Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Whiny McBitchandMoanerson

Last night my mom watched the kids for a few hours, and fed Eli some rice cereal, per my instructions. He hasn't had it again since he threw up last week, so I figured his stomach should have been settled down by now. But no sooner did I arrive to pick them up than he started puking down my back (and down my pants and into my underwear, but I can't even speak of that right now.) It was just like the last time- horrible screaming, multiple retching episodes involving multiple clothing changes, and then after an hour or so he settled down and fell into an exhausted sleep.
I don't know what to think. Could he be allergic to something in the actual cereal? I mean, rice cereal is about as plain as it gets. But maybe he has a whey or gluten allergy or something? Grrr. I'm afraid to try it again to see if the same thing happens a third time because.... Well, because I don't want the same thing to happen a third time! I guess I'd better call the doctor AGAIN. Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield is gonna be lovin' me, what with the doctor's visits every week or so.
He woke up to nurse twice last night, which was a good sign but left me grumpy and out of it this morning. I had gotten used to just one feeding a night, and hell hath no fury like a me with a screwed up sleep schedule. It's just been one of those days; nothing is getting done and I feel like all I'm doing is putting out fires.
What IS it with mornings and everybody needing, needing, needing, and all at the same time? The baby is hungry and wet, Addy is crying and needs her diaper changed and her nose wiped and her juice cup filled, and the dog is whining incessantly and pacing in front of the door. And of course my bladder is wanting to be emptied and my stomach is hungry, too, but these needs will not be met, probably, for another half hour at least.
There is laundry to be done, dishes to be cleared, coffee to be made (yes it MUST be made) and another diaper to change, and now Eli is fussy and tired and needing to be rocked and I haven't even brushed my teeth yet...
Addy is bouncing around, climbing all over me while I try to rock Eli, begging for her Barbie movie already. I am so not in the mood to see it again, but nor am I in the mood to be a human jungle gym. I put it in the DVD player, and as the saccarine music fills the air, so does the smell of coffee. I tell myself I'll be all better in just a second.
I pour a cup of coffee, and the dog is whining again. The laundry buzzes, and I hear something crashing in the living room. By the time I return to my coffee, it is lukewarm and there is a dog hair floating in it. (BONUS POINTS to whoever correctly identifies the speaker of this Friends quote: "Drink your hair.")
Addy is in one of her Moods today- she is perpetually on edge, upset about some little thing which she cannot explain to me, nor can I satisfactorily correct it or distract her from it. We are both snappy and whiny. Finally I put her in a time-out, for refusing to stop leaping over precarious piles of toys, thudding loudly to the floor, and then screaming while I am trying (again) to rock Eli to sleep. This is not the best thought-out plan, as her furious screaming from the bedroom is far more distracting than the gleeful screaming from the living room had been. I let her out after the requisite two minutes, putting a not sleeping Eli down on the play mat so I can cuddle Addy.
I am trying, but this is one of those days when I feel like all the energy I can muster is not enough. I feel like I am barely holding it together, like my nerves are unraveling one by one. I feel, come to think of it, like a babysitter, who is desperately counting down the hours until the real parents arrive to take over.

And now Addy is playing nicely with Legos and Eli is sleeping and I am, in fact, complaining about problems which are now resolved. But it still feels good. I think a brownie with ice cream would feel good, too.

21 comments:

Mommy Daisy said...

Oh man, this makes me want to rethink this whole wanting-a-second-child-thing. Am I ready for this? I guess only time will tell. Seriously, though, some days just seem that overwhelming no matter what you're doing...raising kids or whatever.

Flibberty said...

It's unhelpful and maybe annoying ot hear that everybody feels that way some of the time. It passes though, doesn't it? Maybe you should just recognize that mornings SUCK and you should have no expectations as to otherwise and maybe then they'll seem just okay.

I really hope Eli doesn't have such an allergy! Crossing my fingers.

Saly said...

I will join you for the brownie and the ice cream! I’m glad things have settled down though. I have been there, with a 2-year-old and a baby (mine are 19-months apart) and while it is horrifically trying on some days, it is so worth it when they are older and can entertain each other. At ages 2.5 and 4 life is good. Of course with the new baby coming all bets, I’m sure, are off.

