Sick Annie

Annie had the stomach flu yesterday and into the night. It was a sad, sad state of affairs. Kevin and I both think she'd never thrown up before, and it was a rude shock. She just looked bewildered for the entire 12-hour ordeal.

It was also the worst illness to strike one of our kids since Nellie had hand-foot-mouth at 18 months, so it was a rude shock to me, too. I did FOUR FULL loads of laundry just with towels, sheets, and pajamas. I was up almost all night between helping Annie and feeding and changing Donald (and, of course, being positive that I was getting sick myself. I wasn't.) I know this happens to all families, but it was a first for us. I don't presume to know much about what hell is like, but I imagine it's possible that you're eternally responsible for caring for people with the stomach flu.

Anyway, against my better judgement I let Annie and Nellie play in the sunny snow for awhile today, and Annie almost immediately fell asleep afterward. While sneaking out of her room at one point, I tripped and woke her up a little. She started moaning something and I listened, sure she was going to be sick again. But she was just singing her new favorite song I taught her this morning - Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes (Knees and Toes!). So I think we're in the clear, for now.

Bedtime

Here is the series of events which took place in about 3 minutes at our house tonight.

1) Girls brush their teeth.
2) Girls spit into bathtub, and when asked, inform us that's where they always spit.
3) Annie asks Kevin to tell them a "pooky tory"--that is, a spooky story.
4) Nellie knocks over Kevin's computer. It crashes to the floor. She happily tells us not to worry, she's okay! (The computer was actually already on the floor, but propped up against the end table so as not to overheat. So you really don't have to worry.)
5) Kevin walks into the girls room and finds Nellie licking a stuffed cat like a popsicle. He asks what she's doing, and she tells him she's giving her cat a bath. Of course.

Welcome Donald James!

Born 4:40 a.m. 12/28/2011 - 5 days LATE! I learned never to expect a baby to come early. Willing it to be true just can't make it happen. Praise the Lord, though, because He answers prayers! I was scheduled to be induced the morning of the 28th at 9:00 a.m. because of the upcoming "holiday rush" - it was the only time I could get in before the new year and before the one-week-overdue limit. I was pretty upset about it, so I sent out a prayer request message to my family Tuesday night at 10:00 that I would go into labor that night. By 10:30 I was timing contractions! I think Kevin got it right...the baby just procrastinated until there was a strict deadline, then came through at the last minute. Just like dad.

Other stats - 8 lbs. 1 oz., 20 1/4 inches long, head circumference 14.2 inches

The first thing Annie said when she met Donald was, "I like him!" The girls are adjusting well to life with a newborn; they love to hold him and bring diapers and such. I keep waiting for this new reality to feel normal. Three kids! That's a lot. I remember when Annie was born, I thought two kids seemed like more than twice the work. This is different--we're outnumbered, but managing okay.

I think that's all I have in me for tonight! Time for bed...for a couple hours anyway.

Bedtime

So this is not even close to the most important thing that has happened in the last few weeks (like, we had a baby), but it's too funny to forget. While sitting downstairs waiting for Sunday night football with baby Donald, we heard shrieking coming from upstairs. Kevin went up to investigate. He came down a few minutes later to confirm that indeed, there was shrieking, but it was hysterical laughter. Apparently, the girls were going back and forth saying, "my favorite story is..." and then saying something silly. The conversation went something like this:

N: My favorite story is Annie and the headband! [giggle giggle]
A: My favorite story is Nellie doo-doo! [giggle giggle]

Kevin enters

N: My favorite story is--
K: Girls, it is time to go to bed.
N: No daddy, I was going to say my favorite story is two girls going to bed!
K: Okay, as long as it's not a silly story.
N: Weeeeeell, it's kind of a silly story. There's a talking banana. And a talking apple.