The Upside

Last night was rough, a trend lately, it seems. I was up four or five times (who's counting) in the night, and all six of my family members were awake from 4-5am.

The reason for everyone being up at 4, but not the reason for my blog, was this: Hubby trying to calm a screaming baby, me changing a stinky nappy on Cubby, and suddenly during those events, a wild scream from Tadpole who unusually fell out of bed, woke his frightened brother Tigger, and greeted me in his doorway with a blood covered mouth (he somehow managed to cut his lip and chin).

So this morning, Hubby asked me for the following information: how much sleep I got (he sweetly asks me this daily, as my level of exhaustion is a top concern for him, albeit somewhat out of his control) and the rundown on everyone's ailments.

I launch into the list: I was in bed eight hours, but awake nearly three of those. Tadpole has been coughing all night and since he woke up, feels sluggish, and has a gash on his lip and chin. Tigger seems to be fine, but told me that he "did not get enough sleep" (that means trouble by about 3pm today) and promptly upon waking had a bad bout of the dreaded runs. Cubby happens to have eczema on his bum, compounded by horrific nappy rash that sprung up overnight and has left his bum nearly raw. He also awoke with a diaper blowout and a terribly runny nose. Quatro is on day 15 of a bad body-covering rash, continues to run a slight fever after the four shots he had on Tuesday, is coughing like his eldest brother, and is generally cranky because he just cut his first tooth and is in all likelihood, since teeth arrive in pairs, cutting his second one.

My husband looked at me wide-eyed (probably thinking to himself that he's glad to have to go to work today) and simply commented, "There's one positive to all of that." I couldn't imagine what in the world it would be, when he responded, "It will make a really interesting blog entry."

I suppose that's one way to look at it...