Sick kids = tired mom

When one has four kids, you think "Man! That's a lot of laundry/food/cleaning/expenses!" but you never really think about viruses. Ugh! This week, they are passing them back and forth faster than I can keep track. Last week Pooks had a rash that they thought was Strep, the culture came back negative though so it was deemed ''viral''. Let it run it's course and on Monday, Peanut woke up and didn't want to do anything. He fell asleep on the couch numerous times, didn't want to eat or drink and when he finally did drink, he puked...everywhere! After that he seemed fine and scarfed down everything. Wednesday night Sissy spiked a fever of 101.9. Thursday morning she woke up dry...which never happens. That means she hadn't peed since 6pm the night before. By 10am she still hadn't peed (despite having nursed twice, drank a cup of water and a sippy cup of diluted cranberry juice) and her fever was up to 103.6. I got her into the doctor and she had a bulging eardrum and possibly a UTI but they didn't feel the need to cath her to test since either way, she needed antibiotics. She was put on antibiotics and tylenol/motrin. She finally did pee on the way home, so I was feeling much better!

So Friday starts out pretty good; she has a low fever but is back to her usual self. Napping more but she is also cutting a tooth so I figured that was par for the course. By Friday afternoon, Pooks has a horrible cough. Not just any cough but a barking cough. So I am 99% confident that he has croup so after consulting Dr.Google I see that other than Tyleonl/Vicks the only other thing I can really do is cool steam and maybe an inhaler. Both of which we have. I think we have finally kicked this crap. Until Saturday morning when as I'm getting Peanut dressed I notice that he has these bumps all over his feet and toes...even on the bottoms of his feet.

"Look at all my bug bites Mom''

Ummm...."I don't think those are bug bites hon. Let me see your hands"

Yep, blistery bumps on hands and feet.

"Peanut, let me see in your mouth''.

Yep, whitish blisters in his mouth.

So I call the doctor because while I know he has ''Hand, Foot, Mouth'' I don't know how to treat it and I thought as long as I'm at the clinic I can get them to check Pooks cough out.

Dr. Mommy was right; HFM for Peanut, and while five year olds can't officially have ''Croup'' he said to treat Pooks like I was. Maybe give him a spoonful of honey to help the coughing fits in addition to the vicks and inhaler as needed.

So now it's Sunday, we've got one kid with Hand, Foot, Mouth which is highly contagious and likely to spread. One kid with something viral causing a ''croup like'' cough, one kid one antibiotics for an ear infection who is also cutting a molar and a (so far!) perfectly healthy six year old. All of this means a very, very tired mom. A mom who also has a toothache and is sorta, kinda terrified because on Tuesday I get to go to the Italian dentist to get it looked out. Since my Italian doesn't go much farther than words necessary for greetings and ordering Gelato/Pizza, this could get interesting.

I love having four kids. I really, truly do. I know some people think we're nuts, especially with how close in age our crew is but I wouldn't change it for the world. Honestly, if I *had* to make one change, it would be that we had Sissy sooner so that her and Peanut were closer in age. Yeah, you heard me....22 months isn't as easy at 13 months or 18 months. But no one thinks about how hand me downs aren't the only thing they are passing around! Please for the sake of B and I's sanity, let the kids kick this junk...today!