Webster's says...

(an oldy but goody...reposted) 

shin·gle [shĭng'g*l]n. - a thin oblong piece of material, such as wood or slate, that is laid in overlapping rows to cover the roof or sides of a house or other building.

Our house has them. They protect us from water damage. Our children have a play house that has them. Keeps them dry as they are saving the world (or the cat, depending on the day). If our dog was an outside dog, I am sure my dear hubby would have adorned her dogbox with shingles.

None of these are the kind of shingles I have. And mine are not on my roof....they are closer to my basement if you know where I mean...

Tonight was the night I was looking forward to for 2 months. A while ago I was teasing my husband that HOME DEPOT does not a date make. I hinted that I would like to have a reason to buy some nice clothes and a reason to wear them.

Me: "Ya know, I have never been anywhere that has an actual dress code. Like, NO JEANS."
Him: "Yes, you have!"
Me: "Name one."
Him: I can think of a lot of them. What about the DuPont Mansion?"
Me: "OK, if I had to be in a bride's maids dress, that doesn't count. You get a re-do."
Him: "Um."
Me: "Yep. My point exactly."
Him: "Well, we will have to change that now won't we?"

Two days later I get an email from my usually-to-busy-to-email hubby. The subject said, "get a babysitter." It's an e-invitation to a corporate event at a VERY posh country club. The body of his email said, "NO JEANS! I love you."

The event is tonight. For the last week he has been telling me I am too sick to go. That I will never feel like going.

mar·bles [mahr-buhls]n. - metamorphosed limestones, consisting chiefly of recrystallized calcite or dolomite, capable of taking a high polish, occurring in a wide range of colors and variegations and used in sculpture and architecture.

These were NOT the marbles I told him he had lost. "Honey, I have been chasing a 2-year old all day, done the grocery shopping in torrential down-pours, helped with homework and got all 3 kids to bed single-handedly while you were in Chicago, all while feeling like death was looming. What in the world makes you think sitting and eating with other couples while listening to live dinner music and sipping expensive wine would bring out the CODE paddles?"

When I had him take a look at my "rash" yesterday and told him I thought it was Shingles, he said, once again..."See. We are not going!"

Last night I went to the spa, got my hair done and shopped for a new outfit (shoes and jewelry, too)! Came home and did the fashion show....I get, "Listen to your voice, we are NOT going."

So, why do I need to talk? I am very talkative, as you all know, but I would be thrilled to just sit, look pretty and be waited on without saying a word. The mere possibility of a dinner where no food gets spit, spilled or spewed, no one fights over the last piece of garlic bread or whines about having to eat just two more bites brings a smile to my face.

I head off to the doctor this morning, leaving my toddler with the neighbor (you ask why the need for a babysitter? See my previous post).

Dr: "Yes, my dear. I believe you have Shingles."
Me: "Oh no. We have huge dinner plans tonight. Should I not go?"
Dr: "Well, you can only spread them if someone touches them."
(pertinent information - they are on my backside)
Me: "Oh, no worries. It's not THAT kind of party!"
Nurse: "GAAFFAAAWWWW!" and trips over herself as she leaves the room.

I pick up the baby, get home and call my hubby.

Me: "YEAH! We can go. The doctor said."
Him: "Um. I feel like crap. I finally caught the cold you have."
Me: ((sniffle, sniffle)) "OK, hope you feel better!"


defeated [de*feet*ed]adj. - 1. beaten or overcome; not victorious; 2. disappointingly unsuccessful

Sanity's Blogtober TIP parade: 10/13 To go or NOT to go?

Last month I had a really sore throat for almost a week...now I am NOT a baby when it comes to pain! Remember, I am the one who had the 11 lb baby! But, I was actually spitting in the sink instead of swallowing b/c it hurt so bad that my entire body would flinch.

Just about the time I was ready to go to the doctors it went away. Then, I got a pretty bad cough...lasted a week then when I had peed myself one too many times from the strenuous hacking, I was ready to call the doctor. Then it went way.

