What To Do When A Storm Hits...

Yesterday was the perfect storm.

Anything that could have gone wrong - did.  Anything that could have happened to upset me - happened. After I wrote my journal and poured out my raw emotions, I went to post it and realized that a "Debt Consolidation" company had taken over my website!  Well, of course it did!  The day couldn't have ended more strangely at that point.  Well, until Gavin coughed which triggered him to gag and promptly throw up his antibiotic, tylenol and allergy meds that I had slowly and painstakingly got into him.  Or when Brian ate one too many pieces of pineapple at dinner and his mouth was burning.  If you can picture him sitting on my lap crying while I'm trying to feed Gavin and live chat with someone on the computer who was trying to help me with my blog issue...I felt like a country song.  This one, actually.  As it turns out, my domain name expired and while I thought it was set up to auto-renew...clearly it wasn't.  On May 7th at 11:59pm, they shut the lights off and I guess anyone could squat on kateleong.com.  But I paid my whopping ten bucks and all is well again.  Can someone remind me next May to pay them again?  

But I made it.  The day ended and no one died.  Thank God - a success.  At the end of the night, lying in bed, I thought the whole day really was - the perfect storm.  I could let myself drown...

Or I could choose to swim.

I texted Miss Sara and told her to stay home today.  I texted Gavin's therapists and told them all was canceled due to illness.  (Half physical, half mental!)  I woke up this morning with a plan.  I woke the boys up and we started off the day with baths.  Gavin LOVES his bath - and even attempts to really swim.  Don't believe me?  Check this out...

I stayed true to my word and remained in my pajamas ALL DAY LONG.  Brian dressed himself in his Angry Bird attire.  Actually, we all pretty much did whatever we wanted.  All day.  Somersaults on the bed?  Sure!  Splashing in the sink?  It's just water!  Hide and Seek fifty times?  Absolutely!  Movies in the play room?  Why not! Real Housewives on the DVR during naps instead of folding laundry?  You betcha!  Waffles and Ice Cream for dinner?  Makes sense to me!! 

Brian had fun trying to pee on the potty.  I pretty much let him run around naked so he can really feel when he has to go.  It's so funny to hear him say, "Uh oh!  Gotta run to the baffroom!!" and dart around the corner and down the hall.  The new seat I got is called the "Kiddyloo" and it allows Brian to easily get up and onto the seat by himself.  I don't have to lift him or position him, which is nice.  He's just too big for the little potty seats that sit on the floor.  I caught him in the act this morning...

Then, my favorite part of the day.  After the boys took short naps (and I use the word nap loosely) we had a photo session in my bedroom.  I love trying to capture great pictures of them.  It definitely cheered me up.

Brian was very affectionate all day with his big brother... 

 

Gavin's pain level was definitely better today on the Tylenol.  I was so happy to see him smiling again.

And Brian...he was smiling and laughing all day.  Which is extremely contagious.  I've said it before and I'll say it forever...it's really hard to stay sad in this house.

Thank you so much for all the comments, suggestions, support and personal stories I received after yesterday's post.  I'm so grateful, as always, for those that reach out to me and take the time to tell me their personal stories.  Or share their personal experiences that I can learn from.  It means the world to me.

So, yesterday I neglected to post my Mother's Day tribute!  This week is "Mother's Day Week" on my blog and each day I'm sharing something that my Mom did with me or for me growing up that I am now doing with my children...or hope to do in the future.  If you want to share things about your own Mom, I'd love to hear it!!  (And then be sure to call her and tell her what you told me!)

I chose this photo (one of my favorites of my gorgeous Mom) because of my choice today to swim.  :-)

This was how my Mom looked after her fifth child - me.  Incredible, right?  But more than that, she managed to make time for each of us.  There's a 6 or 7 year age difference between me and my sister, Bean...so everyone is much older than me.  When I came along the older kids were busy with all kinds of school and sports activities, I'm sure.  But I never remember feeling "not nowed"  by my Mom.  She made time to sit with me and play barbies...or house.  She read to me...and rubbed my back.  I sometimes do say "not now" and each time I do, I feel a nudge.  I hope that my children will always feel that I make time for them - individually.  And I hope that when they are my age, they look back and have a wonderful memory of their relationship with their Mommy...just as I do with mine.  (Oh, and I do hope to one day have a body like that, too.)