"Stayin' Alive"

This week Brian & I experienced a "first" for two different life stages:  The Flu.  The last time Brian & I had the flu was Christmas of 2008, the year we were engaged.  This means that having the flu this week was a first for our marriage.  It was also the first time we experienced dual sickness while being parents.  Let me tell you, it. is. rough.  Trying to take care of a toddler who doesn't yet understand what "mommy doesn't feel good" means is a very trying experience.  It all started on Sunday at Issac's birthday party.

Carly and Issac are just over a week a part and Jenny and I had fun time going through our final trimester of pregnancy together after meeting at church on Christmas Eve of 2011. We try to get together as often as we can, but living 40 minutes a part sure makes that hard!  Needless to say, here are a few pics from Issac's first birthday party.

The very happy birthday boy

Miss C watching Issac open presents

Trying to play with the big girls

Me, C, Issac & Jenny

Monday evening when Carly went to sleep her cheeks were ruby red, but she wasn't showing any signs of sickness, so we didn't think much of it.  As she was crawling from the living room to the kitchen Tuesday morning, she paused and heaved!  She was rather discombobulated by the whole thing and I quickly picked her up to take her to the sink.  That's when I was doused in real life child vomit for the first time as a mama.  What a special memory. ;)  After getting cleaned up, she was essentially unphased by being sick, and went on playing as normal.  She kept asking for food (obviously, she was hungry all day from not having food in her belly) and each time she ate it would all come back up.  I actually had to go into work to close at the World of Disney that evening, so Brian was granted leaving work a bit early and came home to care for our sickie bug. I wondered what was wrong, but after posting on Facebook and finding out that two of the little girls who were also at the party had the flu, it cleared that wonder right up. 

My evening at World of Disney was very fun, as many of the Cast Members (lol...we have to capitalize "Cast" and "Guests" in reports, so that's a habit) I had worked with when I first started working for Disney remembered me and were happy to see my in a management role.  It was a late, late night, not pulling out of the parking lot until after 2am.  One very strange thing happened at work that evening: I ran into my best friend from middle school/high school.  It's a very strange story, but her and I were nearly inseparable for years...we practically lived at each others homes.  She even "dated" Brian first and encouraged me to date him since she thought him and I would be more compatible.  She was there for me when our relationship ended and spent the next year gallivanting about the Gilbert High dances with random friends of the guy I was dating from that high school.  We shared a love for music, went to the same youth group, fit into all the same clothes and had the same hobbies.  She suddenly left the end of our Junior year of high school and never came back.  I received one phone call from her that summer, but never spoke to her again.  There was a lot of hurt from that whole experience and I never received closure from it.  I cried over losing her for years, and have never gotten that close to a girlfriend again.  Seeing her was at first, exciting, as I leaped at the opportunity to give her hug, but then it became quite awkward.  What do you say to someone you were so close to and haven't seen in nearly a decade?  Do you make small talk (which is what we attempted at doing), or do you go on a 5-minute monologue about your lives?  Anyway, I cried the whole way home that night.  Seeing her brought back a lot of unresolved emotions and reminded me of how much I missed her.  She would have been a bridesmaid in my wedding, we likely would have gone to the same college...been life long friends. But she just left.  And that was the end. I never thought I'd see her again. Weird. 

Wednesday we had a nice family day (after I slept in from being up until 3am, of course) and got some fresh air at EPCOT.  It was the first day of the Flower and Garden Festival and I, of course, forgot my camera!!  I did take it out to snap a photo of my loves watching the ISU game Wednesday evening, though!  Go State!

And that's when it happened...sickness overtook my body and I was out for the count! I fought throwing up for hours...I would run to the toilet and wouldn't be able to let go.  I finally made Brian get up and get me a bucket.  He didn't understand why I couldn't go in the toilet.  I must be the only child who grew up barfing in a bucket next to my bed?  Like I mentioned, I haven't been sick since college, and during that break I happened to be home...so I don't think I've ever been sick anywhere but under the gentle care of my mother.  She took great care of us when we were sick...making sure we had ample amounts of blankets, TV, 7UP, chicken noodle soup...and a bucket and towel right next to our bed so we didn't have to get up when we felt ill.  She would hear us in the night and come empty and clean our bucket and place it back by our bed.  Needless to say, I was wishing I was at my mama's house during my flu episode.  A sleepy husband just isn't the same, especially when he is frustrated at me for not spewing in the toilet! Yuck!! ;)

About 3am I was desperately craving 7UP, so when Brian came into the bedroom at 6am (I had given him permission go sleep in the guest room about midnight) I pleaded with him to run to 7-11 to get me a BIG Gulp of 7UP, only to find out he had joined my club.  He was a trooper, though, and ran the errand then came back and took the first shift with Carly.  I took over at 9:30 and did the next shift until 2 (she took a nap in there, though).  It was like that all evening long. We were so thankful when bedtime rolled around...tucked her in and then hit the hay ourselves!  I was still pretty sick this morning so Brian got up with Carly, then he was able to steal a nap this afternoon.  By 1pm I was feeling pretty good, so I took Carly out of the house for a grocery store run and a gingerly jog with some much needed play time outside.  We made it through...can you believe it?!  I think both Brian and I questioned if we were going to get through this about 36 hours ago.

Well that about recaps our week in a nutshell. I'm thankful I worked on Tuesday so I only had to call in one of the days this week.  My first call-in sick since before I had Carly, and Brian's first in a long time.  Too bad we couldn't enjoy the three days off we had together, but thankful it happened the way it did.  I even caught Brian saying in agony last night, "Man, today would be a great day to have our folks live down the street."  Yes, Brian, indeed it would. ;)