the daily dish. more than you ever want to know about our life and RSV.

Lately, Tillie has been "reading" to Calvin a lot.  It's darling.  These pictures have nothing to do with this post, but I thought they were sweet.  And, they happened last week.  So, alas.  Here you go.

In case you thought my title, "The Daily Dish" inferred that I was going to start posting awesome recipes, think again.  Sorry.  Go somewhere else for that.

Bullet points will be a good way to write this post.  It doesn't seem nearly as overwhelming.  Apparently, there is a lot to talk about.

--- Tillie got a cold a week and a half ago.  We were wiping up copious amounts of snot from her mega sneezes.  That was fun.  I kid.  She soon stopped sneezing and I thought she was better.  I was wrong.

--- Cal started getting a runny nose and I thought, "Oh no, here we go again..."  But, yet once more, I was wrong. Within a day or so, he started barking like a seal.  Uh oh.

--- The next day, Tillie, too, started barking like a seal.  Double Uh Oh.

--- I just got called as the new play group leader in our church ward.  After about a month's worth of email dialogue, we decided we'd get together 2 times a month and the moms would take turns volunteering to be "in charge" (we could do it at their home, a park, where-ever, they would just need to take the lead and let us all know).  So, of course, I volunteered to host the first play group at our house.  I had the house sparkling clean, cupcakes made, and even cookies too----but there was the issue of two barking children.  :(  So, alas, I had to cancel two hours before we were to begin.  Luckily, another gal said we could do it at her home last minute.  That was super nice.  My kids (Tillie especially) were heartbroken we wouldn't be doing the party at our house... AND that they couldn't attend.

--- I tried to sweeten the deal by keeping a few cupcakes for them both to enjoy.  It helped, but not much.

--- We went to the doctor instead.  A new pediatrician.  We didn't like the office we'd gone to before.  They kept messing up with the billing and the nurse chewed me out for allowing Tillie to go potty before we went in (we thought she might have had a bladder infection).  Weird that my natural reflex when my child says she has to go potty is for us to RUN! and think later.  Lame that she was so irritated with me.  Also, the two doctors we saw were a little too "laid back" for my liking.  Here's the thing, when I finally decide to take the kids into the doctor, I'd like them to validate me a little bit (I don't mean that we need a prescription every time, I just want them to say, "You were good to bring him in...").

--- Good news.  We love the new doctor's office.  We love the staff.  Three cheers!

--- Bad news, Tillie has an ear infection and RSV.  Calvin has a double ear infection and RSV that has developed into Bronchitis.  :(  He'd need to start breathing treatments right away.

--- Because his darling cousin, Krieg, has Cystic Fibrosis, Calvin recognized what a nebulizer was and was pretty proud that he was doing it like Kriegers.  That was a bright spot.  He didn't wig out at all.

Tillie was NOT a fan of Calvin having to do this.  She was so upset and kept trying to comfort him, saying, "It's okay, buddy.  You can do it.  Oh, you poor baby..."  

This was/is my uniform as of late.  hooded sweatshirt and comfy pants.  Calvin liked it much more when someone was holding him or next to him.  Also, a tv show/movie was a necessity as well.

--- Tillie got progressively worse.  We went back to the doctor to check on Cal's progress (on Aaron's BIG 30th Birthday, no less!) only to find out that Tillie was now worse off than her brother.  The doctor was pretty nervous that Tillie was almost to the pneumonia stage.  AHH!  She gave me strict instructions that if Tillie's fever spiked again or if she didn't start showing signs of improvement, to call her immediately.  Double AHH!

--- Interestingly enough, when Tillie is sick she cries all the time and is super whiny.  Cal, on the other hand (our sensitive soul) is such a trooper and hardly ever complains when he is sick.  He just likes being close to someone.  That's it.  Amazing the role reversals!

--- We ran to the grocery store to get a few groceries for Aaron's pathetic birthday (not pathetic by choice, mind you), the pharmacy, and then stopped off to get Pei Wei to-go.  A true bright spot.  We love Chinese food at Pei Wei.

A little pre-cursor to Aaron's birthday... Since we were under house arrest, we decided to get creative for Aaron's big day.  We made a freezer paper shirt with the Utah Jazz logo the day before.  My lines are perfect, so don't look too close.  We should make shirts like these more often.  They are so easy for the kids to help with and such a fun little craft.  Aaron was a fan, so that was nice.

