Sick and Tired

I'm getting sick and tired of being sick and tired. Okay, I'm not really the one sick but it seems everyone else in this house is. Now the tired part, I can relate to. 

Poor Chase started getting sick about the time I went back to work. He seemed to be getting better but was still "snotty" so we went to the doctor on Jan 31st. Kenley had been starting to cough so we took her too. Both kids were diagnosed with colds. It seemed over the remainder of the week and the weekend they fluctuated. Chase got better and Kenley worse and then vice versa.  Everyone at the sitter's was sick too and the list of ailments kept growing.  After a long weekend home Kenley was better but then Chase took another turn. 

So back to the doctor we went this past Tuesday. Still a cold but now also developing an ear infection. He's been given a round of amoxicillin (which is a drug that Clay, Kenley and I are all allergic to.) Now it's a waiting game to see if he is allergic too (which we assume he will be.) 

Kenley too has taken a turn fo the worse and developed a hacking cough that seems to either keep her from going to sleep or wake her up in the middle of the night and prevent her from going back to sleep. I've been up in the middle of the night not only to nurse Chase but also console a coughing 2 year old and try to get her back to sleep. I'm glad I got her a full size bed since I can lay in there. 

So now, I'm hoping that after 3 days home this week and a nice weekend ahead that we can all be recovered and germ free by Monday, but as I sit here and type I have surround sound coughing on the monitors. I feel so bad when they are sick and there is nothing I can really do. I also worry about Chase the most as he is so little. The stuffy/snotty nose affects him nursing and sleeping. He's eating a lot less this week but I think he is still gaining weight as he is a chunk. I'm hoping that after 2 weeks he can finally get better. 

I know sick and tired won't last forever so I'll keep taking it one day at a time. 

I am thankful however that my mom could come and watch the kids this week. We are blessed to have retired parents (mine and Clay's) that can watch the kids at certain times.  Thanks mom! (ALthough it sounds like she is getting sick too. I'm hoping that we didn't give her all of our germs.)

10 minutes

This post has been sitting in my drafts with only the title of "How I spent my summer maternity vacation" for a week now and obviously I haven't gotten around to writing it so this morning I decided I'm going to do 10 minutes. I'll cram as much as I can but I'm gonna timebox to 10 minutes (sans pictures since I don't have the camera with me) So buckle up and get ready....

Okay, really! How did the 12 weeks for my maternity leave go so fast. I guess I justify that Nov went in a flash with a new baby at home and getting into a nursing routine, Dec was a blur with visitors, holidays, and a birthday and then by the time I realized we had passed into the new year I had less than 3 weeks left at home :( However, I do feel like I had some great quality time with my little bub and thosse will be moments and memories I will always cherish. I forgot how fast they grow and change and it seems he is growing and changing at warp speed.

Other than time with Chaser, I did a few things on my list. By NO MEANS did I even really make a big enough dent for me to consider it done but I'm learning that my "to do" list of random things around the house can always wait as there are more important things people to spend time with right now. However, I did get Chase's name painted and hung on his wall. I feel like I did more but can't remember now so that obviously tells you how important my list is. HA!!! I did enjoy so me time too and managed to read 5 books. Yep, you read that right...5 books. I read the Hunger Games trilogy (which I recommend), a short suspence thriller called The List and then just a girly book of sorts called Chasing Rainbows which is about a woman's midlife breakdown after being dealth a pretty rough hand of blows and how she comes back to find happiness.  I also started watching the series GREEK on Netflix and got HOOKED. I flew through almost 5 of the 6 seasons in no time. Clay also thought they looked good when I had them on so now he is watching them from the beginning and when he catches up we will watch the rest of season 5 and 6 together. I'm anxiously awaiting him to catch up. It's good I went back to work or I wouldn't be able to wait.

Speaking of work, I'm back! I've been back a week today and things are going well. I feel refreshed and more productive than when I left. I'm being put on some bigger projects that are very new to me but I'm excited (and nervous) about the work. I hope I can keep the "productive" feelings up long term.

On the kid front there is always a lot happening. Obviously with me going back to work, Chase goes to the sitter now. Kenley was excited to take him and from what Christine (our sitter) says she is a very protective big sister and knows when people shouldn't be all up in his face. He has done very well there and is eating like a champ and chunking up. In fact after a recent impromptu doctor's visit, he is actually 15lbs and 11ounces. He has gained approximately 7lbs in less than 3 months if that tells you anything :) Wish it were as cute for me to gain 7lbs :) The impromptu doctor visit was actually for both kids and I tackled it myself. It was an experience but mostly because Kenley didn't feel good and everything was the end of the world.  But it was good in that both kids were diagnosed with common colds and nothing more. We worried about Kenley as several others had gone home from the sitter with Strep and other ailments. The joys of germ sharing!

Kenley still amazes us almost daily and makes us smile. One night at dinner we were playing with her cups and she said to me, "I had it first. You have to wait your turn." I nearly busted out laughing. I just love the stuff she says! She also took her first shower last weekend. She had a blast. I let her play in the water while I showered and then she tried to take her turn washing her armpits and then her backside.

Life at the Brockman house is a bit chaotic but it's our new normal. We are working on finding our groove in the morning routine to make it to work on time and then adjusting to the rush of the after work activities, baths, and bedtime routines. But no complaints here! Life is good and I know I wouldn't change a thing.

Once things settle, I will try to post more but in all honesty I'm up very early and by the time I get to sit it's almost 9pm and I'm one tired momma from the day. Until then, please stay tuned :) (okay it was more than 10 minutes to type this but I was on a roll... peace out!)

ABC's

You may have to turn your volume up but here is my favorite new song that Kenley sings for us :)

Having a great Tue

Here Chase tells you about our lunch trip out to Rosie's with an old friend from highschool. He also had some of his first belly laughs :)

Score 1 for me

My "To-Do" lists have been (are) kicking my butt. They grow longer and longer by the day and even on the most productive day I don't feel like I make any progress. However tonight I finally got 1 more thing crossed off.  Last week I painted Chase's letters for his room and tonight I finally had Clay help me hang them. The pic looks a little plain since you can't see the rest of the room but it looks very nice and is definitely a new little twist since we did K's letters in red for her nursery.

Now onto the next 10,000 things....hmm....

2 months

Today this little man had his 2 month check up. Instead of Major Cutie this shirt should really say Major Chunky! He is up to a whopping 14lbs and 3oz. I guess he is getting plenty to eat after all :) We chatted with our doctor about a few of our questions and he was given a clean bill of health. He was ordered to do more tummy time but I knew that was coming. We try often but either he is really laid back like Clay, his head is too heavy, or he is too lazy to want to lift it because he will just lay there on his belly and chew on his hands. I make him do it over the boppy sometimes with a bit more luck or just have him practice holding it up while he is sitting.  The end of the visit was the worst as he had 3 shots and it was the END OF THE WORLD. He screamed his head off and took forever to calm down but seems to be finally over it (until I take the bandaids off later..yikes.) Time is flying by and I'm sure the next two months will go just as fast and we will be back for the 4 month visit.