Day 45

Where do I begin. Last night when I wrote this blog I was so preoccupied with how Stellan was doing that I didn't even bother to mention how Hailey was sleeping in my own arms while writing last nights post. So I guess I'll start (over) from when I got home from school last night.

I walked in the door and heard one of the girls screaming upstairs. Little Brother and Pete both said it was Hannah. I didn't think anything of it because when Hannah gets her mind set on someone coming to get her...it takes her a long time to give up. So I did a few things and then checked the monitor. I saw Hailey in her crib crying. I thought this was unusual because Hailey doesn't get up unless one of the other's have woken her. But the other two were sleeping - soundly. So I went up there to pick her up and calm her down. She didn't calm down right away like she usually does. So I took her out of the room and into our room where Pete was doing some work and that's when I realized that it was actually Hailey that was fussing all night - not Hannah. Now my mind is spinning. Hailey does not get up and cry like this.

I brought her downstairs. She's not warm, no fever. She's not even wet so she doesn't need a diaper change. I try to give her something to drink but she didn't want it. Something to eat - didn't want that either. Hmmmm. So I sit on the couch with her and she puts her head on my shoulder and falls asleep. Now I'm thinking maybe she just needed some mommy time and she'll stay asleep. But she wakes up, fusses, goes back to sleep. Same cycle a few times. I say to Little Brother 'I think she has a tummy ache or something because something isn't right with her'. Pete comes downstairs and is sitting next to me. We're trying to figure out what's up. Maybe growing pains? Teeth? But she hasn't been chewing on things. She was fine all day. She ate well, slept well, played well. Nothing at all out of the ordinary.

Then...she threw up all over Pete. OH! So THAT'S what's wrong!!! I started to bring her to the kitchen when I thought she was done but she started to throw up again. And don't ask me what I was thinking other than 'confine the mess' because I immediately aimed her toward Pete to let her finish throwing up. And call it a Daddy's love for his baby girl because he sat there and tried to catch it (you all like that mental image?). She finally finished and between Little Brother, Pete and myself we get everything cleaned up (including Hailey) and make the decision to let her sleep in our bed.

Sleep. Didn't. Come. She was up fussing and whining all night long. She didn't throw up again but every single time we would lay down she started crying. She fell asleep if we were holding her sitting up. (Does any mom know where I'm going with this? Because I was clueless...CLUELESS!). Morning comes and Pete and I call out of work. Hailey has a fever now.

She's sick - that much we know. We're tired. Pete brings Hannah and Emily (who are fine) to his moms house and I stay here with Hailey. She took a nap for an hour and 1/2 on me while I was on the couch.

Pete comes home and at 9:15 I call the doctor (that's when they open). At this point I've decided that Hailey has the flu. Downscaled because she got the flu vaccine...but the flu none the less. I mean let's think about the symptoms: Vomiting - check, cough - check, fever - check, loss of appetite - check, fussiness - check. What else could it be?

Call to the doctors office: Me: I'd like to make an appt for my daughter Hailey to be seen. I think she has the flu. Receptionist: Would you like a call from our advice nurse on what to do? Me: (thinking...I'm pretty sure I just said I want an appt) No - I'd like an appt. She was born 2 months premature and if she has any respiratory problem she'll need to be checked out. Receptionist books an appt for 11:15.

Get to the doctor. Hailey has a fever of 99.0 with Tylenol and she's lost weight since her last appt. This is a HUGE disappointment for me. I try so hard to get her to gain weight and for her to go backwards just kills me inside. The doctor comes in and gets all the info from us and agrees that yes - she does indeed sound like she's got the flu. She'll do a swab to check and be sure. But 1st - let's check her out.

Lungs sound good (especially when Hailey is crying and say 'no no no' while the doctor tries to listen with her stethoscope...lol). Eyes are good. Throat looks fine. Ears - OMG she has a really bad ear infection! What?!?! An ear infection???? She's never had one of those before! None of them had! Wait - can that make her throw up? Yup. She was in so much pain that she vomited the poor thing! And that explains the fact that she would sleep sitting up but not when we would lay down. Hmm...now I get it.

So - we went to get her very 1st antibiotic filled at the pharmacy and while we waited went next door and had lunch at Boston Market. Hailey ate sweet potatoes and mac-n-cheese. Then we came home and she played upstairs in our bedroom while I did some cleaning in there. While we were doing that - Pete and Little Brother put up the Christmas tree! Yippie!

Then Pete went and picked up Hannah and Emily. He took Hailey with him so she could sleep in the car (which worked like a charm). Once they got home I had dinner made, we ate, took baths, pj's, brushed teeth, read books and went to sleep - they were sleeping by 5:45 tonight. I hope they stay that way - all night long!

Pete and I cleaned the kitchen and then I worked out. Now we're both sitting on the couch falling asleep. I think it'll be an early night for the both of us. Pete is off tomorrow and I'm working. (well - I'll be working if we get some sleep tonight).

Days like today are the days when Pete and I need to work as a team. It gets very frustrating when you have a child that is sick and there's nothing you can do. Add to that the fact that neither of us slept, she was whining ALL day long and we STILL had to be parents. Thankfully his mom took the other 2 girls for us today.