights starting Mar. 2. The class goes for 6 weeks. After that, soccer starts, so I'll sign Seth up for a Saturday morning class. Woo-hoo! I hope the boys both like it and it doesn't kill us.
• I never did post about the snow storm that hit DC last week (or was it the week before that) right during rush hour. It had been raining all morning, and then it turned to wet, heavy snow. The rain had washed the salt and sand and chemicals off the roads, so everything turned into a slippery, awful mess, and traffic turned into a HUGE nightmare. Ed ended up staying in his office all night because he could not get onto the road that would take him home. There were cars stuck everywhere, and no one could go anywhere. It took people on average 4-5 hours to get home. Luckily, I left work at 3:00 p.m., just as the snow was starting, and it only took us an hour to get home. I've never been so thankful in my whole life!
• I think that's all for now.
  

My Thoughts Are with Bridget

My friend Bridget is undergoing brain surgery today to remove a tumor from her pituitary gland. Her quality of life over the last several years has suffered greatly, and I hope and pray (as much as I'm a praying person) that this surgery will be successful, without complications, and that she can begin the journey to getting her life back. Bridget is an amazing and strong woman, and I don't doubt for a second that she will get through this. She is the epitome of a steel magnolia--gracious and charming and stylish and one of the funniest people I know, and at the same time, smart as a whip and tough as nails. But if you can send your thoughts and prayers her way, I'm sure it wouldn't hurt. I mean, it is brain surgery, after all.

Good Riddance, January!

What a crummy month this has been. I'm not sorry to see it go. Unfortunately, we'll be dragging some remnants of January into February, as Seth has developed a terrible hacking cough. I took him to the doctor this morning, but she said it's just a cold. His lungs were clear, his ears looked good, his throat is fine. It started on Saturday with a hoarse voice and coughing. The coughing got worse, but otherwise, he's been fine. No fever, playful as usual, eating and drinking normal. I took him to school today after the doctor, but of course, his teacher said he was not himself at school, lethargic and grumpy. I swear he was fine all weekend! I wouldn't have taken him to school if he was acting sick! And anyway, I'm out of sick days. And he's fine--he's just acting!

We'll see what happens tomorrow. When he lay down to go to sleep tonight, he coughed so much that he gagged and threw up. He ended up falling asleep in his rocking chair. Who knows how the night will go. So yeah, January--good riddance!

Speaking of January, I took very few pictures this month, but here's one of Seth being silly:

And here's one of William from this weekend. We finally went sledding down the hill behind our house. It was a bit muddy at the bottom, but we had a blast. Seth joined us when he woke up from his nap, and he loved it too, even though he only got to go down a few times before we had to go in. That's about the funnest thing we did all month!

Show Me the Mommy--Right Back at You Sista!

Laura posted a picture of us on her blog today from the first time we met. Since I haven't taken any pictures of myself in the last few weeks (or had anyone take pictures of me--I really need to work on this!), I dug through the archives and found this:

Laura had come to DC for a quick weekend shopping trip to Ikea, so we met there and tried to shop and talk. I think that might have been the second time we met? Maybe the third. At any rate, it is so cool that I have made so many friends just from blogging. And if you think that "Internet" friends are not IRL friends, think again. True connections with people are hard to come by, and I love how truly connected I feel to all of my blog and Internet friends. And, of course, to Laura, who we will be visiting in just a few short weeks!

And thinking about visiting Laura in her NEW house and seeing the picture of Ikea makes me think about our house search and how fruitless it feels at this point. We're not finding affordable houses close in that we actually want to live in. Ed is really hesitant about buying. We need to figure out where we're going to live so we can enroll William in kindergarten and figure out his before/after care situation. And mostly, I'm just ready to move and get settled. I know a lot more places will be coming on the market in the next few months. We still have time. And we're actually very lucky to have so many options, and to not have to sell a house. And even the worst-case scenario--staying where we are and having William go to kindergarten in our current neighborhood--is not a terrible option. But I'm yearning for a home and to feel settled. All in good time I guess!