This went on for a month. A WHOLE MONTH! My mom was calling every day to see if I had gone to get some meds but it was a strange pattern of events...just when I thought I had had enough, the symptoms would go away. I would feel REALLY good for a day and then BLAM! I would come down with some other symptom.

So, after not seeing my brand new baby niece for 4 weeks, I broke down and went to the doctors. He heard my plea for meds, jotted down some stuff I said, listened to my chest and said, "WHY on EARTH did you wait a month to come in?"

I had no answer. Like a 10 year old being asked why she has toilet paper in her training bra, I said, " I dunno."

"Well, Michelle, you have PNEUMONIA!"

Nice.

So, I grabbed the Z-pack and the Advair disc (that is disgusting, btw!) and I was as good as new in about a week.

So, this weekend I came down with that same spit-in-the-sink sore throat. Was up by 5am drinking tea and doing shots of honey all the while downing 1/2 a bottle of Advil to kill the pain.

I call my doctor and tell the nurse that I am being proactive and I want to come right in so I can get on some meds and NOT be sick for another month! Of course they can't see me right away and I have to wait a day.

So, today I head in with my responsible big girl panties on. Call my mom from the parking lot and tell her what I am doing! "Yes. No, I am NOT kidding! I am standing in the parking lot! I swear! I will text you a picture!"

I tell the nurse that I was playing it safe and not letting my I-don't-need-a-doctor-I'm-a-mom pride get in the way. I was there for medicine so I could get back on track!

Dr. Lou came in and I sat up straight, took some deep breaths, fished for the pat on the back deserved for coming right in and not waiting.....

He sits back down and chuckles.

"Your throat is barely red."

"WHAT?!"

"I hear NOTHING in your lungs."

"WHAT?!"

"You just have a cold."

With my tail between my legs, I walk out to the nurse's station to turn in my diagnostic paper (after writing SCARLET FEVER and WHOOPING COUGH across it with the red crayon from my purse) and then head to my car.

What a waste of my time.

Today I NEED THE TIP...cuz apparently, I got nothin' out of this lesson!

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU REALLY SHOULD GO TO THE DOCTOR AND WHEN IT'S JUST A COLD? I had the SAME FREAKING symptoms both times!!

Leave your comment/tip along with your blog link. Go back and blog an anecdote or tip for your readers and leave a link to me. Invite your readers to play along and enjoy a whole month of MOMMY TIPS!

Peace.

Sanity's Blogtober TIP Parade: 10/9, 10/10, 10/11, 10/12 Forget the Valium, give me some Velcro!

Did you think I gave up the ship? Or fallen overboard? Nope.

Let me tell you about my weekend and you will see that this whole TIP parade idea is a selfish means to get advice about my life! LOL!

Friday night as part of my volunteer position with the Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators, I had dinner with some pretty TOP NOTCH editors, reps and agents who are smack dab in the middle of the Children's Publishing world.

Saturday I had an all day conference where I met with an editor from Simon & Schuster who wants to see a book dummy (a mock up version of a finished book) of the manuscript I had sent her prior to the conference. This is the first book I have proposed that I illustrate as well as write so I was not sure how high to get my hopes.

I then met with a couple of lovely ladies who are art reps and we had some great discussions about my portfolio, what they liked and how to plump it up with one single style (that they loved, btw) to ready it for a trip to NEW YORK for some art rep reviews.

Yesterday is when it hit me...the sore throat that had my spitting in the sink instead of swallowing for the last 2 mornings @ 5am kicked me in the butt. Of course, I am the mom of 3...4 if you count my husband who is getting over being sick, too. I just wanted to climb back in bed after church and sleep the day away. But my daughter, the only NOT-SICK person in the house had to cheer at a football game so my husband took her and I was the parent in charge at home with the two sick boys. One thought he was dying and the other just bounced off the walls in hopes of making himself feel better by way of knocking himself senseless, I suppose.

