Trial By Fire

I knew that Pat's trip to JRTC was going to be a test for me to see how it is being alone with two children. I figured it was good preparation for the real deployment coming this spring. However, I had not counted on my trial throwing all the challenges my way at once.

Lately it feels like I am treading water. I am surviving, but it is exhausting. Sean got sick first. He had such bad congestion in his sinuses that he just did not sleep at all one night. Then Sammy (the pug) hurt his leg, which had me very worried. Now the congestion seems to be loosening up for Sean; he only coughs occasionally. During this time Sean started a nursing strike. At first I attributed it to congestion, but soon I came to realize teething was playing a role in that too. For any breastfeeding mother, a nursing strike is upsetting and frustrating. To add to the breastfeeding challenge, it seems that each time I finally get Sean latched Ryan comes around saying he has to go potty. As if I am not already at the end of my rope...grrr. And finally because that wasn't enough, Ryan is now sick too. Ryan probably has the cold Sean is hopefully getting over. Ryan is also suffering from his first canker sore. Needless to say, the three of us are miserable this week.

I am so excited and thankful that my parents had already planned a trip out to visit me this coming weekend. I could totally use the help and the company to maintain my sanity. I will say that so far this JRTC trial has not left me confident about surviving a year by myself with the boys, but if I'm surviving this so far, I guess it cannot get too much worse...right?