This Week & Next

On October 26 I came down with fever, chills, body aches, and general malaise, which turned into a nasty cold. This then evolved into a terrible cough and chest congestion before I got a little better. Then last week the stuffy/runny nose and chills resumed, followed by an even worse cough and chest congestion. Finally this past Tuesday night I decided to take one of Isaac's breathing treatments leftover from when he had bronchitis a couple months ago. Today, Friday November 21, I can finally say I'm feeling better! Except now Keith is basically going through the same cycle. I assured him last night he'd feel better in 2-3 weeks.

The same week that I began to get sick, Josiah came down with an ear infection. He finished his course of antibiotics but he still has a terribly stuffy nose. It's so bad that sometimes he can barely breathe to take a bottle.

Isaac is the most healthy of us all, with just a little runny nose at times.

Because I was sick for so long I decided not to go anywhere this week. We skipped mom's group and storytime at the library, and I did not arrange any playdates for Isaac. We went to the mall twice: once just to walk (and then we went to my mom's), another to finish Christmas shopping for Keith's family. Other than that, we've been homebound this week.

On a positive note, I am finished with the Grand Rapids family Christmas shopping. That's half of our total Christmas shopping for the year! Yay! Another positive note, when I was at my mom's on Tuesday I read a lot of Jon & Kate Plus 8's book Multiple Blessings. I always read a little more of it every time I'm there. There are two things that will make me cry every time. One is a bride walking down the aisle. The other is a baby being born. Just reading about Jon & Kate's sextuplets being born made me bawl!

It's been a very low-key week. Tomorrow will be spent packing for Grand Rapids. There is a lot to pack! In addition to normal clothing and baby/toddler items, we will be packing Christmas presents, Josiah's humidifier (since he's still very sick), Isaac's breathing machine and Albuterol (just in case), and Isaac's Elmo potty as he's been doing wonderfully with potty training. Oh, and I'm sure I'll have to run to Giant Eagle tomorrow, at least to pick up Josiah's Zantac. However, Keith promised me Belgian waffles for breakfast. Yum! My mouth is watering already!

While we're in Grand Rapids we will be doing lots of visiting, so it really won't be very relaxing. I do always looking forward to seeing Keith's family and friends though. I just pray for God's travelling mercies to and from and that all of our illnesses are healed before we even get there! 'Till next time....

Recent Pics

A young man in training. Yes, that's Glenn Beck's Fusion magazine he's holding. He's a young conservative in training as well.

"I'm a wabbit slayah

A guitah playah

With a nasty habit

Kill the wabbit!"

Do They Make Zap Collars for Little Boys?

Isaac does this little thing where he shrieks at the top of his lungs at the highest pitch he can reach and it's like nails running down a chalkboard to me. It's one of my pet peeves I think. I like peace and quiet. I know this is impossible with two little/baby boys, but I always look forward to nap time when the house is very quiet.

So as soon as I laid Isaac down for his nap this afternoon, he starts doing this shrieking and I thought, "Wouldn't it be great if he had one of those zap collars on & I could just shock him every time he does that?" I know, a sick, evil, twisted thought. I think it could come in handy though.

And if there's anyone out there reading this thinking, "What kind of mother would even think of such a thing!" Here's my advice: go have a kid or two. But you can't give them to someone else to raise, like daycare or your mother. You gotta stay home and raise them yourself. Then tell me the zap collar wouldn't be a great idea.

Real Quick

So today my mom took Isaac shopping at the mall. That means that during Josiah's 2 hour morning nap, I was able to vacuum the carpets, do the dishes, run the dishwasher, clean Maggie's kennel, wash her blanket, and rearrange the family room to make room for the Christmas tree. My question is: what in the world do you do with all of your kids' toys come Christmas time, when they're about to get a bunch of new toys? Isaac still plays with EVERYTHING! And what he doesn't play with, Josiah will be ready to play with soon. I don't know what I'm going to do. I am open to suggestions if anybody has some.

Isaac has been doing very well going on the potty as long as he's naked on the bottom. If he has anything on, even cotton underpants, he feels safe to pee/poop in them. I don't know how we're going to proceed from here. For now, I just have a naked 21 month old running around all day. Again, I'm open to suggestions.

Christmas shopping has commenced! Since we will be in Grand Rapids for Thanksgiving, we plan to exchange gifts with Keith's family then. As usual, I have no idea what to buy for Keith's stepdad, dad, and stepmom. For some reason I find his mom easy/fun to shop for. I have to keep from spending too much on her. Everyone else, I'm clueless on. Again, open to suggestions.

I think I'm going to go bake muffins or something now.

My Breastmilk Theory

I nursed Isaac for 8 months, and continued to pump breastmilk for him for an additional month after that. So, in all, he received breastmilk for 9 months. At 10 months, Isaac became sick for the very first time. He got his first real fever and cold. I had to suction his nose, run a humidifier, and rub Vicks on his chest for about two weeks.

Josiah, due to his severe reflux and refusal of the breast, nursed for only 2 1/2 months. However, with what I pumped everyday and the supply I had in my freezer, I was able to give him breastmilk until he was 4 months old. Now he is 5 months + 1 week old, and he was just diagnosed yesterday with his first ear infection.

Coincidence? Maybe. Both Isaac and Josiah's firsttime illnesses did occur in Nov/Dec. You might argue that a lot of people get colds/flu or whatever at this time of year. My theory, however, is that about a month after a baby last receives breastmilk, he/she is likely to get sick for the first time. My boys never got sick while they were getting breastmilk, no matter what season it was.

So if there are any breastfeeding moms out there reading this blog, I encourage you to strive for that recommendation to give breastmilk for the first year! Give 'em those antibodies! Even though many of the nutritional benefits of breastmilk diminish after the first 6 months when most babies begin eating more and more solid foods, if it means not having a sick baby, it's well worth it!