It all started a couple of days before we were leaving to go on our annual Oregon trip to see Zach's sister and niece. She hadn't been feeling all that well at the daycare, laying on the floor and not being her hyper constantly moving and getting into everything self. I picked her up and needed to make a quick stop at Walmart. We didn't make it two feet in the door before Rayni and started throwing up all over me, herself and the floor. Being a first time mom and new to something coming out of my baby's mouth other than spit up was horrifying to me. Luckily there was another mom right there that came to our rescue with a garbage can. After she was all through I walked over to a worker that hadn't noticed us and tried to apologize, with a few tears rolling down my cheeks, for the mess that just happened. He was a sweet older gentleman that touched my shoulder and told me not to worry that he would take care of it.
I quickly got her home and got the two of us cleaned up. The rest of the night and the next day she was connected to me. All she wanted was me. Sat with my in the rocking chair for the rest of the day. We decided that because of the way she was acting that we better go make sure she wasn't getting something serious because in a couple of days we were supposed to be leaving. The after hours Dr. couldn't see anything wrong and sent us on our way, with the comment of, "call if anything changes and we will get it worked out" The next day she was doing so much better. She had no fever, was playing and acting like her normal self.
The next morning (the day before we were leaving) She developed a bit of a cough and a runny nose. I called her pediatrician to see if there was anything preventative that we could do because we were leaving to go out of town. They said that for a baby under 1 years of age there really isn't much. Hoping that it wouldn't get too bad we pressed on.
The next day we left for the first leg of our trip. We were going to stop in Boise. The first time we took Rayni to Boise she slept for most of the time. So we were hoping that that would happen again. Well that was not the case. At one point, about two hours outside of Boise, she had been screaming for an hour. I told Zach that we needed to pull over and give her a break. When we did I got her out of the carseat. She was immediately relived and looking much happier. Well not even one min out she looked at me and threw up all over me. It went down my shirt and in my lap. I couldn't move or think. Zach was taking our dog to the bathroom and I yelled for him to come help. He came upon the scene, and for a daddy that has a really weak stomach handled it like a champ! Rayni and I were both crying, pathetic I know! He asked me what to do and I just kept saying, "I don't know!" He was very patient and got right to work helping us out. We got all cleaned up, both wondering if this was a mistake and if we should turn back, but we were on our way again. She still continued to scream. We finally made it to Boise and so relieved. We all had a good night's sleep and were ready to finish the drive. It continued to be rough. She was not happy in her new carseat and not feeling well. We caught up with Grammy Lou, Poppy, and Uncle Ray Ray two hours outside or Portland. We stopped at Multinoma falls, a waterfall just outside of Portland that we went to when I was a child and now Zach and I stop at it every time. We were all glad for the break. Rayni was happy and seeming like everything was going to be just fine. I loved starting these traditions with Rayni and sharing with her moments that have been and are now so special to me
We finally made it to Zach's sisters, Amy, and were all exhausted. We had a good night's rest and that next morning was when all hell broke lose. I could tell that Rayni had taken a turn for the worst. Her nose was out of control, her cough was uncontrollable and fever was beginning. We tried to call her pediatrician but his nurse would not help us! I called the after hours dr to see if he could call us in anything and he was great to do so. We started that medication just in time because green bugger started coming out of her nose and eyes. It was horrible. We were going to meet back up with Grammy and poppy that day at the beach and sleep over at a beach front hotel. Rayni screamed for almost the entire time there. We once again were exhausted and all 4 (including zach's sister) had had it. My mom took one look at Lou and could tell how sick she was. It was obvious with those green goobery eyes. They were so great to take her while Zach's sister took the two of us out to dinner. It was a great break but I think about my poor baby. I worried, and have since then been informed that that won't ever stop! We got back and they said that she had been fine. We could tell that the medication had began to work and the Tylenol was also helping! I got her fed, in her jammies, and in bed. Zach's sister staid in the room with her while we went on a night walk on the beach. It was so incredible! I have always loved the beach and it brings such memories and joy to me everytime I am on the Oregon Beach. We walked holding hands. It was pitch black all around us except for the bright light that shown from the hotel. I took my shoes off and dipped my toes in for two seconds... SO COLD! then we walked hand in hand. It started to sprinkle, like it usually does there. But it started getting heavier so we headed back we then needed to start running because it really started coming down. We were able to snap a quick pic of us on our walk.
I wished that it hadn't started to rain because I could have stayed out there with my sweet hubbie all night just being in his presence and holding that hand that I love so much. But I am so grateful for that little moment that we did get to have together.