So, then there is today. Columbus Day. ALL the kids stayed home b/c school was closed. (I even called to plead with the janitors to let them come in for some community service - no go!) Mommy is still sick. Oldest son needed a doctor's appt and I needed milk and butter from the store. Laying in bed all day and snurfling and moaning was not an option ONCE AGAIN! *sigh*

My daughter could stay home while I took my son to the appointment, but I couldn't ask her to watch my little hell-on-wheels so he came along, too. After he licked the chair and made out with the bottom of his shoes in the waiting room, I decided this germ-panic thing was useless...what could I do besides make him gargle with Germ-X? I said a, "please sanitize his innards prayer" and was done with stressing about it.

The doctor did a strep test and I briefly thought about asking her if she would do one on me so I wouldn't have to go to the Doctor's tomorrow when they are all back at school. I said another little prayer for strep...b/c I was thinking if it WAS strep I could just call MY doctor and tell him and he MIGHT just call in a prescription without making me come in....that day all snuggled in bed was on the horizon...I reached out to grab it when.....POP! The doctor returned, shook her head and uttered the V-word. VIRUS! Well, chicken crap, no hope for antibiotics now!

I came home feeling sorry for myself and looked at my calendar...my daughter has an ortho appt @ 10:45, I have a 1:30 dr appt and my daughter has gymnastics @ 4. I slumped to the floor and cried. Well, not really, because I have had no energy for the last week, the floor is DISGUSTING!

My tips?

I told the receptionist at the pediatrician as I was chasing my youngest in and out of exam rooms and through the stacks and shelves of files that they need a velcro wall and a couple massage chairs. You know, an entire wall of velcro. Each wild child receives a velcro suit upon checking in. VOILA! They spend the entire time trying to free themselves while you round the corner to the spa-like massage room where you sit and do NOTHING until your child has been seen and is ready to be checked out.

Does that make me heartless? I am sure to 1st time moms, the thought of not accompanying your child into the room while the doctor pokes and prods sounds horrifying. Well, let me be the first to tell you, it's overrated. The kids just want the sticker and lollipop when they leave. They could care less who walks them through the appointment.

Forget the Valium, hook us up with a Velcro-lined pediatrician's office and I believe we have found Utopia!

What are your Mommy sick day tips?

Go back and peek at some of the other tips, leave a tip that links back to you, post an anecdote to a mommy issue on your blog, link to me and tell your readers to join Sanity's Blogtober TIP parade!

Peace.

Sanity's Blogtober TIP Parade: 10/05

Stuck.

In.

House.

With.

Sick.

Kid.

(4 yr old with Pneumonia)

Need.

Remedies.

HELP!!!

He has an earache...I hate those dang things...besides Advil and a heating pad there's not alot you can do...

BUT! My grandmother, who was Pennsylvania Dutch, SWORE by an old remedy! You don't wanna know. No. You don't.

OK! OK! But I warned you!

Urine!

Yep, drops of your own urine in your ear would cure an earache.

Told ya you didn't want to know!

And, NO, I have never tried it!

You know the drill: Leave your tip. Blog about something you need or can give tips for. Invited your readers to do the same. Link back to me. It's the BLOGTOBER TIP PARADE! 31 days, 31 tips for moms!

Peace.

God's MIGHTY 2 x 4...

So, I owe you an explanation for the last post. Just so we are clear, that post was a small peek inside my brain. (I know, it's a scary place!) But God is good and when I slow down and put MOMMY first, He makes sense of all of the GIBBERISH!

It's hard to put yourself first when so much of your life is dealing with/helping/doing for other people. Some of those people are helpless little creatures but some of those people who rely on us are adults and sometimes we just need to learn to say "WHEN."

