All of the kids have been feeling badly. All of them. We had been treating their cold symptoms in hopes it would run its course and remove itself from our lives. Well, Friday, Keagan developed a rash that was pretty severe. I gave her some benadryl, put cream on her and put her to bed. Saturday she woke up and still had the rash so I called the pediatrician. He asked me to send him the picture I had taken of her (below), so I did he then called me back and told me to cover her in hydrocortisone cream and moisturizer and call him back with her progress Sunday evening. So, that's what I did. She looked much better Sunday, so that's what I reported. Monday morning when we woke up I called the pediatrician's office to schedule an appointment for her. They saw us Monday afternoon and diagnosed her with Strep. Yay. Knowing that she is a sharer, I figured all of them had to have the same thing, seeing as how they are all sick. So, I scheduled an appointment for all of them on Tuesday. Took them in and had them all swabbed for strep, except Oliver, who has an ear infection and was receiving antibiotics anyway so he didn't have to get swabbed. Neither Jack or Kirian tested positive! Thank you, Lord! She did confirm that everyone was suffering from a cold and some sinus inflammation but told me to keep treating their symptoms. So, there's that. And THAT is what sparked my thoughts on this week's blog. I am THAT MOM.
When I chose to have children I had no idea it would be so difficult. It was difficult to conceive, for sure, but the really difficult part was the emotions that are involved. When I say this, I promise I am being very bland. This is not the post I'm going to use to describe all of that. I'll save that one. No, every single part of having children, whether it be one, four or more, is extremely difficult. You're trying to balance being yourself, keeping a home and a husband for that matter, taking care of and teaching a new life, and maintaining relationships you really want to have forever. That last part, for me has been the tricky part. I have some friends who are amazing! Some of them have understood that we can no longer just pick up on a Friday night and meet up for drinks, they understand that we live like recluses during the winter to avoid excessive exposure to germs, they understand that when we ask them to visit that our house is less than clean, they understand what it means to volunteer to watch our kids for a few hours so Chad and I can get things done or have a minute out together. They understand. And those few friends make it a priority to stop over and see us and our kids. They make an effort to invite us to parties and events, even though they know we won't be going, they call or text us on the regular to check in and see how we are doing, they even ask to babysit our kids on occasion to free up some much needed time for us to spend together. But, those are the friends who understand that I am that mom. I am the mom who will ask you if you or anyone you've been in direct contact with has been sick, I am the mom who won't take her kids to the play area in the mall, I am the mom who makes you sanitize/wash your hands upon entering our home, I am the mom who not only dreads a sick child, but FEARS it. I am the mom who won't let her babies grab the books off the shelves at the pediatrician's office, I am the mom who quarantines her kids during RSV season, I am the mom who doesn't like to medicate her kids because they're sick from something that could be completely prevented, I am the mom who doesn't let friends come visit whenever they want during the winter, nor will I let them bring their kids to play if mine are sick and they don't seem to mind that. I am the mom who will leave a perfectly beautiful steak dinner sitting on the table when the sitter calls and says "Your kid just isn't acting right." I AM THAT MOM. I want to be that mom. My children and my husband are the most important things on Earth to me, and it is my job to be that pain in the butt mom who protects them, regardless of who I piss off in the process. It took us a long time, a lot of money, a tremendous amount of time in a hospital, a ton of prayers, a million thank you's and oceans of tears to get these kids here and I'll be darned if I'm going to do anything less than protect them from anything that can harm them. To my friends who have been here for us, for whatever reason, thank you! A million times over, thank you. And to my friends who try to understand, thank you! Simply trying to put yourself in our shoes and not being upset with us when we can't participate like we used to or when we cancel last minute, is just as important. And to our friends who no longer try, who don't want to include us because you "know" the answer, who think we're too busy to even talk to you anymore, thank you too. We still love you, and you're still our friends. We'll find time to hang out soon, but for now, you've opened up a lot of room for the few people who do want to "try" to spend time with us, and who do respect the way we function, the ones who help us, the ones who totally get and don't mind that I'm 'that mom'.
PSA- Vaccinate your kids! Thanks :-)
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