It's been a long day ...

It's been about three weeks ... but I finally ordered extra Bunnie Squeakles tonight. I know what I said about needing to get them ASAP ... but like so many things in life, I've just been side-tracked. Three weeks is pretty good for me. I still haven't put our wedding album together, and we'll be married 12 years in August.

Today was a tough day. The ratio wasn't optimal, by any stretch of the imagination.

Three sick babies.

One somewhat healthy adult - functioning off 4 non-consecutive hours of sleep.

There was so much crying. I don't remember there ever being so much crying. Of course the first thing that came to mind is EAR INFECTION. It's got to be an ear infection. But ... they are eating. And they are drinking. These are two things they "typically" don't do when they have an ear infection. And they aren't screaming like they do with an ear infection. They are just whining.

Incessantly.

I know they're not feeling good and it would really help if they could tell me what is bothering them. So often - I'll dash off to the pediatrician ... and I'm learning to wait. Let's see if this is something viral that clears up on it's own ... while I treat the *symptoms*. It's so hard, though. How people functioned before baby Tylenol and antibiotics is completely beyond me. I just can't imagine. Actually - I can. It's awful to think about. Baby Tylenol is a staple in this house. We may as well live without water. Or Hersey's Syrup. I'll post about that necessity in a few days.

Today, I ran some errands. I loaded everybody up because I was certain that I was going to start crying too, if I didn't get out of the house - immediately. We first went to the post office to ship a box of clothes to my brother for his 10-month old twin boys ... and then we went to the grocery store. I've taken the kids to the post office before, but they generally don't like it. I can't say that I blame them considering I usually stack the boxes and stuff that I have to mail on top of them, because there is never room in the carriage basket. (Honestly, I think that basket underneath my triple stroller is purely cosmetic. I can't even fit a diaper bag in there. Who designs these things, anyway? Note to self. Another potential career consideration. Stroller design engineer.) The first couple minutes are OK. They're intrigued with this box on them. And then - they shove it off. So, I rotate it and put it on the next baby, who is intrigued for a couple minutes and then they shove it off. On to the lap of the next baby it goes. And so on and so on, until it's our turn in line. We're always a source of great entertainment for the people standing around us.

Unlike Costco, our local grocery store doesn't have a shopping cart that easily holds three two babies. As such, I was forced to either drag a shopping cart behind me ... or opt for a small hand basket. I thought that I'd only be picking up a few items ... so went with the hand basket. As I made my way to the checkout with my 2 containers of Pedialyte, 1/2 a watermelon, 2 boxes of popsicles, basmati rice, 2 boxes of lasagna noodles, a loaf of french bread, a gallon of 2% milk and a box of Benadryl ... my arm was ready to snap in two. I don't know why they can't make those darn baskets more ergonomic. Really. It's a plastic square with handles that are composed of nothing more than coat hangers. Surely I'm not the only one that goes to the store ... uses one of those things and winds up buying stuff 10X heavier than I thought it would weigh. Am I?? And, it's not like I'm buying a toothbrush and some Pop Tarts. Those are the kind of items I put forethought in to ... the kind of items that are on my weekly shopping list - when I'm using a cart. I'm dashing in for some milk and pedialyte. And a watermelon. How heavy can that stuff be?

As soon as we stepped foot in the door, the whining started again. Which means, today, we had TWO naps ... instead of just one. (Sorry kids. Mom really needs a break.) When they woke up from their late afternoon nap, they absolutely feasted on watermelon. My arm finally stopped throbbing when I saw that my effort lugging around 10 pounds of fruit was not in vain. The watermelon at dinner time was a highlight of their day. Another highlight was the bath that they got tonight, in the sink. We typically do baths every-other-night but today was just one of those kind of days, where I could only hope that a nice soak would restore some order and ... if only for a moment ... stop the barrage of "wahh. wahhhh. wahhhh. wahhhhh."

Which brings me back to Bunnie Squeakles. Elizabeth's bunny has had a pretty tough go of it the past few days. What with her being sick and all - she wouldn't let him go. Not even for a moment. He accompanies her everywhere ... including her highchair, where he is dragged through every course on the menu. Bunny even made it in to the bath tonight (quite by accident). This bunny was so gross that he was able to stand up, unassisted. I made the decision he was getting washed and Elizabeth would have to make-do with "Lamby". She had other plans.

After crying ... non-stop for 30 minutes (hugely unusual at our house when bedtime rolls around), Charlie scooped bunny out of the soak cycle, completed his *wash* in the bathroom sink ... and then threw him in the drier for 10 minutes. He was still damp when we gave him back to Elizabeth ... but finally, silence.

That is one powerful bunny.

I immediately went online and ordered 3 more, such that in the off chance bunny needs to be washed in hot, hot water and fully decontaminated, we have a replacement available, STAT. Heck ... if my wedding pictures screamed at me the way Elizabeth did ... I would have had that album finished YEARS ago.

Again, I'm again sending out a HUGE thanks to Christine, Jen, Casey and Lorie. If it wasn't for you fine people, I'd still be searching the internet for an illusive bunny that squeaks. I doubt I would have even realized that this creature had a name. You ladies are the wind beneath our bunny's wings ears. I'm forever in your debt.

Tomorrow, bright and early we have the babies very first dentist appointment. I'm interested to see how that goes. If they don't appear at least 75% better tomorrow, than they were today - I'm going to take all of them to see their pediatrician, Dr. Johnson (who we lovingly call Dr. J). If nothing else, I want him to check their ears. Just to make sure. As I'm typing this ... I'm pretty certain a visit to Dr. J is in order. I can hear Carolyn - - our best sleeper ever - - coughing in the nursery. UGH.

As for right now ... I'm trying to unwind from a LONG day. The longest day I've had in a quite some time. It takes me back to the early days of spit-up. When Charlie would come home from work, and I'd be laying on the floor completely comatose. (I'm looking at this picture of me and wondering why in the world I'm smiling?! Look at me!! I look like a piece of burnt toast, with spit-up on my shoulder!) The upside to the present ... is that I'm no longer nursing. Which means, I can suck down a bottle of booze enjoy a glass of wine and reflect on the day's events.

PS: Jen (fourjmh), If you're reading this ... I happened to see your BFP post on the RESOLVE board. Bravo & a huge congrats!!