Ups and Downs and Stomach Bugs

Friday night I was going to write a post about what fun I've been having as a mom. I mean, we're just in a good phase.

Andrew's been nice and cooperative and seems to have moved out of the defiant, fit-throwing phase thank goodness. He still has his moments, but they've been much better these last few weeks. And he's so good at independent play. His imagination is just awesome.

And Caroline is hysterical.

I'd totally forgotten how much fun 13-month-olds are. She's just a little sponge and she's learning new words everyday. She's also getting in to everything and screeches all the time, but she's still FUN.

She likes to play outside and she's finally, finally interested in reading books. Yay!

And they're even playing together a bit. Andrew likes to call her Caroline-ie. It's the sweetest.



So I was going to tell y'all all about that, but then I got busy working on some design stuff in Photoshop, and I decided to wait until Saturday.

Well, Friday night about 3AM I woke up with that tell-tale tummy rumble, and I KNEW.

I ran to the bathroom and was sick for the first of many, many times over the next 12 hours.

I told Brian and he grabbed his pillow and ran (after bringing me crackers and water of course.) - smart man.

And I didn't leave my room again until Sunday morning.

You see, last year in September Andrew got the stomach bug. It was our first stomach bug experience and we just didn't know how aggressively contagious it really was.

I thought we were safe at first, but Brian and I were sick within two or three days and then it spread like wildfire: my sister and brother-in-law, my mom and my mother-in-law and lots and lots of friends. It was really awful.

So this time I knew to stay quarantined, and so far we're safe - no one else is sick. But I'm still totally on edge, and I'm sure I've just jinxed us.

But isn't that just how parenting goes? Right when you think you're in a really good place and things are going well, a wrench is bound to get tossed into the mix.

Sleep habits will change, someone has a growth spurt, you'll go on a trip and throw everything off. I think change is the name of the game when you're parenting little ones.

We've got to stay on our toes and be ready for anything.

Which is so hard for me! I'm a sucker for routine. Before Andrew was born I pretty much did the same thing everyday. I've been through phases where I'd eat the same thing for lunch every single day for YEARS!

I know...it's kinda weird.

But while kids need structure and routine it's really hard to keep up a steady schedule with all those changing needs.

So I try to keep a daily routine - breakfast, dressed, morning activity, naptime, lunchtime, playtime, snack, outside, dinner, bath and bed - but the timing is always different.

And I've learned it's best to just go with the flow. There will be daily ups and downs and there will be weekly ups and downs and hopefully, very, very seldom there will be stomach bugs.

But I know they always feel secure and safe and loved. Which lets me know we're doing something right around here.