gold medal

i was out on a run the other day pushing the double stroller with 2 sick babes who desperately needed some fresh air and no music because i needed to be able to hear their little whines and whimpers

when i passed one of my neighbors on the trail,

she said as she ran past sporting her iPod and solitude

"running with a double stroller, you deserve a medal"

and you know what kept going through my mind for the rest of my run... 

 how YES, YES i did deserve a medal. 

not because i was out running, which was more for my sanity then anything.

but because i was going on week 3 of ear infections and RSV and bronchiolits and breathing treatments and antibiotics and vomit and fevers and the dreaded man cold

 (visit http://www.ashleyandamber.com/2014/03/manfreakincold.html for more info on that) 

but because i had not gone out for milk and kept on going.

and that my friends is why ALL OF US MOMS out there deserve a medal

at some time or another.

and not just any old medal, a GOLD. FREAKING. MEDAL.

because we keep waking up and showing up.

and coming back for more. 

no matter what!

i could be all "melt your heart, these three boys are my gold medals and i don't need anything more"

because they are all pretty dang fantastic and i don't know what else could be better then being a mom to these monsters, sick or healthy.

but sometimes, whether we want to admit it or not,

WE WANT MORE

nobody said to Michael Phelps or Joan Benoit. 

You are stupendous at what you do..... good job... keep it up... see ya around!!

NO, they are handed a freaking medal.

and yes i realize i'm never going to stand on a podium while the national anthem plays and be handed a shiny piece of hardware for being the best mom to play the sport!!

but i'm going to show up and lace up and do my very very best for these little men

cuz when all is said and done they really are better then any gold medal. 

but i still went and bought myself something bright and shiny 

as a reward for not putting 500 miles of open road between me and my 4 sick boys.

and for the record if i was gonna have a theme song playing while i handed myself these new kicks

it would be

"EYE OF THE TIGER" or anything from the original "FOOT LOOSE" sound track!

*

 KEEP 

CALM

AND

MOM

ON

*

The Lost Fortnight.

i worked at the hospital for a long time and i never had a patient that was admitted for exhaustion. 

So i never understood what was going on when you'd here of celebrities being hospitalized for extreme exhaustion?!

well i never understood until now. 

and i realized something. Its not so much being tired (for me at least)

its the feeling of being 100%  used up. like you have 0 left to give 

and still people want more. 

so really the only way to really truly have everyone leave you alone

is to admit yourself into the hospital, its GENIUS.

nobody is gonna ask you to do crap if you're laid up in the hospital.  

thats when people bring you treats and look at you all concerned and say

"no dont get up" "its ok just sleep" "do you need anything"

and food magically shows up for YOU when its meal time.  

hello... there should be a diagnosis called MOMATOSIS, and if you have it, you immediately get sent for a 3 day respite stay.

"DOC, I HAVE IT!"

these past two weeks have been a big fat blur of pee, potty time, undies, snot, antibiotics, inhalers, doctor visits, breathing treatments, tears, cuddles, kisses, blessings, motrin, tylenol

and ENDLESS laundry. 

Thats right people we are down to one kid in diapers around these parts, 

and it is FAN-fricken-TASTIC

I'll admit, i was super worried about potty training this monster. Nothing is ever "easy" with him.

but it was time and although i tried and tried to put it off

i caved under peer pressure and we got er' done.

after the first 3 hours i was about to concede defeat as he ran around the house peeing everywhere, and i do mean EVERYWHERE. but we found our groove. and only had 3 accidents the rest of the day. 

day 2 and 3 were much better only 1 accident each day and dry during nap time. 

Day 4 he had about 20 accidents and i couldn't figure out what was going on.

and then this happened! fever of 104. he was one sick boy. 

so i'm gonna give him a big ol' pass on day 4.

cuz since then he's been accident free. 

 So after 3 hours at the doctors office and a diagnosis of

 "i dont know" 

we were sent home with an inhaler and antibiotics.

and the task of keeping big brother away from little brother.. ya right!

 Sleep... soup... nothing seemed to help. dad even bundled up for a late night walk to see if the cold air would help with his breathing.

but we were back at the doctors for suctioning and breathing treatments 

and finally an answer.

flu A, RSV, bronchiolitis and secondary pneumonia.

blah blah blah

so he got a steroid shot

we started breathing treatments at home

 and i feel like i'm constantly at work.

 when he started feeling better and all he wanted was to make cookies, how could i say no to this face. he looks so sick and defeated it was breaking my heart. 

and then this little smily innocent face got his turn!

seriously how do you avoid it, i was a freak about washing my hands, trying to keep them away from each other, its a fetching lost cause is what it is. 

you may as well just have them share a sucker and get on with it. 

 so back to the doctor,

But Mac got the added bonus of an ear infection.

winner....ding, ding, ding.

so we've done a lot of sitting around on house arrest, trying to milk these two little lovers back to full strength. 

 

and then i realize at times like this, i take way too much for granted.

my health, healthy babies and the fact that we have doctors available to help our precious cargo when we are at a loss. medicine to make them feel better.

and a husband that honors his priesthood so he can give blessings of healing and comfort. 

So i guess i'll try to hold off on my pitty party and my hospital admission for a couple more days and see if i can get a grip and be grateful that things are finally looking up around here.