We knew we were outnumbered but....

We didn't expect to be tested this soon.

The rounds of sickness started just over two weeks ago when Everleigh came down with a cold. Ben started losing his voice a day or two later but both of them were holding their own pretty well. Then Kyrie came down with something hard. She had a fever, sounded horrible and her little eyes said "sick, sick, sick." So we took her to the doctor a week ago and were told to watch her and start antibiotics IF she grew worse or complained of ear pain. She still has a bronchial cough but has regained her energy and has become a huge nuisance to the rest of us. She would love to be the center of attention and she's willing to settle for negative attention.

And then Friday morning Ben woke up with a 30-minute episode of croup. (If you have experienced this as a parent, you know the fear that it strikes into your heart.) We did everything we knew to do and called and talked to a nurse 20 minutes in who said we were doing everything we should do. He settled down and was doing better.

Over the weekend Ben and Everleigh both grew worse. Why does it always happen on the weekend? Maybe for the same reason all of my babies were born on the weekend.

Ben was happily watching playoff football yesterday when he suddenly started struggling to breathe. Having been here before, we skipped the call to the pediatrician and Mike took him to ER. His heart was racing, his oxygen level was low and he was chattering non-stop about the football game. Fortunately he was able to watch it while waiting and the ER staff kept coming in to ask him the score. The doctor initially said he was going to admit him. But x-rays ruled out pneumonia and his test for RSV came up negative too. A pediatrician came to see him. They determined there was no reason to keep him but that something was up and he needed to see the doctor today.

He made it home for the last half of the Saints-Vikings game and was happy to see it. In the night his fever kept climbing with Ibuprofen seeming to do nothing. I kept cool cloths on him and Mike was administering breathing treatments. Ben was very brave.

Meanwhile, Everleigh had to have saline up her nose and be suctioned out several times. Poor baby. She just wanted to sleep but couldn't seem to do so.

And then there is Kyrie. Who has been up constantly at night during this time, playing musical beds, wanting to be where the action is and get a little mommy/daddy time.

And I had to laugh at how much Mike and I resemble Brett Favre at the end of yesterday's NFC Championship game. I don't have the red lines from a helmet at the top of my head but we're both looking pretty rough these days.

We knew that there would be a day when two parents would not be enough. But so soon?