Finally a Break

It has felt like a whirlwind since a week before vacation, and here it is a week after, and I'm just NOW posting about vacation.

Work has been WORK since before and since I've been back. But today is Saturday and now .... Matt napping, Mike golfing out of town, me happily drinking my cold coffee, downloading photos and finally updating this blog.

The rest of the vacation, well, was about as smooth as the first part. Unfortunately, my family got in a car accident on Friday of vacation. They are OKAY, they are, but they are sore and having to be careful from the fallout of a bad five car accident. It's pretty scary to think about obviously and no one got seriously injured. But when I think about what could have happen, if the (God help me) golf clubs hadn't been in the trunk to cushion the blow, well, it's just not worth it to go there, is it.

Anyway, my poor Mike was in the back seat and got the brunt of it. Now he's feeling alternatively sore/painful in his back, then neck, then stomach, then back ... etc. We're ready to send him to the chiropractor next week so get him checked and possibly X-rayed, just in case. He's also has PT buddy who's going to check him while they're on their golf trip this weekend.

He is OKAY but still, the whole thing still sucked. Did I forget to mention, Bob and Dale's (my in-laws) car was totaled? The trunk was smashed to about 6 inches.

And I know I did mention but shall say again: the golf clubs SURVIVED! The will power of this family to golf is incredible.

SO, needless to say, the trip was a bit hampered. Luckily Bob and Dale were able to get a loaner car from a co-worker who's out of the country, so I hope they're still able to use that to get around to manage their very busy, doesn't-stop-for-a-car-wreck real estate businss. (Side note: It was a sweeeet white Escalade. It was like a swanky lounge on wheels. My bed is not as comfortable as that back seat captain's chair.)

Overall it was a good trip for seeing family and getting lots of baby/aunt/uncle/grandparent time. Just not the stress free relaxation you'd hope for. But that's life, right? Speaking of "life," the whole accident, and the luckiness of the outcome, was emphasized by the fact that we'd all gone in to set up our WILLS the day before. Yes, day before giant traffic stopping for miles on the highway accident they had.

Bob and Dale had arranged kindly to let us and Scott and Fernanda (my bro and sis in law) use their lawyer to document our wishes for Matthew, power of attorney, etc. It's something any new parent probably knows they should do but doesn't get around to, so it was a very healthy exercise.

But as my Muldrow family knows, the experience (especially the health care/living will parts) freaked me out big time. And to put an exclamation point on that, they get in this accident the next day ... Deep breath. They're fine.

To shift gears and LIGHTEN THE MOOD of my first post in over a week, so you'll come back again in the future, here are photos of all the FUN family and baby cousins moments:



Cousin Danny has his own Brazilian/Fernanda style but he is definitely a Muldrow through and through (and in his expressions, at least, a doppleganger to his older cousin).



He is a sweet, funny, happy and ACTIVE baby right now. And despite Mandy and Tucker's best efforts to rebuff him, a natural (sorry, Fernanda) dog lover. I believe that although his parents live in a clean dog free zone, this kid is destined to be covered in hair and sneaking kibble just like his cousin. A future of dog lovin' vacations at his grandparents' and aunt/uncle's definitely lays before him.

Two For Two ... Unfortunately

I don't know what vacation voodoo we're under. But this is now the second vacation in ONE MONTH tainted by baby sickness.

The night before we left for CO - the MIDDLE of the night - Matthew woke up and wouldn't stop crying. We usually ignore it but after a while of drifting in and out we realized, hmm, how long has this been going on? Mike ended up getting up and (I didn't even realize this, but) giving him a bottle, in an hour and half process. This hasn't happened since ... I don't know ... 4 or 5 months old?? (I was allowed reprieve due to the 5 a.m. wake up I had scheduled to finish up work before our trip.)

The next morning, I'm up working. Baby wakes up, Mike gets him. I greet them and think, whoo hoo, happy vacation day! And then realize, Matt's hot, really hot, and red.

He had 101 point something temp. Come to find out, "Oh yeah, he had 103.3 last night. I think that's why he was up."

!!!!!!!!!!!!

The doctor's office said, it's fine to travel, just give him Tylenol cold. He was probably in the one or two days preceding coming down with something. Greaaatttt. We are going to hang out with his nine month old cousin Danny. And supposed to be running around Colorado Springs having fun with the family, not be sick! But okay, so far, no biggee. Kids get weirdo fevers sometimes.

