Bouncing back...slowly.

Did you notice my quick, no thought involved post yesterday? I apologize. I started a more thought filled post earlier in the day, but was never able to finish. I started feeling pretty crummy later in the afternoon, and by evening, while at work I was absolutely miserable.

I am not used to getting sick; Mike always tells me he is jealous of my immune system, as every virus the kids bring home, he gets and I don't. However, this time, even my immune system of steel couldn't escape the crud that has been going around our house. It probably has something to do with the fact I haven't slept for more than 2 hours at a time since May.

I came home from work burning up, with my first fever of my adult life. The baby was screaming and still needed to be fed. Mike took one look at me and knew I felt like crap. Considering he was just recovering from it himself, he could sympathize. I took the baby and fed him, and then promptly went to bed as soon as Jack was asleep. At that point, Mike took over for the night with the baby (Jack wakes anywhere from 3-5 times a night, and sometimes likes to stay up for couple hours at times, ahhh!), and let me sleep. I did wake up after midnight to feed Jack again, but it was the most I had slept in months, and man, I needed it.

I know this post has nothing to do with Down syndrome, and really little to do directly with Charlotte either. The purpose of my posts this month have been a little bit different than the awareness posts I have done in the past. Instead of reciting facts and statistics, and sharing Down syndrome feel good stories, I have tried to add more of basic "slice of life" posts.  (Plus, I figure if you want the stats, you can look back at the earlier posts on this blog!) 

When others find out I have four young children, one with special needs and another super needy infant, they often either tell me I am crazy (which sometimes I believe!) or ask me how I do it. My answer? A supportive, helpful, amazing husband who gets "it" and gets "me." I know it is hard to believe, but the last five months have been some of the most stressful of our married life; more so than even those after Charlotte's birth. So to sum it up, my best advice to surviving the craziness? Love & support, and an incredible patient partner.