. . . do not make for consistent blogging. :) Well, where to begin? Grandma and Grandpa V arrived on 8 December and we had a wonderful week, MINUS the snots that ripped through the family, including mom. Somehow Curt was able to avoid it - must be his midwestern upbringing or something. They grow them tougher in Iowa. Before illness set in, we took the boys to the pool for some fun swimming and so grandma could pick them up - with her pinched nerve, she wasn't allowed to pick up anything heavier than 15 lbs. Which our crew had passed LONG ago. We also went to the horse races where the boys got to sit on a real live pony for the first time! Gavin was the first one to get on the horse, but when we asked if he wanted to walk with the horse he said "no." so when we took him off (not wanting the spectacle we had seen other families endure when their kids did not want to actually ride) and when he realized what we had said he was CRUSHED as he saw the fun his brothers got to have. Even though i'm sure we could have forced the issue and asked for him to get another ride, when you have 3 kids and there is little organization to the event (it IS Doha after all) i kinda feel bad taking ANOTHER turn. even if others would have done it in a heartbeat.
We did some early Christmas gifting and pretty much just spent lots of quality time together. What can be better than that at Christmas? :) Gavin did give us a little scare by waking us up to him barking like a seal on Monday night/Tuesday morning. We weren't sure if it was an asthma attack (even though he hasn't been diagnosed officially) or just an increase in severity from his breathing issues when he gets sick. He was SOOOO freaked out and we were so freaked out because we couldn't get him to calm down to really feel like he was getting any air, so we called the ambulance. My mom was up helping out before the paramedics got there and dad was up helping soothe Brady because he heard all of the commotion and was scared and crying. The ambulance was at our place VERY quickly (HUGE improvement over Gavin's first febrile seizure experience) and curt drove behind in our car. About 3 minutes into the ride, they stopped at a R/A and I asked why they were stopping. The guy told me "protocol". Suddenly an Aussie hops into the ambulance and takes over the situation. Basically the protocol our EMT was referring to is with children, they now send the ambulance and then have a pediatric specialist EMT meet you on the road in the event it is more serious. I couldn't have been happier since the first thing our EMT did was give Gavin oxygen through a mask. The second thing he did was blow up a rubber glove even though Gavin had calmed down on my lap. I sort of thought he would have begun grilling me like the specialist did, but i guess "rubber chickens" is more important. :)
Anyway, we went to one of the nationally run pediatric clinics which was PACKED. We saw a Dr. within 5 minutes or less, he said he thought it was croup (a condition where the larynx and upper airways swell/fill with snot and kids can feel like they aren't getting any air and thus the barking sound). They gave him some NASTY tasting medicine that we had to threaten to withhold Gavin's pacifier if he didn't take it (he finally did - love the sweet paci) and then since EVERY bay was filled, they put us in a hallway to administer an adrenaline breathing treatment. It was that or wait for a curtain and being that it was 1:30 AM and not slowing down, we were like "Hallway please!". By 2:45AM we had had our treatment, Gavin had played in the hallways, we got a curtain/room and we were released by the Dr. on rounds. By 3 AM we were home and ready for a bit more sleep, My poor dad was now WIDE awake and couldn't go back to sleep and my mom had finally hit the hay after making sure they had what was needed for breakfast if curt and I were delayed at the hospital. All the kids (and mom and dad) slept late that morning and Gavin slept until nearly 8 AM - we got him up in time for his brothers to be getting down from breakfast. And poor curt had to go to work that day. He is a CHAMP.