As we were driving around running errands, we spotted these Longhorns off the side of the road.  I always want to stop off and take a picture, b/c I think it's so fascinating that they are so close!  Aaron never does.  But, because it was HIS birthday and he was feeling generous, he turned back around and pulled over so I could snap a few pictures of him with his new shirt.  Now, that is a love.  And, a such a sacrifice on his birthday, no less!

He pulled out his own Long horns, and I thought that was pretty clever.  But then I started yelling, "The horse is coming for you! Ahhh!"  (he really was trotting pretty fast over to Aaron).  I love that I captured his "whoooa!" face below.  That was fun.

Later that night, the birthday boy even opted to make us all dinner.  Wow.  A pathetic birthday indeed.  In case you were worried about how he's treated around here, I made it up to him on Sunday when I made a homemade lasagna and angel food cake.  As you are seeing, it was a weird weekend, what can I say?

--- That night of Aaron's 30th birthday the worst night of our adult life.  Maybe.  Not.  But it's up there.  Calvin decided that he didn't want to sleep.  At all.  Until 5 a.m.  It was horrible.  I've never witnessed something so crazy.  I blame it on stupid RSV and him being over-tired.  To illustrate one of the many instances that occurred that night, his sock slipped off his foot in his bed and he started screaming bloody murder.  I mean, literally, it was horrible.  Aaron and I tag-teamed the entire night long.  Finally at 4:45 a.m. when Cal had yet another melt down, (Tillie had since moved to our bed) Aaron found us attempting to sleep in Tillie's bed (I was trying everything!) and I told him, "I can't take this anymore!  This is impossssssssssible!"  And then I proceeded to start sobbing for several minutes.  That, my friends, is what no sleep does to me.  I melt down.  Apparently, Cal is the same.

Here are a few shots of him during one of his sick days so you can see how sad he gets.  I feel kind of awful for posting so many crying pictures of Calvin.  But, they are just such great illustrations of the sadness he feels.  Sorry, bud.  

--- WE survived.  The sun did rise, amazingly enough.  I realized, yet again, that Aaron is a WINNER of a husband.  I don't know how I would have survived the night without him.  For all you single parents out there, I bow down to you. I don't know how you do it, day in and day out.  Truly.  I admire all that you do because you love your children.

--- Basically, we've been laying low ever since... with exception to a fun little date on Saturday that Becca GRACIOUSLY said she'd come up and watch the kids for.  It was great timing after the previous night-marish night. Not only did she come to babysit, she also brought 10 bags of delicious types of HARIBO gummy candy AND brie cheese for Aaron, AND a little bouquet of flowers AND Justin Beiber Valentines for the rest of us.  Hello?  How great is she?

--- On our date, we found two new pair of rockin' pants for Aaron and a shirt for me (whoops! it wasn't my birthday), followed it up by dinner at a fancy-pants restaurant, then polished off the night at ColdStone with our free gift cards we received at Christmas (thank you, parents!).  Good afternoon/evening, indeed.  Thank you, Becca!!


Wow.  You now have a play by play of basically EVERY event that happened with in the last week.  Amazing you made it through.  We went to the doctor one last time yesterday. (we hope!)  She checked the kids and said it was incredible the improvements they had made!  GLORY, GLORY, HALLELUJAH!  She said she was certain we'd be calling her over the weekend to bring Tillie back in.  THANK HEAVENS we didn't have to!  We are on the up and up.  No more contagiousness.  Ear infections almost gone.  RSV can get the heck out of our life.

A crazy bi-product from all this is that I've realized how many people have to do breathing treatments and billions of meds for their kids EVERY SINGLE DAY.  My eyes have been opened and I stand back and think, "Wow. We've have it so good!"  And, I am grateful that the Lord gave us a small taste of a hard thing so I can help support our family and friends in the hard things they go through.
Forever and ever, amen.
So, thanks for taking the time out to relive the last few days of our life.

oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my 30 year old husband.  Amazing!

p.s. see why it has taken me so long to get updated here on this blog?  for some reason I feel like it's important to give so many play-by-plays.  oh well, that's how I roll.  you'll find more updates whenever I get the gumption.