Tips & Tricks »

you and/or others are probably ill by now.  handle each as it hits.  clean the child, put stuff in puke piles, clean yourself, ready for the next round.  over and over and over.  keep the laundry going best you can.  find a clean spot that no one can get to (again, in theory!) like a table, dresser, you get the idea, to put the clean laundry as it comes out.  not the time to worry about folding or putting away.  just piles.  and only wash what you’ll need:  blankets, towels, underwear. 

you’ll also probably still have some little people that are not sick and are amazingly asking to be fed.  pull out your easiest meals and go easy on yourself.  viennie weanies, bread, fruit, poptarts, chips, whatever you don’t have to actually fix - you probably won’t have the time for prep or cleanup for awhile. 

still no food or drink for the sickies.  as soon as the puke stops - ice chips.  we don’t have anyway to chip it so i pulled out a ziplock and a hammer the other day.  my 6 year old thought i’d lost my mind!  the idea behind this is keeping them hydrated and making them not drink a bunch at once - they have no self-control.  and when they’re still sick when anything hits their stomach - up it comes.  if you have a well adult to help - send them for pedia pops, usually sold unfrozen in the baby food section.  if you can’t get these, get pedia-lyte and freeze it - i’ve not seen a kid yet that will actually drink the stuff.  if you can’t get these - get regular pop-ice popsicles.  while that adult is at the store get:  sprite or 7-up, chicken noodle soup, saltine crackers, mashed potatoes, applesauce, bananas, bread, and white rice.  these things constitute the B.R.A.T. diet. (Banana, Rice, Applesauce, Toast).  the idea is white.  easy on the tummy.  they won’t actually eat these yet, but you want them on hand when the war is over.  my kiddos won’t eat plain toast, but jelly isn’t a great idea yet, so i smear applesauce on it and it works like a charm.

you’re now in the wait and see mode.  if they hold the ice chips down and don’t dry heave for about 2 hours, more ice chips and on to popsicles.  2 more hours, another popsicle more ice chips.  4-5 hours of no puke?  then you can graduate to sprite - still only about 1/4 - 1/2 cup at a time.  an hour and no puke?  more.  eventually you’ll graduate to the more solids of the above group.  if at any point they puke again - start over.  nothing, and then ice chips, then popsicles, sodas, up to solids.   

okay, this where it gets even grosser.  if you have a weak stomach - consider yourself warned.  if their lower stomach begins its own war then you get to change your battle plan a bit.  if you have a potty training toddler or just potty-trained - don’t stress out.  just put that pull-up or diaper back on them.  you haven’t ruined everything you’ve taught.  you haven’t blown it.  they’ll go right back to where they were when it hit.  you’re just being smart.  heck, if i had a diaper i’d put one on too when i’m in that condition.  (too much info?  yeah, i thought so too.  sorry.)  i even offered one to my 4 year old the other day.  he declined, but the offer was on the table.  when they have to do both at the same time and you have the dilemma of which one to clean up - set their be-hind on the potty and give them something to be sick into.  as i said before i don’t have enough trash cans.  but i have a million of these empty containers around. 

 (we use them for rinsing hair in the bath, experiments, name it)  it’s wide enough to hit, easy enough for little ones to hold.  and a handle for you when you need to dump it into the potty.  put some bleach in it, swirl it, dump it again, and set that gross little thing by the potty for the next sick kid.  when the war is completely over just throw it out with the trash.  ah, no clean up.   

keep this up for as long as it takes.  you’ll watch your house fall apart around you.  it’s okay.  keep telling yourself, “it’s okay.”  the little people (and you, if you’re sick too) are more important.  all that cereal your 2 year old dumped?  it can stay right where it is and may provide a much needed snack for your almost 1 year old.  i only kid a little.  quit worrying about keeping the well ones away from the sick ones.  in a family of a bunch of little ones so close in age - it probably isn’t going to happen.  it just isn’t.  pacis will be shared, popsicles will be passed, they will pile up with each other, grab the gross blanket…  just accept that you can’t possibly wash all of their hands enough, you can’t spray every surface with lysol enough.  you just can’t do what people with fewer kids or with older kids or with their kids spread out in age can do.  you just can’t.  accept that it’s probably going to hit everyone and pray for the opposite.  ah, now you’re relieved of even more undue stress and guilt.  battle of the mind, people.  battle of the mind.

if you have a baby that sleeps with you, can’t be put down, generally spoiled as mine is, then you have a different battle.  accept that there will be much crying.  feel the guilt being released?  put them down, handle the immediate crisis, switch the laundry (all while listening to the baby wail) and then when the sick one is settled, pick up the screamer.  you’ll have to do this again and again.  even at 2 in the morning.  but, remember, there is no day or night in the world of little pukers and dookers.  it’s all the same.  baby pukes while crying in the swing while you’re cleaning up the last crisis?  wipe his mouth, check to make sure he’s safe, finish what you’re doing amd include him in the current shower.  diaper him.  move back to the other child, settle them, and then dress and settle baby.  you just juggle.  assess and juggle. 

this next part is probably not going to be popular.  i normally don’t call my husband home from work or get him up in the middle of the night.  he needs rest and he needs to work.  when i have called him, i’ve regretted it.  most of the time you can handle it, you just don’t want to.  there have been a couple of exceptions when i could barely walk to the bathroom, much less fill a sippy cup.  i promise you, though, most of the time it’s a battle of the mind.  you can do it.  and if they work or sleep, they’ll be in a much better condition to help the way you need it most when they are able come to your rescue.  see their help as an option that should not be used unless absolutely necessary.  you’ll have much less anger and resentment.  really.  i’ve tried it both ways and i’m always a much happier person when i don’t demand his help.

