The Ups and Downs of my December Thus Far

December is supposed to be a month of peace, right? I don’t know about you all, but there has been nothing peaceful about this month since it started. I feel like I’m always on the go running errands, attending this social function, attending that social function, making and wrapping lots of gifts and food to give away, cleaning, putting up decorations, traveling, etc. etc. Don’t get me wrong, I really love it all….I just wish things could slow down so I could actually take a breath before it completely passes me by.

Earlier in the month a group of us girls had our monthly “girls’ night in” get together. We all brought a little something to eat and worked on our projects and talked the night away. I wish I would’ve gotten more accomplished because I had been looking forward to that night so much. In my head I thought of all the things I was going to get done while snatching some time away from the kid. I ended up bringing some necklaces to work on, but got very frustrated since I had to undo my work several times due to silly mistakes. The company was good, although I kind of shut down socially because I was so wrapped up in my own projects. Hopefully nobody thought I was as incredibly lame as I appeared to be. The evening after that was the Young Women in Excellence program that all the girls and leaders had been working on. At the beginning we all sang a beautiful song called “Keepers of His Light” while cupping little battery operated candles in our hands. The young women set up tables to show off their personal progress and then they talked a little about their goal achievements. At the end we ate “refreshments” but is there anything refreshing about ice cream with molten lava cake? Just one more indulgence I try to rationalize because “it’s the holidays.” As good as the cake was, I think if I see one more fat and sugar laden treat I’m going to throw my cookies. From the beginning of October until the end of the year I feel like any good intentions to eat well and maintain self control goes right out the window. And then by the time mid December rolls around (yup, right now) I have no energy and get so sluggish. It’s like I can literally feel the added weight I’m carrying around and my body is screaming at me to eat a dang carrot instead of that plate of fudge. Oh, but I have no will power. Anyway, this topic is another story, so let me move on.

So the following week I spent a lot of my time addressing Christmas cards and going to the post office to send off packages or making little gifts. But mostly that week was all about getting ready for our trip to Idaho. Friday morning was hectic trying to pack and load up the car and then realizing that I had to make some last minute things before our departure. So much for leaving at 9:00 a.m. like I had planned. The whole morning I felt under the weather and it just got worse in the car since I get really motion sick. I had such a throbbing headache and nausea, I just wanted to go to sleep. Finally we stopped and I had Mike buy me a cherry Coke. Let me tell ya, that cherry Coke is a miracle drug for me. It gets rid of headaches without fail. Leaves me a little jittery, but I’d rather experience mild shakiness than have throbbing pain shooting through my skull. Once I started feeling better I enjoyed the ride a bit more. We arrived in Idaho Falls late afternoon and spent the time visiting with Grandma Miller. Of course, we played a few rounds of Yahtzee, and I must say grandma and I both did swimmingly. Not to brag (cough cough) but uh, I scored 629! That’s four Yahtzee’s baby! I now consider it one of my greatest lifetime achievements. Mike felt it necessary to stick our score sheets on the refrigerator.

Saturday morning was a big day for us. It’s the real reason I wanted to write this post. It was a big day because I was able to do my mom’s temple work! My 2 aunts from out of town and my uncle and his wife were able to be there (as well as Mike.) My uncle and one of my aunts were able to be proxies for my Grandma and Grandpa when we sealed my mom to her parents. I want to describe the feelings I had, but at the same time I don’t even know the words to use. I don’t know what to say. It was such a special and sacred event for me that I don’t want to discuss my experience in detail, but it was wonderful and I feel so privileged and blessed to be apart of it. Thanks to my aunt for getting all the paperwork together so we could finally do it. I couldn’t have asked for a better Christmas present!

After Mike and I ate some yummy pasta at my favorite Italian restaurant Johnny Carino’s (the place where we had one of our first dates) we went back to my uncle’s house and just visited with my relatives. My cousin Steven was there for a while with his daughter and my cousin Dale’s daughter Wyntre (pronounced Winter) was there as well visiting with her grandma. I had never really had the opportunity to visit with Wyntre until that day, and she is so flip’n cute I couldn’t believe it. And she’s so smart and amazingly talkative for a two year old. This was about how our first conversation went.

I go into the bathroom to change Vessel’s diaper and the next thing I know she opens the door and comes inside with us.

Wyntre: What are you doing?

Me: Changing a diaper.

Wyntre: Why?

Me: Because he pooped.

Wyntre: Why?

Me: Because we all poop. Don’t you poop too?

Wyntre: Yeah sometimes, but sometimes I go pee.

Me: Oh, do you use the toilet?

Wyntre: Yeah. That’s the toilet right there.

Me: Wow, you’re a big girl using the toilet by yourself.

Wyntre: Yeah……..What are you doing?

Me: (chuckling, having already answered the question once) I’m changing his diaper.

Wyntre: Yeah, he needs a new one. talking to Vessel Hi Baby! You pooped huh! Cute baby. (giggles while patting Vessel’s head.)

I love how little children are so candid, and Wyntre was no exception.

After playing a rousing game of catch phrase we all went to bed. I would like to give props to my team for our consecutive winning streak. Sorry for your loss babe!

