Whirlwind

FYI: This is the LONGEST post in history...well my history anyway, so proceed with caution.

What a crazy couple of weeks we have had around this house!  Keith left for Egypt on January 19th for work and was supposed to be back on the 26th. He didn't get back until the 30th. And it was pure craziness. He is an avionics technician, which in laymans terms means that he works on the electrical components of private airplanes. They had just finished an airplane for a Saudi businessman a couple of weeks before they got the call to go to Egypt. The Saudi businessman decided to leave before everything had been checked out thoroughly, and sure enough, when he got back home, things started going wrong. They tried to explain to his people how to fix it over the phone but it wasn't happening. So Keith and a coworker of his, had to go all the way to Egypt to fix it because it would be way to expensive for the man to bring his plane back here. I was just  a little stressed out. I've never been away from Keith for more than a couple of days and never with a baby. I know people take care of their babies all the time by themselves but I've never had to and it was a little shocking. Much respect for all you single parents out there. I don't know how you do it all the time!

So he left on the 19th and it wasn't too bad. I was by myself until Friday and then my mom came and spent the weekend with me and Vince. We had lots of fun shopping but then on Saturday, Vincey started feeling yucky. He'd had a cough all day but we really didn't pay too much attention to it because he didn't feel like he had a fever. When we got home though, I got him out of the car, and he was burning up. I took his temp and it was only 101. Not too bad from what I hear. I gave him some baby Motrin and he went to sleep. The next morning, Mom was leaving, and Vince still did not feel good. He still had a temp when he woke up but it didn't get very high for the rest of the day. So mom left around 1:30 and Vince and I hung out until it was time to go to bed. He slept in his crib until about 11 and then he started coughing really bad and tossing and turning. So I got him out of his crib and put him in bed with me propped up on some pillows. I didn't get ANY sleep. I had never slept with him in the bed before and I basically just watched him all night. I'm pretty sure I might have dozed a little but every sound he made snapped me right out of it. I called into work at about 12:30 knowing that I wasn't going to be good for work tomorrow. But when I woke up, I saw that I didn't have a sub and I had no way to make lesson plans. So I went into work and wrote Mama Carmen a note telling her what was going on and letting her know that if he got worse, to call and I would pick him up. I did not want to leave him because he didn't feel good and when I left, for the first time, he looked back at me and held out his arms and started whining. He's NEVER done that before! So needless to say I cried a little on the way to work. I called the doctor right when they opened and they could get me in at 3:20. Perfect! I could still stay at work for most of the day but I could get in. When I got to the doctor, there were tons of little ones there with a cough. One of the ladies I was sitting next to said there was a big RSV outbreak. Yay! Just what I wanted to hear. So we get into the room, and the nurse takes his temp with the long metal thing they stick under the armpit. He was NOT liking this. He threw his head back and thrashed around and whined. When she finished taking it, he was still pissy and I was listening to what she was saying. He threw his head and body back and before I could stop him, he hit his head REALLY hard on the wooden armrest of the chair. He immediately flipped out and started crying like he never had before. Then I started crying and the poor nurse was trying to console us. I apologized and told her that I was just stressed out because my husband was out of town and Vince had never been sick before. By this point, I had been rushing around the last half of the day and never made it to the bathroom so I had to go BAD! I asked the nurse if there was a bathroom. I was just going to figure out a way to go to the bathroom and hold the baby at the same time. Nuts I know, but I was desperate! She kindly asked me if I would like her to hold him while I went to the restroom and I thanked her profusely and hauled a#@ to the bathroom. I'm sure I broke a world record for fastest time peeing and washing hands. :) We finally got to see the doctor and she checked him out and said that he basically had RSV but that there was nothing they could do about it. It would just have to run it's course. Sleep him propped up, use a humidifier, keep his nose suctioned, and use baby vicks. All of the things I was ALREADY doing. Oh and keep his fever down with Tylenol or Motrin. Ok. I asked her what would call for us to take a trip to the ER and she said that if his breathing got labored then I should go. Or his temp was 103 or higher for a long period of time without going down.

We leave and I am stressed to the max. Sick baby, husband out of town, can't go to work, and so on. I called mom and immediately break down. I told her I would be okay but I just needed to get this out. Being the awesome mommy she is, she told me she was coming back. Mind you she had just left on Sunday and now it's Monday afternoon. I argued for about half a second and then I said ok. I needed my mommy! :) I felt bad but I knew by now that she was coming no matter what. She got here on Monday  night and didn't leave until Thursday morning. We added an ER trip on Tuesday night for good measure because we thought he couldn't breathe very well. They sucked a ton of mucus out of his nose, gave him some more motrin, and sent us home. Turns out it wasn't the kind of labored breathing that was threatening. Whew!! The next day he seemed to be feeling better but mom stayed the night anyway because she is the best mommy in the world! By Thursday morning, he was on the up and up. Went to Mama Carmen's and I went to school and we were fine. Until Friday afternoon that is.

