Goals

It seems that with each kid, I set the bar a little higher for what I want from their birth. Before Bentley was born, all I wanted was a healthy baby. Before Kendra came, I wanted a healthy baby, delivered vaginally. Before Ryder, I wanted a healthy, vaginal delivery in a hospital. (Is this starting to sound like "The 12 Days of Christmas" to you, too?) Now, for my next child (which is still far off in the future), I would like a healthy baby, delivered vaginally, in the hospital with no one yelling at me AND born in the spring. ("Five gooooooooold rings!")

I realized yesterday that my children, with their September, February, and November birthdays, all get stuck with colds when they are WAY too young. And they also spend the first few months of their lives wrapped up so tightly in blankets and sleepers that I hardly see their little feet until they're about six months old! These have both got to stop. Those feet are way too cute to cover up so much. And I am so fed up with taking my kids to see the doctor.

It really hit me yesterday, as I took Ryder to the doctor for the second time in twelve hours (urgent care the night before, and then a follow-up visit with his usual pediatrician): one of my kids has had to see a doctor every week since Ryder's birth! First Ryder has his usual 2-day-old check-up. Then Bentley was sick. Then Ryder had his 2-week check-up. Then Kendra was sick. And now Ryder is sick. Seriously! This has GOT to STOP. First of all, I hate going to the doctor unless it's for a good reason. Going for a prenatal appointment? Good reason. Going because you have a cold and feel like you have to double check that there's nothing else to be done? Bad reason. Even worse is bringing the other kids to the doctor with the sick kid. It's just so much work to get them all in shoes and coats, and then try to herd them in the right direction, even more so when I don't have a shopping cart in which to keep them contained! (Yes, yes, at this point, you're probably thinking that I am the one who wanted three kids so I shouldn't be complaining. And you make a very good point. In my defense, my gripe here isn't about the things I knew I'd have to do with three kids, like going grocery shopping. My problem is all the stuff that I didn't think I was signing up for. Like an extra doctor's appointment every week!)

So. My goal for now is to get everyone healthy. And my long-term goal: a baby born in the spring. Vaginally. In a hospital. With no one yelling at me that I'm doing it all wrong. Wouldn't that be delightful?

In the meantime, my main task is caring for poor little Ryder who has "just a touch" of RSV. He doesn't have most of the truly terrifying symptoms, but he does occasionally sound awful when he's breathing. But his oxygen levels, despite the wheezing, are very good, so I'm not too worried. For now, I just have to keep a close eye on him in case things get worse, give him saline drops (he loves that, let me tell you) and use our brand new nebulizer that we bought for him. I had never even heard of one of these machines before Tuesday, and now I sort of think its name is way too cool for the actual machine. I think a nebulizer sounds more like something Dr. Horrible would be working on that turns his enemies (Captain Hammer, mostly, but also Johnny Snow) into clouds. Or perhaps creates clouds of cover while he pulls off his famously successful heist? Something like that. Not just a little misting machine that you breathe in medicine with.


But yes, Ryder has a nebulizer and I'm getting pretty good at holding him in a sitting position while holding the mask against his face. He makes it easier by being pretty good up until the last minute or two. He's a pretty chill baby (thank goodness!). Unfortunately, this cold is messing up his amazing ability to sleep through the night. He'd been only waking up once at night (occasionally as late as 5:00am!!!*), but now the coughing will wake him up. Grr.


Only two and a half more months until spring.




*Having a 9 lb. baby is turning out to be a blessing in disguise. Sure, it hurt like crazy pushing him out, but he sleeps better than my other kids by a long shot. So I guess 20 minutes of pain makes up for hours of extra sleep down the road, right? By the way, this kid is now weighing in at 11 pounds! Whew!