Down for the count

We're dropping like flies over here.

So Chris and I did the driver swap at church yesterday (I drove Anna-Kate and I to church, then Chris drove the boys out and stayed for church while I took the kids home). It's actually a great system, I just pushed it yesterday (you could also insert last years rant on daylight savings time. I'll save myself the effort of re-writing. My feelings are still the same. AND, one would think that at least I would be on time to church, but since I had the "extra hour" I, for some reason, felt no need to set my alarm. Yep, late.). Obviously, the boys stayed home because they were sick. Jack's cough is still horrible and Saturday night, Ryan was coughing so hard I gave him his steroid and spent the evening praying we wouldn't end up in the hospital. Thankfully, the Lord answered my (and many others') prayers and he completely quit coughing 30 minutes after the rx!

Anywho. I really needed some baby food and I had coupons for free food, but the brand is mostly sold at Toys R Us. So, I decided it would be fun to stop and grab some cereal and puffs at the largest toy store in the area with 3 recovering kids. Brilliant, I know. We started off strong. Evidently, yesterday marked the first day of Christmas in the retail world. Christmas music, trees, and blowout sale. I simply had to partake, so I got "Hi-Ho Cherio" and "Cooties" for my kids' Christmas for $3 each (after sale and rebate). Ryan was less than thrilled that we only visited the Thomas section for 10 minutes, but he obediently followed (albeit crying). The cashier (new, of course she was) was sweet and tried to ring me out, but couldn't figure out my coupon, called a manager etc. I broke it up into 2 transactions so I could "buy" more free food, the 2nd transaction contained the games. The rebates didn't spit out. I had to wait through the customer service line (this was a universal problem, he he was returning the games and then manually reselling them for the price, less rebate). Ultimately, it was a good thing since I now don't have to mess with a rebate, but we got there at 11:02 and got to Moe's (1 block away) at 12:08. My kids were starving (in their worlds, this was 1pm, remember?). I fed Jack in the car and we headed in. I got the big kids situated, and was halfway through feeding the baby when I heard Ryan say, "I got to go potty Mommy". {of course you do.} I scanned the (packed) restaurant looking for anyone I knew. I saw a little boy we know who was with his dad and siblings (who I don't know) and the woman at the table next to us waved and spoke to him (the dad), so I said a quick prayer and asked her to watch Jack and Anna-Kate as I took Ryan to the potty (I can't believe I'm writing this...).

We finally got home at (new) 1:15. We got the kids down (I say "we" as Chris beat us home from church) and then I promptly started feeling sick. I had to run a couple of errands, so I powered through. Poor call. I was dizzy, nauseous and experience the "belly rumblings". I came home and as I fed the baby, willing myself not to throw up, I heard Chris yelling my name. Anna-Kate had thrown up everywhere (including, all of her open tag books. God bless Chris for cleaning that up!). We got baths and turned on a show to sit together and veg and she did it again. I'm praying it's food poisoning so we'll feel better today. Also, added bonus of her throwing up, she can't go to school (again) and I now get to take all 3 to Ryan's pre-op appointment today in the middle of Jack's morning nap (while still "recovering" from blasted Daylight savings time). Yippee.

(On the up side, I didn't have to cook dinner.)

I laid in bed from 6-7:30. I felt OK as long as I didn't move, but if I moved at all I started getting the cold sweats. I carefully got up, fed the baby and helped Chris get them all to bed, then went back to bed. Fortunately I read my email on my phone where a girl emailed me to ask what time she could pick up the towels. I had promised her to monogram her towels by today and had completely forgotten with the craziness of the shows/sick kids last week and then sick kids/self this weekend. I emailed her back to assure her I would have them then stumbled down stairs to do it. Sigh. She emailed me back and said, "you must be superwoman to handle everything at once." I had to laugh (and, sidenote, isn't the word "mom" synonymous with "superwoman" anyway?)

If you only knew.