1 little, 2 little, 3 little pukers...but 4 or 5!!!

Well, we've been very blessed that the stomach viruses have passed us by for at least a year, maybe two.   Last night changed that. 

This is how my living room looks now:

I slept on the couch from 12:30 (when # 2 started getting sick and sick and sick).   Funny, they got sick in backwards birth order

see everyone's puke buckets? And wood floors are a must for recovery. 

I've never had 4 kids sick at the same time, so fresh....

Flat 7up, Clorox wipes, babies formula, hand sanitizer, and THE LIST

So far we canceled

*The coveted appointment with a pediatric urologist at 9:30 Saturday morning.

*Going to church

*Grant giving a lesson in church

*going grocery shopping.   The nanny's lunches filling our fridge more this week then our own stuff.   Good thing we have a decent food storage.

WE HAVE NOT CANCELED my colonoscopy on Monday, with prep on Sunday.  I must say being Nurse Mommy has helped keep away the anxiety of  those days

Oh dear, so tired, kids are starting to beg for food....

 

Oh, there goes Alex again, time to reset the liquids clock for him......

Hehe, Alex who was just begging for food five minutes ago now says he doesn't want to eat anything until he's better.    Hehe, flu food remorse!

The 1st of my last...

...and the last of my" firsts".

Last of my first baby cries. 

Last of my first baby smiles

Last first crawl,  first steps

And last of my First Birthday Parties for my babies.

 

It started slowly.  As Saturdays go around here.  The kids had to sort the laundry before Mark could open gifts.   They were slow as usual.    If you can imagine how slow that was, Mark opening gifts was slower.  All of these were 95% opened by siblings while Mark ran away, played with another toy,  or clung to mom.

I think he's afraid of gift wrapping, bows, ribbons and tissue paper. This is the only photo we have of him touch the wrapping paper.  And Alex tore the piece up for him to start with.  (Emily was the photographer)

Grant spent the morning making the last of the 24 pumpkin pies.   We didn't expect a big turnout, but wanted to drop pies by our friends who have done so much for us over the last 1+ year.   In our old Bosch fits 1/2 a #10 can of pumpkin, 1/2 a #10 can of evaporated milk, and all the other stuff needed to make 5 pies at a time.

Doesn't that look so professional?   Or mouthwatering?  Or do you like them cooked first?

At 1:30 we had the car all packed up and ready to go.  We were blessed with an offsite party.  This is our awesome host.  She cleaned her house and let us have the party there.  The amount of sanity and health it saved me was priceless. 

  

See how relaxed she is on the couch?  It's because she's not the birthday mom and the home owner!  THANK YOU LISE!     In the front is Mark in his new sweatshirt given to him by Aiden, on the left.   Now...  On to the best part about a first birthday.....

We had the party from 2-4pm  Five other families came to share the joy.  Mark started his pie, as stated on the invites, promptly at 2:30.

Mark did a great job of being a neat eater. (compared to previous siblings)  Really, really neat...so we didn't have as many enjoyable pictures or moments.  That's probably good for the blog!  In fact, the bored kids asked to have their own pie a few minutes after Mark started.

I forget that not all of you know that Mark is allergic to wheat.  We found out over the holidays that pumpkin pie and whipped cream don't give him bad reactions. 

  

So Mark's birthday "cake" was a square of crustless pumpkin pie , covered in whipped cream.  By the time we sang and Grant blew out the candle (which Mark was grabbing at), the cream had  melted off.

After 20 minutes, Mark was done.  Can you tell which of his thighs got two birthday shots the day before?

The last two gifts at the party were the best he opened.  Both were in simple bags, with NO tissue paper.  So Mark could see the gift and he happily pulled them out.   No tears! 

So Mark is my best last baby.  Cleanest eater.   And most afraid of opening gifts.  Happy first year Mark!  You made it past a year! We made it thru the year! 

We

all

made

it

thru

alive

 

(oh... he got his shots in his left thigh, which looks to be on the right of the photo.  Talk about chunky thighs!)

Happy 3rd birthday to my 3rd child

Friday was Katelyn's day.

It was a school day.  When asked what she wanted for breakfast, she said, "cake".   I compromised with 3 candles in two brown sugar pop tarts.    Some sprinkles and an heirloom cake platter gave us something to sing about!

 

Emily has passed on the idea of fancy dressing on fancy days.   Since it was a birthday AND a well-child-visit doctor day..it meant extra fancy with the poofy slip.    Kate is also clutching a dressed up Cheetah, in a matching pink dress, a loan from Alex for the day (the Cheetah, not the dress!)