the war usually only lasts about 12 hours.  keep reminding yourself of this.  hydration is the key.  and the key to that is a little at a time very often.  if it’s a particularly violent virus (throwing up every 20 minutes or so) start a teaspoon of water every 20 minutes or so.  they’ll probably throw it up anyway, but they may absorb more than you think.  if you’re breastfeeding - keep breastfeeding.  if they refuse for a while, it’s okay, they’ll be back.  keep yourself hydrated and remember that your supply will probably drop for the next day and a half.  just let ‘em nurse as often as they want, they’ll pull it back in and won’t starve.  the more you nurse, the more you’ll have. 

as always, i must say, this is just what we do.  check with your doctor.  call your pediatrician.  i’m neither of these, nor am i a lactation consultant.  this is just what’s worked for us for 6 years and 4 kids now.  go with your gut, if it doesn’t feel right, it’s probably not.  if they’re not showing signs of stopping in a couple of hours, go to the doctor or e.r.  i feel as though, i need to scream at you, “I AM NOT AN EXPERT AT ANYTHING OTHER THAN MY OWN FAMILY.”  they are all that i’m responsible for, i just know i like to read how other people handle daily life with a larger family, and i thought you might be interested too. 

good luck, fellow puke warriors, you’ll need it.  but i know in the end, your house will be clean, your babies will be well, and you’ll be back blogging with me soon!   

Tips & Tricks »

going hand-in-hand with the 2 under 2 posts, i thought i’d do a “how i do what i do” series.  now, please know, i’m not telling you how to do anything in your own life.  and if what i tell you leads to some unfortunate series of events then know that i’m not liable for your life.  i’m just telling you what works for me.  having said all of the stuff that i have to say, i’ll go on to say what i want to say.

 as you all know last week the virus hit us hard and all at once.  and i realized i handled it so much better than i did when i only had two kiddos.  and that’s because i have a plan, that’s well used now.

the first battle is one of the mind.  when the first child starts throwing up i prepare my mind for war.  i realize all plans i had are now off.  period.  on the way to the movies?  let it go.  planning for the zoo?  nope, no chance.  a shopping trip alone?  forget it.  sleeping?  through.  now that you’ve gotten yourself happy about serving others and knowing that getting your plans cancelled is not the end of the world you can move on to the action part of your plan.

get your child into the bath.  put the clothes in the floor of the bathroom.  at this stage it’s all about the child.  get them clean, settled, reassured.  if they’re little and you got covered too, then get right in the shower with them.  you usually have a small window of peace before the next wave of vomit.  in this window - get busy.  start the laundry.  and start a pile in the laundry room that will be reserved as puke pile.  this is where you revisit the mind battle.  just know that at some point you won’t be wading through throw up, but while there are more than one going at it and especially if you’re one of the ones, you’re just gonna have puke piles.

we don’t have lots of trash cans.  in fact, we only have 2 in the house, which is not nearly enough.  and my experience with very small ones all puking at once, they rarely hit the target and you don’t have time to sit with each child.  put a towel in the floor closest to them.  lay them on one of those waterproof mattress pads (you know, the flat ones that are crib size?)  then put a couple of large towels on top of this.  drape them all over the side of the bed, couch, wherever you put them.  now, in theory, they have a fairly protected area to cover.

when there are 2 you just handle the most immediate issue and move to the next.  keep that laundry going - the puke piles should be building by now.  turn on the tv and park them there.  for the duration.  i don’t care if you normally don’t watch much tv - now is the time, people.  and drop all schedules.  nobody naps?  oh well.  they’re napping at 7pm?  it’ll be all right. 

at this point, cut all food and liquids.  you’re in survival mode.  just hunker down and take the attacks.  and enjoy the relative calm, because you probably only have one throwing up right now.  get all your towels in one spot, find all the quilts and blankets you have - you’ll probably go through more than you can imagine.  gather your wits about you and get ready for round 2.

(part 2 to follow)

TheySay »

we were hanging out at my parents-in-law last night.  my mother-in-law and i were watching the boys play magnetic darts and i joined in.  being so proud of my teaching and parenting skills, i began to ask them what it used to be called in archery when the arrow misses the mark.  right on cue, they both say, “sin!”  and i continue on reviewing them about how we all miss the mark and we all sin, yada, yada, yada…  (you can just hear the “i’m the best mama in the world” oozing from my lips)  and then i say, “so who’s the only One who never missed the mark?”

my oldest excitedly yells, “ROBIN HOOD!”

TheBetterHalf »

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TheKiddos »

TheKiddos »

TheKiddos »

(you know, the substitute for snow in southern arkansas)

doesn’t everyone have to wear a pink tutu in the sleet?

Understanding »

i missed y’all.  more than you know.

(this ain’t gonna be no G rated post, by the way.)

the good news is all i and all 4 children got the pukin’ and dookin’ stomach virus at the same time.  from midnight right up until bedtime last night. 

no, you read me correctly, i said good news.  because it is now over and we are free to move about our lives.  one fell swoop and i can now pick up the pieces of our vomit war torn home.  but i’m already well on my way.  i have had my coveted-oh-so-missed cup of caffiene this morn.  my children have begun day 1 of our revised BRAT diet, the dishes have been loaded, laundry load number 581 has been put into the washer with only approximately 78 left to go.  plans to fold are for later on, not even thinking about it today.  also on the schedule for today.  a bunch of nothin’.  sittin’.  watchin’ spy kids 3 for the umpteenth time (who’s the fool that dvr’d that anyway?)  and a hit and miss attempt to make my house smell more like a bath and body works dream and less like the stink of the garbage outside a school cafeteria.

here’s to a new day.  may yours be as fragrant as mine.