4th of July

Eli told us when we were reading scriptures before bed on the 3rd that his throat kind of hurt.  He felt a little warm but not enough to even take his temperature.  We got him in bed and assumed he would be fine the next morning.  Instead, we got a knock on our door at 2 AM from a very sick Eli.  He was struggling to breathe and was crying, which was making it worse.  We took him downstairs and got him some water and got him breathing vapors from the humidifier.  He was still struggling to breathe so Mike gave him a blessing at Eli's request and then drove him to the E.R.  I knew from the barking coughing and from a friend who has dealt with this before that it was the croup.  It was pretty scary to watch him struggle to get breaths.  The doctor was surprised someone as old as Eli had the croup because it usually is something you see with kids 6 months to 3 years.  They gave him some steroids to take and sent him home.  I think using the humidifier and then taking him into the cold air to go to the E.R. was the thing that helped him the most.  Mike and Eli were home within an hour and fast asleep. 

We canceled our holiday plans so we wouldn't get others sick and so that Eli could recover.  We had planned to go to the ward pancake breakfast and then later hang out with some friends.  We even talked about the possibility of going to a fireworks show.  I was pretty bummed about being stuck at home and about poor Eli being sick and I didn't want to sit around being disappointed all day so I had to do some quick thinking and find some things we could do that would help us feel like we were still celebrating and having fun.  I found a recipe for homemade puffy paint and we painted pictures.  Then we played this ridiculous game where you had to knock over water bottles with nylons that had a ball in the bottom, the nylons on your head.  It was silly and had us all laughing.     

We were all starving and tired and none of us were really feeling well (I think we all had a little of what Eli had, though he was the only one coughing and with a fever.  Our throats were all scratchy and noses all runny) so we decided just to order out.  We all wanted Chinese food, which was pretty funny considering that it was America's Independence Day.  None of the Chinese restaurants were open so we settled on a frozen pizza for the boys and Buffalo Wild Wings for me and Mike (and Isaac, who also likes spicy foods).

After dinner we threw poppers all over the driveway.  They thought that was pretty cool.  The boys really wanted to get on the roof and watch fireworks.  We weren't sure if there would be any to see.  Fireworks are illegal in Colorado Springs and we knew there was a fireworks show at Memorial Park but that was in downtown Colorado Springs and we didn't think we would be able to see them that far away.  We decided to try anyway, with the hope that there would be people breaking the law.  :)

Mike and the boys climbed on the roof to see if they could see anything.  I went to put Piper to bed and couldn't help but feel the irony in it all.  Our time in Colorado Springs started in a similar manner.  I sat in a dark, quiet room rocking a baby to sleep while my boys and Mike sat on the roof giggling and oohing and awing.  At the time I felt like my heart would burst with happiness and peace.  It was a moment when everything seemed perfect.  It was a really sweet memory for me.  And now here I was again, in the same dark, quiet room with a different sleepy baby.  I couldn't help but think about that wonderful day three years ago and the sweet feelings I had then but also about all that has happened since.  I couldn't help but feel sad about the fact that Laila is not here to enjoy the fireworks.  It was a little bittersweet for me.  I still felt grateful to hear those happy, giggling voices on the roof with Mike and that I could hold another baby that is precious to me beyond measure.  It was a happy moment mingled with a good amount of sadness.

After putting Piper to bed I joined the boys and Mike and we discovered that many Colorado Springs residents had broken the law!  Yay for us!  It was a great show from our roof.  We had at least three neighbors who set off big, loud fireworks just over our head.  It was pretty great.  The boys LOVED it. I personally think that the residents here in Colorado Springs are all so happy to not have wild fires during the 4th that everyone wanted to celebrate!  Last year there weren't even any professional firework shows that I am aware of.

It was a fun way to end the day.

Eli is still sick but thankfully, no more barking, hard to breathe incidents, just a yucky cough.  I'm really thankful that the boys know how to just roll with it and that they can be happy with a painting project, a silly game, and sitting on the roof.  They never whined or complained about missing out on all the fun with their friends or anything.  I have such sweet, happy boys and it makes me very happy.