Several hours of traveling, and semi-crabby baby behavior later (is it sick? is it being stuff on your mom's lap on an airplane?) we get to the Muldrows. Then kinda realize, gee, he's REALLY red, really hot. And come to find out he now has 103.7 temp. Now, our doctor's office says, it's still not a problem. Just wait and see if the Tylenol (very frantically delivered after the temp taking) kicks in.

Well, it must have. Two hours and one (hard fought for) nap later, he's down to 101.3.

Grea... wait, another hour later, 103.8.

Now I don't know if this number strikes fear into other baby mommy hearts. But my son hasn't had temps at all much less "high" ones. I was a little worried. We promptly picked up Motrin because I know it's worked better for a few people for fevers.

But we still also logged another call to the doctor, looking for answers. She put the decision to take him in to urgent care in our hands. She wasn't saying worry and take him but she wasn't saying not to. Was he irritable? Um, well, YEAH! Was he vomiting? No, thank goodness. Lethargic? No, thank goodness. Heavy breathing? Well, his breathing does sound funny but a nose full of boogers tends to do that.

We decided to wait it out, a bit more. One semi-cold shower and lots of sobbing tears from said shower later, he was down to 100.5 and we decided we'd try to make it through the night.

The next morning, a 99 point something made us happy .... followed by a 101.8 two hours later! Ahhh, kid, are you sick or not?!??! Help a mother out.

The one - no two - savings graces have been:

Motrin. Has unbelievable (never before seen by me with Tylenol) effect to lower his temp within 1/2 hour of dosing. Then he feels great and runs around like nuts. Probably making himself feeling sick again but as long as he's happy ...

Which is the second saving grace. He's been in a relatively good mood most of the time, so I can't believe he's TOO sick.

That said, he's been more randomly crabby than I'm used to. He'll look tired, I'll take him to the other room to wind him down. And he throws a giant teary sobbing red faced FIT. It's hard to deal with and hard to watch, because I know he's not happy.

I assume it must be an illness, or the altitude. Either way, I feel bad for the kid. Because we're also having napping challenges. He never does well in a strange place but this week its compounded with things being noisy with three families, another baby, two dogs and one construction project on Grandma's bathroom.

And did I mention that every meal is turning into "Let's Make a Deal?" Please Matthew, one bit of banana. Or, I can trade you for TWO spoonfuls of yogurt? Okay, you can TAKE the graham cracker into the living room where you're not supposed to, but you have to drink the whole THINNNNGGG, come on DOWN. Mostly Matthew is making the deals, though, and the deal is, he's not eating much. Enough to know I shouldn't completely freak. But not enough to give Mom a little peace of mind. Or a restful relaxing vacation.

All I know is, I was wound a little tight when I left St. Louis. If all body temps don't stay below 100 for the rest of the trip, I just might squish myself inside out. Wish us luck!!!

Activity is fun!

For the last two days, I actually exercised. All these months of dieting, this is what's been missing. Now I'm playing sand volleyball on Mondays. And we swam again last night. Twenty minutes and ten laps. I nearly felt ill at the end (which I realize is super duper sad).

But I also felt like, ah, movement! This is what I'm supposed to be doing! Stretching and exercising and using my muscles!

In the past I've always lost weight via exercise. Hardly through dieting at all. This is only the second time, and definitely the most successful, I've done it through diet alone. But now I'm hoping I can kick it into gear and get going at least three times a week. Especially now, when I'm getting more stressed at work, I think it's healthy.

Of course so is the big ol' bowl of ice cream I just ate. But that's neither here nor there.

Tired

It has been a loooong post vacation week. I have worked A LOT OF HOURS in the last 6 business days. I am nowhere near where I should be on several projects. I am right this MINUTE making a deadline get later by not working tonight. I WILL be at work at 7 a.m. for the second time this week tomorrow to hit a "first thing in the morning" deadline. I DID send an SOS e-mail to co-workers who have the next piece of work with my project, advising them of its lateness and to be ready for their instantaneous turnaround once they get my piece.

I cannot believe how far away our beach vacation feels ...

GUESS THAT'S WHY I HAD TO PLAN ANOTHER ONE NEXT WEEK!