The State of the Hahns

January is a tough time of year to give a State of the Hahns address. That's because the state of the Hahns in January is usually not good. We are usually sick and stressed and cranky and tired of long, dark, cold days. The boys seems to struggle with behavior and Ed and I struggle just to get along.

But . . .

If I can just step away from the winter doldrums and look at the full picture, I can't help but see that the State of the Hahns is fortunate beyond measure. The worst sickness we have faced pales in comparison to the losses so many have suffered. We are stressed about deciding where we want to live, and yet, we have more financial security than most people in the U.S. We are cranky and tired, yet we have jobs and supportive families and we have the children that we always wanted. We are never hungry. We are never cold. We have never known true suffering. For that I can only be grateful and feel humbled that I have been given so much.

So truly, the state of the Hahns is strong. The state of the Hahns is secure. There is comfort in knowing that the doldrums are just a phase, a regular part of life and parenthood. We seize the joy that we can, and put the rest behind us. We get through one more day and we try to make tomorrow a better day. The state of the Hahns is solid because we have experience behind us and we have a hopeful future ahead of us. We have what we need. As for what we want? That's up to us.

So yes, the state of the Hahns is fortunate, strong, secure, comforted, solid, and mostly grateful. Most definitely grateful.

Another Monday

I think most of us would agree that January and February pretty much suck. Yucky weather and short days and post-holiday let down--I guess it's a little bit of all of that. Add in some sickness, and there just isn't a whole lot of joy to go around. I've been trying to work on my "State of the Hahns" message, but every year, it's the same thing. The state of the Hahns in January is never great.

I've been especially annoyed lately with how needy and self-centered my kids are. I realized that they are 2 and 4--which is the epicenter of neediness and selfishness. But knowing that doesn't make me hate it any less. It doesn't help that I've been sick, so I've been needing space and time to rest. We are working on boundaries and waiting and asking rather than demanding. And of course, we expect a little more of William than Seth. But William is not coming along easily, that's for sure. I have had my moments where I'm screaming inside my head, "LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!!!!" At least I'm screaming in my head. That's not to say there hasn't been yelling in our house, though. I'm not proud of it, but as I've explained to William, sometimes, yelling is the only thing that gets their attention.

Dinner is another issue that has been driving me frickin' crazy, so I'm not even trying to put together a menu plan this week. I'm so tired of the boys eating things at school that they refuse to eat at home. I'm tired of making things that no one eats, and then watching them go to waste in the fridge. I'm tired of the daily battle to get the boys to sit at the table and eat, rather than getting up and down, trying to play with toys, telling me they're done after one bite. Having a menu plan only helps if my family actually eats the food I bother to cook. I'm also frustrated with vegetables. We're down to broccoli and green beans (and asparagus if I can find decent asparagus this time of year, which means it's imported, which I really don't like to buy). And lately, William hasn't touched either one of those. Last night I made mashed potatoes, because William eats the mashed potatoes at school and likes them, but did he eat them at home? Of course not. Seth wouldn't touch them.

Anyway, I think that's enough complaining in one post. I know things will be fine. And for all the angst, there are still small moments every day that keep me going. Over the weekend I spent some time with the boys outside. Seth especially craves outside time, and it's great to see him racing his scooter around the basketball court, throwing balls into his basketball hoop, and playing in the sandbox. Even though William has gotten older, he still loves his sandbox. Last weekend I let them pour water in the sandbox and they spent a long time making "concrete" and paving roads. It's gratifying to see them explore and use their imaginations and engage each other. This weekend we also made pumpkin chocolate-chip muffins and met some friends at a small aviation museum, so it's the little things that count at this point, I guess.

