Disclaimer: I realize that no one other than the grandparents and far away friends are remotely as interested in watching our home movies. I also know that the things we find totally adorable and totally hilarious may not be to others. I haven't yet completely lost my mind.
Now...onto the videos.
I was playing with Chick the other day when out of nowhere, I got the hiccups. She thought it was the most hilarious thing ever.
About a month ago, we ordered a stroller from this store and were excited to have finally made a decision after much deliberation. In the past year, we have shopped at this store a number of times and usually came away with something or other we needed for the babies. The customer service was never wonderful, but the store offered what we needed. Case in point, the stroller. Now, many other stores offered the same stroller but at $100 more. So, we went ahead and ordered it and happily waited for it to be shipped. We waited...then we waited some more...then we waited even more.
When I had had enough of waiting, I decided to contact the store, but not without arming myself with some information. I (belatedly) checked their standing on Canada's Better Business Bureau's site, then called to say that I was giving them 24 hours to contact me with an explanation as to the delay in shipment lest I contact the BBB to file a complaint.
Within four hours, I received an email with the following statement:
"Unfortunately this item is not in stock and it is on back order. We have refunded your card for the full amount that was charged. We apologize for inconvenience and delay."
Um...when I ordered it, the website stated that there was ONE in stock which is why I ORDERED it. Had it said, "None in stock", I would not have ordered it. Furthermore, why not contact me IN PERSON to apologize for the oversight and tell me that my card would not be charged until the store received and shipped the stroller? Then again, I suppose this is why this particular store has an "F" Rating with the BBB.
I really wish they would have known who they were dealing with before they sent that email. Now I have to start writing letters and making phone calls. The fact that my free time is now being compromised to do so makes me even more livid.
Yesterday the babies and I went on a walk of my "short-run" route. You know, that route that runners take when their knees are sore, when they have a cold, or when they don't have the time to fit in a full run. It is a mere 3 miles (5km).
I.
Almost.
Collapsed.
Seriously. Sure, I was pushing almost 40 pounds of baby and maybe 15 pounds of stroller, but still. I was walking. And not particularly quickly, I might add. I suppose I can use the excuse that I've had a stomach bug this week and haven't really eaten much since Sunday, but I'm not an excuses kind of girl.
The sun is shining brightly today (I think for the last time for at least a few days according to The Weather Network) and it's a balmy 8C (46F) at this moment. As soon as the babies wake from their naps (yes they are sleeping at the SAME time today...yay!) we will pack up the stroller and drive to another neighborhood to bask in the sunshine once again. I just hope my legs are up for it.
Thank you for your thoughtful comments regarding the question I asked in my last post. Each one was helpful to me.
Chick is finally on the mend as of yesterday. It has been a very long and exhausting seven days, but she finally turned the corner (we hope). It took three different doctors to get her well, but with probiotics, a lactose-free diet for four weeks and antacid in hand, we think we've figured it all out. I just want relief for my little girl.
I started to feel sick Monday morning and it hit K2 around noon. The only healthy being in this household (aside from Bear) is Pea. Let's hope we can keep him healthy.
I am a firm believer in getting outside in the cool air when sick. I think that staying cooped up inside exacerbates the sickness and leads to longer days feeling horrible. With this in mind, the three sickos and the one healthy dude pulled out the stroller and went for a long walk last night. The temperature tonight was a chilly 1C (35F), so we bundled the little ones up well and headed out. They stayed awake for the entire walk (about an hour), yet as we turned the stroller onto our driveway, we saw this:
There's nothing sweeter than a baby with red cheeks And now for my Black and White photo for this week. I chose a photo I took when K2 and I were in Napa Valley a few years ago. I couldn't believe how perfect the grapes at the winery looked. They were so beautiful and their colors dazzling.
Although the vomiting has stopped and she no longer has a fever, we are still struggling with Chick and her sickness. It's difficult to get formula into her and last night she refused to take a little bit of Pedialyte. Hopefully, we'll turn the corner today. She is still asleep after a rough night, but Pea is up and babbling away in the jumparoo. He has so much to say this morning! Thankfully, he has not caught whatever it is that Chick has.
I have a question for everyone who is a parent or who hopes to be a parent.
