Man, I’m A Crap Blogger These Days

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I would apologize, again, except I don’t feel like it. 🙂

Not much to blog about really. Just living our lives. Working, playing, sleeping, eating.

Simon turned a new age a week ago. I’d tell you how old but he doesn’t like to talk about it. However, I’m 42 and he’s 5 years younger. (Yes, I Tweeted that same thing. The old jokes are the best.)

Adam is growing and growing and all of his jeans are too short, so need to buy him some more.

This weekend is Mothers’ Day (Mother’s Day?) in the UK so Simon’s mum and dad are coming down to celebrate that *and* Simon’s birthday *and* Mother-in-Law’s birthday *and* In Laws’ wedding anniversary.

The weather has been decidedly spring like except yesterday when Adam and I had plans for the park. We went to the park in drizzle anyway. Adam was not impressed and didn’t do much. If he could talk he’d have said ‘Mum, it’s raining? What the *hell* are we doing at the park?!?’ I think he thinks he’d melt. In truth he looked adorable in his slicker with the hood up.

Speaking of Adam, 22 months is looming. Which means 2 years is looming. I am *not* ready for my baby to be 2. Can I just stop that from happening? No? Damn.

And in an unrelated issue: I only answer my mobile if it’s a number I don’t recognize when I am actually working. So if send your phone number to voice mail 3 days in a row? Leave me a freakin’ message! Otherwise I am assuming you are trying to sell me something and not answer your number even if I *am* working.

Let’s Talk About St Patrick’s Day

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And what happens here in Belfast.

Drunken debauchery, mostly.

Most people have the day off and so they start drinking early. Simon took Adam to daycare as usual today (so we could do things around the house without Adam underfoot, a rare occurrence!) and people were already queueing at Tesco with booze to buy.

Simon was a bit concerned about my going to pick Adam up for 5 due to people having been drinking all day. But it was really no big deal.

For one thing, there were cops everywhere on my main route. For another, all of the pubs and bars had very obvious security standing outside and, I’m sure, inside.

I did see people already drunk at 430. But I also saw a lot of people just having fun. Wearing big green hats. Wearing those headbands with shamrocks at the ends of springs. Laughing. Hanging out with their friends. Enjoying a gorgeous early spring evening and, yes, having a drink.

So how are Simon and I celebrating St Patrick’s Day?

Well, we cleaned the flat without a small boy underfoot.

Then we had some smoked salmon for lunch.

Then we napped.

Then I got Adam from daycare and Simon cooked spaghetti.

And now a small boy is fast asleep (at 730, whoohoo!) and Simon and I are sharing some Stella and having an Easter Egg.

So Happy St Patrick’s Day.

And enjoy the craic!

A Love Story.

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Today while waiting for Simon at the front of Eason with Adam in the pram, I saw that Cadbury Cream Eggs were 2 for £0.85. I thought ‘ooh, I should grab two and take them up to him’ but then decided it would be too hard to manoeuvre the pram to the queue, which is why Adam and I wait for him at the front of the shop.

But what did he hand me after he got through the queue?

A Cadbury Cream Egg.

Yet more proof that Simon and I are perfect for each other.

Maybe I’ll even marry him.

Oh. Wait…

Letter To My Son – Adam – 19, er um, 20..No That’s Not Right Either…21 Months Old

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Dear Adam

Um. Yeah. Mama fell behind. Nothing to say except I’m sorry and I’ll try to do better in the future.

You have done so many things in the last 3 months that I couldn’t possibly list them all. You walk. You babble constantly, maybe not in English, but Daddy and I are beginning to be able to understand you anyway.

You have also hit the ‘terrible twos’ a few months early. Your tantrums are legendary and include hitting and throwing things. Both of these things get you put right into your playpen, which you hate now. Sometimes you have to be in there so you’re out of Mama’s way and you cry the whole time. Too confining!

You’ve also been ill again.  You had a very bad D&V bug that took us to A&E and then more lung issues. Mama is 99.9% sure they are going to diagnose you with asthma soon. You’ve been nebulized twice, which you hate, and have your daily inhalers. It’s so hard for Mama and Dada when you cough so much you can’t breath and then throw up. Doesn’t seem to phase you though. You just go about your day, coughing away.

Unfortunately, your sleep has gone by the wayside. Mama is actually writing this at 0242 on a Friday night because you woke up at 0058 and haven’t been able to get back to sleep. You keep coughing as you wander around the front room, not even wanting to sit on Mama’s lap and doze. I get to wake Dada in about 3 hours and then I can get some sleep!

Last week we went to W5 at the Odyssey for the first time. You’re a bit young for it, but you liked playing with the water and a beach ball they have.  And just running around.  Dada and Mama liked it to and we’ll go back for sure.
W5

It’s a few days later now and the actual day that you are 21 months. I’ll try to get this posted before the day is over, but I have pictures in various places I want to add and I have to find time to gather them!

You’re sleeping has gotten better over the last few nights. Mama and Dada finally broke down and bought a humidifier and it is making a world of difference in your sleep. You’ve slept through 5 of the last 6 nights. We’ve had some very early wake ups (0530 yesterday, yawn) and some trouble getting to sleep, but you’ve stayed asleep for at least 8 hours every night except one. I’ve actually had to wake you so we could get going at least twice.

Next step is to get you out of Mama and Dada’s bed and into your own where there is now a regular single bed. I’ve been planning to try to get you to nap there, but you’ve either not napped or fallen asleep in your pram ever since the bed was set up, so far no go! I am hoping to have you in your own room, in your own bed, by the time you are two!

