Better Living Through Chemistry

Surrounding the time that I had the flu, I apparently also had a sinus infection. I had been taking Tylenol Sinus to help with my headache and some of the other symptoms.  Our pediatrician has said that it is safe enough for me to take, so I didn't feel too bad about it. As I mentioned in the previous post, it also had the totally expected side-effect of causing Benjamin to sleep all the time.

Since I got the Z-pack from my doctor I hadn't been taking the sinus medication, so last night was very interesting.  I tossed and turned A LOT! And across the hall I could hear poor Benjamin doing the same thing.  He didn't cry, he just rolled around a bunch and whimpered a few times.  I finally got up to feed him around 3:30 and then went back to sleep. I slept a little better then, but I still had to get up at 5 because I had to be at work at 6:30.

I got up a little after 5 and got my shower before checking the weather. After I got out of the shower, I discovered that not only was Frances out of school for the day, but that Littlest Lamb was closed too!  So I got back into bed and got the best sleep of the night morning.  Of course, when my boss called at 7 to say that she had changed her mind and we were opening late, I had to get up and start all over again!

I took my second dose of medicine this morning and still have a headache. I am feeling slightly better, though, so maybe it's just gonna be baby steps.

Buh-Bye Flu

Ken, Henry, and I all got it.  Benjamin and Frances did not.  Not really sure how that happened, but I am thankful that Benjamin did not get sick.  He did end up sleeping a lot during the quarantine week, and that was quite a blessing, but I felt horrible later when I realized that it was because of all the decongestants I had been taking! (I spoke with his doctor today and he said I didn't do any damage, thankfully.)
I also have apparently had a sinus infection before, during, and after the flu.  My head has been feeling like it is going to explode and I have been very cranky.  I went to the doctor this morning and got myself a Z-pack, so relief is in the near future! I am trying not to complain about the stomach ache that the first dose is giving me.  :)
Benjamin had his 9-month checkup today as well.  He is growing well, except he dropped down a little on the weight curve.  His doctor said he is not concerned, as he seem to be eating well and a variety of foods.  I guess I am just destined to have skinny kids!
Currently the bigs are playing Polly Pockets on the table in the living room.  Frances was looking for something in her room after school today and she found some Polly Pockets under her bed.  She came out to tell me that it is summer under her bed and her Polly Pockets would like to go swimming.  Ummm...OK?
So the Polly Pockets are swimming in two plastic containers of water in the living room.  Actually at this point, the table and carpet are taking a bath as well!
And do you like all that clean, folded laundry on the bench behind them??  I should probably get to that sometime today.

Stop Listening to Your Parents!!!

Dear Children,
I know that your father and I have tried to raise you to be good, well-respected people.  We have tried to instill good values in you. Except usually, you don't seem to be listening.  So why do you pick NOW?  Why are you now choosing to share and take turns?  Because your father and I meant to add that sharing and taking turns are concepts that DO NOT APPLY to the flu!!!
Firstly, please do not share the flu at all!  Avoid it at all costs. And if you do get it, please keep it to yourself!
However, should you choose to disregard the former, please do not take turns.  If you simply must share this nastiness with each other, go for the gold and do it all at once.  It is not good for your mother's sanity for you to wait until one sibling starts to get well before another starts felling ill.  It would be much easier to take care of all of you all at the same time!
Now, I would appreciate it if you would bring this up at your next board meeting (I am on to you and all the "plotting against your parents" that you do after we put you to bed)
All my love,
Mommy

Houston...We have a chomper!

Benjamin's first tooth just barely broke through his gums tonight! I have been watching this one little spot that I knew was going to be a tooth. I checked it right before bedtime and, sure enough, there's a tiny tooth poking through!

Frances' Souffle

Frances got an awesome cooking set for Christmas. It includes an apron, real kitchen tools (measuring cups and spoons, whisk, pastry brush, etc.) and recipe cards written for kids. One of the things she wanted to try was a cheese souffle.  So while we were at my parents' house for the New Year, we decided to try it out.  It was a pretty simple recipe using croutons, eggs, cheese, milk, and some other seasonings.  She even got to separate eggs and whisk egg whites!  We put it all together and then put it in the fridge overnight.  The next morning, she woke up fairly early and we went down to the kitchen to put her masterpiece in the oven.  It was supposed to bake for an hour, so we were hoping that the rest of the family would be up and ready for breakfast around the time it finished cooking.
I left the oven light on so Frances could watch her creation baking.  One of the things the recipe indicated was that the souffle would rise up and over the pan, but then after about 5 minutes out of the oven it would fall bake down.  Frances had fun watching the souffle getting bigger in the oven.
When there was about 20 minutes left, I sent Frances upstairs to tell everyone that breakfast would be ready soon.  My mom, dad, and Henry came down to the kitchen and my mom started making other breakfast preparations.  She turned the stove on and put the kettle on to boil, she set the table, etc.
When the timer beeped, everyone int he kitchen got excited and I took the souffle out of the oven and set it up on the stove.  We were finishing getting the table ready when my mom said, "Oh! Look!! It's smoking!!"
My reply was that it must be the air escaping right before it falls.  And then...
BAM!!
The whole casserole dish exploded! Apparently, it wasn't the souffle getting ready to fall.  It was a combination of the fact that I had set it on the stove and that my mom had turned on the wrong burner!  The glass casserole dish cracked right through the middle and shot a few pieces of glass onto the carpet in front of my bare footed self.  My mom apologized over and over while I stifled a laugh and kept looking at Frances to gauge her reaction.  She did not seem to upset, so I let out a laugh and got my brother to vacuum the carpet so I could move.
We ended up eating the very edges of the souffle, where there was no cracked glass underneath.  It was quite good.
Then we each came up with our own critique.
I was impressed with how the flavors exploded in my mouth!
My brother said that it was all it was cracked up to be.
My mom was still busy apologizing.
Later, when describing the incident to her father, I asked Frances how her souffle had turned out.
"Daddy-it was smokin'!"

And I never did get my cup of tea that morning!