We are off to Colorado Springs next week, so it's CRUNCH time this week. That and a co-worker having her last day today, and it being our normal "busy season" anyway but this time with extra sugar on top because of several other projects that happen to be hitting at the same time this year. And the other random "Can you help with this?" that always pop up at the wrong times.

(Don't blog about work, don't blog about work.)

Okay, that's it. Had to get it out. "What's on my mind" is WORKKKKKK. Lots of it.

And really, I don't mind. Push time, crunch time, whatever your call it. I'm game, I'm ready. It has not been too busy for quite a while. I'm taking two mini-vacations this month. But. It's just that seeing my son for a total of 4 to 6 hours this week. Well. By Thursday, it's wearing a little thin.

Thank God for weekends, getting past deadlines on Fridays, and DA POOL.

I am really looking forward to some R&R with my little man this weekend. I know he loves Daddy. I know they're having the flipping time of their life. But I know he misses and needs him mommy too. So I've decided that this weekend, he gets me. Fully, and undivided. I have already decided I'm not running errands, doing bills, checking e-mail and blogs (where did the last two hours go?) or any of the usual distractions that keep me from hanging with him. We are doing fun mommy / baby stuff and I will replenish.

And then as a result, have to hit it all double hard on Monday. But so be it.

My Poor Capital One Card

$120 plus tip sure is a lot for a haircut and color. But DAMN I look good. Kambra has me addicted. Like Starbucks or ordering appetizers or buying lots of stuff I don't even try on at Old Navy just because it's colorful and under $20 ... she may not be the wisest use of my hard-earned money. But I sure as HELL cannot give her up.

(Cusswords added: 2. PG-13, here I come!)

Well, HELL

My friend Cara's blog introduced me to this neat little tool. It's a rating system for blogs.

What a bunch of CRAP. Apparently Mingle thinks my site is boring as HELL and gave me this G-rating.

Well, they can think what they DAMN well want. My site is plenty R-rated. And they don't know SHI...okay, I can't bring myself to type it knowing moms and mom-in-law read this. I guess all I can aspire to is a PG-13, someday, once I get preggo again and can throw in some more BOOB talk.

Gotta Love Baby Brothers

Annie, baby John and Leo - the new fam.

Leo seems to be adjusting to baby John fairly well these days.

Annie finds her love at first sight.

As we've said many times - Tara and Todd sure do make beautiful children. These were too deliciously adorable not to share. Happy Monday!!

Gotta Love Cousins

Minus the spaced out druggy look Matthew's got cookin ... how cute and adorably similar are these two little ones?

That's cousin Danny on the right. Those torsos would be Mike on left, Uncle Scott on right. Aunt Fernanda took the photo during our Father's Day visit to Chi town last month.

I swear that little face Danny's got on is identical to one Matthew made. It's such a bonus, like reliving Matt's babyhood, when I see these Danny boy pictures! I can't imagine how I'd feel if I ever have another boy and get to see a third version (aka their triplet).

The Wonders of Florida and Picasa, Part III

How much do you want to just eat them up? Minus their sand, general grubbiness, and incredible killer stomach virus, of course.

p.s. The wonder of Blogger headers isn't quite as wonderful for me tonight as the Picasa collage feature. EEJ, I need a crash course in not making photo headers look like crap.

The Wonders of Florida and Picasa, Part II

This morning I tested the Blog This! photo function for the first time. Surprisingly, ridiculously easy.

Next: the slideshow function (thanks, EEJ)! Easy as pie and much cuter than pie.

Sorry, got a little carried away with the captions. Hopefully they are at least somewhat entertaining given I slapped them on well over 100 pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Guess Where We Went For Five Days?

Matthew, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, July 2007

He felt right at home

Bridget digging to China

Beach bum BFFs Matthew and Bridget

More to come soon on the Muldrow-Delanty first ever take their babies to the beach vacation ... and lots of other firsts we all experienced along the way (hint: the word Barf is involved a lot).

UPDATE: Erin's blog has a hilarious recap of our fabulous (yes, it really was) time in FL. I'm not sure I can muster the energy to give you the blow by blow. Hers gets the highlights, minus a few details from the night just us Muldrows were up from 12:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. with a sick baby, a bowl, lots of vomity smelling blankeys and PJs, and some awfully bad TV.