Saline Spray for Everyone!

We. Are Sick. Ardyn and I. Headcolds. Eeww. Snot. Stuffy Noses. Raw throats. Chapped Lips. Dry Nostrils. Headaches. Sleepiness.

I had been noticing a bit of stuffiness or runny-nose-edness since about Wednesday, but as a mom, I really didn't notice. I was too busy taking care of business around home and with Ardyn. I first actually noticed it when I was watching the video clip that I took of Ardyn's room, and I was sniffing on the video. I was like... Hmmm. Sounds like I am coming down with something... and as I stopped to think about it, I realized that I was. Had Been. Never Noticed. But Ardyn had been doing some serious sleeping the past two days and nights. Never acted like she wasn't feeling well. But sleepy. She had a few coughing episodes that sounded pretty scary, but it was like she was clearing her throat of a tickle or something.

Last night, okay, this morning at 4am, she woke up (an hour after I had gone to sleep) and was having a hard time breathing, sounded stuffy, etc. Of course then I couldn't sleep because not only was I worried about her, but I also sounded stuffy and was having a hard time breathing. So we got up, and I was worried that she wouldn't be able to breathe in her sleep and I would have to stay awake for another 20 hours, making it a 40 hour run... to make sure she was breathing. Well, luckily, while pregnant, I took the advice of two parenting magazines and stocked up early on infant and child medicine... and in my trusty Apothecary Jar I found a virtual cocktail of medicines... like Baby Vicks, Little Noses Saline Drops, and Infant Tylenol and Motrin. Well, Baby Vicks is only good for babies 3 months and older. Scratch that. Tylenol and Motrin... well she had no fever (thanks to the temporal thermometer I bought when she was 5 days old and had an eye infection) and of course the box said under 2 years only under the advice of a physician... So tell me again why they call it INFANT Tylenol? Argh. But Saline Drops... Those were the ticket. Then I sent poor Evan on a 5am bleary trip through unpacked hospital goody bags to find the blue bulb aspirator. I had never done this before, and had actually thought like 4 times in the past month that I should ask someone or google it, in case I needed it in just this type of situation. But I had taken Saline Nasal Spray myself during pregnancy for crazy ass congestion... and I still had mine... so I started us both on a saline nasal regime. I decided with common sense to give her the saline drops, then use the aspirator, and I did this before feedings and when she sounded stuffy and uncomfortable. I also plugged in the Vicks Waterless Vaporizer that my midwife recommended I buy during pregnancy for congestion, and turned our bedroom into a soothing vapor chamber. The two of us make quite the pair, what me with my toilet paper roll and Ardyn with her cloth diaper burp/snot rag combo.

This morning I called the Dr. to make sure that I was doing the right thing, and to ask what I should watch for that warranted a Dr. visit for Ardyn. Seems like I was already on the right path what with just my instincts to guide me. And then this evening I remembered that I have the AAP Childcare Guide and I got that out and read about headcolds and found that I was so right on target. It was great. So we have been watching her temperature, she did have a very slight one this evening at about 99.5 but besides that one hour or so, she has remained in the 98 degree range. Today she and I wore our pajamas and lay around. I drank fluids and she nursed as often as she could get a hold of a nipple. We got into a regime of Saline Drops. Evan went to Wal-Mart and came back with REAL Kleenex with Lotion, more Newborn Diapers (tiny thing!), Chicken Soup, and Gatorade. He thought it was so cute that I have this basket that I carry around all of our necessities from room to room, depending on if we are in her rocking chair, in our bed, or in the living room on the couch. He calls it "Mom's Nurse Kit" and tells Ardyn that she has the best mommy ever. I just keep washing my hands and blowing my nose and washing my hands and blowing my nose. Chapstick. Purell. Gatorade. Saline. Repeat.

That said, let's talk about Yesterday. Pre-sickness. Evan, Ardyn, and I went on an outing. We got dressed and went to the hospital to pick up my newest prescription- Birth Control Pills! Yes, welcome to the mini-pill. Evan is especially thrilled that it has a higher chance of failure than my previous pills, if not taken at the same time each day. He's hoping that I will slip up and forget one so that he can make another baby ASAP.

After picking up the prescription, we had a nice lunch at Quizno's, since it's new to Princeton. Then we went to the Corner Coffee Shop that's new in the same building. They had some really neat journals like I have used for years, and a "Questions I have Been Meaning to Ask Mom" book, but nothing had prices on it. Strange. I wasn't about to ask them the price of everything I picked up. Hopefully they will get that together. They also had ice cream and coffee, tea, etc... which I plan to return to try later.

We then drove out to City/County Park and took some photos in the leaves with Ardyn (check them all out on Flickr) and then she had a big meal in the car. We then went to the Sherwood Antique mall and walked around until I was so exhausted I wanted to go to bed. On the way home we stopped at Browning and looked at the New '08 Dodge Grand Caravan. Which I love. And I can. Drive a Van. I have a brochure that I sit and ogle now. I want a brilliant black pearl clearcoat van. I love the New Stow and Go Swivel Seats. Awesome.

The options on this thing are amazing, with built in retractable window shades, Dual TV Screens that get Sirius TV (on the go Nickelodeon and Disney Channel), ACTUAL power outlets, TONS of cupholders and mesh pockets, a rechargeable docking flashlight, a Center Table that stows in the back when not in use, a drop down mirror to view passengers from the driver's seat, all power open sliding side doors and back hatch, side roll-down windows... It's crazy nice. There is a center console that slides from the front to between the first two captain chairs, so anyone can use it as a table, storage area, or cupholders. And beneath it is a charging station for anything with a car adapter. Cell Phones, etc. MP3 Player integration in there is just SCREAMING for my iPod. Interior Reading Lights and Blue Interior Running Lights (which I would have called Sex lights in High School. Who says we can't have crazy sex in the van I guess. Someday. Riiight.) Dual Glove Boxes. Optional GPS Navigation Screen System that also doubles as a THIRD TV/DVD Screen. Multi-Climate Control. Split Folding Third Row Seat. Someday.

So after we got home last night I was exhausted and went right into my pajamas and parked on the couch with Ardyn for a nightlong nursing and TV Marathon. We watched Grey's Anatomy, Dirty Sexy Money, and a few other things from the TIVO. Tonight my mom came over and we uploaded photos to Wal-Mart to place an order for her, and looked up things like Pre-Lit Hinged Christmas Trees and Diabetes Physicians on the internet. We ordered some Rust Raze. She held Ardyn while I ate supper (Bacon Cheeseburger, Fried Mushrooms, and Fried Pickles from 6&34) and while I took a shower. Ardyn went to sleep and has been awake three times in the past 40 minutes, and now she is "awake awake" for what appears to be a while... so maybe more tomorrow. Have a nice night!