Anyway, Vessel slept like an angel again, and surprisingly stayed asleep for about 13 hours. Right before we left for the day, Vessel got sick and threw up all over my aunt and uncle’s hardwood floor. Mike was holding him and he described the scene as something out of the movie “the Exorcist.” I felt so bad for our little guy and didn’t even see it coming since he was completely fine the night before, all happy and smiley and energetic. After digging through the newly packed trunk for another shirt for Mike and a clean outfit for Vessel (which there wasn’t) we finally left my aunt and uncle’s house and headed north towards my Dad’s house. On our way there we stopped at the Archer cemetery so that my sister and I could visit my mom’s grave. It was very quiet and serene with untouched snow covering the ground. Despite the biting wind and icy snow up to my ankles, I felt a warmth inside that my mom was with us in some way. My sister and I talked for a few minutes about how Mom always made sure us girls had a good Christmas every year. We talked a little about how much we missed her, especially during the holidays and how it’s just not the same. I guess one of the tragic things about this time of year is that it brings a more substantial reminder of loved ones gone.

It was so good to see my sister. I have really missed her. The 3 of us had a fun time belting out Macy Gray songs in the car up to my dad’s house. Nothing like a raspy soul sista sing-a-long to brighten your mood, eh? We made a pit stop at my aunt and uncle’s house near Rexburg and visited with them for awhile.

At dad’s my sister and I exchanged gifts and I had also made gifts for my dad, Chris (my dad’s girlfriend) and my grandparents, who also came up to eat dinner with us. While Chris was making dinner she had some treats for us to munch on while we waited. She had made homemade apple juice from the apple tree that sits in the backyard of my childhood. It was yummy, and I was impressed.

It all went well except for the fact that Vessel was sick. I was hoping he’d be more sociable since my family rarely gets to see him. I tried to feed him and he wasn’t interested. After chugging down a whole bottle of diluted juice, he threw it up. And then he had one major blow out. The kid was miserable. I felt so bad for him.

He was so unhappy pretty much the whole way home. The four hour drive isn’t fun anyway, but having a sick kid in the car just makes it that much worse. At one point he threw up in the car again and then about an hour and a half away from home he had another blowout. Since we didn’t have any clean or dry clothes left for him to wear, he just had to sit there in it until we got to our apartment. At least he somehow managed to fall asleep.

When Monday rolled around, Vessel was still sick and had lots of diarrhea. He wouldn’t eat or drink anything and generally acted despondent. He was also whiny for most of the day, which was rough on Mike and me. But whaddayagonnado? That night the Elder’s Quorum presidency and their wives were invited to dinner at the Allen’s home. We hesitated going, not knowing for sure if Vessel’s anal leakage was under control, but we had been looking forward to it, so we went anyway. Amber had provided a booster seat just for Vessie and we all sat at the table to a wonderful feast. Vessel however, just wasn’t content with anything I tried to feed him. Finally Amber gave him a tall sippy cup full of juice and he guzzled it down like he hadn’t had something to drink for days, and then wanted more. I was weary giving him that much juice, but I didn’t want to give him milk on an upset stomach and we didn’t bring any of the Pedialyte he had been chugging all day. He was getting incredibly fussy and he was shivering like crazy so I unstrapped him and set him on my lap only to find out that he had just had an explosive onslaught of diarrhea that went all the way up his back and down his leg. The booster chair was covered in it and I was red with embarrassment thinking that everyone was very unimpressed with that not-so-enjoyable dinner scene. Luckily we brought an extra pair of jammies and got him cleaned up. Amber and Steve were so nice about everything and wanted to help. We joked to Amber that if Steve really wanted to help then he should call a priest.

So after that ordeal we decided we better get Vessel home and bathed and off to bed. But the second we got home something in my gut was a rumblin’ and I spent the rest of the night in and out of the bathroom. I slept in my clothes and couldn’t even manage getting under the blankets on our bed. I was so sick I could barely move except when I was forced to use the toilet. The next day Mike was feeling the same way and the 3 of us spent the entire day cooped up in our apartment wanting to die. I was so sick I thought I was going to die and I swear I must’ve lost 3 or 4 pounds. I was on the couch or on the toilet all day. Being sick is never good, but being sick and obligated to care for a sick child is a nightmare.

By Wednesday I was luckily over it and feeling fine again. Mike was still a little queasy. But poor Vessie, he is still fighting whatever bug he’s got. He’s getting better and eating more and not needing to down Pedialyte any longer. But while I was at Mardene’s house this afternoon, Mike decided to go shopping with Vessel. He was looking around the store with Vessel in the stroller, and glanced down to see something incredibly disturbing. Yup, Vessel and his stroller were covered in poo. Mike panicked and took Vessel out right away. Not having a pair of clean clothes to change him into he was forced to put Vessel in his car seat the way he was and fold up the poopy stroller and pack it away into the trunk. Glad it wasn’t me….

Anyhoo, I just wish Vessel would get better because I have more important things to do than wash his sheets and soiled clothes. Okay, really I just want him to get better because it breaks my little heart when he’s not well.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that now I’m getting a cold. Yay.

I guess I’ll end on that note. Hope everyone else is having a good December!