Now I can cook with my Nook

For Christmas, I orginally got a Kindle. However, we don't have wireless internet at our house. So, I went to exchange my WiFi Kindle for a 3G/WiFi Kindle. Target was completely out of them. I had been really patient in doing this exchange, but my patience was wearing thin. I'm a gadget girl....and I was itching to use my new toy! So, I went to Best Buy to find that they too were out of Kindles, BUT they had the 3G/WiFi Nook. So, I ended up with a Nook, and I LOVE it. I read one book already (in about 2.5 days - that's a complete record considering how busy I am), and now I'm on the sequel (there are three in the series). I'm sure you're curious by now....I'm reading The Hunger Games series. I believe it's meant for adolescents, but being an English teacher, it's a great read for me. It would be perfect for unit on plot development, theme, and conflict (all types). It's compelling because the content can spur all types of discussions and debates. If I get an online teaching job, I hope to use the first book of the series.

Anyway...

I also got a new crock pot for Christmas. The handle on the lid of mine had broken, which made using it very interesting. Since I got a new crock pot, I decided I needed some crock pot recipes. So, my handy dandy Nook just happened to find me one for $0.99. You can't beat that! And since we have a little one under the weather, and I feel like I may be getting what he has, I decided basic Chicken Noodle Soup was in order for tonight's meal. I already had most of what I needed, so my Nook and I did a little prepping today.

These pictures would have been staged with nicely diced carrots....and my other ingredients laid out ever-so-nicely, but....yeah...I was rushing to get all of this together while Collen snoozed/snorted away. So just imagine a nice spread and a clean stovetop.....

It smells delicious! Can't wait!

And again, to the doctor we go...

Monday - Doctor's visit: albuterol breathing treatments prescribed. Temp of 99ish, so no meds. Congested, stuffy, coughing, lethargic but still playful...all in all...not SO bad.

Tuesday - to the doctor again because of vomiting, temp of 100.7, and reluctance to eat. Told to continue breathing treatments every four-six hours, keep suctioning nose, viral....no meds, but Tylenol okay.

Wednesday - 6am - fever of 101.4 after giving Tylenol two hours earlier. Off we go to the doctor again. Yellow discharge from nose, still congested (this is day 5 of all of this mind you...), coughing, lethargic, so, so sad...just needs Mommy to hold him and snuggle him, diarhea is back. Doctor prescribed Amoxicillin because his left ear is looking a little red...may be beginnings of an ear infection. Mom agrees we should be proactive and try to knock this thing out....

(Met a blog reader and her little boy while at the doctor's office. Always a nice surprise!)

Whew.

The past 5 days have been crazy around here. I recruited my mom to come help me yesterday because the house was quickly becoming a disaster zone. I don't mind putting everything aside to make sure Collen is okay, BUT I'm not going to have a healthy baby with a filthy house. So, my mom came, and I was able to do some much needed cleaning (and she did far more cleaning than she should have as well....).

Collen is trying so hard to be a happy boy, but he just feels miserable. It breaks my heart. Luckily, he's sleeping well at night. The past couple of nights, he's only gotten up once in the night, but by 6am, if he hasn't had any Tylenol (when the fever was come and go), he's awake and just so sad. So, that's when I hold him as he sleeps and just pray for him to get better.

Our big obstacle is that he HATES anything to go into his mouth other than breastmilk. Berry flavors...grape flavors...and come on, who doesn't LOVE "the pink medicine" (as I used to call it as a child....I got sick a lot)! None of it fools him. Unfortunately, he now has THREE oral "meds" a day - his Vitamin D supplement (which he is getting much better about...he tolerates this one best), Tylenol (grape flavored), and now his antibiotic - Amoxicillin (yummmm). When we got home from the doctor's office, he had a temp of 101.3, so I gave him some more Tylenol as he screamed and pulled away ( :( it makes me so sad...), and then I figured...well...might as well get the antibiotic in there. Well, that didn't go so well. He ended up vomiting it all back up. And I looked on helplessly wishing I could just make it all better. I did manage to get a breathing treatment in while he napped in the swing. He has to be upright for it anyway, and he can't sleep flat on his back, so that was a win-win.

Hopefully, we will be on the road to recovery SOON. We have a wedding in the family this Saturday, and I have a feeling Collen and I will have to sit it out. Hints have been dropped about me leaving him with a certain grandma so I can go to the wedding, but I still have to be able to "feed" him, and I'm not quite sure how I'd work out a pumping session while attending a wedding. Plus, when I was sick...I only ever wanted one of my parents...so with this being his first big illness, I think I need to be with him. I'm so bummed about missing the wedding, but I can't take any chances. After his antibiotic is finished up and he's well, we'll be back on the go.

Please continue to keep him in your prayers. He's being a trooper (and so am I).

Yet another machine to hook my child up to...

I took Collen to the doctor today. Doctor said he has a really bad cold, but he has prescribed breathing treatments for the wheezing. So, we have to hook him up to a machine for that and have him breathe in the medicine. We did one treatment at the pediatrician's office...yeah, Collen didn't enjoy it so much. I don't blame him....

I know his throat is hurting him by the way his cough sounds. I hate that I can't do anything for him. We have the vaporizer running, the motrin ready to go since he continues to run a low fever, lots of snuggles ready to give out, and the saline drops have become a staple. Hopefully he kicks this thing really quickly! Please say a prayer for him...and thanks so much for the comments and for checking in.

a sick baby...

...is no fun.

I haven't been able to do much of anything since Christmas....except hold Collen. He has been out of sorts since the day after Christmas, and now he is sick. Congested cough, stuffy nose, slight temperature (99.7...I don't care what the doctors say...it's enough to make you feel miserable), and 2 new symptoms today - diarrhea and slight wheezing. I'm taking him in tomorrow. I know he isn't running a "fever", but the wheezing and diarrhea are worrying me, so he's going in to the doctor just in case. I'm not about to risk him getting RSV and being hospitalized. I've had about 2 weeks worth of restless nights with me averaging about 4 hours a night. Last night, I think I managed to get 3 hours of sleep. Hopefully, once we kick whatever this is out, we'll be back to normal. PLUS...I think some teeth are trying to pop through. Whew....so exhausted (but so happy to be!)

Happy New Year!