So, a lot happened this week and my brain was having trouble keeping up. Emotionally I was a wreck. Have you had those days? You know the kind, when you can hear your brain boiling, the hair on your neck stands up at the smallest of annoyances and you draw blood from your own palms as your fists are frozen in the clenched position. I know, that's a little dramatic...but I think I would be right on the mark if I said we have all had at least ONE of those days.

When you are having one of those days, do you let yourself slow down? I don't know about you, but when I am in "a funk" like this - I don't want to slow down. I think it's my 'fight or flight' nature - I just want to get through the day so I can start over tomorrow. But this is usually when God raises one of his Heavenly 2 x 4's and slams me on the back of the cranium and says..."Let me!"

It sounds pretty easy. Letting someone else deal with your stress. Throwing your hands up and walking away is what we sometimes WISH we could do. But we don't. And in the moment it's NOT easy to do. But let me tell ya, if you don't heed that first 2 x 4, the second one will come harder...and I think that's what happened this week in the Brownlow house...well, at least in my head.

So, you all know the illnesses that we were dealing with in my house...if you need a recap you can LAUGH your way to oblivion HERE and HERE and HERE!

Prayer was huge in our house...."Please let them get better!" "Please help me live through it!"

Here is the groundwork: I am an artist. Therefore, I have always been a quirky person. I have weird quirks, things people don't "get." It's just who I am and thankfully I have the BEST husband in the world to walk this wacky walk with me.

Maybe it's my age. Maybe it is my current stress level. But those little quirks have become amplified over the past couple years and, at times, are literally paralyzing. This week, b/c of one of these quirks, I let down my BFFs and they were angry. There is nothing I hate more than disappointing someone...let alone 3 of the greatest women on the face of the earth. But, all is good. I told you they are the greatest.

I let go of a couple writing gigs after a conversation I had with God.

So, God and I were chatting about my "gifts." How did I know God was talking to me, you ask? Well, everything I read, heard or thought was related to spiritual gifts, talents and children's authors. An interesting mix, huh?

Well, this is the SENSE I made of it.

I have always been passionate about children. I have taught them since I was a VBS volunteer in elementary school. I was a public school teacher. I ran my own art summer school for HS kids. I have done writing and arts activities in local schools. I have taught private lessons in my home. I am that mom that always has kids in the house (most of which are not mine). I have taught homeschool kids. And I currently teach the most amazing group of 4th & 5th grade girls every Sunday morning...they are my passion...they will someday change the world...each and every one of them. I could blog JUST about them!

Anyway, you get my point. God laid at my feet all these examples of where my passion lies. And then he asked me, "And who are you currently writing for?"

I answered sheepishly, "Ummm. Adults."

He came back with a resounding, "DUHHHHHH!"

No. He was a bit more graceful with his nudge after He knew I "got it."

So, I have gotten my act together. I wrote my LAST column... *sniff, sniff* I got some "stop freaking out on your friends" pills from my doctor. And I am trying to slow down and listen for His wisdom more often.

So, this week I am re-focusing and putting my efforts into my kids writing, ONLY. I have 30+ picture books all in various stages of completion. About 10 of them have been tweaked and critiqued by the best SCBWI critique group...MINE! I have an editor who has asked me to send some manuscripts (will send her Macy-Sue LaRue series probably), I have an agent looking at Old Mutt's Saloon, and a couple other opportunities that could make that all-important connection.

So, I am back on track. Our house has been Cloroxed. The sickies are on the mend. My niece is OK. The girls have forgiven me. My mind is racing with new and innovative kids' book ideas.

God is good.

But don't forget to DUCK if you choose to ignore Him!

How many moms does it take to...

ONE!

The answer is ONE!

The question?

Who cares! It only takes one mom to do anything!

Do you know how I know?

Because I have been THAT mom for a week now.

If you need a recap...read about my day last Thursday!

Well, the next day my husband came down with the flu...the real thing, not just the generic sick feeling that can self-diagnose as something like the flu. I mean the real, honest-to-goodness FLU with handfuls of pills to be popped every morning and every night! Ick!

