Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Mother of the Year

Yesterday was probably not the best day I have had in the history of my motherhood career.


First, The Girl, who is normally sweet, kind, and extraordinarily social, was clingy, grouchy, and generally a grump. She complained of being cold (even when sitting in the hot sun at the Krispie Kreme). She complained of wanting to sit down all the time. She was constantly wanting hugs. She was hanging on me. 

At one point when walking to our car (which was parked a good walking distance from the museum) she looked at the ground and said, "If I could lay down on this side walk right now, I would."

I told her that she was just tired from all the swimming practice and late night swim meets. She could go home to rest.

And that's what she did. She slept all the way home and then laid on the couch until dinner. 

When The Mister got home he said she felt warmer than usual. I had noticed that too, while at the museum, but had forgotten to check her temp.

When I did it was 102.

Nice.

Now, my intention yesterday was to pack a lunch for the kids and I, but I ran out of time and threw three PowerBar's (peanut butter flavor for me, chocolate for the kids) into my purse. We had donuts at 10am, so I figured high protein candy bars would be sufficient until we got home. 

Around 1pm the kids were ready for their "lunch," so we walked up to the snack bar area and whipped out the PowerBars under a giant sign that read: No Outside Food or Drink Allowed

I'm such a rebel.

We ate our lunch, and within minutes The Boy starts to complain about itching. I told him it was because of all the swimming we have been doing (do you see a pattern here?). I accused him of not using soap in the shower after being in the pool. 

The Boy has had a peanut allergy since he was a wee toddler. It was at this time that I learned that many products must be carefully checked due to cross contamination during production.

For instance, plain m&m's are processed on the same conveyor belts as Peanut m&m's. People who have extreme allergies must avoid cross contamination. Fortunately, The Boy has never been in the extreme category, although in the early years I was pretty careful.

As The Boy has grown older we have worried less and less about cross contamination. Quite frankly, that boy has eaten his weight in plain m&m's over the years and hasn't had a problem.

We have successfully avoided all major peanut products for nearly 11 years. 

Until yesterday. 

I had just gotten The Girl dosed with some ibuprofen when The Boy was still complaining about itching. I ask him to lift up his shirt. He was covered in a hive like rash.

I broke out with the Benadryl.

Of course, it wasn't until this morning when The Mister asked if there might be any peanut products in that chocolate PowerBar...

For the record, there is a plethora of peanut products in a chocolate PowerBar. As a matter of fact they might as well just call it Chocolate Covered Peanuts flavor. Not only is peanut flour listed as one of the main ingredients, but it clearly says that it contains peanut "products" right on the package.

Nice.

So I am not going to win any awards at the moment, but thankfully today is new day, with plenty of mistakes (and God's grace!) of its own.

Happy Wednesday!

15 comments:

really.truly said...

I have a sign over my kitchen sink...."Believe each day is a new beginning". It is.

We all have those days....who would have thunk that your daughter had a fever right? I'm sure it was hot out. The mom decision meter can go either way....some days we choose the correct answer, other days we choose the opposite. (I could tell you stories!).

Carpool Queen said...

I was just about to text you and ask about the kids. For the record, The Girl was still gracious yesterday, though I did notice she was subdued. Hope she's better today.

Mine so far have not exhibited any signs of catching whatever she had, but if they did, I might have to worry about what they were doing in the back of the science room while you and I were learning about dinosaur DNA.

Anonymous said...

ooo poor girl!! How is she feeling today? I am all itchy just reading about the hives.. I don't have food allergies but lots of medicines and also lots of lotions.. I totally feel for him!

Megan O. said...

So sorry to hear about your day. I've had them myself plenty of times! My daughter had to get caught up on shots we've been behind on (because I'm such an excellent mom) and had to get 5 at once the other day. She was being so dramatic about it afterward, crying and wailing and I kept telling her she was fine. Well, I guess I realized she really must have been in some pain when she couldn't even stand herself up that night and she was limping like crazy. Oops!

Unknown said...

What a day!

Glad you all survived intact :)

Kendra said...

I've been mom of the year many times before. The kid acts all winey, mean, and crazy all day. I get on to him, scold him, put him in time out. Only then do I remember that any time he acts like that he's either sick or tired. Yep, mom of the year!

Jewel said...

I hope they are both feeling much better. I've sent kids off to school and then had the nurse call me within an hour of the start of the day asking me to pick them up.

I hope you're having a better day too filled with an extra measure of sufficient grace:)

Carrie B said...

Okay, all totally forgivable. My Wonder Mom moment was when I told my then 19 year old son his stomach ache was just a bug and to go to the bathroom . . . 12 hours later he had his appendics out. Bother.
My Mom used to tell me when they were young that "they won't remember."
Course the my son totally calls me on it now . . . with jest. :)

Anonymous said...

Oops! Sorry! I wish I could say I have no earthly idea what you're talking about but I've had enough momtastrophes of my own that I can sit here and nod with complete sympathy and empathy.

Hope everyone's feeling better today. And I hope you've let yourself off the hook.

Gretchen said...

Shall we just all buy and wear the t-shirt and sing "Kum ba Ya" together? So been there.

Hope both are feeling better, soon.

Amber said...

Too many times to count, girl. Too many times to count. I've awarded myself with Mother of the Year so many times, I'm thinking of having a badge made up and just wearing it everyday.

Carrie and Jim said...

Wow, what a day! It's amazing how we life and be so smooth but the moment we speed things up it all goes crazy. Hope everyone is feeling better now. Prop your feet up it sounds like you might need a break!

Alyssa said...

Well at least you had already given your word early in the day that you were making spaghetti for dinner; maybe that was some consolation??? Aren't we all grateful for a new start each morning!

stephanie j. said...

I've had several of those days when I have been the grump because one of the girls has been a grump and at 7:00 pm it occurred to me that something really isn't right...yep. Fever. I should just "go there first".

As to the peanut allergy, DD3 is supposed to be on a restricted diet right now (low acid to test if this is what is causing her UTI symptoms) and have I held strictly to it? Nope. It's SO HARD! I can't imagine a peanut allergy. I would be SO HARD. Don't knock yourself too hard...you've held to it for 11 years!!!

Kristin said...

I've done stuff like that so many times.... this past fall I kept sending my daughter to school and it turned out she had pneumonia :(