Too Long

Matt is healing nicely. And by "nicely" I mean that his scars on his back are so totally awesome that the children still talk about them and ask to see them.

When Matt was diagnosed with shingles, they quickly put him on antiviral medication and told me to call the childrens' pediatrician "because shingles and chicken pox are the same virus". Call the pediatrician? Why? My children are all vaccinated! Oh dear...except that child that is under a year old. What in the world is her name? You know, the one that never says my name...and sleeps even less...

Ah yes, there she is.

 

Chicken Pox, for real. I hadn't seen a case since my sister Ellen was 9 months old...16 years ago.

So, we washed our hands and changed our sheets and bleached Matt's shirts and blah blah blah. Two week incubation period, the pediatric nurse said.

Esther woke up with spots two weeks to the day after Matt's blisters first appeared.

 So, we turned our home back into an infirmary. The children did not handle it as well this time. Since Esther was the only one who was ailing (and screaming and itching and super-glueing her eyes open), and they didn't understand about still being susceptible (vaccine and all), the house was more topsy-turvey than usual. 

 Imagine my delight when Esther's blisters started to heal and the sunshine peaked through those nasty clouds! I poured bleach on my floors, opened up every window and ran outside, dragging the offspring!

 

It has been too long.

But I have learned so much.

 

Patience. I have learned a lot about patience. When Esther needed me to nurse for comfort for the 5th time in 45 minutes, I learned how to take a deep breath and soothe my girl with a smile on my face.

Tolerance. The house literally fell apart over the past 2 months. I cannot remember it ever being so disorganized or so frustrating. We were here, living in it, 24/7. I could not keep up. I finally threw my hands in the air and started tolerating the fact that there really was NO TIME to keep up with the work. I also realized that when I was trying to keep up with work, I was neglecting the very people I was working so hard for. It is a delicate balance on good days. On sick days, I need to give it a rest.

  I did learn that friendship transcends time actually being spent in someone else's company. Because we were sick, we were unable to capitalize on many parties and playdates. I have been e-mailing and texting when possible, getting my emotional and spiritual needs met by other mothers without having to get out of pajama pants!

I learned a great deal about our faith also. There were moments during this time where I didn't quite know if I could take another step. No amount of urging from the children, or take-out meals or pep-talk texts from Matt were going to help me walk back into the girls' room and rub Esther's back...one...more...time. There were plenty of cries to Heaven for help over the past two months. I have never felt more dependent on God or on God's grace.

 This song has been on repeat in my cd player.

And strangely, I have never felt weaker or stronger than I did during this time. 

 

 I learned that our children are incredibly sensitive and fiercely independent beings. They really liked it when I just sat and watched them. Sometimes, being too tired to referee, I allowed them to work through a lot of their petty arguing. They would begin, look over at me for a reaction, and when they didn't get one they turned back to the problem and worked it out as best they could. I gave more hugs, kisses, back rubs, medicine and baths than I have ever given before. It was amazing.

 

Esther threw up on me a few days ago. The older four were reading books, and Esther, having emptied her stomach contents, was deliriously happy in her johnny jumper. I thought I had a moment to run into the bathroom, one room away, and rinse off. While I was in the shower for 6 minutes, I was interrupted no less than 17 times.

Words heard through the shower door:

"Mom! Nathan is eating the lint off his socks again!"

"Mom! I ate the wint off my socks!"

"Mom! Esther screamed at me and hurt my feelings!"

"Mom! Joseph said that the game he wants to play is 'Rock, Paper, Sarah, Shoot! And I know that is not the name of the game!"

"Mom! Are you washing your hair in there?"

"Mom! Joseph called me a rectangular prism!"

"Mom! Are you using No More Tears shampoo?"

"Mom! I have to go potty!" x3

"Mom! I need to be wiped!"

 

Joseph: "MOM! Thomas is crying. He fell off the chair. He hurt his head."

Me: "Thomas, are you ok? How did you fall off the chair?"

Thomas: "No. I'm not ok."

Nate: "IDIDIT! SOWWY TOM!"

Joseph: "Nate pushed him off the chair."

Me: "Nathan..."

Nate: "I TISS HIM AWEADY!"