I have to say that I was not very sympathetic. I posted this.

I complained to my mom about the ridiculous state of health in my house and my obvious annoyance at my husband came out in that rant. She asked why exactly I was MAD at him for getting sick. And I blurted, "Because when I feel myself getting sick, I fight it. I just decide I am NOT getting sick and I don't!"

She returned with, "Well, Shel, not all of us have your super powers."

Hmpfh!

Point taken. My mood softened. I stopped being annoyed at the man who almost NEVER takes a sick day. I'm sorry, sweetlips! I'm glad you're feeling better.

Well, the only person better is my pre-schooler who had the (not-ringworm) ear infection! My husband is going into work for 1/2 days and my poor daughter is STILL on the couch. Strep knocked the wind out of her this time.

When did God get my attention and soften my heart? (He has a habit of doing this when I least expect it!)

Last night, everyone went to bed on time and I was starting to feel like things might be back to normal soon. That's when my oldest son came running into the living room sobbing!

"Mooooom! I think Punk's dead!"

We ran up and I took a deep breath as I looked into the cage of his 6 month old hamster...ummm...yep, no doubt about it, the little Punk had expired and by the looks of it, I think he committed suicide. (Stop laughing, I'm kinda serious) He was sprawled out on his bedding with blood coming out of his nose. The little freak was one of those rodents that thinks he's a circus act. You know, the ones that end up on America's Funniest Videos. He would run up the wrong side of his wheel and dive head first to the bottom of the cage on a daily basis. But I think this was his last dive.

It took quite some time for me to console my poor big kid. We talked about how in Heaven Punk wouldn't have to be in a cage because there are no predators where Jesus lives. We joked about the fact that Punk's new best friend could very well be a snake or a zebra. We giggled at the thought of him hoping on his striped BFFs back and taking off through the clouds and we cried because we missed him. My son even said he thought he could use this to write his first kids book! Ahhh, now there ya go, buddy, write your heart into a book! He's MY KID!

So, the sickness is s-l-o-w-l-y making its exit. Punk will probably be buried today. My sick hubby is taking a 1/2 day. And THIS MOM is headed to the SALON. I think I might get one of everything they offer just so I can HAVE to stay there until Tuesday.

All-in-all, as much stress as I have endured this past week, I wouldn't change it for the world. My kids and my husband are my life and I am so thankful for every situation that we get ourselves into because that's what makes a family. The good, the bad and the ugly.

So, how many moms does it take to love a family? Just ONE. This one! And it's more love than any of them could ever imagine! Sometimes we play the "I love you more" game.

I love you more than the grains of sand on the earth.

I love you more than the ounces of water in all of the oceans.

I love you more than all the snowflakes that have ever fallen.

I know my son could FEEL that love last night as we laid in his bed and snuggled.

(Oh, and my husband just might get lucky tonight)

One mom. This mom!

Tell me your tender moments!

The Mommy Handbook: Chapter 2

SICK HUSBAND

Ignore him.

The end.

This was NOT in the HANDBOOK...

You know, the MOMMY Handbook...the one that they give you when you leave the hospital...the one that gets addendums at each well-baby visit...the one that has chapter upon chapter added at each parent/teacher conference...

What you didn't get one of those? Yeah, me neither. I would like to complain to someone's supervisor b/c someone needs to create this HANDBOOK! My job as "Mom" got exponentially harder today...on the outside, it very well may have looked like I was a pro. But I know for sure, on the inside it sure felt like it was this doofus's first day on the job.

I have been doing this mom thing for over 11 years...I should be able to juggle anything. I did. But it almost killed me! It would have, if I wasn't so unstable that I was twitching and giggling my way through the chaos.

My daughter was knocked on her hiney last night with a high fever and wickedly sore throat. Poor thing. I gave her some Motrin and put her to bed knowing we would be heading to the doctor's once I got the boys on the bus in the morning.

