This Too Shall Pass

The mummy mantra: this too shall pass.

I've said this a lot this week. Both boys have been ill and then I was ill. It's been a tough week.

On Tuesday night, at midnight, Andy and I were just about to go to bed. We heard shuffling coming from Presley's monitor, followed by a strange noise and then screaming. He had been sick. We cleaned him up and changed the bed and loaded the washing machine. We took Presley downstairs and arranged towels around him.

The poor thing was sick several times. Now he's two and a half he's much more aware of what is happening to him. He knew he was going to be sick. He put his hand over his mouth and screamed 'no'. My poor baby. It's heartbreaking to see your children in such discomfort.

We heard moaning coming from Cash's monitor. We decided to bring him downstairs, to save his bedding and teddies from the washing machine. We did the right thing. Shortly afterwards Cash was sick. It was a slightly different experience for him as I don't think he is aware of the build up and seems to forget soon afterwards. He still screamed during, of course. 

Thoughts of dehydration and hospitals and drips ran through my mind. At what point to you worry, I mean really worry? Thankfully the boys' temperatures were normal and they had no other symptoms.

Once Presley had been puke-free for an hour Andy took him to bed while I stayed up with Cash. I finally got to bed at 4am. They were both up at 7am full of beans. This didn't last though and they were both sick again in the afternoon. It was hard to explain to Cash why he wasn't having his bedtime milk. Luckily they slept all night.

On Thursday morning I gave Cash his morning milk. An hour and a half later he projectile vomited all over me. We both sat, dripping with regurgitated milk, neither of us knew quite what to do.

We spent the day in our pyjamas drinking water and eating bland food (dry toast,  rice cakes,cereal bars, breadsticks and bananas). The boys were listless. They had no energy. We sat and cuddled in front of CBeebies. It was miserable. I wanted my happy boys back. I wanted to take them outside.

Thursday night I was sick. All night.

Luckily Andy was able to take Friday off work so I could try to get some sleep in the morning. The boys were still under the weather, but thankfully had stopped being sick. It was another day of water, bland food and sitting around in pyjamas. Neither of us had the energy to give the boys a bath - again. 

So here we are. It's Saturday. Everyone feels better. We got through it. It passed.

My heart goes out to all parents with seriously ill children, How do they cope with the fear and worry? How do they carry on? How do they keep life 'normal' for the siblings that aren't ill? Is the mummy mantra enough? What else do they have?

UPDATE

It's now Saturday night and I spoke too soon. Presley has been sick again this afternoon, several times, but not for the past ninety minutes. He has kept some water down so Andy is now taking him to bed.

This too shall pass.

Photo Credit

This Too Shall Pass

The Mona Lisa Million

Would you like to own a piece of the Mona Lisa?

I was recently introduced to blogger and father of four, Dave, also known as Mister Good Guy, by the fabulous Tara from Sticky Fingers.

Dave has just set up a project to raise $1,000,000 for Haiti. I'll let him explain more:

This post marks the launch of a new project called the Mona Lisa Million.

Over the next six to nine months I’ll be auctioning off pre-defined sections of a million pixel image of the Mona Lisa – probably the most famous image in the world!

This is an ambitious project designed to raise over one million dollars, the majority of which I’ll donate to a very good cause.

It’s not just about raising the money though, it’s also about providing something of value to those who use this site as readers and as winning bidders. You see, I’m not simply asking for money – I’m providing something in return.

For winning bidders, I’m providing a place where people can see who you are and what you do, and I’m doing it in a way that helps the search engines connect you with your customers or your audience. And this applies to you whether you’re a mommy blogger looking to increase your readership or a business owner trying to get your website higher up the search results.

For readers, I’m providing a place where you can get involved in nominating good causes and deciding which ones should benefit. A place where you can connect with genuine sites/services/products.

For both winning bidders and readers, I’m providing a place where people with a social conscience can get involved and feel they’re contributing to something worthwhile. 

I'm proud to say that I own a section of the Mona Lisa, as do fellow Mummy Bloggers Tara and the lovely Not Supermum. I'm on the far left, level with the tip of her nose.

Dave is giving away a few sections to early adopters, but you'll need to be quick.  If you would like to join this project right from the start head on over to The Mona Lisa Million! Let's try to help Dave, a good guy, raise $1m.

The Mona Lisa Million

The Gallery: Two

I have been lacking in imagination this week, so my submission for the Sticky Fingers Gallery is a bit predictable. The theme this week was 'numbers'.

I have chosen the number two, for my two sons, Presley and Cash.

Since I started Baby Baby and made the decision not to show the boys' faces, I have taken a lot of photographs of the backs of their heads! I'm always on the lookout for a photo opportunity.

I took this shot yesterday of my two little men, sitting in the kitchen. I think they look cute, even from the back.

The Gallery: Two

My Private Universe

Reading through the prompts for this week's Writing Workshop, I started singing this in my head

As I watched the video, filmed in Sydney, I wondered what my life would be like if I had stayed in Australia.

