Survivor. I hope.

Danny worked a detail last night to pay for some Kung Fu classes for Dominic and Noemie. Surely, I thought, surely, I could spare 15 minutes between 10 pm (when the kids finally went down to bed) and 12:15 am (the time that I expected Danny home) to catch up on the blog. But no. I think I got as far as signing in before I had to jump up to take care of Giannina, my gorgeous, charming, COLICKY baby. My fourth baby had to be the one with colic. I haven't checked email in a week. I'm thinking of giving up the internet entirely. I may not get to read a book for the next 18 years. 

Week one was tough. Danny got hit by a poop torpedo. He was 3 feet away! 

(Peanut Gallery)

Cristovan took instantly to Giannina. In fact, he would say "mine" and push Noemie away if he felt she was being too smothering, which Noemie does have a tendency to be. This is surprising because Toby loves to tackle and wrestle. Give him a brand new board book and he'll shred it to pieces. I take my eye off of him for a moment and there is crayon on my piano keys and my homeschool materials cabinet has been raided. There are bingo chips and bent playing cards scattered everywhere. Leave the kitchen gate open and he'll tear through a box of Cheez-its in a heartbeat. And scarf down a bag of goldfish crackers. A loaf of bread. And Rice Krispies. (He's a carboholic with an appetite.) But with Giannina, he's so gentle!

Week 2 was survival. I had read a National Geographic article sometime last year on the effect of sleep deprivation on mice. They died. And I would wonder, as we muddled through our second week, how close I was to death myself. We tried to keep the nervous breakdowns in public spaces to a minimum. Even when Giannina would give us those precious 4 hour sleep stretches at night, Noemie would come in half way through asking for a glass of water. Oh how we prayed for good humor!

Week 3 kicked off with Easter Sunday. Terrible, terrible family photos. 

For all the trouble to look that good... what a pity. Danny and I were not at our optimal parenting capacities, and Dominic and Noemie were noticeably frustrated. Our prayers for good humor were falling short.


We put the oldest two in Kung Fu to give them something to do three times a week. Maybe there they could get some extra attention... accomplish something to be proud of. Get a little extra discipline. Unfortunately, that also meant Danny and I had something more to do three times a week. We all caught the flu (our second time in a month!) But flu or no flu, Dominic had to have a cool pine derby car for the Awana Grand Prix.

I won... I mean, Dominic won a trophy for third best design.

Week 4, my fever got up near 104. I laid there in my four layers of pajamas one night, shivering, thinking that perhaps we'd taken on more than we could handle. Then Giannina got a fever. Suspicions confirmed. 

When Giannina's fever hit 102, I followed doctor's orders and made my way at 2 am to the emergency room. They gave the poor thing a chest ray (to check for pneumonia), a catheter (to check for urinary tract infection), a blood test (to check her white blood cell count), even a spinal tap to check for meningitis. At about 5 am, with all tests negative and her body now surging with useless antibiotics, they sent us home. Apparently she just had the flu. We were thankful not to have to stay in the hospital, but of the 44 hours that preceded our hospital release, we'd slept five. The prospect of taking on three preschoolers for another 16 was terrifying.

How are we surviving? Besides my mom and sister, who have cleaned my bathroom on more than one occasion, we had church families bring us meals every night for a week and a half. When we had to take Giannina in for her doctor's visit, a church friend watched the boys. And when we had to run off to the hospital in the middle of the night, our Sunday School teachers came over to stay with the other kids and slept upright on our couch. We've had friends pick up the older kids for playdates or to take them to Chick-Fil-A for a lunch date. We could not have survived without our church family. I know they're praying for us- they text and call us to check in. They have loved us so well. Being part of a church is more than gathering for worship (which is a much needed recharge), for prayer ( who doesn't need intercession?), and for deepening our understanding of God's Word (it's our sword!), but it's also one of the ways God provides for us- emotionally, spiritually, and materially. We are so, so blessed by our church. I hope you have found that family too.

We've made it to week 5. I am pleased to report that Giannina's fever has subsided, and that we are taking things a little easier. Giannina sleeps in 5 and a half hour stretches at night- from midnight to 5 am, which is about what Danny sleeps anyway. Dominic and Noemie continue in their Kung Fu classes, and Toby continues to destroy EVERYTHING. Danny bought me long-stemmed roses in celebration of the 156th month-iversary of our first date. It's going to be ok, I tell myself. It's going to be ok!