Sickies and Sleepies

We've been having a vomit party at our house. I am incredibly lucky in 2 respects with this. First off, the girls (other than Rylee) didn't puke much. Secondly they are very good when they are sick. Marian and Callie have a near 100% success rate at keeping all bodily fluids contained. They are so funny as they wander around carrying their puke bowls with them.

Marian and Callie stayed home from school today. They spent they day laying on the couch and chair and I almost didn't even notice them. Delaney was more subdued than usual, and only tossed her cookies twice. She looked so pathetic though, when she would come and ask, "How do I get my throw up to stop?"

Doesn't she look so sad?!

Marian has been vomit-free for 24 hours, but she was quite listless and complained of being cold all day.

Callie has such a great sick face. Check out the trusty bowl next to her.

Emma said no to a picture. I really just wanted Kera to know I DID wash her hair and brushed it and put it up. My goal is for it not to be a matted mess by the time Kera comes back to collect her!

Now, being home all day long with 3 certifiably sick girls, plus 2 incredibly snotty, croupy-coughing babies, and an additional 2 toddlers (is 4, almost 5 considered a toddler still?) is a little daunting. I confess that I was not looking forward to the day. I was less enthusiastic since I had been wrested from my bed no fewer than 7 times last night. (Rylee woke up twice and needed a snuggle, Delaney peed through and needed new sheets, Callie puked and needed a cleaned up bowl, Emma was coughing and sometimes that makes her cry so I had to check on her, and Delaney puked on her bed and again needed new sheets.)

I figured I was not going to get a nap, but I managed to get Rylee, Emma and Charlotte all down and asleep at the same time. By the time I got the other 4 quietly entertained, I thought maybe I had a few minutes before one of the babies woke up. I lay down for a short snooze and actually fell asleep for 30 minutes. Charlotte woke me up (after she'd taken a 3 1/3 hour nap!!) and we went downstairs to see this:

Callie asleep on the chair with her bowl.

Marian sacked out on the couch snuggled under her blanket. Just for the record, she was also wearing wool leg-warmers on her legs, socks on her feet, and arm-warmers on her arms.

Matthew, sound asleep in the basement while watching "Go, Diego, Go".

Also in the basement, was Delaney, also drooling asleep on this beanbag.

It was a surprisingly quiet day around here. And I was really glad. So far, only my 4 girls have had vomiting issues and I cross my fingers that it ends now! The problem is, that when I know one kid is sick, I can't sleep well at night. I'm waiting to hear that gagging noise and to have to get up to clean up ickiness. I'm also listening extra hard to hear if anyone new is sick. Every bump in the night triggers a heart attack and wakes me up wondering if someone needs me. And I'm living in fear that there will be multiple vomit geysers and I won't be able to deal with it. I'm just really grateful that the girls weren't very sick at all.

And for no other reason than I find her very amusing, I leave you with this picture!

This is Rylee's new way to sit in her booster chair to eat.