First thing this morning, as I was outside waiting for the pre-school bus, she got out of bed and puked...all over her carpet. As I waved to my little guy, my oldest yelled from the front door about the YUCK that ensued upstairs.

I got an appointment for 10:15.

My oldest has been struggling with anxiety and was a bit unsettled this morning as we headed toward the door to catch the middle school bus. I hate sending him on the bus when he is struggling to keep it together. And this morning, I certainly wasn't going to drag my pukey one to the car so I could drive him, so he got a free day home. Call it a mental health day.

With bucket in hand, my daughter and I headed to the doctor, my oldest stayed home (our doctor is 5 minutes away). We had our fingers crossed for Strep just b/c that means medicine that will ease the discomfort. Strep it was! We could start the recovery stage and maybe feel better in time to enjoy the weekend.

I decided to take her back home, then head to the pharmacy and the store for a few goodies that would encourage her to eat. When we got home my son recited a phone number from the caller ID (he's a good boy and doesn't answer when I am not home). The phone number was the preschool but there was no message. "Whew!" I thought, "thank God it's not anything serious."

I headed to the pharmacy and called the preschool from my cell.

"Hi, Mrs. Brownlow. Don't panic, he's OK but we think he has ringworm, you will have to come get him, NOW!"

Now, this would not be a big deal if his pre-school was right around the corner. But my little guy is bussed to a integrated preschool because of his special needs. His preschool is at least 35 minutes away.

I did a U-turn. Grabbed the big kids and figured my sickie could just sleep on the trip as I didn't want to leave them alone for that long. I turned back onto the road that I felt like I had been on 406 times so far and it was only 11am. That's when I heard it...

S-P-L-A-T!

She was puking, again!

U-Turn!

Back home we go!

I carried the puke bucket to the door and set it down to get the door unlocked. A gust of wind came and I think I even heard it laugh. It picked up the waste basket/puke bucket and tossed it UPSIDE DOWN all over the driveway. Nice. Now, I have to hose the puke off the walkway to our door. Yum!

I called my husband who (is AMAZING!) offered to go get the baby and bring him home so I could, for the 407th time, head toward the pharmacy.

Now, when I was on the phone with the preschool teacher she said, because ringworm (eewww!) is so contagious he would need to be seen by a doctor and he couldn't return to school without documentation that he was treated.

I headed to the pharmacy and called to make ANOTHER appointment at the doctor's.

In line at the pharmacy, I actually watched the people ahead of me grow older. One snot-nosed kid graduated from high school, two 'tweens ended up married and one of them got a loan for in vitro and had NINE-tuplets! The news was there and everything. THAT'S HOW FREAKING LONG IT TOOK TO GET THIS PRESCRIPTION FILLED! ARGH!

Met my husband at home and I made everyone lunch. The doctor called and said we could bring in "Wormy" at 4:15. Thank God he was oblivious to the band-aid the school nurse had put right behind his earlobe on his neck...apparently, if you itch worms, they will spread. He couldn't see it so it wasn't an issue. The band-aid stayed put, even through his nap.

As he slept, I remembered the mark on my daughter's arm. I have never seen ringworm, but she had a perfect circle with a dark ring around it on her arm for the last couple of weeks. My older two have eczema so I just assumed that's what it was.

Even though I risked more puke in the car, I wanted the doctor to see her arm when he checked behind the baby's ear. We headed back to the doctor's @ 4:15.

The doctor laid my little guy on the table, adjusted the light, I held my breath. He peeled back the band-aid...he looked closer...then he looked at me...he looked back at what the band-aid had revealed...

NOT A FREAKING THING! THEREWASNOTHINGUNDERTHEBANDAIDNOTHING!

He kind of giggled and said, "Do you want me to just check him over, since you're here and Strep is already in your house." I told him I would like that, and a mojito, too if he had one!

