Getting worse before it gets better

There’s something in the air around here. A lot of things. Not only is the flu going around, but now it seems Ella may have a virus – the foot, hand and mouth disease.

It sounds so terrible. But after learning a little bit about it, and talking to some experienced grandmas at work, it’s pretty common. Kinda like the measles. It involves spots that turn into blisters that can be painful. It’s a virus too, so you can’t do anything about it. You just have to let it take it’s course.

My sister found out her kid had it on Sunday, Mother’s Day. I felt so bad, she had to miss the dinner at my house and poor Finn, he’s got another ailment. I noticed two little blisters on Ella’s foot yesterday, but all day I wasn’t sure if that was really it or just from her shoes. So I wasn’t sure what to do. Should I make arrangements for Ella to be home all week? It’s my busiest week ever! Also I missed on Friday due to her fever … which is a beginning symptom of this virus. Hmmm. Another sign she has it.

That night when I gave her a bath I noticed faint little spots on her legs. Yep, it’s in the mail. She was a little grouchy yesterday too. And Finn was the same way. At one point at the grocery store I had to let her stand in the grocery cart to appease her. She stood on the waffles and was taking things out of bags. But I didn’t care anymore.

I am so worried about passing it to the other kids at the sitter’s too. One of the babies is the nephew of the sitter and the whole family is in a wedding this weekend. I would feel awful if some of their family had to miss it because of this.

So we have a game plan if she does in fact have it. My husband and I are basically going to take turns working … I’m going to try to work 2 day shifts and 2 night shifts and he’ll do the opposite.

I never really knew that kids get sick so often. Now that I think about it, I do remember several unfortunate puking incidents growing up and my mom coming to pick my up from school quite a few times … I guess it’s one more reason to appreciate my mom this mother’s day.

The sick child turmoil

Poor punkin. I knew on Thursday night when she kept putting her head on my shoulder that a sickness was creeping in. And sure enough, by the end of the night her little head was hot and she wouldn’t let me set her down for a second. And by the third dirty diaper I knew things were not good.

I try hard to balance being a good employee and being a good mom. But this time it seemed like I was just going to have to make a choice and let somebody down. I chose work. Sorry coworkers. Normally I don’t feel too bad staying home with my sick child. It’s my job right? But my other job really needs me on Fridays. Not that I’m so spectacular, but it’s an unusually busy day around there and we all need to pitch in.

I debated about it all night. What if I go in for the first half of the day and Steve watches Ella then I’ll come home to watch her at 11? Or what if I take her to the sitter’s and just have her call me if she’s not feeling well? Afterall, I don’t know that she’s going to be sick tomorrow for sure. Maybe it’s just her teeth. It’s so hard telling when they can’t tell you.

When I woke up in the morning and felt her little burning forehead I just felt like there was no way to leave her. Steve would take good care of her, but when kids are sick, they want their mom.

So, I stayed home and she was weepy and sick acting and I gave her some motrin, and before I knew it, she’s running around like usual. Pushing her babydoll in her stroller. Cutting up her plastic pizza. Trying to eat crayons. Hmmm. Now what? Do I go to work? That would mean I need to either take her to the sitter’s or have Steve miss work to stay with her. I decide taking her to the sitter’s is a bad idea. There are other kids there and maybe she’s contagious.

As the morning goes on she has occasional flashes of being sick. Like she forgets because she’s so busy contemplating which part of the cat she’s going to yank on, then suddenly a sad look comes over her and she runs to me for comfort. Her shirt repeatedly is drenched with drool too, which makes me think her teeth are the culprit. Whatever it is, it sucks.

I’m so glad to be there for her while she’s sick, but I keep thinking of how it’s a day I could have taken off work when the sun is shining and I could be playing with her at the park or with her at the zoo … Or we could have slept past 5:45 instead of me getting up to make work arrangements. And I wouldn’t feel guilty all day for being a bad employee and all the people scrambling to figure out how to do my Friday work. Or guilty that I have to actually consider NOT staying home with my sick child!

Lately the weather is really making me mad too. It’s been so sporadic. Mainly sunny and beautiful while I’m at work, then I race to the sitter’s to get Ella so I can get her home to take her outside. And then it turns grey and starts raining. Have I mentioned how great the outdoors is when you have a toddler that loves to run and play and climb and is tired of all the indoor toys?

