Pull over

Something's pushing on me, waking me up---Oh.  It's Ben's foot, against the small of my back. 

Mmmm.  I was dreaming this morning, in that space between truly asleep and wakefulness,  about a big bed with perfect white linens, plump pillows, and a warm body spooning mine...when..ow, there's Ben's foot.  Dreaming is right.  I'm a practical girl, and there's no way in hell I'd have white linens, even if there were no kids in the house, spaz that I am.

I read or heard somewhere once that Oprah said the first thing she did when she started making real money was buy really nice towels.  I think if I had oodles of extra cash, I'd spring for linens that would make Martha green with envy.  6 billion thread count, down plucked by hand from virgin goslings, fluffy, opulent, beautiful bedding.  And I'd sleep in late every day, lol.  Oh, that's funny, sleep in late.  What is that to a Mom other than 8 am (without a tug on her pillow wakeup call?)  Guess I'll add that to the 'someday' list.

The little ones are still battling their bugs, although it occurred to me last night that Ryan was feeling better when he announced, with a great deal of fanfare: "OOOH!  Hey Mommy!  Audrey just blew a nose bubble!!"  Sigh.  Such a dainty little girl...

He went to school today, and since Ben succumbed and Nolan is still hacking, they stayed home.  I hear coughing even if everyone is quiet now, and am seriously thinking about listening to music just to drown 'em out for five minutes.  Pobrecitos.

Now, I'm not a girl to call the dr and be pushy for meds, but by Sunday afternoon, I'd had it.  All of them so miserable, and not much sleep for me, I was weak.  I called.  However, the nurse wasn't into my veiled plea, and she went over the list of things to do with me:  "It sounds like you're doing everything we'd recommend...so keep it up and call us tomorrow and maybe bring them in to be seen again."  CRAP.  I just want some really strong decongestant, and a knock'em dead cough suppressant, is that too much to ask?? 

Now I know why pioneer children got a shot of whiskey with their mustard plasters.  It's because their Moms were knocking down a shot or two at the same time.

I spent the day keeping an eye on them.  I was ok with it.  Then Nolan starts complaining of a canker sore--again, no biggie, he gets them a lot.  I go to look at it and holy moly, there's one big one, and like 6 new ones coming up in the area around it--and you know, it looked like a rash, and I've told you how I am about rashes.  EWWWW.  I know it hurt him too, so I called the dr, again, to see if we could get him in.  I like the peds we see, but it's a huuuge practice.  I've been meaning to downsize.

When they told me that I'd have to wait and talk to the nurse because there were no appts left, I made my decision.  I called my ins to see if the dr I was thinking of was on our plan.  And I changed drs.  I know him, too, so when I called to get an appt and explained what was going on, I had to leave a msg...and was called back and offered an a.m. appt, which was fine...but then they called me again and fit us in..hooray! 

My ped friend examined the boy thoroughly, and made me not feel bad that I was worried that after 3 day of antibiotics Nolan was still ailing.  We talked for a while, he gave us some options, and off we went.  No problemo, right?

Then why do I feel so cheap, lol, like I'm cheating on my other dr?  What, someone waves a rx in my face and suddenly I'm chasing it down the street?  A little medical advice and a hug from an old friend, and I'm giving up my copay with a smile?

Well, yeah.  If you'd had the weekend I'd had, listening to all that coughing, amid all that snot, you'd have done it too.  And I really was gonna change soon, anyway.  Really.

On our way home, Nolan started coughing again, only this time, I heard a gurgle.  That distinctive gurgle that says "PULL OVER NOW" with no words spoken.  He tried to roll down the window, but I was faster, and I whipped the car over and told him at the same time to open the door before he let 'er rip. 

There are times that it's a good thing that I drive fast and can multitask.  He was a champ, leaning out far enough not to make a mess, and not freaking out.  That's a skill that'll serve him well during his college years...oy, why did I say that?? 

Well, at least one kid is feeling much, much better. 

Now, if I could only find that bottle of whiskey, maybe I can get to work on the other three.

Aww, you know I'm kidding...

I'm just gonna teach them how to play quarters with cough syrup.

Except MY glass will have the fun stuff in it.