Sickness Took a New Turn

Turns out that my sickness is lasting longer than 24 hours like I initially thought, but it's taken a new turn (no more puking, thank God). I sneezed a ba-jillion times yesterday and then had super runny nose. It's been runny and stuffy off and on ever since. At least my snot has been thin and clear instead of thick and greenish yellow.

Pukin' Sick

I woke up nauseated at 5 AM yesterday. A little while later, I emptied the contents of my stomach into the toilet and then felt much better, though shaky. I went back to bed but didn't really fall asleep because then I felt nauseated again half an hour later. I heaved again into the toilet several times but there was not much that came out (painful!). The cycle was repeated one more time and then I went back to bed and actually slept a few hours this time. Craig ended up moving upstairs to sleep in the guest bed in Alisa's room so he wouldn't catch what I had since he would be on baby duty the next day.

I was starving in the morning but didn't want to go upstairs because Alisa would see me and cry to be held by me (she really favors me in the morning). Craig came downstairs soon to check on me and I asked him to bring me some toast, crackers and juice. He brought me 2 pieces of buttered toast, various crackers and apple juice and said Alisa had a fever. It seems that we both caught something at the Zoinks Kidstation the previous day. I prayed that she wouldn't throw up like I had been.

I ate one piece of toast very slowly. A little while later it all came up into the toilet. Ugh. I spent the next couple of hours trying to sleep. I could only manage to sleep half an hour at a time. Each time I woke up, I could hear Craig and Alisa making noises upstairs (Craig asking Alisa what she wanted to eat, Alisa crying or playing, the floor creaking from them walking, etc). I read a book for a little while while eating some Saltines and graham crackers and drinking apple juice for lunch. They stayed down for quite awhile but then some of them came up. Dang.

I went upstairs for a bit when Alisa was napping and then went back downstairs to sleep before she woke up. I got a good hour or more of sleep in the armchair in the fish tank room--the noise from the tanks is so peaceful. I hadn't seen Alisa all day so I went back upstairs again after Craig tried to get her to eat dinner. She was happy to see me and asked me to read her a book right away. We read and snuggled for awhile and then I had Ramen noodles for dinner. We snuggled some more and she kept wanting me to carry her into the kitchen. I kept asking her what she wanted and she couldn't tell me but cried if I tried to leave the kitchen. She didn't want anything to eat. Eventually, I had to go sit down in the living room because I was weak. A little while later, it was time for Alisa to get ready for bed. I was going to do it but then felt nauseated again so I called for Craig to help with her while I rushed to the bathroom. Some of my dinner came up, but not all of it. At least I was keeping some food down.

Craig put Alisa to bed and then we watched some shows we had TIVO'd. It helped take my mind off my nausea (except the part of "My Name is Earl" when Earl and Randy started puking in the box they were mailing themselves in!). Alisa woke up crying around 10 PM so Craig went to comfort her and ended up bringing her downstairs. She sat on my lap while we finished watching a show. She was so hot that it made me feel more nauseated so I set her on a pillow next to me and just put my arm around her. It was then 11 PM and I was ready for bed. Craig took Alisa upstairs and let her sleep in the guest bed with him. He didn't want to catch what I had and he wanted to be near her if she woke up again.

We all slept all night and I felt so much better in the morning. I took a shower and felt so refreshed. Alisa still had a fever but wasn't as hot and she was more playful and talkative. I've been able to keep all my food down today, though I haven't been able to eat much. I'm being careful with what I eat. I'm so glad it lasted less than 24 hours. I weighed 3 lbs less after the ordeal (no complaints there, though I'm sure it will pop back on me in no time as it wasn't fat loss). My stomach and chest is sore from 8 or 9 rounds of forceful heaving! I hate being sick! I know it could have been worse, but it was still no fun.

It's crazy how I'm always sick just on the weekends. I very rarely have missed work for an illness--I just miss all the weekend fun. It's a good thing I felt better today though because it was a busy work day. And our internet went down around lunch time so I had to go to Starbucks to use their internet. I couldn't have done that if I was still sick.

I'm Teething Too!

It's strange to be teething at the same time as my 1-year-old daughter, but it's true. One of my wisdom teeth is coming in (top left). When I was a child, my teeth came in late so it's not surprising that my wisdom tooth is coming in so late. Since my baby teeth came in late, they also fell out late. The dentist had to remove a couple of the brackets from my braces when I was about 12 so the baby teeth could come out (several were pulled)...and then he put them on the permanent teeth once they were all the way in. I had braces for a long time (more than 4 years) because I got them when I was in 5th grade and still had a few baby teeth.

