First of I must say, and it will soon be clear as to why, I am verily glad that I can freely talk about this. There, I said it. Secondly, this is verily a long post. The day was big (x2) after all.
J’s birthday. Ok, how to begin? I woke up much too early, coughing.
Just one of those mornings, you know? I laid there thinking about all
the details of the day until J woke up. Mom! Mooooooooom! MOM! I
got J up, changed his diaper (yes, diaper still) and then told hubby
that I was going to take a shower, please take care of the boys. Plural
because, as all parents of more than one child knows, when one is up,
the other one gets up soon after.
[prep work for party]
Oh wait, hold it. I forgot to mention I gave J a dose of Benadryl.
Yesterday, he woke up in the morning and from his nap with red
splotches and hives. I called the phone nurse who told me to get him
off the Amoxicillin which he was taking for his ear infection. No more
splotches today. Yay!
As I am going to my bedroom, I hear hubby yelling about the Benadryl
and how much was J supposed to have and why did I leave the bottle,
uncapped, within his reach?
Oh no.
[/prep work]
[call poison control]
There wasn’t much left. I called poison control and they had me
measure what remained. Then guesstimate how much was there to begin
with, which was just about half full. So she determined that he’d had
about 8 tsp. when the dose for his weight, according to her records is
1 tsp. (3/4 tsp. by the doctors). At least it wasn’t life threatening.
She just said to watch him and if he sleeps (which was ok), to check on
him and make sure he was responsive and keep him well hydrated.
[/call poison control]
My poor baby fought sleep for about three hours. He sat and watched
a movie, refusing anything like pillows or blankets that would remind
him of sleep. He “played” outside with is brother which really meant he
was watching instead. He sat for at least 10 minutes in a chair while
he waited for his cake to be brought out. I told people we owed him a
birthday because he wasn’t going to remember any of this! I must say,
though, that the cake sure woke him up. He gladly ate more icing than
was good for him (well, it’s just once a year). He was cranky. He was
resenting the questions about sleep and being sleepy so much that I
coined it the “S-word.”
He did take a nap. He protested (it almost became the “n-word”) but
we read his new books and after that he was content to be tucked in,
holding his new Matchbox bulldozer and boat. My poor little baby! I was
so excited about his party and his turning three. He was so excited
about the cake and the presents, too. But God did work it out in the
end and J did have fun.
So then that party was over. However, we had another one.
My hubby is turning 40! We had a party for him today. My hubby, whom
I love dearly though he stayed home from Monday afternoon until
Thursday of this past week, giving me the most brief, fleeting moments
when I could actually check email for RSVPs, had a birthday party, too,
only it was a surprise to him.
I had schemed for a few months before. I emailed people and asked them
to reserve the date. I had no clue who would or could come. People from
high school, our old bible study group, college, old jobs…I left no
stone unturned.
Well, I managed to keep it a secret until the very last few minutes.
Yesterday, his friend and my accomplice in the duplicity, convinced
him they needed to have a “guy thing” after J’s party since his wife
was “at a women’s retreat at church. JM gladly agreed. Friend told him,
of course, they would have to help clean up.
Then when I was approached, I hemmed and hawed, but agreed it was
ok, as long as they would help clean up. *Ding* goes the small alarm in
JM’s brain.
Today, they leave after cleaning up (very well I might add),
although an hour late. And I needed that hour! Everyone who knows me
knows I move slowly. Verily. That and I’m scatter-brained, but that’s a
different issue.
So they leave and go to hang out at different places at the mall.
Boring! JM wants to go to Friend’s house to play some new game he got,
but Friend says no because his wife didn’t want anyone there because
she didn’t clean and whatnot, but they head there anyway. Only it’s a
half hour before they’re expected at our house which was, by now, full
of people. Friend’s wife calls Friend to have him come home (I forget
what she told him the reason was that he had to go to my house). Then
my SIL calls my brother and tells him he has to come back because of
car trouble.
*Alarm bells go off wildly*
Two calls? At the same time? To come to our house? Dead giveaway. Oh
well…he thought there might be a chance we’d have a party for him
today. He even put it on his cell phone as a calendar alarm (the
audacity!). Then time passed and he forgot the idea. He even forgot
about it and handled J’s birthday.
It’s all okay, though. We did get him somewhat. He did enjoy the
company of friends and family who greeted him for his 40th and many
were faces we hadn’t seen in years. I was nice and got plain “40 But
Who’s Counting?” banners. His sister, with access to medical supplies,
brought with her a hospital gown, a walker (the special kind you can
also sit in), reading glasses, organic prunes and an adult diaper. He
did draw the line at the diaper.
We had a great time and too much food. I can feed two armies with
our leftovers! Can you believe I had my first meal today at 8:30 p.m.?
I missed breakfast and lunch and had dinner after things were cleaned
up. I did have two bites of cake. All day I ran on adrenaline and God’s
strength. But it was so worth it!
He’s turning 40! And I’ve known him for most of his life (we started
dating when he was 19 so it’s officially over half). I love, love, love
him! I know God loves me because he gave me my hubby =)
