December 1, 2007

What a horrible nauseous day yesterday! Dry heaves, shakes, chills, and always the nausea! We both went for a nap around 9:45. He was crying 30 minutes later, but went back to sleep on his own. I had to get up at 10:30 to dry heave some more. But then I slept until 11:30. Elliot got up just before 12. I brought him in with me and he played with the big pile of clothes in our room. Then I had a shower and we came downstairs and had lunch (the usual) and then bundled up and went to Walmart. I wanted to go downtown, but was feeling really crappy and figured Walmart was closer and therefore easier.

Got what I needed at Walmart - a Fridge Farm like Elliot has and a shirt for the birthday party tomorrow and then came home. Elliot fell asleep 10 minutes from our door. I went up and put his fleece blanket on the living room floor, then went back out to carefully ease him out of the stroller. He stayed mostly asleep until I laid him down and took off his boots, then his eyes started to open. I left him there with his soother while I went to get the stroller. As I came down the stairs, I noticed a white cat go tearing towards the backyard. Yep, that was OUR white cat. Melon the felon strikes again. I carried the stroller up and went back for the cat.

Took Elliot upstairs and nursed him and let him play in his crib while I ate an apple to try to get rid of the nausea. There was no more napping. Went back up and he had a full diaper.

~~~

Elliot was crying nearly inconsolably at midnight. I rocked him and he went back to sleep until I put him down. I gave him water and rocked him some more with the same results. I offered him medicine (flat out refused), I checked his diaper... he just wanted to be held and I was exhausted, so at 12:45 I told him I loved him and that I'd see him in the morning and I went back to bed. He did his full angry howl for just over 5 minutes, then was quiet. I checked on him at 1 and he was mostly asleep, but awake enough to know I was there and started howling again. That only lasted a couple of minutes and he was out. I got up around 4:30 to check on him - he was huddled up, with no blanket on. So I covered him up and we both slept until 6. Nursed him and he went back to sleep until 7:30.

Downstairs, put a load of laundry in, had breakfast (banana and cereal for him, fruit popsicle for me) and now he's watching a recorded Lunar Jim and stalking Melon and I'm trying to eat some toast.

~~
8pm

Elliot woke up just after 12, so we were ready when our ride picked us up. Installing the carseat was a snap - I was worried she'd have an older car or something, but it had both the LATCH and Tether systems. She's an older lady, probably early 60s, and has had eye surgery and had forgotten her special sunglasses, but we made it out there without incident. It was snowing a bit, but overcast, so she was ok without the glasses. The forecast called for mostly sun with scattered flurries not amounting to anything, but by time we got out there, there were squalls all over the place and the ground was covered lightly. Within an hour, people were arriving saying that the roads were terrible and that they wished they'd not made the trip.

Elliot had a great time with all the kids. And mostly well behaved, too. He went around randomly kissing and hugging people and furniture. (Including big pictures of teddy bears on the wall - the theme was teddy bear picnic). SO adorable! As the afternoon went on, he got more tired and his hugs got more grabby and aggressive. There were tears and shrieks, but no one was seriously hurt. (He did somehow draw a speck of blood on one girl's cheek with his nail - I cut them this morning, but must have missed an edge.)

Our lady was hesitant to drive back into the city, but I reassured her that we weren't on a schedule and could wait it out as long as she wanted. In the end, someone named else (a brother or cousin or other in-law) drove us all back. I'm very glad he did, as the roads to the highway were horrible - lots of corners and hills and everything was ice-covered. There was a close call going down a hill with a bunch of trees and a river straight ahead. But he geared down and the automatic breaks kicked in and we stayed on the road. I shudder to think what might have happened if someone else was driving. I hope that everyone else made it home ok.

Elliot fell asleep in the car for about 20 minutes. He woke up as I carried the seat up the front steps. We got in around 5:30 and so he played for a while, then I got supper ready. (Avocado, peas, corn, chicken/tofu/veggie soup, watermelon, applesauce, milk and water.) Then a bath and milk and bed. He didn't fall asleep right away (not surprising, considering the nap) but he was acting so tired both before and during supper that I kept him on his normal schedule. He started wailing about 10 minutes after I put him down. He's cry, then be silent for a few minutes. Finally, he pitched his soother. I gave him a few minutes as I was busy soaking the diapers, tidying the house and starting some pasta for my supper.

I went up to give him back his soother and hugged him while he was still in his bed. I laid him down but he was instantly on his feet, shrieking. I hugged him again and told him I'd be right back. Came downstairs, finished cooking the pasta. This took maybe 5 minutes. He howled, but started to calm down. When I went back up, I gave him his soother and hugged him, then he pretty much laid down on his own. I rubbed his back and covered him with his blanket. Up he popped and we did it again. And again. But the third time, he fell asleep as he hit the mattress, so I came downstairs, dished out my pasta and sat down to type this all out.