Craziness

To be completely honest, I'm not sure when my days start and when they end. Maggie Beth is waking up 2-3 times at night still to eat, so there's not a huge stretch of time when one of my children is not requiring something. However, right now, it's quiet. All four of my beloved ones are snuggled in their beds, so I guess this is what I would call the end of a day...and a CRAZY day it was!

It began around 5 am when I woke Maggie up to "top her off" with as much formula as she'd take since she couldn't eat again until after her test. Maggie Beth has been slowly developing what appears to be reflux. Over this last week it has progressively gotten worse. After every single feeding she would go into a coughing fit that left her gagging, wretching, and gasping for air. She literally sounded like she was drowning and it would bring me to tears at the start of every feeding, knowing how it would end and how I would see her hurt as we both waited for the "episode" to pass. After watching her take a bottle yesterday, her pediatrician sent her this morning for a barium esophagram. I believe they ended up doing an entire upper GI. The test showed she did indeed have major reflux as well as delayed esophageal emptying. So, for now, the plan is to change her formula to Enfamil AR, a thicker formula for refluxers, and give 1/2 ml mylanta before each feeding. We'll see how she does on this, hopeful it will "support" her until she grows out of the reflux. My morning started off in prayer, placing my little girl in the hands of the one who loves her more than I ever could...and my God proved faithful.

Moving on...I leave to pick up Eli from school at noon. While on my way, I got a text from my sister in law saying that my niece was having an allergic reaction to most likely nuts in the trail mix she ate. She was swollen and having some difficulty breathing. I did my best to calculate Ava's Benadryl dose in my head and get back to her. She was already on the way to the ER and had spoken with her pediatrician. I once again, found myself talking to the one who was in control of it all; asking for his mercy, for Ava's safety and for her parent's peace of mind...and my God proved faithful.

This evening as I was cooking dinner, I noticed I didn't hear Noah playing with the two big kids any longer. Silence, as much as I love it, is never a good thing when it comes to children-especially MY children. I go looking for Noah and realize quickly that he has barricaded himself in the bathroom. He had gotten in the bathroom, closed the door and opened the vanity drawer closest to the door, preventing the door from being able to be opened. I started to panic. Noah was on the stool at the vanity sink. I asked him to sit down and he defiantly shook his head "no." Frankly, I don't think he could. He's great at getting up there, but lowsy at getting down. He saw me trying to get my fingers through the tiny crack of an opening in an attempt to close the drawer and he decided to help. He was leaning way over towards the drawer. That scared me because if he fell, he would surely hurt himself and I couldn't get in. I felt helpless. The hinges were on the inside of the door so taking the hinges off wasn't an option, I tried taking the doorknob off, but the lock bar went transverse through the hole, preventing that from being a viable option for entry. After trying knives, tongs and the such to close the drawer and get in to set my toddler free, I called my husband at work frantic. He called his parents who immediately hopped in their car to come to my aid. As I sat there helpless, I did the only thing I could. I prayed. I cried out to the one who could protect my little one from the dangers I kept realizing were trapped in there with my tiny, curious child...and my God proved faithful. I grabbed a yard stick and jabbed it through the crack until it pushed the drawer back enough to be closed and the door opened. Noah was fine; a little shaken, but quickly over it and has most likely forgotten the incident by now. I rounded up the kids as it was now time for dinner...

So let me paint this picture: Maggie is in a papasan chair on the kitchen table. Eli and Ella Kate are at the kitchen table and Noah is in his highchair. I had made chicken enchiladas, mexican rice and black beans. It was quite good, but my picky children rarely are accepting of what I place in front of them. Maggie was getting hungry a bit earlier than I'd expected and I was waiting on Brian to bring home the new formula. She began SCREAMING while at the same time:
Noah was saying "jsdflnldahbfiisdt" which is toddler for I WANT MORE FOOD! (he had two helpings before the other two had had two bites!)
Ella Kate was crying about having to eat "green beans" which were actually black beans.
Eli was singing loudly (I mean is there another volume, really?) the latest hit number from Yo Gabba Gabba-"Try It, You'll Like it!" to Ella Kate over and over and over (mind you he wasn't eating any black beans)...then Ella Kate spilt her entire cup of water...and Maggie was still screaming. They finish dinner and while waiting on Brian to walk through the door with the new formula for my starving baby, Noah grabs the bottle I had ready and pours water all over the den floor and all over himself. I clean it up, refill the bottle and Brian walks through the door. Yay for a husband who can come in, lend a hand, and somehow magically make me sane again...and my God proves faithful yet again.

I may have a crazy life, but at the end of the day, I'm so thankful that I can look back and see the hand of God all over it.