Weekend Update...

We've had a tough time since we came home from our trip to DC with Gavin!  The three of us came home with colds.  Gavin and Ed had it the worst and Brian was barely sick at all.  Just when I thought everyone was better - this past Thursday I was hit hard!  Next it was Brian.  And then Ed again.  This time, believe it or not, Gavin is doing the best out of all of us.

We've been just hanging out most of the weekend doing nothing.  Brian's been feeling a lot like this...

Today he started complaining that his "mouth" hurt.  And then his head hurt.  And then he stopped what he was doing and said "OW!!" with his hands over his ears.  This can't be good.  I knew at that point I'd be calling him out of school tomorrow and taking him to the doctor.  But then I grabbed the flashlight and looked in his throat.  White spots.  That sealed the deal.  I'm guessing the doctor is going to tell me Brian has strep throat (which we've gone five years without hearing!) and an ear infection or two (which Brian has never had).  I'm bummed to be breaking our streak.  Poor kid.

Lucky for us, he's been happy!  This morning while I was busy with Gavin, he sat with Ed and made snowflakes with scissors.

And all weekend he has been proclaiming it's "STICKER PARTY TIME" with a loud voice.  All day and night each one of our shirts looked like this... on the front AND back.

For the next week or so, I'll be checking every article of clothing for stickers before I put them in the washer!

Even though Gavin definitely doesn't appear as sick as Brian, I'm still a little concerned about him.  I can't look into his throat (he won't let us) - and he still has a horrible cough that has him on the nebulizer.  I will be bringing him to the doctor tomorrow, too, so he can check his ears and throat - and tell me how much longer he'll need the nebulizer.  He's taking Pulmocort and I don't want him on it any longer than he has to be.  Also, last time he was in to see the doctor he had a great big, hard ball of wax in his right ear.  The doctor traumatized Gavin trying to dig it out - so he gave up.  He told me to put Hydrogen Peroxide in his ear each night for a week.  I literally pour it into his ear and it bubbles up.  Gavin HATES it.  I'm hoping tomorrow when he looks, the wax will have broken up and disintegrated from these peroxide treatments.

Other than that, our resident superhero has been having a GREAT weekend!  He's been walking around getting used to his new shoes and getting into all kinds of mischief.  This morning, he was in the kitchen and I walked into the playroom and left him for a couple minutes.  He saw his cup of water in the middle of the kitchen table and decided to take matters into his own hands to get to it.  He climbed onto the kitchen chair, kneeled up to reach his water and then sat himself down to drink it!!  I couldn't believe it.

He was pretty darn proud.

Every day I have to get used to something new.  I love it.

That's Just Gavin...

The last couple days have been quiet around here.  Yesterday it was just the four of us.  Gavin, Brian, Me... and the GIANT cold that has taken over our house.  Everyone is sick.  Daddy, Mommy, Gavin and Brian.  As usual... and unfortunately... Gavin has it the worst.  He's been running fevers up to 101.3 both days.  I haven't panicked about him only because he's eating, drinking and active.  He sounds really awful though.  It's ironic that we'd come home from our visit to Washington National Medical Center with a cold.  The nurse practitioner, Meganne, and I discussed having Gavin add a Pulmonologist to his list of specialists.  When I told her that he has a hard time managing his secretions when he's sick (and coughing like he is now) she said I should try to get him a "Cough Assist Vest."  The pulmonologist would be able to help me accomplish that.  He has used these vests before during hospitalizations and I seriously wanted to try to fit it in my purse on the way out.  I'd be very excited if I could get one for him.  And I really wish I had one now.  Until then, the percussion I do on his back with my cupped hand to get him to cough will have to do.  It's hard for me to sleep at night as I'm typically glued to the monitor.  When Gavin's sick, his breathing is terrible - and his apnea comes right back.  I usually have to go in and suction him multiple times.  My tricks when he's congested are to smear Vicks on the soles of his feet and put socks on... leave the Vicks jar open on his dresser for added vapors... and turn a cool mist humidifier on low along with his heater on low.  I know I don't need to tell the Moms out there - taking care of sick children when you are sick is the pits!

Yesterday morning we had a visit from Orthologix!  They came to deliver Gavin's awesome new orthotics!  He is still wearing "Sure Steps" - but in bigger size and a new design.  We chose the Superman logo which was transferred onto the plastic molds.  I mean what else would we choose but Superman?  So all day yesterday and all day today we wore them two hours on, two hours off to break them in.  Come Monday he'll be good to go to wear them all day at school.  New and bigger orthotics means new and bigger shoes!  I immediately ordered four different pairs to try from Zappos - they ship free and I can return the ones that don't work for free.  I love when I don't have to leave the house and shlep kids and strollers and such.

Brian has been a remarkably sweet brother over the last two days.  If he goes to the refrigerator to get himself a drink, he gets Gavin's cup and hands it to him.  If Brian and I are reading or playing and Gavin wanders off into another room - the slightest cough from Gavin will send Brian running.  "I'm just going to go check to see if Gavin's okay, Mommy.  I'll be right back!"  And, when he usually kisses Gavin he freaks out when his face gets wet from his brother's drool.  But yesterday he gave Gavin a big kiss - followed by a hug that he forced on him - and when I asked if he wanted a cloth to wipe his face off, his response got me a little emotional.  "That's okay, Mommy.  That's just Gavin.  His face is wet a lot but I love him."

Some days I'm honestly not sure how I got so lucky.