I am having the worst week.
Both boys have colds - runny noses, no fever or hacking coughs, no puke or diarrhea thankfully. And I must have caught it, because I’m feeling a bit stuffy and hazy, starting from Sunday.
Monday:
I got an email from an old boyfriend, Keith. He lives in Las Vegas. I had emailed him over the weekend because a mutual AF buddy of ours, who is also stationed at Nellis AFB, contacted me through my Six Degrees of Separation page (his son found it). He replied early Monday morning saying he was in town and did I want to do lunch with him and his daughter. It’s been years since I’ve seen him in person, so I moved some errands around and made plans to have lunch. In my mind, I decided I would just take Zevan and leave Zander with grandma & grandpa. While I was leaving to go to lunch, I casually asked Zander if he wanted to come, and, to my chagrin, he said YES. ?!? I asked him 3 times, and he assured me that he wanted to go to the restaurant for lunch with mom and Zevan and he would be good.
I should have known better. As soon as he got there, he wanted to go home. And reminded us throughout the meal. He didn’t eat. He whined. UGH. Disaster. Next time - we’re meeting at a playground.
Tuesday:
I’m still feeling sick. Not debilitating, just very annoying. And the boys are extra whiny. Zander is pushing all my buttons. Zevan is clingy and whiny and won’t let me put him down for a second.
I have become the screaming mom. By 10: 00 AM. Not a good start. I scream (not really at them, just a primal “I’m so frustrated and I have no patience” scream that sets both of them off crying. Great. :-x
We go to the playdate at Thorndale Park because if I do not get out of the house I’m going to cause irreparable damage to our relationship. Zander plays. Zevan clings. All of a sudden everyone is heading home, and I’m feeling like…”no, don’t you want to stay? I don’t want to go home.” :-(
But we do go home. And we actually nap.
I tell Doug about my day when we meet up for allergy shots. Zander chimes in, “We were crying. And mom screamed like this, ‘AAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHH’”
Oh, thanks, Zander. :|
Tuesday night:
Zevan won’t sleep. It’s midnight, two Baby Einstein videos and much walking and hushing, and he shows no sign of being tired. Everytime I try and lay down with him, he screams. For the videos, he watches quietly. If I am in the room with him. I close the door to the room, and he walks over to the door, reaching for the doorknob. I open the door and he stands in the hall, still crying. Can’t have that. Back into the room, shut the door, and he is VERY unhappy about that. Some houses have a panic room, we need a crying room. Doug comes in. I ask him if we have any bourbon. No, of course we don’t.
It’s 2 AM and he has screaming/crying for the last hour. I’ve tried nursing him (he usually doesn’t nurse during the night). I’ve tried anbesol and tylenol (he has a new tooth that just broke through). I try simethicone drops. I change his diaper (that was not fun). The videos don’t work anymore unless I’m holding him. Zander just came in because Zevan’s crying woke him up. He is pleased that we are watching a video and sits with us. Zevan seems to like that Zander is there and I can now sit on the floor holding him while we watch. I can even go and get us all a glass of water. Which Zevan gulps down (no wonder - after all that crying). The video ends and I tell Zander to go back to sleep. He wants to sleep with us in his room and gets in bed. Zevan starts crying again. Zander tells him “I appreciate you stop crying, Zevan.” Me, too. I would appreciate it if he would stop crying.
Then Zander tells me, “Zevan is bothering me, Mom.” And repeats it in that way that 2 1/2 year olds do. I finally put Zevan down, screaming, and escort Zander back into bed with Dad (who has put earplugs in so he can sleep).
Back to Zevan the unconsolable. Sigh. I can no longer stand up holding him. I lay in Zander’s bed and put Zevan next to me. He is crying and crawling all over me, obviously uncomfortable. Out of desperation, I head to the pantry and, with much guilt, give him Benadryl. This is what they tell you to give babies during flight to knock them out. We go back to the bed. More crying and crawling and trying to get out of the bed. Fine. I put him on the floor. He sits and cries as I lay on the floor next to him. I put a video on. He is still upset. I finally collapse on the bed, exhausted and defeated. I’m not even sure when he fell asleep. At one point I woke up and he was asleep on the floor. I scooped him up, and snuggled in bed with him. It’s 4:30 AM.
Wednesday:
Thank God for Doug’s parents. I have no idea what I would do without them. They are the dream in-laws, grandparents. We spend Wednesdays there, the three of us. This day, I “sleep in” until 8:00 AM (3 1/2 hours of sleep - whoopee) and I didn’t prep the night before , so after throwing a load of laundry in, writing a check for the cleaning couple, packing the diaper bag and hunting down library books, we finally get there at 10:00 AM.
After breakfast/brunch, and empathy from Grandma and Grandap, I put a load of laundry in while I’m there, I answer emails (and clear out much SPAM). I decide I am going to lay down for a little bit before lunch. I sleep for 75 minutes, awoken by a horrible dream that Doug tells me he has had another wife all this time, and he is going to live with her because she doesn’t have any kids.
Have I mentioned how great Doug’s parents are? Especially mom. When I woke up, she was feeding the boys lunch, and then made me grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. While I was asleep, Zander “helped” her fold the clothes. Oh…and she just happened to make us a lasagna that morning to take home for dinner…complete with garlic bread and brownies for dessert. I love my mother-in-law.
I should mention here that Zevan seems none the worse for wear after last night. He is actually smiley and happy all day, according to Grandma and Grandpa. What the ?!?
After lunch, I change their diapers and get them down for a nap. I actually manage to sleep for another 20 minutes.
I get up, read for 15 minutes in the very quiet house. Then I go the library to drop off the books/videos and pick up a copy of Misconceptions by Naomi Wolfe that I have had on hold. Fill the van up with gas, and get it through the carwash (after several failed attempts and then assistance by the gas station manager!). When I get back, I decide that I will take the boys home now while they are still sleepy, rather than face the fully awake, “I don’t want to go home” with Zander. Zevan is awake and smiling. I pack up the car. I pick up a sleeping Zander who gives a half-hearted fight about going home, but, as I hoped, is sleepy enough not to bring it to full fruition. Zevan gives a bigger protest, but it’s manageable thanks to Grandma.
We get home, and Dad’s there. Tonight is my climbing night with May. 
Things are looking up!
