LifeFromScratch

Sick Babies

I am looking through old posts I've put up and I have to say that my first thought is, "where did my happy little girl go!" Our trip to Utah started out with a rather unpleasant bang, as Gracie came down with the worst stomach flu I have ever personally witnessed. She threw up EVERYTHING for 5 consecutive days and I started to take her to the hospital a half dozen times before it was all over. We had so many long difficult days with even tougher nights that as I am writing this I am realizing it is better that I remember that it is over now, and that we had wonderful help in the way of my wonderful family. "Gandmomom" was Grace's favorite person through all of this. Let me rephrase that. Grandmomom was the ONLY person Grace wanted besides me for almost 2 weeks. My other family were all so understanding and helpful with her being sick as well and I am so so so grateful for them, I really hope they realize that! After the throwing up subsided the fever persisted for 3 or 4 days and we had almost 2 weeks of a very very sad sad baby. No planned trips to the zoo with friends and family, no walks and picnics, we really did almost NOTHING that we had gone on the trip to do. I almost missed my little sisters farewell talk that we had gone to hear, (Another post about that later, I have fabulous sisters) but Craig was luckily there and was willing to stay home with the babe while I snuck in to hear her speak at church Sunday. Craig. I have to take a moment to talk about my poor husband. Now for most of you Mom's you are probably thinking, "psh I've been through way worse, this girl is such an amateur" but this was the first time I have had my daughter very seriously ill, and I say that because I really feel like if it hadn't been for a priesthood blessing (and every homeopathic medicine under the sun) I really think that Grace and I would have spent some extensive time in the hospital with an IV in her tiny little arm. As it was she has definitely lost weight and is just not her happy sunny little self still. Ok, back to Craig. So imagine me going through this, and then imagine being a first time Dad and having to LEAVE and go back home to provide for your family when your little baby is a million miles away somewhere very sick. Craig walked out the door after I jokingly assured him all was well (It was one of those moments where you scream inside dramatically "don't go!!!" and outwardly say, "Psh, we got this! I love you, now goodbye!") and then I watched him peak anxiously back into the house 3 times before he finally took off. He doesn't have phone service where he works (we ARE getting new phones asap people I promise) but he called every day on his way home asking if she was ok, and I could tell by his not so steady voice that several times he was about to lose it. He was SO worried and as hard as it can be to comfort and sooth sick babies, I wouldn't have traded places with him, or been anywhere else, for the world. Having said all of that, I did have some wonderful experiences the last few days that I will share in another post. Grace IS getting better, slept through the night last night, and although her appetite is still small enough that I know we are not quite there yet, every day is a little better. It is hard to go through very humbling experiences unchanged, and I hope that I will always remember how precious and fragile life is, how wonderful my earthly support system is, and how incredible it is to have a family for eternity. Thinking about getting married and being hugely nervous and excited but mostly a bundle of nerves (I don't do changes well, especially big ones) and then thinking about my little family now, it is crazy to ever think I thought life on my own might be "a better idea".
Here are a few pictures from it all. I didn't take many in the beginning (just the picture from the top) but here are a few more from when she had a little food in her system and was feeling a little better.