My strategy for the next few months is to worry less about dinner, be consistent and calm when facing demands and disrespect, and continue to maintain high expectations for behavior. We have a road trip coming up in February that is definitely something to look forward to (although weather and illness could interfere, so keeping expectations low). And hopefully we can mix in a few more special activities here and there--enough to get us out of the house now and then. As we all know, time flies pretty quickly. And I don't really want to wish my days away. It's way too easy to want them back when they're gone.

Show Me the Mommy--Or at Least, a Piece of the Mommy

One of my New Year's resolutions every. single. year. is to stop biting my nails. Obviously, I've never been successful with that one, but so far this year, I'm on the right track. I decided that if I'm going to make a commitment, I need to invest, so I'm trying to get a manicure every two weeks or so. I haven't bitten my nails since December 30, and here's how they look today, after a manicure:

Actually, this picture bums me out because my hands look so wrinkled and old. But what can I say, they're my hands. Anyway, three weeks of no nail biting is a big feat for me. It hasn't been as hard as I thought, but there are definitely lots of moments when the urge to nibble strikes. I'm trying to just take it one day at a time--just get through today--and I'll see where that takes me.

In other Mommy news, I'm still working on a full recovery, and went back to the doctor today. He added a steroid to my antibiotic and corticosteriod regimen, so hopefully, that will make the difference. I'm still coughing and still have nasal discharge and pain in my facial bones, although I'm much better than I was a week ago. The main problem now is that in all of my coughing, I managed to severely pull a muscle in my rib cage on the right side, and it kills whenever I cough, or move, or, you know, breathe.

William and Seth, meanwhile, seem fine health-wise. I think they are happy to be back into our regular routine. They have been spending lots of time lately building forts together and sharing all manner of adventures. Our sofa is pretty much totaled now because every time they're near it, there is some compulsion that drives them to remove all of the cushions and make a fort and jump from the coffee table to the sofa and back again. (Not to mention the chocolate milk and OJ stains and pen marks that cover just about every surface.) In some ways, I regret allowing them to tear it up so much, but on the other hand, to see their imaginations at work, to see the sofa as a train or a rocket ship or an excavator or a "nest," or whatever it may be each day brings a smile to my face and the conviction that a house is for living in. (And boy, is ours lived in!)

Anyway, looking forward to the weekend, and hoping that by next week, I'll be close to 100 percent again.

Never Been Sicker

Remember that "tickle" in the back of my throat that I thought I would ignore a week ago Monday? Yeah--that tickle turned into the flu with a side of bronchitis and a sinus infection. I've never felt so sick in my entire life. Ever. I begged Ed to take me to the hospital so they could give me a narcotic to knock me out. It was bad.

But let me back up a little. When last I left you, William had been sick on Sunday and still had a fever on Monday. In the wee hours of Tuesday morning (4:30 a.m.) Seth woke up and threw up. And then threw up every 30 minutes for 2 hours. I woke up with a very hoarse voice, but otherwise felt okay. I went to work and Ed stayed home with the boys. Seth didn't throw up anymore, and only ran a slight fever. William was much better. By the time I got home from work, though, I had started feeling run down. Overnight, William started coughing. On Wednesday, I stayed home with the boys, but I went from bad to worse. I was coughing a lot, and had started feeling achy. Seth was completely recovered, but William started coughing A LOT. By 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, I was lying on the couch in a fetal position while the boys wreaked havoc in the house. At 6:00, I couldn't take it anymore and went upstairs and got in bed. I have no idea what the boys were doing. Fortunately, Ed got home shortly after that. Wednesday night, Thursday, and Thursday night were the worst. I was in so much pain from the fever and my sinuses and coughing that I couldn't sleep. I was alternating ibuprofen and acetimenophin and it wasn't helping. I was miserable. On Thursday, Ed took Seth to school but kept William home because of his cough. On Friday, I rallied a bit and went to the doctor. She didn't confirm whether or not I had the flu, but said it was definitely possible. She diagnosed bronchitis and a sinus infection and prescribed antibiotics which we picked up right away. She also put me on Flonase.