The big kids hurried to get ready for school fast so Kate  could open her presents!  Kate didn't disappoint.  We had 4 ready, but she got thru all the gifts.  This was Alex and Emily's first birthday of earning and buying the gifts without our credit cards.  Kate tore thru her presents in record time.  It's a talent of hers. 

That night,  we went to a Family Ward Party/Dance where Katelyn got her free Costco cake.  Free because they messed up/lost/didn't do our order.  Instead we got a pre made cake that someone managed to write on.  .....those cute photos are on my phone and I'm to tired to add them now.....so you get the rest of the carnage we brought home.  It was the Balloon Style cake.  And with few adults around, I saw several little girls running around with balloon size pieces. 

Oh, and no Zmolek birthday would be complete without the gift cards and new stickers to add to the sticker book.  Katelyn almost refused to let me photograph her doing this sacred rite.  Thanks Grandma Z, our kids really like this part! 

Now the post is full.  I'm exhausted.  Today was Mark's birthday, so maybe tomorrow he'll get his birthday post done. 

c

a

n

't

 

m

o

v

e

anything but my fingers.....

Many of you have just figured out in the last 24 hours that they were born a day apart.  Don't worry about retaining that knowledge. 

I will never celebrated them on their real birthdays again.   NEVER.

No date? No worry!

This is to Stina, my single sister at BYU.  She and her single friends made it thru get another Valentines Day.   So I'm starting a list, to make them feel  better.

1.  Your toliet cleaning brush is safe.   Unlike ours that Mark has a crush on.

2.  You can sleep in on Saturdays and Sundays. 

3.  You don't have to wet your pants in bed when your child opens your eyelid and asks if you are awake.   This is not a pleasant way to leave REM sleep.  (Grant thanks Emily for this knowledge)

4.  If you see a baby eat a diaper that has poop in it, you can think, "what kind of mother" as you vomit.  Instead of being the mother.  I wonder how many others this has happened to when you have two in diapers.  Baby 2 was interested in toddler 1's messy diaper.  I thought noses and smells would protect them.   But from Mark licking in #1, that smell aversion is broken in him.

5.  You never fight over which parent had the worst day.   The quint-crown being the tie breaker:  Having nose discharge, bladder discharge, colon discharge, vein discharge and stomach discharge put on you within the shorter time span. 

6.  You don't have to constantly thumb wrestle to get anything typed

7.  If you don't want to look at the snow leopards at the zoo, you keep on walking.  

8.  No one tells you to parent your children better in a public place.  (Thanks Alex, for your special behavior at Ross in 2003)

9.  No one talks to you about the state of your uterus.  (So, Jane, thinking about having another one yet?  Sarah, um, don't you think you're done now that you have four?  Who get to go in for the surgery?)

10.   If your cart is full of mostly frozen foods, on a hot day, and you're in a long check out line.....if your bladder lets you know it would like to go potty, you can tell it to wait.  And your car seats will stay dry!

11.  A hot date doesn't mean taking a child to the ER and finally having  a moment alone while tests are ran. 

12.   You don't have to have your heart broken when the toothfairy or Santa forgot your house.  Or worse, your kids see the toothfairy or Santa. 

13.  If your coworker thinks you have a fever, you don't have to pull down your pants to get it measured.

14.  If your a good Mormon and single, you don't have to worry that you're pregnant when your period is late.  Or you get the flu. 

15.  You don't have to find a sitter in another state when invited to a wedding or party that is "adults only".  

16.  You don't have to do a "body fluids"  load of laundry once a week. 

17.  You have the newest movie script or song lyrics memorized.   Instead of  20 animal names and sounds for "Old MacDonald"

18.  You never have to Google, "7 year old bead in nose what to do"

19.   You never have to share a bathroom stall with another person

20.  You never feel a childs hair on your backside, as they yell, "Push, Mommy, push".    Darn huge bathrooms at the home depot. 

21.  You never have to cry as you debate between filling the dishwasher or taking a nap while your baby is finally asleep. 

This is a work in progress.  Look back for updates.  Or in the comment section.    Help my Junior at BYU sister.  The last decent guy she was with said, "Umm, I'm waiting for a missionary, so I can't get serious with you."

The waiting game

I hurt tonight.  More than what has become normal.  (and even normal sucked)  I must write a negative post, or someone might think I'm a positive person.  I'm negative because I hurt.  Or maybe you think talking about pain is negative.  Either way, Mark really sums up what I'm feeling in this photo:

Like my husband.  Whom always answers, "we're hanging in there, we're getting by, we're keeping it together" when asked "how are you guys?".   

