The joy of teething and sickness ...

This week has been difficult in our home.  At the beginning of the week I had a sinus infection.  It was awful, I had never had one until the summer and now ... I get them all the time! why is that?  It's so frustrating.  It finally cleared on Wednesday and I was able to do my workouts and cleaning and being mummy as usual then BOOM Friday morning SICKNESS!!!

 We knew something was playing on the babies (we call Rose and Mattias 'the babies' it's so much easier to group them together - hehe I know we are lazy)  We knew because their sleep was totally off whack, naps and night time.

Rose was going round all day Friday saying 'Ow! Mummy, teeth sore!'  I gave her paracetamol and teetha (wee powders for teething) and it settled her for a little while but she had an awful nappy rash too the few days before (how did we not see the teething coming??) I didn't know what to do because I couldn't find any of the creams!!!

Then I remembered EGG WHITES - I remember my mum telling me that this is perfect for nappy rashes when the creams don't work and when the rash is so bad! Literally all you do is beat the whites a little and put them on the rash ... and blow the area till it's dry (yea not the easiest when they are screaming in pain BUT worth it because it cleared the rash up within a few days!)

 On Friday evenings Jonathan goes to FBI in church - this is Friday Bible Investigators (our church's kids club) and Dale was taking him while I watched the babies.  Rose always gets upset when Dale leaves in the car without her so to keep her happy when she wasn't well the curtains were opened and she waved for a long time at him (he had long gone) Isn't she cute!

 

So a teething, cranky, filled with the cold 21-month-old was just the start... then we have the 9 1/2-month-old who has conjunctivitis, a rotten cough and snotty nose.  He is very clingy and not sleeping properly, and yet still has bouts of pure contentedness.  He is such a pleasure, even with an awful nappy rash that he doesn't complain about.

              

I mean, look at that little face that can smile even when he is really not feeling well! His wee eyes are what makes me the saddest.  

It is rivalled by his big sisters crying face when she is told that she's not allowed her nappy off, but that was short lived when she got 'better kisses' and cuddles.

 

I sometimes find it hard, ok let's be honest I find it hard a lot of the time - juggling the time with the babies, Jonathan, Dale and ... well me! I was told back in August that I needed to take some time each week to get out of the house, on my own, no kids (Dale could come if we had a sitter) but mainly just me.  This week I've been struggling.  I think it's been due to not being well, lack of sleep and maybe hormonal???

 I have PND (postnatal depression).  It's not a dirty word, or something that is embarrassing (and yet I am not comfortable with actually saying the words - strange I know)  I feel like I should have everything under control ... I mean, what do I have to be depressed about?  I had waited years for the life I live and yet ...

My kids make it all so worth it - the worry, the stress, the sleepless nights.

                                                       

What I have seen through the sickness is that children behave so differently through it.  Rose last year had the same things as Mattias this year and he is a much better patient.  He takes the eye drops going in his eyes without any tears and his cough medicine is taken with no resistance (Rose still screams and wriggles - is that a girl thing hehe?? as I have no clue!) 

             
                                         

To help both of them breath (instead of spending a fortune on those Calpol Vapour plugin refills) I took one of those wax melters (the ones you use with a tealight) and in the top I put some of the baby vapour rub - let me tell you it works wonders and doesn't break the bank either ...  your babies will breathe easier ...

 that's my little tip for nothing.  Don't spend money on something you don't need to when you are able to use something that you probably have lying around.  I'm going to do this in my own room (and Jonathan's room) when I'm having difficulty breathing.