You know what he found when he looked in his ear? A whole colony of ringworms having a picnic. LMAO! No, I am just kidding, that was just too perfect of a set-up. No! No ringworm...just a really bad ear infection! And the spot on her arm...just eczema.

Anxiety.

Strep.

Ringworm.

Eczema.

Ear Infection.

So, back to the pharmacy. Another call to my husband b/c I was NOT waiting for this one, he could pick it up on his way home.

Tacos for dinner and a big FAT Mike's Hard Lemonade.

Had that scenario been in the HANDBOOK, I may have been prepared.

What would you like to see in a MOMMY'S HANDBOOK?

I'm BAAAAAAACK...

Hi there! I feel like I should re-introduce myself. I feel like it has been a year since I have been on line. Thursday I woke up with a headache and feeling a bit queasy. Throughout the day the queasiness got worse, to the point of purposely averting my attention from my belly woes so I didn't YAK and scare the baby. I make that sound heroic only because the real truth is PUKING SCARE ME! My puking, that is! I don't do it! EVER! It has got the be the very worst thing in the world to me! THE WORST! I just can't do it! Not morning sickness! Not the stomach flu! Nothin'! At about 5:30 pm, I called the hubby and requested that he bring a pizza home so I didn't have to think about/look at/smell food. I also forewarned him that I would NOT be partaking of the pizza-eating. I told him I would go upstairs to rest while they all ate. He laughed and said, "See you in the morning." But, it was the Thursday Americal Idol. I couldn't NOT watch it with the kids. Now, you have to know, we are self-proclaimed BEDTIME NAZIS! The kids are in bed at a decent hour every night! The 2-year old at 7:30 and the big kids at 8:30. I am a glutton for ME-time! I need it! It's how I roll. But this is the first season of American Idol that we actually caught the preliminary auditions for - those who-the-heck-told-them-they-could-sing auditions. We let the kids watch as long as they do their nightly reading ahead of time. If the episode goes longer than 9pm we tape the rest and they watch it when they wake up. So, I bore you with this sidebar about bedtimes because all of us watching it together has become somewhat of an event for us. So, me laying in bed would not be an option. I went to bed when the pizza came home, just for a rest. That's when the walls must have blown down and let the frigid winter air into my room because I started to shake. Uncontrolably. The chills. Man! I vaguely remember waking up feeling awful, breathing deep to keep the upchuck train DOWN and I rolled out of bed Friday morning at 7:45 am. Hubby had already started the lunches, fed the kids breakfast and signed their homework. WOW! I can be out-of-commission and the world will not stop its rotation. It goes on. That's a great feeling. I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders! Whew! I sent my husband to work, assuring him I would call if the baby and I couldn't co-exist through the day. But all was well. We did it. I didn't eat very much (which is very good for the diet I just re-re-re-re-started) and actually JUST ate more than one meal today. I just lapped up the luxury of having an excuse to do nothing. Of course it would have been more enjoyable if I was feeling like a million bucks but, it was a relaxing couple of days - thankfully over the weekend so hubby was home. Of course, it gave me time to think over a million different things - a new blog, a new book (a chapter book), some fun contest ideas, interesting posts, a plight for pediatric cancer awareness (after some Mimi-mail), etc etc etc. Guess my brain wasn't sick! Thanks again for all your well-wishes! I am honored to have so many fun friends!!

Mama Drama...

