The Vomit Saga

We took a family drive to Chippewa Falls, WI today.  We have been in the market for a new car for Sam and found one that we liked and wanted to see.  It was a long drive, but worth it in the end, since we came home with a truck!

But the real fun happened while Sam was on his test drive.  The kids and I were chilling in our car.  I had been finishing up Anne's Halloween costume and talking to the kids when a salesman said, "We have a nice waiting area inside.  You can come in and watch TV."  I thought, "Well, the kids can stretch their legs and go to the bathroom."  So we unloaded and headed inside.  As I unbuckled Anne she said, "My tummy hurts."  I replied, "I bet you are hungry." (It was 1:30 and we had not yet had lunch).  We went inside and headed for the waiting area.  As we passed the bathroom Anne said, "Mom, I need to go potty."  So in we went.

If you have ever taken small children into a public bathroom, you know that it requires a bit of skill.  Find a place for the purse, establish non-peeing child in a clean area, help other child use the toilet.  I got Anne up on the seat and she started to whimper.  She went through her usual "sad comments" of "I miss Oma" and "I miss Daddy"  In my mind I was thinking, "Gah, just go to the bathroom!  I'm crouching on the floor and it is gross!"

In the next few seconds she started making this bizarre noise.  It was not gagging so much as a soft grunting sound.  I looked at her funny just in time to watch the vomit come pouring out of her mouth AND nose.  Most of it landed on the floor in front of her, but plenty was down the front of her coat and in her lap.  Anne, to her credit, was completely calm.  She did not ever cry or panic.  I was just kind of frozen, not sure if I should move her or not.  Sammy, on the other hand, COMPLETELY wigged out.  The minute he saw the barf he started screaming and crying, "Annie!  Annie!  I scared!  I scared!" 

Thus began the dance of Calm-The-Baby, Clean-The-Puke.  My text message to Sam was, "CRISIS!  WE ARE IN THE LADIES ROOM"  It only took him a minute to arrive and remove Sammy from the situation (he apparently continued to freak out outside the bathroom until a kind salesperson gave him some candy).

Back in the bathroom, I took stock of the situation.  I had extra pants and underwear for Anne, but no burp rag or extra towel.  The bathroom was completely out of paper towels, so we attacked the mess with toilet paper.  Anne was a trooper as I cleaned her up, changed her clothes, and then she sat patiently on the floor while I assessed the damage.

I was attempting to wipe/scoop the puke with wads of toilet paper.  I did a few swipes, then flushed them away.  A few more swipes, flush....toilet is clogged.  You have got to be kidding me!  I let the tank fill, then tried to flush again...the water began its telltale creep upward instead of down.  Thank goodness my mom taught me where the water shutoff is on a toilet!  We turned the water off and continued the wipe-and-scoop and threw the mess in the trash.  I managed to remove all traces of vomit from the bathroom, but someone probably had to plunge the toilet after we left!

So, that was our first real experience with a puking child.  I'm not anxious to revisit it anytime soon.

(Anne was totally fine, by the way.  Too much breakfast + hot car ride = puke)

Funny Stuff

I'm home with the kids for a few days while school is out, and they are chatting my ear off.  Here are a few samplings of their cutenss:

Sambo (having a monologue while looking at a cookbook): Would you like hamburger or French toast?  French toast?  Okay, here you go, sir.

Anne asked me to make her a list of "directions" for Halloween.  She wanted me to write out numbered steps about how I was going to make her costume and how she needed to get dressed for trick-or-treating.  I wonder where she gets this trait?

(Sidenote: The other day I decided if I ever wrote an autobiography it would be titled, "Even My Blood is Type A".  Seems appropriate.)

We have been putting baby powder on Sammy lately when we change his diaper, and he calls it "sprinkles."  He'll be laying there half-naked and say, "Mama, have sprinkles?" and make this little pinching motion with his fingers, like he is sprinkling salt on his food.

So Smart

I worked late last night for parent-teacher conferences.  When I got home around 9:00 Sammy was still awake and eager to greet me.  Here is our exchange:

Sammy: Mama!  You're back!
Me: Hi, baby.  Yes, I'm home now.
S: You church?
M: No, I wasn't at church.  I was at work at my school, in the library.
S: Oh, ah-work.
M: Yep, in the library
S: Library?  Lots of books.  Be quiet.

That boy.  He gets me.

Dying from the cuteness

Sambo: Mama, let's pray
Me: Okay.  Dear Jesus, thank you for our...
Sambo: Food
Me: And thank you for our...
Sambo: Friends.  And Dad, and Mom, and Annie, and Bobo!  And Mom.  Amen.

So handsome!

I have no picture of how handsome my son is, but I do not want to forget this.  Sam gets him dressed each morning and then he toddles to me in the bathroom and says, "Mama!  I so han-some!" and smooths down his shirt and wiggles his little bumper.  It is SO cute (and so very true.)

Can't Forget the Unicorn

We also bought Anne a "Blanket Buddy".  It is a stuffed animal that came with a fleece blanket attached.  Her animal of choice was a unicorn.  Anne had been eyeing it all summer at Menards, and when I saw they were on clearance for $4, I relented.  She was thrilled to see it and shouted, "My unicorn!"  On Thursday she told me, "Mom, my unicorn's name is 'Giada'" and I about died laughing inside.  She is a one-of-a-kind kid, for sure.

Birthday Fun

Anne celebrated turning 4 on Tuesday night with Oma, Opa, Will, Adrienne, and the rest of the Westphalls.  We had pizza and cake and ice cream and Anne was thrilled.  She had been asking for weeks about her "birthday dinner"

 Anne received clothes from Mom and Dad and from Will and Adrienne.  Gotta make sure she looks spiffy for school, you know!

 Daddy also remembered how much Anne had admired the piggy banks at Target.  She asked for one all summer.  I had forgotten, but Dad didn't, so we picked one up.  It is hard to tell in the photo (click it to enlarge) but she was ecstatic!  She spent the rest of the night asking people for money.

 Our big girl

 We sang the song and she methodically blew out the candles one by one.  Uncle Will joked that she was wishing for fewer candles.

 And in general adorable-ness, here is Uncle Will playing piano with Sambo.

You are 4 today!

Anne, you are 4 years old today!  

Here's what you looked like when you turned 1...

 And 2...

 And 3.

 Here you are as a tiny baby!

Your dad and I cannot believe how fast you have grown.  These four years have passed so quickly.  It is exciting to see you grow and change and learn new things, but it is sad to think that the next 4 years will go just as quickly.  Soon you will be 8, then 12, then 16!  Happy birthday, Anne Meredith.  We love you so much!

Matching Jammies

The kids have matching "woodland animal" pajamas.  This is the best of about 20 pictures I took.  Sambo is a little blurry...

Cute pajama-related stories:
Sammy calls them "jamas"
Anne has a movie with a deer character named Giselle, which she pronounces "Duhzelle"  Since there are deer on her jammies, she said, "There are about a hundred Duhzelles on here!"
Anne doesn't really like pajamas; every night she asks if she can sleep in her clothes.