In sickness and in health: Our November

 First Vincent seemed to have a tummy bug and then later he started coughing, which meanings gagging and puking. Then it got worse. Like, "Point me to the nearest insane asylum because I'm too exhausted to deal with a toddler acting like a newborn" worse. We brought him in. Thank god our pediatrician offers urgent care hours on the weekend. When he was finally seen, it was the prolonged listen to his chest that had me worried. They suspected pneumonia, and it was running around his school. So he got his first stab at a nebulizer and walked away with a prescription for an inhaler and an antibiotic. By Monday he wasn't showing improvement, so we brought him back in. A chest x-Ray was ordered and it turns out, he was having infection induced asthma, whatever that means. The good news, he's acting and feeling like his regular self. Bad news: all his hacking all over us got me a nasty strep-looking throat with Jonathan tagging behind. Being both sick really sucks and we started out being sleep deprived on top of it. 

Well I did say simplify

I've been working on something huge. I'm not going to say bigger than life because well, the product of that venture is soundly asleep in his room. :) But a verbal presentation is involved, and I haven't given a presentation since my mandatory speech class in college. I've never had a problem speaking in public. The part that gets me is being prepared enough, so that's where I'm at. Preparing my little pants off and hoping I can do this.

This weekend Vincent had the tummy bug. It's so sad when your child wakes you up screaming in the middle of the night and you go to find him covered in vomit. Thank goodness for zip-up footie pjs. Unzip, pull child from clothes, put soiled pjs in washer, rezip child in new pair. We worried he'd puke again and because we didn't want to have to deal with having to clean up our bed if he got sick, we all slept in the guest bedroom. I barely got any sleep because Vincent wanted to play.

Insta Friday

Here I go again. Maybe this time blogging will stick, but instead of focusing on my very obvious lack of blogging, let's instead focus on how Jessica Simpson may or may not be pregnant. If I see her in a poncho, my vote is that her stall is occupied.

Somehow it's Friday already. This week went way too fast.

On Monday we went to the doctor to get Vincent's ears checked after a two-week course of antibiotics for an ear infection. Another one. We're done. We're throwing in the towel and seeing an ENT for possible tube placement. I'm heartbroken. I had these when I was little, and I here I am today still with chronic ear problems. I hope Vincent wasn't cursed with my ear genes. Here's to ear health.

Speaking of that little boy, he's so silly. Already hates to have his picture taken. He tells me, "No, Mama." What? Like taking a picture of this dashing boy shouldn't be worth my time. Please.

Those eyelashes set my heart a pitter pattering. Love. 

Those teeth. Thank you tooth fairy for finally blessing my son with teeth at 15 months, but did they really have to be carrot chompers. My bad ears and big teeth. Poor guy.

Handsome, right? Even with a smidge of soup right. there.

"No Mama."

Last Saturday was spent trying to get started on my Christmas decorating. I gave up. Sunday we sent Vincent to grandma's. Boy am I thankful for aunts who love him so. 

This garland looks a little sick and sad. More decorating is in order. I'm told one jingle bell is plenty. Testy, aren't ya?

Not done yet, but look a farm at Christmastime! Yeah, this is probably as close as I'll ever get to owning one.

Since I had to drag the ladder out to decorate I decided I should take a peek at the burned out lightbulbs so we can quit living by candlelight in the dark. This the bulb I found. Seriously? This is like a Christmas tree light!

I introduced Vincent to penguin and snowman tic tack toe. Not sure we fully understood the concept of the game. 

Red and gold just because I think it's magical, not because I was am a Chiefs fan.

Oh, look, a fire while we decorate. Ha! Thanks Netflix.

Oh, you had me at gold mercury jeweled glass hello. And all for $1.49. I had to buy you and two brothers. Might have to go back for more. 

Sherpa is the new Uggs. I wear this thing. And I want one in colors for every season. Meet my Christmas Sherpa. I'm contemplating the name Shirley.   

