1 week home!

"What do I do now Reina?"

1 week home and everyone is sick. Except me. Which is a good thing, since everyone needs cared for and I don't have time to get sick=) Abbie came down with it first, then Reina and Lauren. Then Quentin got sick and now Alina. It is just a really stuffy and runny nose and a general not feeling well (Quentin has the sinus headache and pressure too which is not good) but when they all have it it seems much worse. Alina was fine until about a couple hours before bedtime when it became obvious that she was getting it too. I predicted a rough night and had Lauren move into the guest room so that Alina wouldn't keep her up. I predicted right! She woke up a couple times and took a long time to get back to sleep, and after the second time of me trying to get back to sleep and being woken up again, I gave up and Alina and I slept together in Lauren's bed. She slept well the rest of the night. I did not=) Oh well. I am used to not so much sleep, especially when the kids are sick.

This morning I put Reina and Alina in the bathtub to wash all the night time cooties off=) This morning it was separate baths, but Sunday night I put them in together and they had a good time. Reina showed her all about standing up in the tub when you are not supposed to. She also got Alina to splash a bit and to suck on the washcloth. Yuck.

Reina had her 2 year check up yesterday morning. Quentin was miserable and stayed home from work. I felt a little guilty about asking him to keep the other 3 kids while Reina and I went, but I was having nightmares about 2 loud older kids and 1 little one all wanting attention while I was trying to concentrate on Reina. Next Monday is Alina's appointment and I will have to take all of them. I know Reina will occupy herself though, while I am with Alina, where Alina wants my constant attention. So this visit shouldn't be as difficult. I checked on flu shots for the family and the pediatrician's office has the flu mist in right now. It is much easier talking the older two into the mist than a shot. So Abbie and Lauren will get the mist on Monday too. The little ones will have to get the shot. This year EVERYONE is going to be vaccinated. Last year Abbie and Lauren brought the flu home from school and it went through everyone. 5 days of fevers each and I am a believer in the vaccine! The only good thing last year was that Quentin, Reina, and I had had the vaccine and didn't have the symptoms as bad. I didn't get the older 2 vaccinated. That was a mistake I won't repeat. The pediatrician also mentioned that the swine flu vaccine will be in later this fall. They only have the shots for it and it is a 2 shot series. I think we will do that one too.

Yesterday before Alina got sick, we headed out for the first time. We went during Reina's naptime. I needed to get school supplies for Abbie and Lauren so they went too. We hit Target and loaded up on lots of school stuff. The girls got new gym shoes and I actually talked Abbie into a pair of nicer "dress" shoes. Didn't have to talk Lauren into any, but had to talk her out of them since she still has a pair that fit and are hardly worn. Alina did great while shopping for the first 20 minutes, then I had to keep handing her crackers to keep her quiet. If I wasn't fast enough she would squeal. It was really cute. I was only slow on purpose a couple times =)

Alina and Quentin are doing much better, but she is still shy and definitely prefers me. Since we went through this with Reina, but to a lesser degree, we realize that she just needs time. We were going to head to Iowa to introduce her to more family this weekend, but have decided that we will wait. We want to give her more time settle in. We will be going to a wedding in Iowa over Labor Day and will see the family then.

Here's hoping I don't catch the cold! I think the odds are stacked against me though=) I have wiped too many noses in the last few days.