Sick and tired

It's been a tough week.  Okay, a really tough week.  Owen started to get really cranky.  At first we blamed it on his 18 month shots he had the week before.  By Tuesday morning (really early morning) we decided it was time we took him in to see the Pediatrician.  He had been up for a few hours during the night and was given the infamous label of Mr. Crankypants. We found out he had 2 ear infections and pink eye.  Yuck!  Poor guy was miserable.  I am amazed and happy to announce that this is actually his first (and second) ear infection.  My other boys had them all the time and I thought he might just be immune, but I'll take 18 months without.  I was pretty happy to find that there was a reason for his behavior rather then we had spawned a night time demon.  He's still not sleeping fully through the night, which makes life complicated and not fun, but let's hope it will get better soon.  My throat started hurting really bad last Sunday. Brett's throat started hurting on Monday. By Wednesday early morning I couldn't sleep because my throat was killing me and I felt feverish.  I got an appointment that day and found out I had strep throat.  Brett went in the next day and found out he had strep throat.  By the way, at this point, Owen is still Mr. Crankypants, except now it's night and day.  So, with his misery added to two miserable parents, this week was pretty much miserable.  With all the meds we've all been taking I thought it would ware off by now.  We're all still struggling.  The last time I had strep I was a teenager, but I don't remember it being so awful.  It's not just a sore throat; it's headaches, earaches, uncontrollable painful night time coughing, etc.  I really feel sorry for Hyrum and Noah, who have had to patiently survive a week in a house of Crankypants'.  We've had cereal or peanut butter and jam sandwiches for more meals than I will admit.  They've been good sports and I hope they stay well and don't get our yuckiness too.  Let's hope we can get through this!

I thought I would give a little update on our little man too. This little man reminds me a lot Noah at this age. In fact I'm pretty sure I have a picture almost identical to this one of Noah when he was two (except Noah had been painting on the mirror with toothpaste).  During Family Home Evening last Monday Owen disappeared upstairs (not uncommon), then he started screaming like he wanted something (also not uncommon).  I was in the middle of the lesson, so I decided to just finish the story before I went up to get him.  After the lesson was done I went upstairs and found him on the bathroom counter, screaming because he couldn't get back down.  I couldn't figure out how he got up there.  Since then I've found him on the counter a few times, luckily it's not a daily occurrence.  Well, I finally caught him in the act of climbing up.  He climbs on top of the toilet, reaches over to the toilet paper and manages to get one foot over the paper roll, and then proceeds to pull himself on top of the counter.  I'm amazed he can reach his leg that far and I'm amazed he frequently does it with something in one of his hands too.  He's a pretty determined little man.  This week he also managed to pull the pantry door off it's track, luckily I was close and caught the door before it landed on him.  (Remember Noah pulling the door off our bookcase?)  He's constantly making messes.  I usually sweep somewhere between 2-4 times a day, and it's all because of this little man.  If there is a sticky hand print somewhere, a broken something left out, a puddle of water on the carpet, or a smear of snot on a newly cleaned shirt, we all know it's Owen.  As crazy as he makes us all sometimes, we love him SO much.  He is the sweetest boy in the world.  He still loves reading books.  I love that if I sit on the floor cross-legged he will walk backwards into my lap and plop down with  a book.  He listens and points.  He is starting to make animal noises too.  He can mooo like a cow and pant like a dog.  He's working on the baaa of a sheep and ooh-oooh-aaaah-aaaah of a monkey.  He says 'Uh-oh' in the cutest little voice in the world!  I love how his little lips form the words and his eyes light up, knowing that we understand him.  He loves zerberts and kisses, even with his brothers.  He LOVES his Dad.  I wish there were a bigger way I could express how much he loves his Dad.  There is no doubt who his favorite parent is.  The moment he sees his Dad coming he starts yelling. 'Dad! Dad! Dad!' and runs to him.  He always wants to snuggle with Brett and be held by him.  He follows Brett around all over the house when he's home.  Owen is his little shadow.  He loves his brothers too. He loves chasing them around, wrestling with them, and dance parties.  I feel so blessed to be the Mother of such a cute little man.