Sometimes the rule "if you can't say something nice, you shouldn't say anything at all"  ruins a family.   Because if you say something nice instead of reality, you might be left alone, at home, hurting. 

And you might think that people are chosing to leave you at home, alone, hurting.

Instead they just might have no idea that your are hurting, alone, and that they can do something to help.

April 17 can't come fast enough some days.  And other days it seems too soon.

Once again,  I will really be hurting, again, when I don't think I can take another hour of anesthetic, or have another stitch removed.  Or see the clutter gather up, with no one to save the family from it.    Today we'll use my bedroom dresser as the sample of clutter in my house.

(Jan 13)

We just consider it a good day if everyone has food to eat and clothes to wear.   Clean dishes and clothes are the next priority.  Clean tables and clean floors are the next.   And that makes clutter duty the first thing to be let go.

This is how my dresser looked a few months  ago. 

  (Dec 5)

Sadly, it wasn't because I cleaned it.  I was missing my drivers license.  And my dresser was covered with post-operative instructions, medication info pamplets, extra scissors, food, my kids good school papers to save, lotions, candy, pretty things, letters, safety pins, coupons.

   (Dec 5)

So took every piece of clutter off my dresser, one by one, and put in a laundry basket.  And when laundry day came, it moved into a costco size 3 diaper box.    And for a few days, my dresser looked great.  until new medical papers, school papers, library CD's and kids toys covered it up.

  (Feb 16)

And where is the costco size 3 diaper box?  For three months it was at the foot of my bed, alone.   Then for two months it had a roommate.   Then I wanted my room back.  I was too tired to sort the boxes.   I did have some energy, but I wanted to spend it laying in the sun, playing with my kids.  I want them to remember that I, not Nanny Julie, am their mother. 

So I took the 5 or 6 boxes of clutter, and put them between Alex's bed and Mark's crib.  And I covered it with a sheet. 

  (Feb 16)

And already more clutter has migrated on top.  And diapers (clean, ready to use) have cluttered in front.

And someday, someone will go thru it.    If you tell me what year it will be opened, I can probably guess who did the work.

That is the waiting game I'm playing.

I'm waiting to feel better.

I'm waiting not to feel worse.

I'm waiting for help.

I'm waiting to feel safe when I drive.

I'm waiting to lower my expectations even more

I'm waiting for surgery to start.

I'm waiting to be healed from surgery.

I'm waiting for a friend, a sister, a stranger, to help sick Rachel's household look and feel more like healthy Rachel's household.  

Waiting to be grateful for the things that have happened.  Tammy R. who spent the day with me and took down all of Chirstmas at our house.  Our nanny who repeatedly takes on on new things.    A bishop and Relief Society and School Conselor who keep asking, "what can we do?"  

What do you think Rachel could be waiting for?  

What are you waiting for?

...then in the dark they were filled with pleasure...

...as they weeded the garden and the lawn.   Yes.  Thursday night.  With muddy clothes on.

It all started after school.   Alex and Emily were told of a surprise in the car.   They were wiggling with excitement as they were reminded to finish their homework and chores fast so they could see it.  

I didn't have time to wrap it up.  It would have added to the fun, but as it turns out, it wasn't needed.

By the time they were done with their needed work, including dinner, they ran out to the van.  I couldn't get there fast enough to take pictures.  I did hear the cries of, "cool!   Are those really ours?"  "How did you know?  we have our own!"

I then told them how expensive these were, and how I thought the kids deserved a great gift.  I then told them they were finally old enough and careful enough to use the best tools.  They were even more thrilled. 

They couldn't wait for me to show them how to use them.  They only glanced at the instructions that hung awkwardly from the middle post. 

Then they got to work.  And worked.  And worked.  In the dark, lit by the porch light.  Later,  I got a camping lantern out and they continued to work and work by the rock wall. 

What was this awesome gift? Alex seems to think so!

 

Alex got the "weed hound", and fingured it out on the first try.  It got surprisingly deep.

Emily got the "garden planter" which is easier to use with two feet, but needs extra hand work to sort out the weeds from the ball of dirt. 

Grant was grumpy that two messy, hungry kids were left with him inside.  I ignored him (sorry honey), since I wanted to cheer on (with all my attention) my new gardeners!  Messy kids happen ever day.  But kids excited about pulling weeds?  Gotta nurture and clap for that!

This photo was  with no flash, only the light from the front porch.  They filled half  a square "recycling" bucket, in this low light!

I was so excited, that I called my "most vocal dandelion critic" neighbor, and told him to come out and look on my lawn.  He was so excited!  After commending them on helping out sick mom and busy dad, he told them to go to bed and stay healthy.  How sweet. 

