Like my friend Rachel says on her blog, life isn't always pretty, but if you're gonna tell the truth, you just gotta do it. So here we go. Boogers and all.

This week seems like it's been 10 weeks in one. I'm worn out. But I will tell you, it's 12:21 am and I am up blogging. Why? Because I feel like it's the first moment I've had to myself in days. DAYS.

These are the days of little hands tugging on my pants (sometimes tugging them a little too low, especially if you're wearing pj bottoms which frequently IS the case), little voices calling for my help, little fights to break up, little mouths to feed, little bottoms to wipe, little carseat buckles to constantly snap and unsnap, little spills to wipe up, little (and big) piles of laundry to wash and fold and put up, little dust bunnies to suck up with my vacuum cleaner, little packages to hide in my closet to wrap later, little diapers to change, little minds to mold, little lives to shape, little faces to kiss and kiss and kiss...just a whole whole bunch of little things that make up all the little seconds and minutes and days of my life.

And they're so little and so numerous they're huge. Enormous. Consuming. 

And this time of year, all the little things pile up, especially and wear me out. I'm calling a school break after tomorrow. It's time for some gifts to get wrapped, some cookies to get baked and some Mommy to get into the Christmas spirit. 

Because this week, like I said, it's been busy. Today just sort of capped it. 

We have our Rwandan, Rene, staying with us over the holidays. Picked him up Tuesday night and I am so glad he's with us. I really am. It's his first real Christmas with an American family and I am so thrilled. He has his own monogrammed stocking and everything! And as soon as I get around to that wrapping business, he'll have his own presents under our tree!

But he does count as another mouth to feed and while I feel like I can just feed my kids pbj for lunch...sometimes that's not what a 20 year old boy wants for his lunches. So that's fun.

Also, over the past week, Brooklyn has had major stomach issues. Constant gas, burping, diarrhea...issues...and we ended up taking her to the doctor today.  For some reason she had it in her head she would be getting a shot and she threw a world-class fit.  Our doc, who's quite familiar with my kids, was literally taken aback. It was so unlike Brooklyn to act the way she did.  There was a point where I was close to promising her a gerbil if she'd just let him feel her tummy. 

After an x-ray, turns out she's just clogged up with poo. Major constipation. (talk about reality)  Lots and lots of it and her little swollen Ethiopian baby belly needs a good cleaning out. So we're into dose 2 of Miralax and so far, no results. I'm hoping something starts clearing out by tomorrow before this goes into double innings. 

But I am so relieved it's just plain ole constipation and not lactose intolerance or IBS.

 

I am going to interject here that my sweet husband, Kyle, took time out of his very busy day to accompany me and the kids to the doctor. In hindsight, it was so good he did. Without his help, I couldn't have handled B's wig-out plus Dorien's attempt to put his mouth on every surface of the room plus August's fascination with the Biohazard trash can. Without bursting into tears myself. I might have even bought myself a gerbil.

But to ice the proverbial cake, upon arriving home, I let my almost 11 year old Golden Retriever, Bailey, into the house from outside. She walked up the steps into my kitchen where I dried her paws off and then she immediately COLLAPSED! Back legs splayed out and just down. No idea why. I pretty much freaked out. She was my very first baby.

I yelled to Kyle who was walking out the door back to work and a photo shoot that was supposed to last till 8pm. I handed off Dorien to Rene and called the vet asap. Bailey wasn't even trying to get up. Just lying there, looking at me. I just knew we needed to get her to the vet immediately.  Kyle, being the amazing husband he is, slipped off his suit jacket, picked up our 65 pound dog and gently put her in the back of the Navigator. My mom came over at a moment's notice to put Brooklyn and August down for their naps (bless her) and Kyle and I and Dorien rushed to the vet. I sat in the back with Bailey's head on my leg. Praise the Lord, Dorien fell asleep in the car and stayed asleep all through the vet visit and ride home.

I still don't know what's wrong with my precious Bailey-Bug. The vet could tell she was dehydrated, but nothing beyond that. She's staying there overnight and I am praying praying praying she's ok. Kyle stayed home the rest of the evening, and we managed to find joy in things like watching Rene work a Strawberry Shortcake puzzle and dancing to Dirty Diana. But in the back of my mind there is worry...We will know more tomorrow, I hope. In the meantime I'll turn off my lights and hope I can recharge overnight as easily as my i-phone.