A relatively good day

I'm functioning on a fairly good level of crazy bliss. To help you understand, I have gone crazy, lived, am being required to push through (because what is the alternative?) and have come out on the other side a little loopy.

An overview of my week:
Wed., 4th: Dave leaves for Alaska for 8 days (really, this is not a bash on my husband. I am so glad he got to go on this trip that has been in the works for longer than we have been married). Pete and Charlie have both been sick since Monday. Charlie is a little worst for the wear and Pete is just getting into it.

Thur., 5th: Pete gets worse, croupy cough. Charlie is still in the thick of summer cold sickness. (This kid doesn't do sick very well.) I take an emergency mental health walk out into the neighborhood, wagon in tow. I'm heckled at because there is a tornado watch and it is nearly upon us!! (I'm more worried about my mental health at this point.) It was a wimpy storm anyway. I get a call from Dave in Alaska who is being required to sit through safety videos on how to fight off Grizzly Bears and am told that if I don't get a call from him by next Wed., to call Denali National Park....and what?? tell them my husband didn't call me, send out a search party?? Not what I wanted to hear at this point.
I have to call the hometeachers to come give Pete a blessing at 10:00 pm because he can't breathe with croup.

Friday., 6th: Charlie is better, thank goodness. Take Pete to Dr. and he is prescribed a steroid to help the croup. Pete has high fever and went to bed at 6:00 pm. At night, I finally get to watch The Blind Side (finally!) and then start to feel the sickness coming upon me by bedtime.

Sat., 7th: Drop boys off at friend's house to go do Primary activity at church. Pick up boys only to find out Pete cried the whole 3 hours!
Pete begins to exhibit unusual behavior, I chalk it up to being sick. After nap time he is horribly unhappy, can't do anything for him, he's hitting, biting, running, screaming, self-destructive behavior and such. He gets it out of his system and is fine...for the time being.
We decide to go see Toy Story 3 anyway. (What was I thinking??)
Charlie loved it. Pete drove me nuts but I had already seen it. All in all it was great for Charlie's second movie and Pete's first.
Shelly's sickness is subdued during the day but sore throat is nasty at night.

Sunday, 8th: Wake up and everyone is sick. Don't go to church.
The Incredible Hulk has now taken over my baby and it is scary! A couple hours of screaming, nastiness. Mom and Charlie are just trying to pacify the "green giant" (aka Pete) and start to realize that the steroids aren't agreeable to the little guy.

Mon., 9th: Cancel trip to visit relatives in North Carolina (sorry Meredith!). Back into the Dr. to ask why in heaven's name would anyone want to turn my baby into some Jekyll/Hyde character, especially since he still has a fever and croup isn't any better!
Come home with antibiotics (after a long wait in Walmart, Pete coughed so much he threw up all over himself and stroller, so I stripped him down to his diaper).

Tues., 10th (today): Turns out the sun does shine again and life really CAN be good!
We got out the fun shoot-balls-up-in-the-air sprinkler and the bubble gun. Had the time of our lives! Note to remember: Sprinklers and bubbles make everything better.

"Oozing bubbles"

I had to split this video in two because it wouldn't upload from my camera. The reason why I grabbed the camera was because I was sitting there sewing and I hear a really low, "Hi" from behind me. Charlie was in character and I had to get it on tape.
Funny points to look for:
1) "Can I have the doggy please, can I have the doggy please?" I have been trying to get Charlie to ask nicely when Pete has things he wants instead of hitting the floor in agony because Pete is running away with the most valuable possession of the minute. Luckily, I managed to divert him.
2) The second he looks down, his hat slides off. It just makes me chuckle.
3) Towards the end of the second clip, he tries to bend down twice and has a hard time with the belt, trying to keep it in place.




I didn't get it on tape but Pete was getting into the car and saying, "Bye bye" JUST LIKE Charlie did at this age, it was eerie how similar it was. But then I couldn't get him to say it again so this clip of Pete back to his normal cheerful self will just have to do. Curious George had his shining moment of fame with Pete. But then he is tossed to the wayside. Such is life of an 18-month-old little boy's toy.