Speaking of shopping, Mama bought herself Young House Love's new book on the Nook. It was a steal at $2.99. Hoping Santa brings me the hardback. I can appreciate both pages that turn and screens that swipe. I'm savvy like that.

I've been doing a lot of this lately mixed with applying for new jobs. I wish knitting could be my full-time job. If it was, I'd be more broke than homeless man. I'm terrible. Herringbone might be my nemesis.

I've been drinking a lot of hot tea with the onset of winter and work stress. With a dash of honey and my Shirley Sherpa, I feel so zen. Cue the "Ommmm."

Mmm, food.

I could never be bulimic. I love food, but not enough to see it in reverse. Today, I stayed home from work and so did Jonathan to see if the Stomach would accept some food, and to make sure he wouldn't need to take me to the doctor...or worse, the hospital. So we tested slowly:

Plain toast, check. Another piece of plain toast, still feeling fine. Granola bar stolen right from Jonathan's hand, oh that was yummy. At this point, I was rummaging in the refrigerator like a dog. Oh, tortillas! I'll take two of those. Damn, those Mexicans know bread. Downed one bottle of orange Gatorade, so refreshing. What's that you're having dear, a BLT? Hmm, I better test that for you. Couple bites of that.

Oh, and shower. Something I hadn't felt like doing since Saturday. Hmmm, I'm feeling very...tired.

So I zonked out for a while, until I bolted straight awake (eek! room spun a little), and just had to check work email. For some reason, I always feel so guilty when I'm not in the barracks and my comrades are. Ahh, things are being handled just fine without me. Hmm, maybe I need another tortilla and another glass of gatorade.

To end the day of reintroducing my system to food: a much-awaited BLT (tomatoes bought from the little street vendor farmer up the road) and grilled sweet corn on the cob (from the street vendor).

So far, so good, and I'm so freaking happy. I was in tears yesterday with all the upchucking (seriously, why does the body need to upchuck it's on stomach acid?) I guess my body just needed to cleanse itself, or some other curious mystery of Jessaca's body. I seriously could write a book: The Many Mysteries and Unfortunate Events of Jessaca's Body. Next up: a CT scan of the sinuses just to see if there's anything to see, and a possible reason why every time I have drainage, I end up with an ear infection. I wonder if I could get a job as a consultant? Having an MRI? Have questions? Having your ear whacked off, rebuilt, and reattached? Have concerns? Have a kidney stone? In pain?

In case you're wondering, I'm am not a hypochondriac.

The continuing saga of vomit

I can't seem to keep anything down. Not even chicken noodle soup. I thought that having finished my really strong antibiotics for my ear infection would have helped, but nope. So that means it could be caused from the nausea from the MS-related dizziness. My body has been empty for a day now. Food has never been less appealing when I know there's a strong likelihood that I will just see it again. In reverse. Yuck.

I did manage to make a very cute card on Friday (when I was feel semi descent). It's one in a series of belated birthday cards I need to make and send out, but I'm thinking that cards are just going to have to wait while the puke goes on, and on, and on...

Happy 4th!

Ugh. So glad for that half day from work and having tomorrow off. Between new lesions that showed up on my MRI—that most likely account for my inability to move very fast and feeling tired, dizzy, and nauseous—and this antibiotic (it's some strong stuff) I'm taking for my ear infection, I'm one helpless basket case. Got home in time to throw up. I hate throwing up. So on the couch I went for the rest of this evening. I did finish Barefoot (read my review post here).

I managed to stop by Archiver's before leaving the city. I signed up for an acrylic album workshop (Chance would be so proud) and bought some fabulous paper for which I hope to have enough energy to make some cards with this weekend. Also to do this weekend: bake some cookies and research about my new lesions.

When you're worn out

I hate to just leave posts complaining, but man, I'm tired. Between Vegas, work, more work, and being sick, I feel, well, sick. I'm so ready to just spend a weekend sleeping and watching movies; basically, I want to do nothing that involves moving my butt off the couch.

I'll be starting Barefoot soon (once I have time to buy the book). Check out the virtual book club I'm a part of.