Magnum of NyQuil for Mommy- $13.49 Box of travel tissues - $1.79 Bag of "bribe" sweets for toddler- $1.99 Taking a 2-yr old to the Walk-In clinic when Mommy is sick - INSANITY! (This is going to be a long post - so grab your favorite libation and a cushion for your bum and Depends if you pee when you laugh, because you WILL laugh!) It all started Friday night when the mini-cold I had turned into a horrible sore throat. You know that kind that you want to take something for it but you can't even swallow your own spit, let alone a couple of Advil. That retching pain that makes you actually consider putting a spittoon next to your bed so you don't HAVE to swallow. That off-the-charts pain that would cause you to say "yes" to anything your children asked for because a nod would be easier than the ensuing amount of begging you would have to endure if you said "no." Quite honestly, I barely remember the weekend. My husband took over and I merely existed. I am not the lay in bed kind of patient. I would rather be in the mix than off in a room away from the family. And, I rarely go to the doctors. I think I had tonsillitis about 4 or 5 years ago and that got me in pronto, but other than throwing my back out, I haven't been back. Until yesterday. I stuck it out as long as I could. But my mom once told me of an untreated strep-throat case gone bad...she's a hairdresser so she gets all the gory details of things like this...so I decided to go...but NOT alone, unfortunately. I had to have my older two children at school an hour early for a field trip so, I literally rolled out of bed, fed everyone and jumped in the car to drop off my field-trippers and head to the walk-in clinic. I hadn't changed my sweats, washed my face, brushed my teeth or even looked in a mirror for that matter. I was promptly greeted by a career-dressed, obviously-showered and very-well-put-together former high school acquaintance who apparently did not recognize me behind my mascara-raccoon eyes, stained sweat shirt and wiggling toddler. So, what do I do? I say, "Deb? Right? Michelle. How are you?" I couldn't leave there having her think that I not only had lost my cheerleader looks but my memory, too. She was sweet and handed the baby a ball to keep him occupied until I got called in. Well, that ball touched every human in the waiting room. Mostly their feet, thank goodness! I chased him from the handy push-button water fountain to the exit door about a thousand times. Apparently, when travelling at the height of toddler speed a wee one can throw his whole 27 lbs hard enough to open the exit door. Each time this happened, the door would make the annoying "ding-dong" sound. The desk receptionist would come with her "how are you?" smile posed and ready. I smile back with my "Oh gosh, I am so sorry, again!" half-smile, half-grimace. She would return a "read that baby a book" grin and I was off toward the water fountain. "MICHELLE BROWNLOW?" I scooped up the baby and walked toward the woman who had just called my name. I think my lips were actually puckering because I was so excited to not have to run, chase, scold and whimper in public. Send me to a little room where I can control my child a little easier. Close the door behind you and I will be just fine. Who the heck was I kidding?! The next 45 minutes consisted of hands in the trashcan, back in the mouth, playing the chase game while I frantically tried to get hand-sanitizer on his clenched little fists. There was screaming and whining as I tried to convince him we should read (he cried a little, too). A child who spent 13 months trying to walk now decides he MUST crawl ALL THE HECK over the floors that have probably been peed and pooped on...oh gosh, I gag at the thought. As soon as I pick him up to wash his hands....they go IN HIS MOUTH! Why is this? OK, so about 20 minutes into this chaos ensuing behind Door#3, I decide to use one of his fears against him. I know, mean, but I was desperate, people! He is fearful of heights. So, I grab a book and plop him on the L-shaped exam table so my aching body could stand still for more than 2.5 seconds. Because the L-shape was a little reclined, the fear fled and his voice jumped 3 octaves into a squealing "Wwwhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" He thinks it is a SLIDE. God help me! He turns toward the reclining back, throws his hands to the top and starts to run, trying to get to the top. You know that white roll of paper that covers the table? The actual roll is hung from the back of the table, his hands are on either side of the top of the strip running to the end of the table and his little sneakers are going WARP SPEED flinging the white strip behind him as though it is the smoke from his super shoes. I think we killed a full acre of rain forest in 6 seconds. But I got to stand still. The other 25 minutes were less than enjoyable so I put on our coats and left the building. "But, ma'am, the doctor will see you in two minutes." "Suuuuuuure, he will! Not falling for it nurse-lady!" I have a babysitter and an appointment for tomorrow. Which is a good thing considering I now have red blistery patches along my back that I think are SHINGLES! Lord, help me!