On Saturday, the fever was finally gone and I felt much better. But I just wanted to sleep. Ed's parents graciously agreed to keep the boys overnight, so I drove them to Ed's office (halfway to his parents) and his parents' met us there and we switched cars. I still didn't get a whole lot of sleep, but it was so nice to get a break from the boys. I went to Ed's parents on Sunday afternoonto pick up the boys and stayed for dinner. Once we got home and I got in bed, though, I started coughing again. And coughing, and coughing. The sinus infection was killing me and I was worried that the antibiotics weren't working. I felt pretty miserable on Monday, too, but we got through it. And by Monday night, I turned a corner. All is right with the world again. (For the most part.)

I learned some important lessons while I was sick, though.

1. I could be lying on the floor bleeding, gasping for air, and William would ask me to get him some chocolate milk.
2. My kids are way, way, way too attached to me. On Wednesday and Thursday night, Ed had to do the bath/books/bed routine by himself, and you'd think he was torturing the boys. They cried and cried and cried for me. They couldn't understand why I couldn't read to them and tuck them in if I was in the next room. I know it's not like that when I'm out of town or out of the house, but again, I could be bleeding and gasping for air, but there is hell to pay if I don't read a bedtime story.
3. My kids are way, way, way too attached to me. They would not do anything unless I was in the room with them. They wouldn't even watch TV without me there. Don't even think about asking them to play in the basement unless I plan to go down there with them. It made me CRAZY.
4. William will get tired of TV eventually. I thought this could never happen, but after a full week of TV all day, even he wanted to turn it off and play with toys.
5. I will never get tired of Wonder Pets or Kipper. The accents on Kipper kill me!
6. I can get tired of Caillou and Bob the Builder.

So there you have it. I'm just glad it's over and we can move on. My house is disgusting and needs to be cleaned, but for now, I just need to get through each day and figure out what's for dinner. Last week's plan went to hell in a handbasket, and I'm not even sure there's anything salvageable. I did manage to do laundry and wash all the sheets and pillow cases on all the beds. So that's enough, I guess. Maybe this weekend, I can go back to being productive. In the meantime, I just want to go to bed!

Sick Day and Menu Plan Monday

On Saturday night, William succumbed to the virus that's been floating around the boys' school. Around 10:30 p.m., he woke with a fever and said his stomach hurt. On Sunday morning, he woke with a fever and then threw up. Seth watched William throw up, said, "Ewww, gwoss," and then threw up himself. Fortunately, Seth doesn't seem to be sick (yet). He just inherited his father's weak stomach. William spent all day Sunday on the couch with his fever spiking up and down. No more throwing up, but he started coughing, and now he has a stuffy, runny nose. We went to the doctor today and he's fine--just a cold virus. He still had a fever off and on today, so Ed will stay home with him tomorrow. Hopefully Seth will be okay, but somehow, I doubt it. Time will tell.

In the meantime, I worked out a menu plan for the week that will probably end up being eaten only by Ed and me. William has eaten hardly anything in the last two days, and Seth is getting pickier and pickier. But regardless, here's our plan:

Sunday: Sirloin steak (broiled), salad, dinner rolls
Monday: Free-for-all (Seth ate cheese and crackers, strawberries, apples, and scavenged off my sweet potato; Ed ate leftover steak; I ate cheese and crackers and a baked sweet potato; William didn't eat)
Tuesday: Cilantro chicken, salad, dinner rolls (broccoli or green beans for the boys)
Wednesday: Quesadillas
Thursday: Zesty hamburger soup (I might have to change this because I'm not sure any of my boys will eat this) with biscuits
Friday: Carryout
Saturday: Ribs, baked beans, coleslaw

Well, at least it's a plan, even if it all goes awry. And for now, I'll just ignore that little tickle in the back of my throat. I'm sure it's nothing.