Some things we noticed about our experience in the public ER - there were WAY more people there than needed to be. I mean, people bringing in their sick kid, also brought in their well ones, nannies, and additional family members! I bet the population of that clinic could have been cut in half if it was limited to essentials only - like the sick child and both parents. We also sat in the hallway in front of a room with a little girl with a bad rash all over her. I couldn't help but notice that her mother never held her and the father just paced the hallway in front of us with one of his friends (?!). The nanny stood holding her the entire time, except when the Dr. examined her and then gave her to her mother. Who quickly gave her to the nanny. It appears they were nationals, and it was incredibly puzzling to me. I know there are probably times when one would have to bring in all children if they didn't have family or caretakers able to stay with the healthy ones, but when you SEE these families have at least one nanny (there with their sick child) WHY the hell are they bringing their healthy kids 1) to a place where sick people are and 2) in the MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT?! crazy. enough of my rant.
Some things I have been thinking about lately. I haven't taken enough up close pictures of my kids feet and hands. When they sit in my lap, their legs fall off me now and I can barely see their toes. i was thinking the other day holding Gavin's flipper-like square feet that i can't remember what his feet looked like when he was a baby. I wish I had some of those days back to have taken those shots for memories. don't be surprised if you start seeing feet and hand pics. :) Aidan has much narrower feet, and he ALWAYS seems to have a cut on his foot. I'm not sure how - they pretty much always wear shoes outside, but he always seems to have at least one. And Brady has his mom's hands (and skin it seems). He is our eczema kid. While the others have these soft little hands and feet, his are wrinkly like mine and already feel TOUGH compared to his brother's. I don't remember when I noticed this about his hands, but it's been awhile now. He doesn't seem to notice or mind, but it is something that is unique to him.
I also gave Brady a swat the other day that both curt and I think he needed in the moment, that i worried about all that day and that i can see he has recovered from (and his attitude and behavior made a REMARKABLE turnaround after). Starting Thursday evening he was just a terror. We have joked that he is our "retriever" kid. If we can keep him busy doing good things (bringing things to the table, to the kitchen, his brothers, etc) he is INSANELY good. Left to his own devices is when he begins getting into trash like a golden retriever - hitting his brothers, stealing toys, throwing everything, etc. at least he wears a diaper and won't pee on the rug. :) Anyway, he was in THAT kind of mood - getting into everything. And we had missed our distraction window, so we could not convince him to stay on the straight and narrow. I believe Curt was taking care of someone's snotty nose in their bedroom, i was filling the humidifier when Brady decided to pull the body of the humidifier (with its reservoir full) off the dresser. Water EVERYWHERE. in the dresser soaking clothes, all over him, etc. amazing. yes, he got yelled at and yes we made up with him, but that little incident paled in comparison to his behavior the next morning. Friday morning we couldn't convince him to not steal toys, throw them at his brothers, screech at us/hit us when he didn't like what we said, push his brothers, pull on the christmas tree (not ours BTW), you name it. Finally he had grabbed the fire truck gavin was pushing along the back of the couch and then threw it in the tree and I lost it. I crossed the room to get him and he runs along the couch giggling. I laid him down (that sounds pretty nice, huh?) on the cushion and swatted his bum once. On his diaper and through his pants, but it was enough that his giggle face froze in shock and then the crying began in earnest. he then had a time out in the bathroom so that I could control my anger (he had been in there about 19 times that morning already) and then he came out and we talked (i talked) and i swear it was like he turned a corner. As i type this i realize several things 1) anyone reading this may turn me in for child abuse 2) i never bothered to look for the fire truck to either get it out of the tree or give it back to my victimized son Gavin. hmmm . .. anyway, curt and i really try to be as patient as we can. and neither of us like it when we feel like we lose control and THAT's why we swat. It hasn't happened often, but when it does it eats at me. In a bad way. There are some days when i feel like "why do I always have to be patient? How come i have to be the adult every day?" If only because my buttons get pushed at work and then at home and then i'm supposed to be up there "teaching" by example (really in both places I could argue) and it is EXHAUSTING some times. so boys, when you read this in 10, 20 or 30 years, (especially if you have kids of your own) just know that dad and I try really hard to teach you when you are naughty. even if sometimes we want to sell you. :)
More posting soon - I promise. Actually - next post - JUST PICS! :)
