Monterey

We made it down to Monterey and the aquarium by about 3pm.  We didn't think that was enough time because they closed at six, but it was plenty of time.  Wyatt ran around like a nut.  The aquarium was packed, it being a three day weekend and raining.  By the time we got to the aquarium and I changed Seth, we were starting to get the sneaking suspicion that Seth had the runs.

Wyatt's favorite exhibit was the wave tunnel.  You stand in a plexi glass tunnel and every ten seconds waves crash over the tunnel.  He and a number of other children stood in their screaming their brains out.  We tried the touch tanks and saw the otters.  Rus and Wyatt saw the jellies, but Seth and I didn't quite make it up.  We got Wyatt one stuffed shark and decided it was time for dinner.

The place that was recommended to us didn't seem that far on a map, so we decided to walk.  In the rain, it ended up seeming a lot further than it was.  Wyatt was uncooperative.  He was carrying his umbrella and had on a warm coat, so he was dressed the most appropriately, but his legs and feet started to get wet.  Seth was strangely quiet, which meant he was getting stressed out.

We decided to just go in to another restaurant that was near us and forget the other one, but the pizza place ended up being too crowded.  We decided to head back to the car.  By the time we got to the car everyone was wet and the boys were hysterical.  Rus and I were feeling like supreme assholes in having the boys out in the rain.  We piled in to the car and decided to head to the hotel.  Rus could run out and get food I thought.  We ended up having pizza delivered.  Seth got a bath as he was covered in poop.  Everyone was changed and dried off.  After we ate, I seriously considered suggesting we drive back to Oakland.

We stayed the night.  Seth in the pack and play, Wyatt and I in one bed and Rus in the other (but only after it was apparent that the three of us weren't gong to fit).  Seth woke up and took some time going back down.  Wyatt moves around a lot.  And snores.  It was not a good night's sleep for anyone.

The next morning we took the boys for pancakes and walked around cannery row.  We took some pictures that turned out really nice, but aren't very high resolution so they look good on my iphone, but that's about it. I bought them both funny hats as it was pretty cold. We drove home around noon, which is roughly nap time for both of them.  Wyatt slept half the way and Seth the whole way.

On Sunday I realized I was developing a cold and diarrhea, but I don't think that I got the diarrhea from Seth. Monday Seth was still having diarrhea and Wyatt was developing a pretty nasty cough.  Actually, the cough had gotten nasty Sunday night.  I decided not to try for urgent care on Monday.   Anyway, Tuesday I stayed home and we took the boys in to see their pediatrician.  Actually, I could only get an appointment for Seth, but we took Wyatt figuring she could at least listen to his lungs.

At the appointment, Seth weighed 29lbs, which is just stupid.  At his nine month appointment last Thursday he was almost 25lbs.  I don't think that he gained five pounds over the long weekend with diarrhea.  Anyway, he's 30" and roughly 25lbs.  Turns out he has another ear infection and that could be causing the diarrhea, but it's hard to say since I had diarrhea too.  He is on antibiotics again.  One more ear infection between now and June and he will be referred to ENT for tubes.  I wish they would put tubes in his ears now.  With the diarrhea, he has a yeast infection on his butt.

One interesting thing in all of this is that since Seth's butt hurts so bad, he started crawling like a proper baby.  Today, since his bum is better, he is butt scooting again.

Dr. Saba listened to Wyatt's lungs and they were clear.  He ears were clear.  He was declared to have a virus and we were told to keep doing what we were doing.  Wyatt perked up later in the day after I gave him some ibuprofen.  We also tried benedryl, which Dr. Shay had suggested might help, and it does a little, but what he really needs is a decongestant.  Unfortunately, benedryl doesn't knock him out.  Thankfully, it doesn't make him hyper either.

Wyatt has been insisting I sleep with him.  He sounds horrible.  He is hacking away half the night, trying to breath through his stuffed nose and thrashing around.  He kicked me in the nose one night.  He frequently sits up in bed and calls for me even though I am next to him.  I usually lay down with him until he falls asleep.  Then I go to sleep in my bed.  Around midnight he calls for me and I try to sleep the rest of the night there.  As much as I can get sleep.  That leaves Rus to deal with Shrekles who is waking up at least once, if not twice a night.  Often because he has pooped through his clothes.

This morning, Wyatt woke up with snot all over his face, crust on his eyes and his lips bloody and cracked.  He looked horrible.  Wyatt and Seth stayed home with Rus.  Wyatt started to get a fever.  He seems so sick right now.  We got some vicks vapor rub knockoff and tried that, but I can't say it's an improvement.  He actually put himself to bed, that's how sick he feels.  I am worried about him.  His breathing seems a bit labored.  He still can't breath through his nose.  He still has a fever, but we couldn't give him more ibuprofen as it had only been four hours since his last dose.  Rus is taking him back to see Dr. Saba tomorrow, but I still think his lungs will be fine and he just had a really bad cold.  We did get him a flu shot last Thursday.  I wonder how long it takes to get protection from that.

I can't remember the last time he had a bath or I brushed his teeth.  Seth gets bathed at least once, if not three times a day.

Then there is the super paranoid part of me that thinks Wyatt picked up something from the touch tank.  Or that this is because he was out in the rain.  Seth also has a cold, but he is not as impacted.  The difference between 32 weeks and 39 weeks gestation is huge when it comes to lungs.

Seth still has diarrhea, but he is pretty happy now that his bum is on the mend.  We switched him to soy formula temporarily, per doctor's instructions, as some times there can be a temporary lactose intolerance with gastrointestinal illness.  We have been feeding him rice cereal and sweet potatoes to plug him up, but no luck.  He makes the most offensive noise when he has a bowel movement.  Plus, he has picked up this subsconic wookie noise I can't stand.  That has nothing to do with the diarrhea, I just can't stand it.  And he is biting a lot.  Rus says he harassed Wyatt, who really didn't feel good, all day long.  He kept taking things away from him and insisting on being held if Wyatt got any attention.  Baby Seth is becoming a bully.  What happened to my sweet little Sethie?  I wonder if this is because Rus usually pays more attention to Seth as I pay more attention to Wyatt when I am around.

At Seth's nine month appointment last week, Dr. Saba told Rus that Seth needs an MRI of his spine. He has a marker for tethered spinal cord like Wyatt.  I emailed her to ask if it was necessary to do it now since Wyatt's first MRI at Seth's age was inconclusive.  She said yes, and she was more worried about Seth than she ever was about Wyatt since Seth isn't bearing weight on his legs.  So, we have a MRI scheduled for April 12th.