If you could go back in time (or forward if you are not a parent yet) and have a talk with your new-parent self, what would you say?
Chick is so very sick with the flu and she is a sad, sad girl. Between the vomiting, the diarrhea and the fever, she has kept us on our toes. We weren't worried about her as long as she was taking her bottles, but as soon as those bottles started coming back up the worry set in.
We saw the doctor last night and came home armed with Gravol suppositories and Pedialyte. The doctor told us that she should improve by today and if not, to take her back in. Today, the diarrhea continued (although the vomiting stopped) and when we put her to bed tonight, she refused her bottle.
Whatever it is has to run its course and it's just not finished yet. Babies dehydrate so quickly and we just have to make sure she keeps up her fluids. I suspect another long night is in store.
Last week, M3 wrote a post in which she posted pictures every hour for the day. These captioned pictures told the story of her typical day with Ro and Ree (her twin girls). I thought it was such a great idea that I stole it and am doing it here.
6:00AM - The babies are awake and chatting away in their cribs. I take Chick into Pea's room and put her in his crib. Since they don't share a room (much to my dismay) I like them to be together quietly in the mornings. They play together for a little while (maybe 15 minutes) while I make the bed and brush my teeth. K2 leaves for work at 5:45, so the babies don't see him until later.
6:15AM - This is the scene when I go in to get the babies. It was quite dark in the room, so the video is not the best quality.
7:00AM - While the babies play in the Great Room, I proceed to make all the bottles for the day and try to grab a cup of coffee and some toast.
7:30 - Feeding time!
8:00 - By this time, I have changed three poopy diapers and decide it's time for the babies to get dressed for the day.
8:30 - Nap Time (I take a shower during this time). It's VERY rare for the babies to sleep at the same time, so this is a treat! Chick started off on her side...
9:30 - Breakfast for the babies Today's menu: a finger length of bread and oatmeal with apples.
10:00AM -Dancing and Storytime I'll put a picture of storytime, but I'll save you from the weirdness of our dancing. You're welcome.
11:00AM - Gramma stops by for a short visit and then helps with the 11:30 feed.
12:00 - Nap Time (Pea is down for the count, but Chick has NO intention of sleeping). Nope, no nap for this girl who was WIDE awake and playing with reckless abandon!
12:25 - Bear wants to know when Chick is going back from whence she came. He's not impressed with the babies nor with our affection for them. He has definitely lost his spot in the priority rank.
1:00 - Pea awakens and it's time to run some errands. Of course, I forgot my camera, so you'll have to take my word for it.
2:30 - Both babies fell asleep in the car on the way home. I was able to get Chick into her crib when we got home, but I dare not move Pea. He sleeps by the front door in his car seat.
2:45 - K2 arrives home from work. He is sent directly upstairs to rock his daughter who thinks she runs the show. It's one of those days with Chick, I'm afraid.
3:30 - Playtime with Daddy while I warm some bottles for feeding.
4:00PM - I leave K2 alone with the babies to renew my driver's license. No pictures were taken in my absence. When I walk in at 5:00PM, the babies are being read stories.
5:30 - Chick is asleep (finally), K2 is taking a shower and Pea and I are hanging out sharing some laughs.
5:50 - All that laughter zonked our little man. He fell asleep in K2's arms.
6:00 - Pea got too heavy for K2 to hold upright, so they both took a load off. With Chick and Pea asleep, I finally get a chance to wash some bottles and clean up.
6:30 - Everyone's up! Oatmeal and Apples followed by Nectarines for dessert. Yum!
7:00 - Part of our bed time routine is watching Baby Noah. The babies are fascinated by this video. I don't have a picture to put here because the camera was "waaaaaaay over there" (which was probably five feet away) and my legs just wouldn't move toward it.
7:30 - Preparing for bed. Both babies are changed and put into their sleep sacks. K2 feeds Chick in her room and I feed Pea in his room. Both drink their last 7 ounces of milk for the day and fall fast asleep in their cribs.
Chick on her way up to bed.
8:00 - Time to wash more bottles, clean up the baby messes, do a load of laundry and put this blog post together.
9:00 - Bedtime for the adults. Morning comes quickly.
