Another Week

Another week of sick kiddos.  This time is was some kind of virus that made them tired, cranky, with fevers and coughs.  Too many germs this cold, cold winter!  I was hoping going to Florida would break the cycle and boost their immune systems.
They always seem to get sick when there is a ton to do (but maybe there always is).  The evening class I was teaching finished a couple of weeks ago and final projects were due.  I was online Tuesday night trying to make sure that the projects were coming in, with the final reflection papers, correctly, so people could resubmit if need be, without losing points for them being late.  The kids were taking turns crying and being very miserable.  I finally ended up with Sam asleep on one couch and Vivian sleeping on me while I tried to balance the laptop.  At 10:30 pm I gave up, figuring the children needed me more than the adults, and if the adult students couldn't submit their projects correctly, then they could have emailed by then.  (Of course I got one email at 11:38pm!).
Anyway, have to keep smiling and plugging away, not worrying about missing days of work and getting everything done.  Some funny moments from the week:

• Vivian hijacking the remote when Sam was finally settled (after a few bouts of tears) on Saturday night with a movie.  Sam wailed, "she ruined the movie!  Vivian ruined it all!  Bef-an, Chris-TO-PHER!!!"  We were finishing our dinner as I found Vivian running out of the living room holding the remote like a football, smiling with delight.  Sure enough she had pushed a series of buttons that made the movie fast forward and then flipped the channel.  

• Sam instituting a fine for, "going too fast in the dining room and bumping into the black thing." Basically, if you bumped into the sideboard, you paid him a dollar, or Vivian a dollar.  (This gene is totally from his aunt).
• The cat appearing from downstairs and taking a nap in Sam's bed with him.  This is the first time he's stood for sharing his bed with her.  When I asked him how his nap was, he told me, "good.  Annie and I shared a cracker that I found."(?).  

• Tonight, Sam told me, "Mom.  You don't have to worry.  I'll tell you when I'm asleep.  Okay?"

I finally finished my final project grading.  Now onto report cards for school, taxes, and conferences.  I think the kids are on the mend, less tears today, no fevers, and Vivian now has a rash, which is apparently a good thing, as according the pediatric nurse I spoke to, it means her fever has broken.

Snow Day

This was from a snow day at some point this winter, that I never got around to posting.  We've had so many snow days this year that the public school system I work in will be in school until almost July.  And snow is forecast tonight/tomorrow morning, although spring has officially started.  I think, despite the media hype, this snowstorm will end up being more wind than snow.

Anyway, Vivian likes to play/tear apart the kitchen cabinets.  On this particular snow day, she pulled the grits out, and before I could stop her, the lid off, and poured them across the floor.  I actually have a photo of her dumping them somewhere.  I spend much of my time at home picking up after them and this day I figured since they were on the floor, they might as well just play with them and stay busy for a while. 

Sam's clean up effort involved his toy snow plow, which was great until the grits turned into sand that was supposed to spread on the road, and then I found it spread all over the kitchen and trailing into the dining room.

This was something like "Phhfllttt.." look what happened, mom.

Clean-up crew.

Kind of like a sensory table, on the floor.

If you can't beat them, join them.  I finally opened a beer and sat down with them.

Vivian's 1st Birthday

I can't quite believe that she's already one!

                         

Made It!

Sicky Girl

We are supposed to get out to Florida to see Chris's family, we first had flights canceled on Sunday am, due to a snowstorm.  It turned out to be a blessing as Vivian woke up being violently ill for hours that night.  We ended up taking her to the Emergency Room as she didn't have a wet diaper for about 16 hours.  She's on the mend now, starting to eat, but very cranky and tired and not herself at all.  Now we are supposed to fly out late tonight, there is snow on the way, and Sam is complaining his belly hurts, and they both seem to be congested.  Sam has been eating though and so far everything has stayed down.  I'm sure it'll hit on the plane if we get out tonight at all.  Luckily we bought travel insurance, but it makes me think twice about trying for a trip on February vacation week at all.
Third round of stomach bug/norovirus type illness this winter and puke is absolutely my least favorite thing to deal with (other than snakes).

Water bottles are great toys, but try to make me drink it and I will throw it across the room.  And the popsicle, apple juice, Pedialyte, and uncapped drink.

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Vivian was a very good patient all things considered, even as they ran what ended up being pretty unnecessary tests as it was pretty clearly a stomach bug.  The thing she hated the most was not being able to be mobile.  Tessa was with me, and we finally disconnected her toe monitor that was tethering her to the machine and the room and let her walk up and down the hall to say, "hi" to everyone and try to visit the other children.  She was pretty adamant about what she didn't want (fluids in general) and what she did (to leave).

Vivian's First Valentine's Day

I got this from her caretaker this morning.  I'm pretty sure Vivian just woke up.

Taking a Trip

We are going to Florida next week for a few days, a last minute trip to visit some of Chris's family and so they can meet Vivian.

Sam's reaction when I told him was kind of matter-of-fact.

"Who's going?"

"Our family.  Mom, Dad, Sam, and Vivian."

"And Annie." (the cat who has slept here maybe twice in the last month).

"No, not Annie."

"Why not?"

"We'll, cats don't really like to travel.  They don't like planes, they like to stay home."

"Oh.  Well, I think we should take Annie."

Pause. 

"Mom?"

"Yes, Sam?"

"Can we jump out of the plane?"

"What? No!"

"Why not?"

"Why can't we jump out of the plane?"

"Yes, I want to jump out."

"Because we are landing at the airport and getting off the plane like everyone else."

"Because I'm not a grown up?"

"Yes.  No, not because you're not a grown up.  People don't jump out of planes."

"Yes they do."

"Well, we're not, it's not that kind of plane."

"Oh.  Well when I'm a grown up, Sam, Mom, Daddy, and Vivi can jump out of a plane.  And Annie."

Sam's drawing of "going to Florida."  There is the car on the left, the plane above at the airport, and Florida on the right.