Home Sick:
While I was homesick last week to be with my family and send Matt off on his mission, I got to experience the other home sick instead. Easton caught a virus at school and it's been making its way through the family for the past week. Our week has seen variations of the following: headaches, fevers, coughing, runny noses, tissues, naps, scratchy voices, too many midnight wakings, meltdowns a plenty, too many kid movies and cartoons, Vicks vapor rub, Tylenol, Motrin, Robitussin DM, a doctor visit, reading books, and lots of snuggling!
Ryan took this unflattering picture weeks ago, but it captures our rag-taggle sick bunch this past week pretty well. It's moments like these where I feel claustrophobic and complete joy in the same moment! I can't get enough of McKay's hugs and affection!
A couple days ago in the wee morning hours when McKay had woken up every hour coughing with a 103 fever, he totally freaked me out! He'd finally settled in on the couch and I was in the laundry room close by when I heard his clear voice (not his sick raspy voice) say like he often does, "I love you, Mom." It scared me so bad I had trouble getting back to sleep the rest of the night for fear that it was a farewell. Needless to say, with a few H1N1 virus cases and a case of tuberculosis here, we saw the doctor that morning! A friend even told me last night their family got whooping cough these past few weeks!
The plus side of this, I must admit, was how nice it was to have a break from our morning flurry of activities to get everyone out the door! I even cajoled Ryan into letting me go to German class in the evenings for him so I wouldn't have to miss class or find a sitter willing to watch my sickies. After long days at home with sick babies, I was always dying to get out and he was happy to be home after work even if it meant he had to cover the bedtime and medicine routines.
Autumn is Here!
For the past few weeks, I've enjoyed the changing view as I'd leave to trek over to get McKay from kindergarten or Easton from the bus. Such great colors and everything seems to be peak right now!
And coming home . . .
McKay insists on riding his scooter to and from the bus pickup. This requires a supreme dose of patience on my behalf, but he's a determined little guy! The wrist band isn't for wiping sweat away. Oh no! It holds all his super powers and boy does he use them!
Brothers are the best!
Seeing these two laughin' it up together, the best of friends, makes my day -- even if they're not allowed to sit on top of the couch! Since McKay likes to avoid giving good smiles when asked, I had to post this one and also show how he likes to dress himself!
I knew the boys were feeling better for sure when I found them dragging each other back and forth across the apartment floor last night without someone descending into a meltdown every couple of minutes! Notice the cushy booster seat they used to make the ride more comfortable. McKay definitely got the best of this game since Easton was too heavy to pull for long.
When the brothers leave the door open to the back yard, Morgan makes a bee line over to it and out she escapes! Last week I found her rolling this car across the lawn, happy as a clam, still in her pjs!
I had the scare of a lifetime yesterday when I discovered they'd let her out without me knowing and the gate was open! The boys had already headed back inside to continue a game they were playing and I'm not even sure they knew she made her way outside. Luckily, she enjoyed pushing the gate back and forth and hadn't made it far!
Time to Report:
I finally did it! Ryan was genuinely pleased with our little birthday evening for him a couple weeks ago! The boys rolled the roulands down so it was completely dark in our apartment. We sat in the dark for a half hour until Ryan got home because they were so excited and wanted to practice jumping out and surprising their daddy! McKay unwrapped one of Ryan's presents before Ryan got home and then once again before we sat down to eat. He just couldn't wait to show dad what we'd gotten him! I was once again reminded why I never got picked for singing solos in elementary school like my best friend. I can't even sing "Happy Birthday" in tune! These kids better grow up fast so they can drown out my voice. It hurt my ears!
The picture above is the birthday boy with this goods. His favorite dinner - roast beef enchiladas with fresh guacamole, sour cream, tortilla chips, and Rotel cheese sauce. I surprised him with a German chocolate cake. No one else but Ryan likes the coconut-nut frosting so I never make this. Turns out I made it just right - HURRAY! Thank you Trisha Yearwood for sharing Garth Brooks' favorite recipe on some cooking show!
