May 9, 2014

This might be the most challenging day I've ever had as a mom. And so I'll document it.

4:00 a.m. - Husband's alarm goes off. Wakes me, too. He gets ready and leaves for Midway Airport to Minneapolis for a day trip.
5:00 a.m. - Still not back to sleep. Hear Claire start to stir. Benjamin starts to scream out from his room. He had a temperature yesterday. He must still be feeling horrible. Decide to get up and feed Claire even though she would probably sleep well past 6:00 just in case I need to tend to Benjamin's needs. While feeding Claire, the screaming stops. He's asleep again.
5:20 a.m. - Back in bed and breathing easier.
5:30 a.m. - Benjamin is screaming again. Get up and go in his room. He's burning up. I strip his clothes. He requests "hugs" and that I get in bed with him. Eventually he falls asleep with me spooning him.
6:00 a.m. - I attempt to leave, but he wakes. He's not going back to sleep. Wants "stairs" and so I figure I might as well check his temp, get him some water and maybe some Tylenol to treat the intense heat I'm feeling his body is emitting. Requests I "ear, kiss it" while pointing at his left ear. I kiss his left ear at least a dozen times over the course of the next few hours as it's apparently in pain. First sign this might not be the flu. He's never had an ear infection before in 26 months of life. I was just telling my mom that the other day. Eating my words.
6:17 a.m. - Downstairs, first diaper change, temp of 102 read, juice/water and pretzels given. He sits in his high chair like it's a normal time of day for such a thing (he usually wakes between 8-8:30). There are books read, cuddles, A/C cranked up and eventually he finds the iPad. Fine. Whatever. I'm tired. Texting with the husband about how fun this is.
7:30 a.m. - Escape to get dressed for the day since apparently it's inevitable that I must perform my mom duties no matter what. Might as well get out of the pajamas. Claire is stirring. Feed her and change her.
8:00 a.m. - We're downstairs now and my day started 4 hours ago. Exhausted. Make myself some oatmeal and hold the baby while eating. Diaper change #3 of the day goes to Benjamin.
8:30 a.m. - Get ahold of doctor and schedule a 9:30 appointment. Make sure not to schedule appt. with the doctor who gave me sad eyes when talking about Claire being a small fry. Don't need to deal with any more punk doctors.
9:00 a.m. - Feed Claire and get her in the carseat. Do the 428 other things moms have to do in order to get out the door, including putting clothes on my toddler who was previously only sporting a diaper. Speaking of diapers... diaper change #4 also goes to Benjamin. He's 3:1 against Claire so far.
9:30 a.m. - Doctor visit determines he has an ear infection in his left ear. Doctor says 3/10 on the scale, so not terrible. Prescribes Amoxicillin for the next 10 days along with Tylenol and nebulizer if necessary. Benjamin gets a "treat" lollipop and he's happy. Manage to get out of the there without a fight about the elevator.
10:00 a.m. - Head to the grocery store to pick up some things. Claire is asleep and Benjamin is still on a candy high. After, drive through the drug store pharmacy pick-up window (genius) to get his meds. At this time, the toddler requests french fries.
10:15 a.m. - Drive through McDonald's line and realize it's still breakfast. Decline. Drive down the street to Wendy's and pick up french fries for the sick one. Demands fries immediately. I tell him they are so hot that I can barely pick them up. The demanding toddler tells me to "blow" on them. Instead, I drive home holding single french fries out the window to cool them faster and hand them back to him one-by-one.
10:30 a.m. - Arrive home and Claire remains sleeping in the car. Benjamin goes inside and eats fries... but only a total of about 10. Give him a banana of which he takes one bite, says "trash" and walks over and puts the whole thing in the trash.
10:45 a.m. - Wake Claire so she'll sleep at normal naptime of 1 p.m. and she's pretty angry about the whole idea.
11:00 a.m. - Turn on Daniel Tiger for Benjamin (followed by Super Why, bonus!) and feed Claire, hoping and praying she doesn't get sick everytime I hear Benjamin cough.
11:20 a.m. - I'm starving. Hold baby in one hand while making myself a sandwich. Eat while holding baby.
11:35 a.m. - Decide I need some fresh air, so I put the baby in the double BOB and head outside to pick some weeds. Benjamin is happily watching his show and I'll be gone only 15 minutes or so.
11:45 a.m. - Claire is starting to fuss and figured that was all she would allow ... head back inside to Benjamin crying and pacing the upstairs looking for me. Calm him and he looks tired. Attempt to get him down for a nap. Until I realize he's burning up again. Back downstairs for meds & water while intermittently wiping snot like I've done all morning. Claire claims diaper change #5 of the day. Now 3:2, in favor of Benjamin.
12:00 p.m. - Still playing in his room. We read lots of books.
12:10 p.m. - Claire poops. Diaper change #6 goes to Claire. 3:3, tie.
12:15 p.m. - Go back downstairs and feed Claire again. She's fussy and clearly still tired. Maybe they will both nap at the same time. Fingers crossed. Write a text to the husband about this insane day that is only half over.
12:30 p.m. - Put Claire down for a nap in the bouncer and turn the vibrate on. Today is not the day to put her in the crib for potentially crappy sleep. I need a break. Take the easy road. Diaper change #7 goes to Benjamin. Benjamin inches Claire out at 4:3 for the total at half-past-noon. Tell Benjamin it is naptime (though it's really in 30 minutes) but figure that him waking three hours early was definitely calls for an early nap.
12:40 p.m. - Back downstairs and typing this. Someone send me a cocktail. Stat. Nothing like a billion reminders that I'm a mom just before Mother's Day. Though really... why on the day the husband is out of town?
1:21 p.m. - Just finished this blog post. Claire is awake now. I'm opening a beer. Gonna be a long afternoon.

TGIF.