I took my gap year when I was thirty and newly divorced from my first husband (my childhood sweetheart). I travelled around Australia for six weeks, before settling in Sydney. I'd had the time of my life travelling. I know this is a cliche, but I can't think of any other way to describe my experience.

How else would you describe the following?

• Sailing round the Whitsundays, including an afternoon on Whitehaven Beach.
• Skydiving from 12,000 feet and landing on Mission Beach.
• A rainforest stay at Cape Tribulation.
• An outback safari, including hikes around the Olgas and King's Canyon, sunset and sunrise at Uluru and sleeping under the stars, in a swag, in the red desert.
• A jolly week in Adelaide, including a tram ride to the beach.

I also met hundreds of other backpackers, broadened my horizons and gained so much confidence.

Whist I was in Sydney, I lived in a lovely little house in the funky neighbourhood of Newtown. We were spoilt for choice with an abundance of bars and restaurants all within a few minutes walk. I could get a bus straight to Coogee Beach at the weekend.

I commuted into the CBD for work. My office over-looked the Harbour Bridge. I worked with some brilliant people, some of whom I still see or at least email regularly. I could walk to the Opera House in my lunch hour and eat my sandwiches in the Botanical Gardens. I saw shows at the Opera House. I sailed in the harbour. 

I was living in Sydney when the Olympics were on. I saw the Olympic flame carried through the streets on my way back to the station. I saw some athletics at the stadium (Colin Jackson waved to me when I shouted 'Go Colin' at him from my front row seat, my friends at home saw me on the television). I attended free concerts. I stood with thousands of others in Martin Place watching the Aussies win gold after gold in the swimming. I watched the closing ceremony fireworks in the harbour.

I spent Christmas day in Bondi. I didn't make it to the beach due to the mother of all hangovers! I was over-looking the harbour on New Year's Eve - more fireworks! I saw Coldplay, Powderfinger and PJ Harvey at The Big Day Out. I had a ball at the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

I've just read this back and it must sound like terrible bragging. That's not the intention. As well as the highs, there were also several low points. I drank too much too often and got into a few alcohol related scrapes. Luckily I always got home safe... eventually. I suffered at times from loneliness, boredom and depression. I fell out with my house mate a couple of times. I had my toxic (now ex) friend to stay for two weeks, during which time she totally undermined my new-found confidence, slagged off my lifestyle and told me my work friends weren't proper friends. She told me I was an embarrassment when I got drunk at my office Christmas party (that I paid for her to go to). She corrected me when I referred to something as 'scummy' with 'we say scuzzy now', inferring that I was missing out on life in our old local. She refused to pay me the money she owed me. She didn't want to see anything or do anything. I could go on, but I don't want to dwell on that time!

These low points were more than out-weighed by the good times. I stayed in the same job the whole time I was there. I was sponsored by the company I worked for. They gave me a four year business visa and the offer of a (very good) permanent job. I had friends, I had a social life.

I came home though, after a year, because my Dad was alone and not well. I wanted to come home, but I always planned to go back to Sydney. I have, but only for holidays.

What if I had stayed?

What if I was still there now, in some kind of parallel universe? What if my Sliding Doors moment had left me Down Under?

Yes, there would be highs and lows, just as there have been in my life back in the UK.

BUT

I can not think about that parallel life. I can not imagine a life without my husband or my children. It is too awful to contemplate. So I'll look at my photographs and remember the (mostly) fantastic year I had in Oz and be grateful that I came home when I did.

This post was written as part of the Sleep is for the Weak Writing Workshop. This week I chose prompt no.4 Imagine there is another 'you', living in a parallel universe.

My Private Universe

Review: Ecover Concentrated Non Bio Laundry Liquid

Last year I tested and reviewed Ecover household cleaning products. The lovely Melita from Bray Leino emailed me recently to ask if I would like to try Ecover's new concentrated laundry liquid. I asked to try the non bio version.

I already use non bio concentrated laundry liquid, so this would be a direct comparison. Concentrated liquids require less packaging and less transport miles and give you more washes per bottle.

I liked:

• The clean smell. It's not an over-powering floral or soapy smell and it doesn't linger on the washing.
• The packaging, particularly the measuring cap. No drips or messy lids here.
• The washing. All perfectly clean (and boy do my children know how to get their clothes dirty)!
• The green credentials: no optical brighteners, no phosphates and no petrochemical-based surfactants.
• I have sensitive skin and had no reaction to this gentle product.

I didn't like:

• It's currently only available at Waitrose and Ocado, although Ecover are working on this.
• It's slightly more expensive than Fairy or Persil. Ecover is £5.69 for 750ml or 21 washes. Fairy is £4.49 for 740ml and Persil is £4.18 for 730ml. (Prices taken from Ocado.com today).

Would I buy it?

• Yes. In line with us trying to be more eco-friendly I will be using Ecover for my laundry as well as my washing up and cleaning.

Review: Ecover Concentrated Non Bio Laundry Liquid