The next three days are school holidays.  Mid winter break.   The kids have dreams of science fair projects.  Emily to do, "can you tell the difference between Costco and Target licorice (red vines)".   Alex wants to do, "what has the most power, lemon, orange, or potato.  It will be interesting to see if they get far enough along that I let them enter their projects. 

But if they don't get busy on their projects, at least I'll have a great lawn!  ...or better one!

Think of the grossest thing in your house...

Then think of your child in love with it.

So in love, that it pains him to be apart from it.  To not hold it, while seeing it, would make no cry loud enough to prove his love.  He is in love with it passionately.   Loves to kiss it.  Loves to french kiss it, but he's not even one, so it's really lots of licking.  Guess that this new object of Mark's affection it?

 

(insert cries of disgust, shudder, and gagging)

Tonight, I heard Mark giggling in my bathroom.  I never saw him enter.  Just moments before I was talking with Alex, when Alex knocked over the baby gate in my bedroom door.  This ghost entered, going right for his target.  Mark found it, and couldn't resist making a happy noise.  At last, he was reunited with the object of his desire.  Since his noise gave him away, he knew it wouldn't last long.

(sorry, no picture here because I just couldn't stand to grab the camera while he joyfully licked it.  But this is another happy place for him, nakie on the doctor's scale!)

Yes, his mother took it away, Again.  Mark fought hard.  He looked right past his beloved camera, and made begging eyes into mine.  Then he plopped down and cried a deep, mournful cry.  Then he would get up and try again, tears rolling down his cheeks.

But Mom just held on to his new "lovey" and won't let it go.  So Mark continued to cry.  No matter where Rachel went, Mark followed with the fast feet of a lover. 

One last cry, one last outreached hand is all he got.  I'm going to buy a new toilet cleaner, that is more white than my teeth.   And I'm going to put it up high.  Even if I have to nail a bucket to my bathroom wall, it will be up high.

UGH!  Shudder!  This will definitely be good blackmail when Mark's teenage hormones turn on too high.   One photo to a dear girlfriend, and he might never get kissed again!

So, please do tell, what is the most gross thing your kid "loved" or even put in their mouth?

We really hope #7 is lucky

This is Alex, wearing his 7th pair of glasses.  It's been 36 hours and he hasn't lost or damage them yet. 

Most of the losses are from his love to read in bed until he falls asleep.  Many times they are still on his face, a bit tilted, when I wake him in the morning.  Sometimes they get lost in many nooks and crannies and 6 foot drops from the top of his bed. 

Well, sick mamma is taking a vacation, which leaves cool, inspired and creative momma showing talents.  I took an old glasses case of mine (I've got countless, since I've had them since 4th grade). 

Then I brought out my staple gun and hammer.  And I staple gunned the top flap of the case to the bed.  And I hammered the staples down flush, so they wouldn't scratch the glasses.    It's the dark brown thing on his bed rail. 

Alex tried it out last night.  He can easily put his glasses away when bedtime reading is over.  In the morning, he can reach them from the floor.  He can stash them quickly during a clothing change.   His face lights up and I got that golden hug of  "you're the best mother in the world!"

It's the best Idea I've had so far, besides RecSpecs that he wore 24/7 until blisters appeared behind his ear. 

I'll have to let you know how long this pair last.   Are you responsible for any glasses?  Any tips on how to tabs on them and keep them fitting properly?  

Mystery Cookie Monster

Somebody had a fun FHE....decorating and delivering heart shaped cookies with lemon icing.    Did they drop them at your door too?

I love how they used a kid to write, so we can't recognizing the handwriting.   Hmmmm.....who loves us so much that we got this surprise plate full of tasty goodness?

It's just too bad that our kids go to bed early.  The one on the bottom was very tasty at 9pm last night.  It had a peanut butter cup in the middle.  New love: Lemony-chocolate-peanut-butter.

Oh thank you, thank you friend who made these lovely cookies!  We feel so touched to be a special cookie drop during a time like this.

Hmmm....who was it?   They drove away in a VW Beetle.  And It couldn't be Amy B because she might be superwoman, but she did just have her gallbladder out.  Feel better soon!   I'll eat another cookie in honor of your pain.

Our night Janitor (he's really cheap!)

T' was the night before school, and all thru the house,

Not a child was stirring, except for the baby.  

He's the janitor.  He works nights.

"Boy, my siblings sure do leave a mess!"

 

"Sweeping over here..."

"Sweeping over there...."

"What Mom?  I missed a spot?"

  

"I'll get it!"

"I don't see why Alex and Emily complain about this chore, it's the most fun I've had all day!" 

Story by Emily Richins