Quarantined

I have been stuck in the house for almost three full days now. (After last week with two other sick kids home and a bout of the stomach flu for me.)  

Quarantined with a sick child with spots all over his face.  You see, apparently Hand, Foot and Mouth disease can be more like Arm, Leg and Face disease.   Whatever you want to call it, Wade's got it and it ain't pretty.

After four children and 11 years of parenting, I dare say I am almost a veteran.  At least a toddler veteran.  I've been around the toddler block.  Sippy cups, potty training, toddler beds/big boy beds, pacifier addiction...you name it, I've been there.  Not to say I have any great advice, but I've been there.  And honestly, I'm not too shocked or surprised by anything.  Until this whole Hand, Foot, Mouth business.  

This virus which possibly has the worst name ever for a virus has never infected our household before. Doesn't it have the worst name?  I mean it sounds scary and medieval.  When really it's a fever and then spots.  Spots that don't itch, but just look really gross and kind of medieval.

So now, we sit and we wait.  

And Wade takes out every toy he sees in the house and throws it around the room for fun.

When he's bored throwing his toys, he actually sits quietly and plays with the utensils.  Because that's normal right?

And then Wade wrecks every LEGO set up his big brothers and sister made and thought they had hidden from him.

And then we wait some more.

We wait for the spots to go away.  We wait to go back to our normal lives.

Trying to be like a normal, nonspotty family, we sat down for a family dinner last night. We asked the kids about their day at school.  JT told us he had a test the next day.  We asked him what the test was going to be on and he said he couldn't remember.
"I am great at forgetting what people tell me," he declared.  He wasn't sad, he was more matter of fact.  He wasn't "man, I suck because I can't remember."  Of course I want him to know he's great at a lot of things in life, other than just forgetting, I also kind of love his attitude.

JT inspired me to rethink this whole quarantine.  Maybe it's all in the attitude.  Maybe it's all that glass half-full type of thinking that usually makes me want to roll my eyes.  Maybe it's not such a bad coping mechanism.

So instead of being stuck, I surrender.  I surrender to turning that frown upside down.  And you know what?  Just like JT's attitude, it's kind of great.

Instead of being stuck, I'm lucky that I get to spend the day with my little guy....  
Okay, no it still sucks.  But I tried.  I did.

I'm glad that kind of shit helps JT and it is very cute.  But it doesn't work for me.  I want the spots gone and I want to leave the house. 

He really is cute and I really am lucky to stay home with him.  I know it okay?  Here the cutie is using the untensil to "cut" his car, awww how sweet.

My first stop when I go out is to buy hand sanitizer and get a flu shot. 

Earaches and What I Know For Sure (This Week)

This is a great time of year to be a kid.  Unless you have an earache.


Between end-of-the-year class parties and watching a lot of movies at school to pool parties and the promise of summer fun--being a kid right now is the bomb.


Unless you have an earache.  Which my poor baby Wade had last night.

When my oldest Peyton was a baby and had earaches, I remember feeling bad for him, but not really understanding.  Not understanding why he was flipping the f^#@ out over a little earache.  


Then I got an earache and I understood.  Babies flip the f#&@ out over earaches because they are immensely painful.  When my ear hurt I was beyond miserable.  It was like labor pains, I am not exaggerating.  I needed an epidural.


So, when Wade started flipping out and grabbing his ear, I didn't judge.  


I held him, distracted him, gave him ibuprofen. 


Last night was long.  Just when I thought "okay, pain is gone, sleep will come," another wave of ear pain came over Wade.  And he resumed his flipping out.


But I know he will get better, I will sleep again someday and Wade will get to partake in one of the happiest times of year to be a kid.  


What Else I Know For Sure (This Week)


The new Capri Sun Super V commercial sums up how I feel as a mom.  I'm pretty good at giving my kids freedom to make mistakes and learn some things on their own.  I wouldn't call myself overprotective.  But it isn't easy, I do a lot of holding back.  

The fireworks display in the grocery store is a sure sign of summer. And I love it.

TV is going to be good next week. I've been waiting over 20 years for this.  The new Dallas starts next week, June 13 on TNT.  I'm nervous about setting my expectations too high and being let down.  But come on, Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray together again? It's got to be good, right?

I am obsessed with avocados.  I've always loved them, but now I really love them.  From homemade guacamole, cut up in salads, on top of burgers...I.love.avocados. Click here for a great homemade guacamole recipe.


Twitter is fun.  Come play with me, Click here to follow me @AngelaYBlood.


Comments are good.  Come on over and comment on my last car review for Patch.  I think I found THE one. Click here to read all about it.