I've been hit by a Mac Truck

TIRED. That pretty much sums up my life the last 2 weeks. Just as Precious Jewel and Mr. Smiles seemed to be eating all things normal again and not requesting pain meds every few hours, Naters decided it was his turn to catch the tummy bug that I've read about on everyone else's face book pages. I was feeling pretty good about having avoided it. I was extremely careful the two weeks before their surgery and avoided all the germs I could. I even skipped the extra fun looking VBS that all their friends attended the week after we got back from Dallas. I wanted them to go. I wanted to go just to be around other adults and watch. We stayed away and I'm glad.
A chunk of those kids all came down with some stomach virus that I watched weave it's way through various families (I watched it via face book). As everyone else was reporting the lovely sounds and smells of vomit and, well, the other stuff, attacking their houses, I avoided all but a few people and instead took my kids to the little country club pool where very few people we know ever go. It's kind of lonely for me, but great for the kids. We often have the pool to ourselves and they are really learning to swim with a little coaching from their momma (who used to teach swimming lessons in another lifetime).

This past Monday I was just beginning to breath again, when whatever it is that decided to overtake Naters stomach descended upon our house. Strangely, NO ONE ELSE has had any signs or symptoms of anything and I'm suspicious if his gastrointestinal woes aren't linked the the immunizations that he was given this past Tuesday. Mr. Smiles had the exact same "response" to this set of shots at this exact age and I was told that it was just some fluke coincidence and that he'd also come down with a stomach virus at the same time. A stomach virus that looks amazingly the same as Nater Maters and also started within about 4-6 hours of the shots. But, just in case, it is some virus, we are once again homebound. I realized he had a problem when after the shots and then nap, we went to the grocery store for our weekly shopping trip and I ended up spending as much time in the family bathroom changing repeated blow-outs and had to call an attendent to come get our particularly discusting cart to disinfect it. I left the store.

I've taken to stripping him naked (except for his sandals) and keeping him outside the last couple of days now that his fever has worn off. His poor little bum looks like, well, I don't need to describe it. You can use your imagination and picture a severe diaper rash. The hose is ready for action. The water hose that is. = ) His little hose has watered the yard plenty. = D

After an entire Mega pack of diapers in 5 days and 2 bottles of Pedialite and an entire box of frozen Pedialite, he's finally beginning to slow down...in the diaper arena. He is actually wanting to play today instead of clinging screaming to my leg if I'm not holding him every second.

I, on the other hand, feel like I've been run over by a Mac Truck. My back injury from this past Christmas is screaming, "do something other than carry around large toddlers who think that they're professional contortionists."

My idea of an ideal day right now. NO CHILDREN. A good book, an icepack, a large pool and a floaty thing that I can fall off of when I need to cool off . Oh, and a large Strawberry Daiquiri. Maybe someday.

For now, I'll hold the poor little guy. Read books to and try to entertain all the rest who are feeling just fine and wanting to do something other than be around their baby brother. And I will keep in mind that all things do pass---even those things that come out the other end.