We woke up the next morning and went to the beach with everyone. It was a great time for the short amount of time that we staid. I stood with my mom in one area while Zach took Rayni along the shore looking at stuff in the sand. I was having a slight health problem and was not able to go walking with them. So I just watched from a distance. I was bugged at the fact that my Rayni was so sick and bugged that I was also having a problem and couldn't be there with them. But as I think back and see the image of the two of them looking in the sand I am overcome with so much emotion. Some of my greatest memories as a child were the vacations we took to the beach. I loved looking for shells in the sand with my dad. I was so grateful that I was able to share that with my little Lou. I was so grateful that my sweet husband was able to take her and show her the amazing things around her that our Heavenly Father has created for her. I will never forget the image of Zach holding her in his arms and pointing in the sand while Rayni looked with such intent. I loved the moment that they were so focused on looking at things that they almost got a wave splashed on them and scurried up the shore as to not get almost wet again.
We drove back, another 2 hour drive, which Rayni screamed for an hour of it. And tried to enjoy the rest of the trip complete with Bauman Farms pumpkin patch and other Halloween festivities. We woke up early Sunday morning ready to leave with the hopes that this time it would be smoother. Well... you guessed right it was another horrible ride. And to make it worse we were driving straight through this time. About two hours away from home Rayni had worked herself all up again with crying and threw up all over herself. We were on the side of the road cleaning her off. That drive felt like it took us a week. We couldn't get home fast enough. We were all done with the car and never wanted to get in it again. Walking in the doors of our home felt so great!
After we got everything inside and I got Rayni ready for bed I sat on the couch feeding her and thinking about the trip we had just had. I said to Zach that ya our trip was not ideal and the break that we had hoped for but there were some fun things that happened too. I told him that we needed to focus on the positive. He said, "I didn't get thrown up on!" It was a good laugh to help us forget about that awful parts of it.
The next weekend I had attended "Time Out For Women" One of the speakers talked about a horrible trip that they had been on but that all she could do was think of the great things that happened. And a midst trials we face... Heavenly Father sends us tender mercies to lighten our load.
Here are the things that I was grateful for on our trip:
A working car
A patient Husband
The priesthood
Zach's sister Amy
Our niece Akila
staying at the beach
walking with my hubbie on the beach
seeing Zach and Rayni and the beach
that my mom, dad, and little brother could be with us some of the time
medicine
a safe drive
Making it home
pics from our Trip
In awe every time I see this waterfall
VooDoo doughnuts
Grammy Lou and Rayni
It is hard to think about all the great things when you are up to your eyeballs in not so fun stuff. I had forgotten about a lot of the fun things that happened because I was so focused on everything that went wrong. Zach and I had made that trip about 4 times since we have been married. We always have a blast and are not that excited to return home. It was a big change to have a baby with us who can't just go go go like we are used to doing when we are there and to add being sick. At times I felt really guilty that I was not having a good time and I would think that it was because of Rayni. I felt horrible for thinking that because I had prayed and prayed for that baby to come into our lives and now I was bugged that I wasn't having a good time on our trip. I am appalled that I would think that and after thinking back on all that happened I wouldn't have wanted to experience all that without her. There are two things that you can do when you come out of a trial: dwell on it or learn from it. We learned that having a baby makes things harder and are a huge change. But we learned that we can get through it together!
I wish that I could say that the sickness stopped there but this last weekend was also not so fun! Sunday morning I woke up with Rayni and she was acting normal except for the fact that she was so cuddly and wanted to stay on my lap. I thought that this was just one of those lucky moments that I always want from my crazy non-stop going girl. After her first morning nap she had developed a horrible fever. And all day could not keep anything down. I was thrown up on 3 times! (not sure why Zach never gets thrown up on!) Because of the fear of dehydration we took her in to urgent care. But again were told that under 1 years old there wasn't much except for an IV if it continued over night. We were told to give her pedilite with a dropper and slowly work up to her bottle. I was up with her all but 4 hours last night feeding her with a little dropper. There were frustrating moments again this time around but I felt like I had learned more patience from our trip. I was able to take the throw up and screams for a moment like this:
At one moment she was laying on me, woke up and rolled over to see her daddy sitting by us on the floor she gave a little smile and waved at him. This was so sweet, it was like her saying to him, "It's ok daddy I'm fine!"
Because of all the throw up, her bed time teddy was being washed so daddy found her another stuffed animal to snuggle.
(her little lamby given to her by her great grammy)
Loved looking down at this all day... all snuggled in my arms.
We hope that the sickness will stay away from us for awhile. But we were able to learn some lessons, and I got some much needed snuggle time:)
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