I mean business

It has been a hard week. Come to think of it, it has been a hard month! Just as things were starting to settle down around here from bringing home a new baby, and we were getting into a good routine, Isaac came down with a cold. Unfortunately for him colds don't pass quickly and usually end in ear infections. Here the poor boy is so tired he fell asleep while coloring with daddy.


As soon as I saw Isaac's runny nose, I became a hand sanitizer freak! I think both Michael's hands and my hands were raw from washing them so often. Yet as hard as I tried to keep Ainsley from getting sick (she was eight weeks old), my plans were foiled by one sneeze from big brother Isaac to new baby sister. . . right in the face! Within a couple days Isaac, Ainsley and Michael (he gave up on the hand washing frenzy I was in) all had the nasty bug.

Whether it was the miracle of Purell, or my super mom powers, I was able to ward off any infection from entering and taking control of my body. In either case I am very thankful I stayed healthy so I could take care of everyone, and have the energy I would need with what was about to come.

My story does not end here. For it is now three weeks later and Ainsley still has to have her nose suctioned daily before eating and after sleeping. As luck would have it Tuesday morning Isaac woke up with yet another runny nose, this time the virus attacking with full a vengeance. Sad watery eyes, never ending runny nose, muted voice and a hacking cough. . . and I am off, back to my trusty friend Purell!!

One would think this would be plenty of hardship for a tired mother of two children under the age of two, but the story continues on still. I take full responsibility for this next trial. . .

I have wanted to bring home a puppy for as long as I can remember, and Isaac has been my motivator in this ploy to add to our family. Michael thinks it's a crazy idea, and I admit it is a little out there to try to raise a puppy and two young children, but in some sort of twisted way, in my mind it makes perfect sense to add a four legged member to our family. I set out on a quest for the perfect furry companion, and find her I did.

I found a 1 1/2 pound ten week old Boston Terrier. The cutest little bug-eyed pup in Mesa, Arizona. Love at first sight, by all in our family (even though Mike doesn't like to admit it, he too thought she was adorable). Isaac lovingly named her Tinko. My sweet sister who was staying with us at the time took it upon herself (with my encouragement) to take care of the puppy while she was staying with us. As we awoke our first morning after bringing Tinko, Lindsey awoke to find she was sleeping not only with a puppy, but with lots of little black bugs. Fleas! Swarms of them. Every inch of this poor puppy was covered.

Most of you know by now I can get very obsessive over little things (as mentioned above germs are one of those things), and I found out that day fleas are another. Tinko went straight to the vet for a flea bath, and then made home in the bathtub, while I went into assassin mode to kill the vermin and rid my house from the infestation of fleas. I used flea dust on the carpets and furniture, vacuumed, swept, mopped, sanitized, and laundered bedding and clothing, (I don't think I have ever had a cleaner house!).

Yet even after all this we woke the next morning up to even more fleas. I had never seen so many fleas on a dog in all my life. I was at my wits end, the last thing I wanted was a new born baby and toddler covered with flea bites, and called the breeder. She willingly took Tinko so she could rid her of fleas and worms (which are a side effect of eating the fleas). Sadly we have yet to hear back from her (little side note so you don't worry, yes I got my money back).

Later as I would read online, fleas are one of the hardest pests to get rid of. I am finding this to be very true. Last night I looked down on my pants and found a tiny little brown bug. As I continued to look I found not one, but seven. I found more on my shirt and then on Isaac's shirt as well. I am currently back into combat mode to ward off the insects again. Washing, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming.

Even now as I am writing this I feel a little embarrassed, as if we are the tainted with some horrible disease. I feel a small relief in knowing we are moving within the month and most of the furniture and all carpeting will be left behind. As crazy as it sounds I am sad that Tinko is gone, and the quest for our perfect canine is back in tact.