 

I got soap in my eyes twice, and at one point there were five people in our tiny little bathroom.

Never again.

I will call Matt home from work the next time I get thrown up on.

 

 I learned that potty training is different for every.single.child. "I put my unna-wares on!"

Totally unaware.

 This girl, my oldest, is the best best best best! She has been my left and right hands, my sense of humor, the waitress that brings me ice water when I "look thirsty" and Esther's best friend. My Bean is so helpful, and I couldn't have made it through without her!

 We are no longer contagious and thought that a good first trip out of the house would be a walk around the mall. This was our first time to the mall with them since before Christmas. They were in a state of shock, for sure. We just sat at the fountain and stared at the water for 35 minutes.

Ok, now this post is too long.

One last blurry picture.

 

 

March Has Ended

We were looking forward to the beautiful spring weather.

 Pink eye was eradicated.

 We were feeling friendly again.

 Smiles all around.

 We began sharing more than just colds.

 I even had the energy to take a crummy cell phone picture of all five babies.

 Nate was back to his silly self.

 We got out our spring hats and put away our winter mittens.

 And then...

 CHICKEN POX

 

 

Hello April.

 

A Stove, the Solar System and Sickies

Our old stove kicked the bucket.

 I didn't know this until recent events, but I love myself some appliances!

I was as giddy as the children when our new stove was delivered. I was so grateful that the men who delivered it were fathers themselves. They allowed us to help!

First Meal on the new stove.

Best part of a new appliance?
The Box.

We are learning all about about the Solar System at The PI.

I must not have paid attention when I was in school, because I am learning so much!

I printed out the names of the planets on some stickers and asked the children to put them in order.

ON PAPER.

 

That didn't happen.

  Bad things happen when I assign work and leave the room to change Esther and lay her down for a nap.

Saturn was Joseph's idea. Brilliant boy. Ball inside a stackable baby ring.

"I'm so bright!"

Sensory ball, ball pit ball, rubber ducky, and Angry Bird.
In order of proximity to the sun.

 

And now an update on our health.

I will look back someday (please God) and say "Wow! I am so glad we are out of THAT stage!"

Pink eye, round 3, is just finishing up. Matt is in week 2 of his shingles. Some of the children have temperatures from who-in-the-world knows what. Esther is trying to push those two bottom teeth through. I think we are on the upswing, but I will not say it outloud.

We have spent so much time in isolation and confined to the house. It was a great relief to open the windows of out infirmary and get outside during Easter weekend for some fresh air.

 

"Sure, I like these eggs. But I like being up all night waaaaaaaaay more."



Mom won't let us have our egg hunt until we smile as fake as possible for this picture.
All four fake smiles.
Love it.

Get Ready...



Get Set...

GO!

 

Child Literacy

 

Dear Dad,

You are the best Dada in the world because you let us have sleepovers. I am so happy that mom found a man like you.

Love, Sarah

 

Sarah is soooo right. We won't talk about the logistics of her not actually being able to exist without me finding a man like Matt...or just finding Matt. And her terminology strikes me as, ummmmm, strange. "Found a man like you"? Hmmmmm...maybe I should monitor her musical selection more closely.

 

But, let's be honest: I married up. Waaaaaaaaay up. And the children realize this. And they are grateful.

 

That, my friends, is a picture of our house. Matt (pictured holding Esther) and I are standing at the bottom of our stairs and I am calling out "Sleepover!"

 

Nathan is saying "Weeeee!" as he hurtles his body down a flight of stairs. (It looks like I may be in the process of catching him, which is good.)

 That is Thomas at the top of the steps, chucking his blankets down for the party.

 

Sarah and Joseph are upstairs in the bedrooms, getting ready. Look carefully at those beds. From left to right they are: Sarah's bed, Esther's cage, Nate's car bed, and the boys' bunk beds. Sarah is an artist.

 

Also, this.

 Joseph's adjective exercise. Matt says that people are going to start to wonder about us.

Who is he kidding? I am starting to wonder about us...

 

Also, this.

Thomas is working hard. We've come a long way since last year and the mis-identification of all the letters in the alphabet being one angry bird or another.

 

 

 And, last but not least, a shout-out to the not quite as literate Pernots.