documenting our day

J-P gave me these flowers on Monday. He is not generally the type to surprise me with flowers, but he anticipated (for reasons I can't disclose on a public blog) that this would be a very difficult week for me. Yesterday, however, was perfectly pleasant. Today, not so much. Not quite as bad as this day, but pretty close.

The day started way before the sun came up (as always). I don't remember much after that but here is a rundown of what I can remember (majority of these pertain to ian):

ejections of stomach flu by-products (both varieties): 7
baths taken: 4
necessary wardrobe changes: 6
trips to the store (with all three in tow): 2
trips to the pediatrician:1
semi-severe allergic reactions: 1
screaming and crying : endless amounts
loads of laundry: lost count

Ian had a rough day. He has had three bouts with the stomach flu in the past couple of weeks, each 5-7 days apart. After today it occurred to me that it might not be the stomach flu. The pediatrician office agreed and requested I bring him in to be checked. They sent me home with supplies to take stool samples over the next few days (so excited about that) so we can start ruling things out. The doc also put Ian on a strict diet of watered-down gatorade, jello, popsicles, and saltines.

Since I never buy those sorts of things, we headed to the store on the way home. Things went downhill fast. Ava was screaming inconsolably (i forget her second dose of zantac). I jiggled her with one arm and used the other to maneuver the ginormous "car" cart. In my mad dash through the store I ran into a friend I used to teach with. In the 30 seconds it took to say hello and introduce her to ava, max climbed out of the car, swiped a box of chocolate chip cookies (thankfully not peanut butter), and the boys had stuffed about three each into their mouths before I realized what happened.

I knew an allergic reaction (max) and another vomiting episode (ian) were inevitable as a result of said cookie consumption, so I booked it through the store. By the time I got to the self check-out (shortest line) all three were screaming hysterically. EVERYONE was staring at me. After strapping everyone into their car seats, I went to start the car and the keys were gone. NOWHERE to be found. I searched frantically for about 10 minutes, the screaming intensifying all the while. Finally found them under the base of ava's car seat (seriously?). By the time we got home max's lips were swollen and he was itching and screaming. He wouldn't take benadryl willingly so I had to pin him down and shoot it down his throat with a syringe. Not an easy task. Meanwhile, Ava was still screaming in the background and Ian had begun spewing gatorade tinted vomit like a garden hose.

I could go on...but you get the picture. They are all sleeping peacefully now. I am catching my breath and willing myself to go take a shower. But mostly, I am marveling at the fact that even after a day like today, I love my children. Even more than I did yesterday.