I made sure she took small sips of Gatorade each time she awoke, gave hot-forehead kisses freely, and piled on the blankets since she was literally shivering in her sleep. I figured it was the beginning of the flu and soon the entire house would be infested and quarantined. It was a mere matter of time before all of us would be begging for death so I did the only rational thing I could think to do in the meantime with my precious few hours until onset and cleaned out the kitchen cabinets. Being down one kid really freed up a lot of my time and while the boys played with play-doh and ate popsicles I got to work.
I filled an entire garbage bag and added a dozen items to my shopping list. Among my finds:
- many expired medicines (the winner: ibuprofen with an expiry of 1999. yikes. Runner-up: infant's Tylenol with literally less than a dropper full left, it was crystallized)
- a small-dog flea collar (what dog--small or otherwise!?)
- a plastic cup full of change (Hello hubby's stash-turned-ice-cream-truck-money!)
- 11 (yes, e l e v e n) garlic salts
- old tubes of paint (from decorating the "nursery" for my first child)
- a brand new bottle of Pepto-Bismal with creepy, abnormal separation of liquids not unlike what happens to milk (expiry: 2009; do not remember buying that!)
- 4 opened, nearly full boxes of cornstarch (really?)
- A number "5" candle (I assume I purchased for my daughter whom will be 7 in a couple of months)
- 3 unused Easter egg dying kits (sucker for clearance items; must remember I'm all set for next year...)
By the weekend the little princess was back to herself, and I took her place on the couch. I don't know if it was a cold or a sinus infection, but it doesn't matter at all because either was I was miserable! The kiddos were pretty well-behaved considering the fact that I neglected them for three days in a row. I felt so yucky that I couldn't even feel guilt about it at the time.
For the Fourth of July I planned on the continuation of my loafing and pity partying alone with the kids since my husband works retail (holidays are never a day off). But then I unexpectedly received a call from a friend and decided the kids deserved some fun-after all, they had gone along with my sickness for about four days-so we got dressed and got together with the Websters at the MacKenzie home. I am SO glad I pulled it together (and by "pulled it together" I mean found clothes on the floor, forgot to brush my hair, and didn't care about make up, or apparently deodorant as I figured out as the day progressed...oops!) and went. Did I mention this was the first time I had ever been invited to this couple's home? Yep, that's right. I'll keep you posted if I'm ever asked back, HAHA. After that I really don't know; I tried to assure everyone it was just sinus, but I'm not sure they were convinced. Really! It IS just sinus, though. Although the first hour or so after arriving was spent in a zombie-like trance I had a great time and I left much, much later than I anticipated due to the fact that everyone was having such a good time that the hours just slipped by unnoticed. After spending the entire afternoon in the pool, being treated to yummy sno-cones, and then a spontaneous snowball fight, topped off by golf-carts rides around the property the kids passed out in the car on the ride home and were tucked into bed flawlessly.
Who needs fireworks!?
Okay, now where is that Benadryl.....................
