How Was Your Week?

After the rest of the week, I really don't remember anything about Monday.
Tuesday afternoon, I discovered my oldest child was hot with fever. I'm not one to worry too much about illness. Everything I've read about fevers says that if there are not any other symptoms, and the fever is not too high, just keep an eye on 'em and try to control the fever with tepid baths, and medicine. So, that's what I did. Of course, we also asked the Great Physician for Elijah's healing. Fever didn't go away. Wednesday, he was still hot. Thursday, he stopped wanting to eat anything. So, I made sure he had lots of liquids. Friday, more of the same. He, for the most part, was his normal two year old self--playing, laughing, being a bit ornery, but still hot to the touch and not interested in food. Then the fever spiked to 104.1*F.
I called an aunt who is a Physician's Assistant and asked some questions. She recommended taking him to the doctor, but by then, it was Friday night. I called my husband and he agreed with my aunt saying he'd feel better if I took Elijah to the doctor since he had been three full days with a fever.
On a Friday night, 'to the doctor' means to the ER. So, feeling a little foolish, I bundled him and my 9 month old up and headed to town. At least I didn't have to wait several hours just to have a fever checked out. I thanked God for small town hospitals. There was no one else in the emergency room. It was a weird thing to walk into the hospital with a normal acting 2yr old--supposedly ill, but who didn't look sick at all. When the nurse checked his temp it was 99.2*F. Good!--Well, it was a lot better than 104.1. Why did I even come? I thought. The prayers and medicine are apparently working and I feel foolish for this unnecessary hospital visit.
Elijah suddenly started saying he wanted 'num-nums' (our kid-talk for food). Then, my 9 month old, hungry to nurse, started making a fuss. I was trying to hold him as he squirmed and bucked and hollered. Elijah joined the din and started climbing on me. Daniel grabbed Elijah's sippy cup and started sucking on it. The doctor asked, "Do they share a cup?" I answered, "Well, I guess they do now," as I took the cup away from Daniel. "Now he's going to get sick," she stated quite certainly, eyeing Daniel. I could just hear her thoughts: Gee, don't you know that germs spread?! And I was thinking, I've got two crying kids in my lap and I'm barely hanging on...a little help, please!?
Then she asks if Elijah is up-to-date on his shots. Ohhh, big can of worms there! My husband and I had been leery about immunizing, but had decided to go ahead and have our firstborn immunized. Then we discovered that one of the shots he had been given as a routine vaccination, was recalled a few months later and was no longer being administered because too many children had adverse reactions to it. My son is not our government's guinea pig! Have you even researched what they preserve the vaccines in? Mercury...fermaldahyde... uh, yeah! Let's take a vulnerable infant and put a bunch of known poisons into him!? I don't think so. Not in my kid, they won't. But, I only tell the doc that he hasn't had any immunizations since his 12 month shots and we don't immunize anymore. Now, I'm really on her black list.
Anyway, we made it out of the ER pretty quickly. The doctor instructed me to keep doing what I had been doing. He just had a virus.
Saturday, he was still feverish.
Today is Sunday and the fever is finally going away. He still had a slight fever this evening, but at least it is no where near as high as it was. I'm really looking forward to getting some sleep sometime soon. Waking up at night with a sick child is not fun, but it's part of being a mom (or a dad--thanks Honey).
At least I didn't get puked on this week. A lady I know of is celebrating her first Mother's Day today. Her son puked on her four times before it was even time for church this morning. She commented dryly, "Yay. Happy Mother's Day to me." When her brother learned of her bummer morning, he said, "Sis, he was just giving you all he had to give!"
One thing is certain: I'm glad it is Sunday, the start of a new week. Another chance to do better, have more fun, keep calm, be a good mom...I'm praying for nice weather, lots of energy, healthy children, and to always be able to see the funny side of everthing.

When a Two Year Old Thinks He's in Charge

Elijah, my two-year old son, is a sweetie. He's a good helper; he's cheerful and quirky; he's a kind older brother to Daniel, my 8 1/2 month old son; but at times, he's a REAL handful.

Like lately, he's discovered a million and one things to ask for at bedtime. We (my husband and I) send him to bed for the night and every 2-5 minutes for the next hour and half, he's getting out of bed asking for water, to be tucked in (again), to have a story read to him (again), to get help to find his toy truck, to tell us he is 'scared' (although he shows no signs of being actually scared or knowing what scared means), to ask for another diaper change (he's peed about a teaspoon of urine into his diaper and now he's wet), to show us his newest (invisible) ouchie, to ask us to pray for his last five ouchies...okay, I'll spare you and not list off all the reasons.

During the day, he requires constant vigilance. He's started pushing over Daniel (who, thankfully, is a pretty tough chunk of baby) and taking his toys away. He also copycats behavior that Daniel gets scolded for. He screams bloody murder when he doesn't get his own way, or doesn't get it fast enough. He's also entered the "MINE!" and "NO!" stage. Uggh. Was I ever that whiny and demanding as a child? Okay, yes, I'm sure I was.

But, last night, after getting in trouble for throwing a fit at bedtime, he actually came out of his bedroom and found me and said, "Mommy, I sorry. Sorry, Momma." I gave him a big hug, thanked him for apologizing and told him, "I forgive you, sweetie." Then he went back into his room, got into bed and went to sleep without any more dramatics!

I was left sitting in the living room in shock. Was that my kid? My Elijahman? Well, all I can say, is that I knew that sweet little boy was in there somewhere and it sure was good to see him again!

I'm trying my best to raise him in a way that honors God, teaches him to be a good citizen, and hopefully produces a responsible, kind young man in a couple decades. Sometimes, it seems like a losing battle, but then there are those small glimpses that make me think I might not be failing at parenting after all.