After The Tenth..... When The Fun Really Begins

Reality has hit me like a ton of bricks...in the form of a 2nd car seat and a double stroller, which have both arrived this week. The new car seat is a convertible one, so it will work for Macy now and when she's too big to ride in a rear-facing seat. The double stroller is quite efficient but still large and cumbersome. I am still working through the concept that both sides of the stroller will be filled shortly. So much for the concept that having a 2nd girl meant that we were totally prepared and didn't need to buy anything. Tell that to BuyBuyBaby, who made a pretty profit off of us this week.

Outside of equipment shopping, Macy has been a busy, busy girl in recent weeks, spending time at not one but two Easter egg hunts, enjoying the warm summer like days of South Florida, really loving and riding Zoe (her dog) and even remotely participating in her Great-Grandmother's 95th birthday party. I could sit at this keyboard and type out all sorts of stories related to these events, or I could just post a bunch of pictures that give you a glimpse of what's been going on. I'm pretty sure which one most of you would prefer, so without further ado.

I intended to fully document the final few weeks before our family dynamic changed again, but a few things got in the way. The first issue started in daycare. Before Macy's first day, I heard about how daycares can be germ farms that seem to grow and harvest these super bugs, which then migrate to your home.

Up until this point we had been relatively unscathed. Nova has a stringent sick-policy that requires you to pick up your child if they vomit or have green mucus, etc..., and then if you are asked to leave one day, you can't return the next unless you have a doctor's note. They also work hard to disinfect the room and the toys on a regular basis. Since classes began, Macy has only been asked to leave 2-3 times and I've only caught a cold or two from her, so nothing to write home about. Until this past week.

I was leaving a client's office when the call came in from Miss Rebecca. "Macy vomited this morning and isn't acting like herself. She seems to have an ashy color. We are going to need you to pick her up." I tracked down Annie who was out on a lunch date with a friend and relayed the message. Neither of us was overly concerned. Macy is a toddler and infants and toddlers all seem to puke for no apparent reason and bounce back minutes later. (I used to be able to bounce back quickly, but as the years pass, my recovery seems to take longer and longer)

Macy came home and didn't seem quite herself, even after a long nap, but she did her time in exile and two days later returned to school. Annie picked her up that evening and was greeted with the following warning as she entered the classroom. "Take Macy and RUN!! Almost every person in this room is sick." Being a calm but rational person, Annie heeded the advice and didn't linger at school. In normal situations that might have kept her safe, but not when you are dealing with Super Daycare Stomach Bugs.

Later that night, Annie wasn't really hungry at dinner. That's when I started to panic. A pregnant mother who didn't want any dinner. Uh-Oh. And so it began...24 hours of misery. The only good thing about stomach viruses is that they don't linger very long. While they are around it feels like a lifetime, but when you look back it really isn't that long of a time period. Annie really impressed me with her ability to function while feeling ill.

I didn't realize how impressed I was with Annie until two days later...when it was my turn to be cut down by Super Bug. I experienced possibly the worst night of my life and no longer feared the reaper. Instead, I  feared that I might continue living and suffering the misery that was Super Bug. I won't get graphic, but I will commandeer a line from the 25th Annual Putnam County Spell Bee and tell you that it was like there was a race to get out of my body and everyone one.

With the early arrival date, we are now officially inside of 5 weeks out. It doesn't seem possible, but what was 3 will become 4 in just over a month. We really need to settle on a name. The hunt has seemingly come down to two choices, but it wouldn't surprise me if a previously yet disccussed name jumped into the fray at the last moment.

Other than the name front, I think we are just about ready for her arrival. Tomorrow night we are taking a tour of the hospital. I know what you are thinking...weren't we just there? Well this time we are going to pay attention to the C-section portion of the tour. I think Annie and I talked through that whole part last time. The tour also has a surprise addition this time, which works out great for us. They now include the NICU, which is perfect since we might have a temporary resident. (Still crossing our fingers that we can bypass it....) I still can't believe that they include the NICU in the tour, so I'm anxious to see where they actually take us. I'm betting on some viewing window that overlooks the NICU and that we don't actually cross into the room, but I guess we'll find out tomorrow.

Now that I think of it, Annie hit week 30 and it is time to update the progression video. I just added the past 6 weeks. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm enjoying watching the comparison of Macy and her sister in the side by side shots.

Watch the Video.