Simmons house is Sick... ugh

For starters, my linked within isn't working and I have no idea why. 

So it all started with the food battle between me and Eli.  I figured out a few days later that he was just not feeling well.  And now, two weeks later, I have what he has and I can understand.  I haven't eaten much either.  Wow, I feel like a bad mom.

Eli and Tae got sick two weeks ago now.  I remember after a Wednesday basketball practice, I knew Tae wasn't gonna make it to school.  He stayed out for a whole week, which is huge for my little social boy.  He loves school.  He missed basketball again today, once again huge.  He loves his basketball too.  Eli is finally eating better.  It was oatmeal, yogurt and applesauce there for a while, but we are most certainly back to grubbin'.  Now I have an awful sore throat that just stinks and Tae has been saying he has had a headache for the last day and a half.  He said tonight that he was going to be better for school tomorrow, we will see.  Maybe just the morning. 

Then there is Eli...  There is a reason God gives you so much love for your kids.  Because sometimes, well, I'm sure you get the picture.  I don't want to ruin it for future moms or moms with perfect kids.  Just know that I thought I had it all together too, with Tae and the first 6 months of Eli's life.  Then I had an awakening.  So Eli is not a good sleeper.  I don't know what to do.  He wakes up in the night, not to play or eat or anything, sometimes he just cries until someone gives him his binkie.  But he doesn't soothe himself very well, so most of the time if we let him cry, he doesn't stop.  And he shares a room with Tae, and while Tae does sleep pretty hard, it has got to bother him.  Heck, it bothers me and I am a room away!

The bummer thing is that I feel like I have tried everything.  Advil, Doliprane, nose stuff, cough stuff, the poor kid is getting drugged up every night before bed.  I went again to the pharmacie last night and they gave me two more things for sleep, both homeopathic, so I thought I would try them too.  He did a little better last night.  But I was still a stinkin' wreck today.  I had to get Lavar and I laid down for three hours. Yes, you read that right, 3 hours.  I don't remember the last time I did that.  I could have gone longer too.

So far tonight I haven't heard him and it is not yet 10.  So I am going to post this and lay-it-down as my husband says.  I am just praying that I can sleep.  That Eli sleeps.  That Tae doesn't get woken up.  With all these sickies in the house, we can't get better when no one is sleeping!  Eli, get the memo!!!!!!!!!!!  But I love you.  But seriously, sleep.  Ugh, I am getting delerious.

Tap out

Tap out.  I need a sub.  Like a replacement mommy for just a little.  I am so tired.  It feels like the plague hit our house this week.  And out of respect for those who don't have kids and would like to someday, I won't post any pictures, but it's been brutal.

Started with Eli not eating his dinner and not finishing his bottle.  I thought he was being a stinker, then he got a fever and kept it for 3 days.  Tae got a really bad cough and stuffy nose.  Neither are sleeping great so we are up a few times a night.  Lavar is gone today and tonight for a basketball game so I really had no sub.  And night before games I try to get up with the boys so Lavar can sleep, so brutal for me.  Just not pretty around here.

I leave for London next Thursday.  I am just praying that I don't have to leave a household of sick boys behind.  My husband is nice enough to watch the kids for the weekend so I can go alone (so freakin excited!).  It would be hard to truly enjoy myself knowing what Lavar is going through here.  Please please get better boys!!  And I really pray I don't get sick, because that would be a bummer too. 

Focus on the goal ~ healthy boys.  Sanity and sleep for mommy and daddy.

It is times like these we really miss family, friends, and grandparents...

Please Eli, pretty, pretty PLEASE!!

Okay Ladies this is serious.  My cute little 7 month old booger WILL NOT sleep.  I am at a loss.  My first son was/is an excellent sleeper.  In fact, he is such a good sleeper that we are having the opposite problem with him, trying to get him to wake up to go to the bathroom in the night.  Eli on the other hand is ridiculous. He wakes up at least twice a night and then in the morning at around 6:30 or 7:00.  I know some kids just do that, but the thing is, I know he is tired.  I know he needs to sleep more.  I just don't know how to get him to do it. 

I have always been a fan of scheduling babies.  It worked for me and it worked for a lot of other mothers I know.  It helps them sleep and frees you up a lot.  However, I do understand it doesn't fit every parenting type, and people should do what works for them.  All that to say I started with Eli from week 2 or 3 and he was excellent.  Slept through the night at 8 weeks old, totally on his own.  After that, NO problem with him.  Then we moved to France.  It took him two nights to sleep through the night again.  It was excellent.  After that, he was fine.  Then a month or so later, he started having problems.  He just wakes up in the middle of the night or very early morning.  And now to add to that, he now will not take good naps.  Like literally an hour total per day.  Which I know is not enough. 

So I am ruling out time change and adjusting.  We have been here too long.  I am ruling out light sleeper, because serisouly, no one else ever wakes up until he is crying!  I haven't entirely ruled out teething.  He isn't drooling a ton like Tae did and he still has no teeth.  He is always biting his gums.  I got some gel to rub on his teeth and some French non-medical calmer thing and I am just not sure it helps.  Poor little guy.  Poor Daddy, poor Mommy!  I would say poor brother, but I am pretty sure he sleeps through most of it!!

I would love any suggestions any other parents have for teething or sleeping or both.  I don't want to get in the habit of rocking him back to sleep or have him get used to things that aren't possible to keep up.  I just want him to SLEEP!!  Looking forward to comments!!