Sick Days At Our House

Today I had a dilemma. Michael was supposed to go in for his allergy shots at 8:30 am and Annie had a follow-up doctor appointment at 10:15 for her ear infection. Sometimes Mike is able to help me in the mornings but this morning he had a meeting with his boss. I really didn't want to drag 5 kids to two different doctors offices bringing all of our germs and I'm sure picking up more on the way so I did what any supermom did- I had my husband call and cancel the allergy shots. I guess we will do those on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. It has been a rough week with the sickies.

Last week I took Annie in to Urgent Care and they diagnosed her with an ear infection. All of the kids were sick but now days doctors won't do anything until they've been sick for 10 days. Annie seemed to be the sickest so I took her in. That night all kids had fevers of 102-103. I called our pediatrician back in Rancho Cucamonga and got all of them in. I love that guy and his staff. I think we will just have to make the commute from now on because he is so good. On Friday he saw all the kids, even looked at Annie. Here are the results:

Anthony- double ear infection
Michael- double ear infection, possible RSV diagnosed due to wheezing.
Jaileigh- sinus infection
Jakob- single ear infection
Annie- ear infection, possible RSV because of exposure from Michael

Today, Annie's follow up was with a new local doctor. I took her and the quad squad in. First I called and told them I was coming with 5 under 2 and asked if I could wait in the car until a room was available. She told me just to bring them in and they would room us immediately, after collecting our copay, of course. The kids were HORRIBLE! They are usually good when I take them but today was crazy. Jakob wanted down, Jaileigh fell off the stool, Michael wanted his shoes on and off and on and off. He knows how to put them on and off but wanted me to do it. Anthony was pretty good and Annie was good. The other three I was ready to give away. Anyway, the doctor finally came in and said Annie's ears look bad. She is not getting better on the medication so she may have to have tubes. OH, NO! I feel so bad for her. She is such a happy baby and never cries or fusses. Even though she doesn't feel good she still smiles. He wants to check her again in a month and then go from there. Meanwhile I am supposed to keep her on an antibiotic. Please keep her in your prayers.

I do think I am going to take her to my favorite doctor in Rancho for a 2nd opinion but I have to get the courage up to take all 5.  The good news with this visit was it doesn't appear that she has RSV. Her lungs sounded good.

Here are some sick day pictures.

Michael getting his breathing treatment and his brothers sitting by him for moral support.

Michael, Jakob, Anthony

Jakey

Poor Jaileigh

Bed head Michael

Sick Annie still smiling away

and grinning some more

10 Minutes On A Saturday Morning‏

I typed this immediately after it happened because I want to remember what it's like. So, in 10 years I can look back and say, "Oh yeah!". This morning wasn't anything spectacular either. This is normal life around our house.


Working on Michael- Poop 1, dress, nebulize, put crackers in Elmo cup for breakfast of champions to eat while riding in the car on the way to the Doctor for allergy shots, put shoes, hat, coat on and hand off to Mike

Poop2 Jaileigh, changed while she screams "Monkey, do-do, monkey, do-do, lotty, monnnnnn---kkkkeeeeeyyyyy, do-do, lottttytyyy, do-do monkey!!!!" (she wants a monkey diaper and doughnuts, and she wants A LOT)

While changing her, the two little boys (Anthony and Jakob) sneak off in their room and shut the door. Very quiet. meanwhile Annie is eating spilled goldfish off the floor. Finish diaper, Jaileigh still screaming at the top of her lungs but has added "dadddy, daddddy, dadddy" to her chant. So its "Monkey, do-do, daddy-daddy, daddy, monkey, do-do, lotty, daddy-daddy, daddy, monnnnnn---kkkkeeeeeyyyyy, do-do, lottttytyyy, do-do monkey, daddy-daddy, daddy!!!!"

Run into the boys room with poopy diaper in hand, find the two very quiet boys absorbed in fingerpainting with nail polish in Michaels crib. Jaileigh immediately stops screaming and starts climbing in to join in. Aaaahhh silence, finally. Needless to say the crib sheet was ruined. Thank goodness they didn't paint the carpet!

New Toothbrushes

Annie and the quads love to brush their teeth and their gummies. I got them new toothbrushes because their old ones were getting really gross. The quads toothbrushes look like markers. They were so excited because they love markers! Annie's is a piglet toothbrush and she loves it too.

Miss Annie Loves Her Apples

This girl knows that baby food is for babies. She only wants to eat what the quads eat. Apples are one of her favorites. She and Jaileigh both love apples. Annie will gnaw on them forever. I think it probably feels good on her 2 new teeth.

Dear Grandpa . . . .

Dear Grandpa,

Do you remember me? I'm the youngest (notice I didn't say littlest because that is debatable)
of the DeMaria grandbabies. My name is Annie. See my new trick. I like to play on the couch.

See I have a problem, my brothers and sisters can all stand and look out the window together.

(Jake, Anthony, Jaileigh, Michael)

but I have to squish in and things are getting a little tight. How about building me one those fancy chairs. I will love you forever!

Love, Annie

Wild Burros In The Rainstorm

We went with our triplet friends to look at wild burros on Wednesday, yesterday. It was raining like crazy and we weren't sure we were going to see them.

Here is a picture during the rain. If you look really hard you can see the wild burros (donkeys).

The rain letting up a bit.

The rain stopped and the donkeys are coming out of hiding.

There ended up being 45-50 donkeys in the canyon.

The lady that brought us up the canyon feeds and waters them so they don't wander out of the canyon looking for food and find the city.

Ali and little Jaileigh bug

Rhonda, Michael, and Anthony and the PINK watering truck. My kids loved this truck and still talk about it.

Jakers

Andrew doing a little rain dance

Oh NO! The two curly-heads cannot hook up. They would have afro babies!

Jakob and Audrina

Group shot with the donkeys.

Amber with Michael and Anthony, Ali and Jaileigh, Jake, Audrina, Mandy with Andrew and Aiden

Michael is so cute!

Anthony did not like the donkey poopies that were all over.

We went back to the Fiores house and played. Can you believe 8 kids are playing with this one toy? Annie even joined in. She thinks she's one of the "big" kids.

Jaileigh's First Pony Tail

She's so excited too

Got Socks?

I had cold feet one day so put some socks on. Of course, everyone wanted socks on too.

Michael, Jaileigh, Jaileigh, Anthony, Jake

I love this series of pictures

look at Jaileigh being naughty

Sisters in their Valentine's shirts

Michael said that was his camera, 'Cheese mommy"

The peanut

The troublemakers

Anthony and Jake

Valentine's Cooking

We made a Valentine's Day cake. The kids love helping me cook.

Jaileigh, Michael, Anthony, Jake

All smiles

Jake

Anthony

Michael

Jaileigh

even Miss Annie wanted to help

Making Mommy's Bed

When I make my bed the kids always want to crawl in and pretend they are sleeping.

Anthony, Michael, Jai, and Jake

Annie's excited too

All Worn Out

Dinner Guests

We try to feed the missionaries once or twice a month. The kids love them and they bring such a sweet spirit into the house.

Jaileigh kept climbing on his shoulders when he was sitting. We never give her shoulder rides so I don't know why she kept doing it.

"Hey boys, where's Jaileigh?"

"There she is!"

Jaileigh and her boyfriend