I had been talking to Keith the whole time and he had gone from Cairo to Istanbul, Turkey. He was only supposed to be gone until Wednesday the 26th but it had been pushed back to Saturday the 29th, his birthday. Okay, I could deal a little longer. I was spending the night with Mike and Sherry, Keith's parents, on Friday so that I could go pick up Keith at the airport on Saturday afternoon. And because I didn't want to be alone anymore and Vince needed to see his Grams and Papa. :) Keith told me that they had to fly back to Cairo to catch a flight to Germany and then Dallas. I thought this was the stupidest thing ever as did he. But nothing to be done about it. On Sunday, I saw a news article about the riots in Cairo and called mom in to look at it. Weird but we didn't really think too much of it. He flew into Cairo for a 14 hour layover on Friday night (their time) afternoon our time. He got there in the afternoon sometime I think and everything was fine. He called me at 12:00pm our time at school. He called me from the hotel phone since there was no internet or cell service there. He sounded a little crazed when I answered the phone and told me what was going on. I immediately freaked out and he told me to calm down, that they were fine. They were just going to have to stay in the hotel room and they didn't think they would make their flight which was supposed to leave at 4:50 in the morning. He said the riots were going on right outside their hotel room and that they had already got into their hotel and stole some things. They weren't being hostile to the people in the hotel, just stealing. He could only talk for a minute because the had to make some other phone calls and each call cost a ton of money. I could care less about the money but I'm not the one paying for it either. :) He said he would call when they knew more. I was suprisingly calm for the rest of the day at school because there was nothing I could do. I called Sherry after school and told her about it. I was supposed to go over there that night but by the time I got home (we had parent conferences until 4:30) and fed Mr. Boy, he was out like a light. I hadn't packed anything yet and the thought of having to do it overwhelmed me and I called Sherry and told her that we would be there in the morning.  I know she wanted me to be there and she wanted to help us but I couldn't allow anyone in my disgusting, messy house. I was too ashamed! :)  I really appreciate them offering to come over though. Meanwhile, everyone on my side of the family it seems, was calling offering help and making suggestions. I was a little overwhelmed but extremely grateful for all the help that was offered. Keith had called again and said that the airplane that he was working on was going to give them a ride back to Turkey so they could catch a flight to Germany and then to Dallas. Yay!! He is extremely lucky that the man had a brother in Cairo as well or Keith would probably still be stuck there and I would've had a nervous break down already. He was scheduled to get here on Sunday at 2:15. Praise Jesus! I, along with a few others, posted on Facebook asking people to pray and they definitely did! It was awesome to see so many people praying for him and us. Sherry watched Vince while I ran a few errands on Saturday and then we spent the night over there. It was great and just what we needed. Thanks guys! Mike  cooked the most awesome pork chops and macaroni and cheese and Sherry made a great salad that I washed down with a couple glasses of wine. :)

We were all ready for Keith to get home on Sunday. Vincey and I took a nap around 1:00 and then got up around 2:00. Mike offered to go pick Keith up from the airport and I let him because I hate the airport and always get lost. I am directionally challenged. It's terrible. Anyway, Sherry, Vince, and I waited for them to get home. Brad went with Mike and waited for him at the terminal. He said he was going to take a picture of him when he got off the plane but he took so long that his battery died right before he got off. :) It seemed like they were taking forever!!  They didn't pull up until about 4:45 and Vince and I were outside waiting for him. He got out of the car and came over to us and Vince looked at him and smiled this big ol smile like, "Hey daddy! Where have you been?" I almost cried but I held it together. We missed Daddy very much and realized how much he does for us and that we don't like it when he's gone. At all!

So that's what's been going on in our world. And our baby is almost 8 months old. He will be on the 3rd. He weighed a little over 20 pounds when I took him to the doctor on Monday. But he has thinned out a lot. He's not quite a round ball anymore. I can see his neck now when he sits up. :)  He's still chunky, just not as. He sits up all by himself now for long periods of time and loves to play with all his toys. His favorite is the Jungle light up toy from Vtech. And he still loves Sophie the Giraffe. He has two teeth now that have started popping out. They are so cute! He really hasn't had a hard time with them yet but he is starting to become really fussy at odd times and I think this is why. But so far he hasn't woken up in the middle of the night with them hurting. I'm so glad about that because I've heard that some babies do. Hopefully it will stay that way.  He has really started to let you know how he feels lately. And not just by crying. It's like he gets a little attitude with you. He will swat my hand away or pinch a little when he doesn't like something. Or when he's done with his formula he will push it away. He eats three meals a day along with formula now and he loves his Baby Mum-Mums. Little rice husks that dissolve easily that they can knaw on for those of you who have no idea what they are. He drinks water from a sippy cup and LOVES that. I think it feels good on his gums and teeth. He cries every time we try to lay him down for a nap but then he is out in about 2.4 seconds. It's so funny how one minute he will be crying and the next he is dead asleep. Babies are so funny. I wish I could do that. He laughs out loud now and I love it so much! He likes to be read to and Grams got us these cool flip flap type books that he can lift up a flap and see what's underneath. He loves those and actually knows to flip them up to see what's underneath. He loves peek-a-boo and patty cake and I can't get enough of all the smiles I get when we play or sing. We can't imagine our lives without this little stinker. I'm sure there is more but I think I've written enough for a month. :)

Love you all and thanks for praying!
Jen and Keith

Ain't that the truth!

I'm a sweet boss though momma!

Can't give those cheeks enough kisses!

Loves those toe-toes.

Finally got one with Vince and Sarah.

Mommy's favorite! Love that grin.

This was the day I started running a fever. I look a little sickly.

Sick with my Granny Jan.

My cheeks were really rosy while I was sick.

Hey, what's that?

Feeling MUCH better!

You better watch out Mack.

You will do what I say giraffe!

Or I will bite your tail off!

Little man.