Our other challenge is teeth! You have 4 more front ones making an appearance and then your first molars should be coming soon. The four front ones don’t seem to be hurting, but you are drooling enough to start an ocean!

Mama was beginning to worry about your lack of actual words but then she realized that while you may not speak English, you sure as heck understand it! And apparently that’s the important thing at this point of your life. You can follow simple directions, such as ‘please bring me your bottle’ and the like.  You are also beginning to be able to dress yourself, with some help. Stepping in and out of trousers is getting easier every day. Not some much taking off and putting on shirts!

And then today, for the very first time, in response to Mama saying ‘no, we’re not going up the stairs again, we need to get to the shopping’ you turned around and walked up the City Hall steps all by yourself:

And so you’re off. All by yourself.

Love

Mama

Once Again At The GP

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This time both Adam and I are ill. Cough, stuffy/painful ears, runny noses.

I guess I should be grateful that this is the first one he’s passed on to me.

We each officially have an infected ear. He also has wheezy lungs and I have a swollen tonsil.

So we’ve spent the last few days coughing and snuggling on the couch.  And he’s been very cranky. As have I.

He’s also not sleeping well. So neither am I.

It’s been a long month. And it’s only the 1st of March…

So My Last Post Was About Pain

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which I talk about a lot on here.  But I almost never mention the most frustrating part of fibro, which is the fog.

The fog is a condition where your brain is, simply, foggy.  This leads to aphasia or partial and total language impairment.  Well, technically, partial is dysphasia, but it is rarely used that way these days.

Anyway, it is incredibly frustrating.  It means you cannot, for the life of you, think of words.  Sunday it took me at least 30 seconds to come up with the word screwdriver.  Today it was about 20 minutes until I could tell Simon I thought Adam should have rice cakes for snack. Rice cake was the impossible word. I wound up pointing at them instead.

I don’t know if anyone who has never had this can understand how it feels and how frustrating it is. You know the word, really you do, but it just won’t come out of your mouth.  It feels, sort of, like a block on  your brain.

For someone like me, who revels in words, in writing, in speaking, it’s my worst fear realized.  It’s what I imagine dementia must feel like in some ways.  Knowing you know something but it just won’t come to the front of your head.

In any case, this has been a particularly bad week for it for some reason.  I haven’t been getting enough rest, but I never do, so I don’t know why it’s so much worse this week. But it is.

I’d tell you more…but I’ve forgotten the words! 🙂

Pain

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I haven’t been posting much because I haven’t had much to say.

Yes, I know I am two months behind with Adam’s newsletters. And, yes, I know I have never written about my trip to Dublin. So I have things to write about. I just have nothing to say.

One reason for this is my current levels of pain. My bad leg has been hurting worse than ever. In fact, it’s so bad I’ve been limping. I start acupuncture in a week and we’ll see if it helps.

But the thing about pain is that it is consuming. There are things that *have* to get done, i.e. childcare, and that takes priority over writing in this blog. Ye old spoon theory strikes again.

How can it take spoons to write, you might be wondering. Well, then you’ve never written! Everything takes spoons.

And for right now? I’m out of them.

I’ll have more in the morning, of course. But those are already laid out for using. For work, for making dinner, for folding laundry, for walking to get a small boy from daycare. If I have a chance to rest, maybe I’ll have a spare spoon to write another entry.

But maybe I won’t. Only tomorrow will tell.

So I’ve now got a full blog writer on my iPhone

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So maybe I’ll update more, as I go about my life. Maybe not!

It’s been a horrid week with both my men down with D&V. At this point Adam is fine, but Simon is still suffering.

So my birthday lunch has been postponed until next week and tomorrow I will just get my haircut and have a few hours to myself.

And here’s a picture of my mum and Adam. Just cuz!

Why I Spent My Saturday Evening In A&E

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Adam started coughing Wednesday night so bad he didn’t sleep, so I took him to GP on Thursday, who looked in ears etc said were red and gave ABs.

Thursday night he woke up around midnight and puked all over daddy.

Friday he had a fever all day, spiking to 101.3.  Gave ibuprofen and fever came down but not eating or drinking much.

Friday night slept about 11 hours and woke with an almost dry nappy. Mama worried.

Saturday morning threw up morning milk.  Threw up again 30 minutes later.  Threw up again 1 hour after that. Two rounds of diarrhoea.  Rash breaking out.  Passed the glass test, so not meningitis. Called out of office service for GP.  Waited 2.5 hours for a call back.  When spoke to GP felt very much like she was ‘there there, that’s a overreacting mummy’ to me.  But told me to call back if he got worse.  Also told me to go ahead and give next dose of ABs, he had thrown them up earlier.  Gave them.  Threw them up.  Gave some milk.  Threw it up.  Called back GP.  Told it was still 2 hours for a call back. Sighed.  Gave water. Threw up.  Went to A&E.

A&E triage nurses also made me feel like I was overreacting.  Waited the 3 hours to be seen and watched his rash spread more. Saw Paediatrician.  Looked in ears/throat/listened to chest.  Wondered why the hell he was given ABs.  Very strongly hinted to stop them.

Diagnoses: very severe viral infection.  *Good* thing brought him in. Not dehydrated but might have been. Keep a close eye and try to get him to drink anything but milk and water.  Great, it’s all the kid drinks! He hates juice!!

Nothing to do now but wait and let him get through it and try to keep his fluids up.

My poor wee boy. He just can’t catch a break, can he?