Jess said...

Wow, this is a scary post, and I am thankful for the happy end. Though not as thankful as you are, probably.

Anonymous said...

You've got me seriously frightened for my sanity come May when baby #3 arrives; at least when #2 arrived, #1 was fairly self sufficient. There are good days, though, right? Please tell me there are good days.

Anonymous said...

Monica to Chandler: "Drink Your Hair"

LoriD said...

I always feel like this when I have more than 2 days in a row with the kids. This is why I work. I need the break from the other (harder, non-paying) work. :-)

Sarah said...

Jana- Oh yes, there are good days. The first two months I remember as being really rough, but now it mostly feels old hat. There are just those times when it would be helpful to have like six more hands, you know?
Anonymous- If I knew who you were, I would cyber high-five you!

Maggie said...

It is mornings like those that I understand how people have psychotic breaks. I totally understand.

Glad that the morning got better! I always console myself by reminding myself that naptime is coming...naptime is coming...I swear I don't know what I'll do when naps go away. But it will probably involve me playing in traffic on a busy street. During rush hour.

I don't blame you for making another trip to the ped about the rice cereal bit - that's not good at all! My fingers are crossed that it was just two isolated episodes of bad luck...

Shannon said...

All I can offer you is cyber hugs and a cup of hot coffee, without a dog hair (but only if you get to it quickly). I hope that Eli puking is nothing much and that all is well in that department.

I hate mornings, too. There is no leisurely wake up here, either.

Astarte said...

OMG, I don't miss THAT! Now I just have one to get ready for third grade and another to get to prek across town. No matter how obnoxious the two of them are in the morning, or how much stuff the puppy tries to eat, I know that within an hour Josie will be gone, Patrick will be at prek, the dogs will be outside, and I will have two hours to do... EVERYTHING. But at least there's no barf in my underwear!!!! Everything will seem so much better once it's not crappy, crappy February. That's what I keep telling myself. Of course, soon it will be summer vacation, and then all hell will break loose. :)

artemisia said...

Oh, I hope Eli doesn't have a food allergy. But, if he does, I do hope it will be easy to figure out what exactly it is.

Hang in there! Think of how fun it will be to spoil GRANDKIDS someday.

SLynnRo said...

Puke in the underpants?

You mom people are just amazing.

Anonymous said...

I had a morning very similar to this, but it all happened in an hour while I was trying to get the kids ready for school.... I so know how you were feeling!

Katy said...

I gave mine rice cereal a couple of times and it constipated him completely. A very yucky situation. Baby oatmeal has worked much better for us.

Anonymous said...

I let everybody cry while I pee and brush my teeth. It takes a minute, and it's totally worth it: I feel like a crazy person if I'm trying to get everything done while I have a bad taste in my mouth and need to pee.

Anonymous said...

You described my life. Minus the vomit in my undies, but still...

d e v a n said...

Your post makes me want to cry because I know exactly what that feels like. The babysitter quote? Perfect.
I start to feel that way almost every day at 5pm. (it makes me fear May when I will have more children than hands)
As for the rice cereal, some babies do have a rice allergy. Try oatmeal and see what happens. (Hopefully nothing!!)

Mommy Daisy said...

As I was reading your comments I just thought of something about Eli's puking. Are you feeding him at night? Maybe that's just too much for his tummy to settle on in the evening/night. When we started Zachariah on cereal he was already sleeping through the night, so our pediatrician suggested starting it in the AM. Then there would be no chance of it interupting sleep by upsetting his tummy, so she said. You might experiement a little if this could help.

Katy said...

Thanks for stopping by. Rather than try to read and find my story, I'll give you the short. Charlie had two severe strokes the day after he was born. They told me he would most likely die, but he didn't! He has cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus, and seizures. Wow. That sounds terrible, but he is an amazing kid and I'm his mom. There are a lot of days where I just feel like a regular mom with a regular kid.

Your site cracks me up.

Anonymous said...

Huh. This sounds almost exactly like my day. That's probably why I just finished a jumbo bowl of ice-cream with berry sauce (because I'm too lazy to make brownies).