Aaah, well, I’m glad I stayed home with Ella. And she’s all better now. We had a nice afternoon Saturday at Chic -Fil A, eating lunch with her cousins and playing in the playroom they have. And when we got home the sun came out and we got to play a little bit outside. Just a little though. It’s my Saturday night to work. Tomorrow we’ll have all day together though, but just guess what the forecast is. 50s. And rain.

Mommy blogging is bigtime

I just found out that some well-known mommy bloggers were on the Today Show recently. Crazy. It’s a bigger fad than I had realized. I knew it was popular. If you do a search for them on the Internet you will find thousands of blogs and hundreds of sites dedicated to organizing these.

And I’ve noticed the ad world is paying attention. Along with ads on their sites, the latest thing is that companies will give away a product to a blogger, she’ll write about it, then the audience has to leave a comment and a winner will randomly be picked. One of my favorite bloggers did this recently with a Land’s End bathing suit, then some video camera recently. Check it out at antique mommy. The winner’s been chosen already though. Sorry.

Anyway, one of the mom bloggers gets asked a few questions that I’ve considered with my blog. Like, will her kids resent her when they’re older for sharing personal information? She said that when her daughter understands all the good – the support and community – that can be gained through blogging she doesn’t think she will mind. She also says that if her daughter ever asks her to stop she will.

I have thought about that too. And I really don’t think Ella could be embarrassed about anything I’ve written. I have some boundaries though. No offense, but I don’t talk about EVERYTHING. Also, my audience isn’t real huge. Like mostly family and friends. Stuff I would tell you all willingly anyway. I love that it’s so easy to tell you all at once now!

Anyway, it was interesting that one woman quit her job as a software engineer and now makes more money blogging. Some people have issues with that too. I’ve heard the question raised about exploiting children for money. Well, obviously I don’t agree with that at all. I think if moms want to do what they love and share stories about their children while making some money off of it, I don’t think that’s wrong at all. And like with any publication I think you have to choose appropriate advertising and maintain your objectivity … I am a journalist at my day job afterall.

Anyway, I just thought this was all very interesting. I mainly got into blogging because I really have gotten into reading some other mommy blogs if you want to check them out. Now don’t go reading their blogs and never return to mine though.

Some of my favorites, along with antique mommy, who has a really sweet story about becoming a mom at an “older” age, are mightymaggie, and alternadad.

P.S. I do not make any money off my blog, so please, send me some money. No, just kidding. I do work for a company that publishes Greater Fort Wayne Family Magazine, which I write for as part of my job with them. But the blog is not really part of my job with them, although my blog and the magazine do link to one another, like this, just to spread the word!

Driving or flying – What’s best with a toddler?

I’m so ready for a vacation. It’s been a year since I had a complete week off work and way too long since I’ve been more than a few hours from home. I used to fly at least twice a year, so I’m feeling a little stir crazy.

So, we have two trips planned. One is our annual camping trip in July in Michigan. This is a very relaxing trip. Just four hours away and we’ll camp in a pop-up camper. I think most of my family would rather die than go camping, but I really like it. We spend all our time outdoors, a day at the beach, some time in the cute town of Ludington, and our nights are spent around campfires with my husband’s family. And we’re not exactly roughing it these days. Our camper has heat, air conditioning, a king-sized bed, and the campground has a nice new pool and hot tub. However, it would be really nice to go somewhere new, somewhere DIFFERENT.

Hence our other trip we have planned – in North Carolina. Steve’s sister and her family have rented a house and invited anyone to come join them. They did the same thing last year, but I think Steve was working or something so we weren’t able to go. The house is on a beach and it’s nice to go with family when you have a little one. And lately everyone in the Midwest (except us) seems to be jetting off to Florida and coming back all relaxed and tan and making me extremely jealous with their stories of beaches and daiquires.

But, I have to say, I’m getting a little nervous about taking a toddler on a 12-hour drive! We have plenty of time to get there, so we’ll definitely split the drive in two days. But still 2 days of 6-hour drives. Am I crazy? The alternative, of course, is flying. I’m beginning to think it’s not a bad idea. Of course we’d have to take a car seat, possibly a pack-n-play, a stroller … and the list goes on. And then we may need to rent a car. This brings the cost way up and there is something to be said for the car ride and seeing some of the country. I just hope Ella sees it that way.

Oh well, I know people who have done both – traveled far distances by car and plane with their toddlers and they got through it. I’d rather take the risk of some frustration on the road than sit home, too nervous to go anywhere. So, have any of you traveled with a toddler? The ladies at work tell me to get a portable DVD player. Probably a good thing to have just in case. Any other advice?