At the pediatrician’s office last week, Connor’s doc said what were perhaps the most accurate words I’ve heard about toddler-hood so far. She said that all preschoolers are either 1) currently sick, 2) recovering from being sick or 3) about to get sick again.
Oh, my goodness! It’s like a viral triathlon… Why doesn’t anybody tell you about this at the baby shower? (Also, why doesn’t anybody mention the weird underwear they give you at the hospital after giving birth? — because *that* was another surprise.)
Cocobaby’s in the thick of the frequent illness phase. She’s already caught a cold, or a cold-like virus, a few times in the past month, ’cause apparently three-year-olds are Petri dishes.
She’s just getting over the last virus, on top of which she also had a sinus infection, so the last few weeks have been very challenging, first, for her tiny virus-fighting body, but also for the rest of us.
It’s been quite scary at times. There was a night a couple weeks ago when we’d gotten dressed and ready to rush her to the emergency room after her fever spiked. Luckily, it quickly started to fall. I’m very thankful for the sound advice and steady guidance of the kind Kaiser advice nurse who helped us that night because my nerves were frayed.
Nobody in our house has been getting much sleep. (This, of course, to Rosie’s delight. She must think she stepped into a family of night people!) It’s been like living the newborn lifestyle all over again, with me and El Hub sleeping beside Connor in shifts. My body feels that same familiar dull ache of exhaustion… Weirdly enough, it was surprisingly easy to get used to again… Like riding a bike.
It’s scary watching a child who can’t really communicate the way they feel yet, and knowing you have very little control over any of it. All you can do is care for them the best you can, take them to the doctor, and try to make informed decisions. You do what you have to, ignoring your throbbing knees and aching back to hold them in your arms as they cry at the witching hour in a dark bathroom filled with steam until they feel a little better and finally fall asleep. You run to Target at obscene times of night in pajamas crusted with snot to pick up more Pedialyte, saltines and tiny Disney Princess toys because you know they make her smile.
Basically, you do what you have to.
Anyway, this is what I’ve been up to for the past few weeks. Just doing the best I can.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Hope she feels better
Your an awesome mom ???
All the best
Thanks, Bebe. I hope you’re having a nice week so far!
Ironic category – “just for fun.” Lol. Definitely not fun. I have been there also and it’s completely Sucky McSuckersons. Bonkerballs. Use your favorite ridiculous word that doesn’t quite capture the situation. Take care. Give yourself lots of slack. But don’t knock those post-partum chonies. They’re ah-mazing!!!
Poor lil Connor Claire! That must be awful.
Only a couple more years!! 🙂 I think you’ll be amazed by how infrequently she gets sick once she’s in Kindergarten. At least that’s been our experience and that of our friends. Not that it will never happen – just that it’s not constant like now. When the boys were young, it was non-stop nebulizers. I’m not sure if that was a local pediatrician phenomenon or maybe the national trend back then. Do they still prescribe those? It’s generally an inhaled steroid (which I was never crazy about for a lot of reasons) but I believe they can also be used with a saline solution. You’d see results in about 2 minutes as opposed to waiting for a steamy bathroom to do its work. I’m not a doctor and don’t play one on TV (and I haven’t stayed at a Holiday Inn Express – HAHA!) but it may be something to discuss with your pediatrician. I hope you’ll all be feeling better – and sleeping more – very soon! 🙂
Awww, poor baby!! I hear you with the spiking fever(s). My youngest ALWAYS spikes a high fever, to this day, and he’s currently 19! So scary and unnerving!
Stay well and hoping you, El Hubs and Connor Claire are doing and feeling better soon!
I’m sorry to hear this has been so stressful for you! My kiddo manages to be just about the healthiest in his preschool – I give him Elderberry syrup every day for immunity and it really does seem to help. I buy mine from a local business, Everything Elderberry, and it’s worth following her page just to see the NIH research she posts about to learn more about how it works. If I wasn’t buying from her I’d probably buy MaryRuth brand on Amazon. I really recommend you guys try it too!
That first photo of the three ladies is so sweet.
Hang in there, mama! Connor Claire is building a fierce immune system. I remember constantly getting sick when I was a kid, afflicted with horrible symptoms that I don’t feel a trace of anymore. Then colds and things really tapered off in adulthood (except for that crappy flu I got before moving to Honolulu, it was as if Philly said “bye, F you” lol) and even less now without inflammatory foods in my life.
Wishing Connor Claire to feel better soon!
Really feeling for you, Karen. Here in the UK, kids start school at 4 years old. I taught that class for six years and they got every bug going!! We lurched from colds to vomiting to flu until finally, by the end of the year things calmed down a bit.
Hang in there – this too shall pass…
Little ones are Petrie dishes on legs. At least you didn’t get caught in the loop. In my house when the kids were little, they’d get something, bring it home, the husband would get it, and I would get it last and worst. One year the baby had mild flu, my husband and I had a pretty bad case, but I ended up with a respiratory infection.
It does get better.
I know what you mean about the high fever. My son always had very high fevers and still does. It’s scary!
At least Rosie is enjoying the all nighters! BTW, she is adorable.
Star and Red say Hi!
Hope this challenging time gets better soon! Feel better Connor Claire! ?? Your mom is the best!
This too shall pass–hang in there family!
Hang in there girl, this too will pass. Michael had a stretch of a few years of constantly getting strep throat.
I always felt like the worst mom when he was sick. Still kind of do now that he’s a junior in high school. Like if I was a better mom he would be healthy always.
Soon she will be better and your universe will right itself.
Hope Connor gets better fast!
You are a great mom . It takes a village ,,,
It does take a village. Hope you’re having a great week, Michele.
I’ve been going through the same thing… with my 16 year old! The doc told us he was unlucky enough to catch 2 bad cold viruses back to back. I’m taking care of him while I’m not working but the poor thing has to stay in his room most of the time so he doesn’t get his 1 year old sister sick! It’s not fun. Hope your princess gets better soon ❤️
Hi Michelle,
I hope your son gets better soon. Fingers crossed that you all stay healthy!
Those back to back illnesses are so hard! My daughter is two and a half and we have stretches like this too. I am always so scared about it too. Hang in there, momma! You’re doing so so great! Connor Claire may not remember the illnesses but she’ll surely remember all the snuggles she got with mom and dad!
I hope Connor gets to feeling better soon. Kids catch everything that’s going around, and will catch stuff every time they change schools, get new friends, etc. You guys are doing a great job! It won’t last forever. ((((hugs))))
Thanks, Rachel. I’ll take that hug!
I hope all of you get time to recover and heal properly – preschoolers are really a magnet for everything that is going around!
Thank you! We just gotta get through the fall and winter. Got my eyes on the prize (March!).
Poor Connor…that’s not fun. I never get colds, but came down with one when I was visiting my cousin in Nashville last week. Her little 3 month old had a cold, but I just loved holding him and feeding him. I can sympathize with Miss Connor Claire. Hope she feels better soon!! In the words of Garfield the Cat…I think I hab a code!! LOL!!
Thank you Sherry! She’s getting better every day. 🙂
What’s your cousin’s little one’s name?
Glad that she’s getting better!! Her 3 month old is named Maverick and she has a 2 year old named Sawyer. Two boys…she has her hands full!! They are so much fun though.