Anyway, I don't remember if the dentist said I had more wisdom teeth hidden away or not based on my x-rays years ago (seems like there might have been just 2). I sure hope it doesn't cause problems and have to be removed. Seems like it would cause my top teeth to shift and undo the straightening achieved by the braces. Craig has all 4 wisdom teeth in and they have been fine thus far and don't need to be removed, so that gives me hope that mine won't have to be pulled.

Nativity

We have finally acquired all the pieces to our Demdaco Willow Tree Nativity. It has taken years because we only got one group of pieces per year since they were kinda expensive.

The figures and creche in this picture were sold as 5 different sets:

Creche (1 piece)
Main Set (6 pieces)
Shepherd and Stable Animals (4 pieces)
The Three Wisemen (3 pieces)
Ox and Goat (2 pieces)

Knitting Project - Lacy Neck Cowl

I finished knitting the Fells Point Cowl, my 4th knitting project. I took a 2-session class for it with my friend Rebecca. The only new stitch I learned was how to do "yarn overs", which are really easy. The cowl is made with 85 yards of Mission Falls 1824 Wool (100% merino superwash) so it's machine washable.

I think I'll wear it more often than my scarf because I've never liked all the excess material on scarves that needs to be tucked in my coat or pushed out of the way (especially when playing in the snow). The neck cowl can be pulled up to cover the nose too (something I frequently need to do in cold weather because my nose starts running if it gets just a little bit cold).

I think I will knit a hooded neck cowl sometime...one that can be pulled up to cover my head and ears when I wish for extra warmth. I can use the same pattern for it, I just have to triple the amount of yarn.

Knitting Project - Chunky Socks

I finished knitting 1 of 2 socks, my 3rd knitting project. I had to take a break because I got involved in a class for another knitting project. I know I shouldn't wait too long to knit the 2nd sock though because it could end up being a different size (as my knitting style could change). I took a 3-session class with my friends Rebecca and Amy to learn how to do this. I learned how to knit on double-pointed needles (challenging!) and I learned how to do Kitchener Stitch (to close it up at the toes). Knitting with 4 double-pointed needles is challenging for me. I'm sure once I get more experience it won't be so bad. But boy, did I struggle through the 1st sock!

Here is my Slouchy Slipper Sock (made to be worn around the house, without shoes), made from Araucania Yarns lamb's wool (hand dyed in Chile). It can be dry cleaned or hand washed in cool water.

Keeping Up With The Dishes

I can't believe it. Ever since Christmas I've been keeping up with the dishes every day. That is, I'm not leaving a pile of dishes in the sink overnight (or longer) to wash by hand later (usually days later). I've been washing them each day so it never gets to be a huge overwhelming pile. Hopefully I can keep this going for a long time! I've always been good about loading dirty dishes in the dishwasher right away, but I've been bad about the ones that can't go in the dishwasher.

Random Free Drinks

Whenever I hang out at the Starbucks near my house for more than an hour, they happen to offer a free drink at the bar to the first person who goes up to get it. It's always some blended drink that is messed up (meaning, not exactly as the customer ordered so it had to be remade) or just an extra somehow. The first time it was something really tasty but I didn't really consider taking it because I had just finished my drink and was really watching my caloric intake that month. Today, they offered 2 of the same drink and I heard a guy by the bar ask another lady that was standing there if she wanted it. She said no so he said he'd just have to take both home with him. I thought that was a bit selfish since he didn't give anyone else a chance to take it (like me--because I would have taken it this time since I finished my drink hours ago!). I do give him points for at least asking one person though.

Anyway, then the guy spills his water all over the bar and the floor and shouts to an employee that the lid came off when he picked it up. Then he ran out with 3 drinks (the one he ordered and the 2 free ones...he didn't wait for a replacement water and he didn't even pick up the cup that spilled). One of the employees complained to another employee about how he just ran off and didn't even offer to help clean up.

Maybe some day I will be the lucky one to get the free drink. It's a good way to try some drink that I wouldn't normally think of ordering. I hope the guy had someone else waiting at home to give the extra drinks to because if not, then he really shouldn't have taken both of them.