Getting Together

For the last week, ending yesterday, my mom, sister, and baby niece were visiting. It had been nearly a year since our last visit, when we dropped the girls off with them (in Texas) before we came back to Colorado for a wedding and then flew to North Carolina for a week to visit with Papa's family. So, I hadn't met my niece and my mom and sister hadn't met the Cub.

This time, they came here and stayed at my house. We spent a lot of time just enjoying each other's company around the house and in the back yard. A trip to the zoo, Good Times Frozen Custard, and a dinner (and drinks... and delicious chocolate cake) out without any kids were also thoroughly enjoyed, though.

We had one of Papa's friends over and played Cards Against Humanity (after the girls were in bed). The next day, Papa and I wound up taking C to the hospital because she was running a 104.1 fever, even with tylenol and ibuprofen, and threw up as soon as she tried to swallow her next dose.

They tested her for meningitis, strep, and UTI before sending us home with no indication that it was anything but a generic virus. She was given Zofran for her vomiting, a nurse waited to make sure she was keeping fluids down, and her cultures were sent out for further testing, so I do believe the children's hospital has done their due diligence. And, as I'm writing this, she hasn't vomited in more than a day, her fever is under control, and she's actually starting to eat a bit of normal food again.

I do hate that she was sick while we had family visiting. On the other hand, I'm glad we had their support when it came to taking C to the hospital. The rest of the kids got to stay home with GG, Aunt T, and their baby niece, NahNah. (I like to refrain from using real names in my blog.) Thanks to them, everyone else got to enjoy the weather and have dinner on time while Papa and I spent a few hours away with C.

I will admit that I totally neglected the house while they were here. I didn't do almost any laundry, vacuuming, or other basic clean up. Preferring to spend time with them, I did as little as was required to get by. Sure, I have a lot of catching up to do, but I only just met my niece (she was born in November), and I hadn't seen my mom or sister since last summer. It is far beyond worth it.

Other news this week: the Cub is transitioning to formula. He's nearly 6 months old and his demand has definitely outgrown my supply. I still breast feed him once or twice a day, and pump milk for his baby cereal.

When I had to stop breast feeding M, I cried. I felt like a failure and I hated her pediatrician for telling me I should start feeding her something else because she wasn't gaining weight as fast as the average baby. This time, though, I made the decision myself because I could tell the Cub wasn't satisfied. This time, I'm confident in my decision and feel that I am doing what is best for him.