Oh, and...

Since the crying seems to have stopped, I think I'll add that my department is going through some particularly nasty politics at the moment and there's a meeting today where a lot of this is going to come to a head. To put it very briefly, department bully with a history of ethically questional behavior but lots of seniority is angling for a position of greater power and expects it to be handed to her since there is no one else in the running at this point. There is a resistence movement that might keep this from happening anyway (lack of department confidence may lead to an appointment of someone else) but the repercussions of standing in her way or making her have to work a bit harder for this are going to be unpleasant. However, knowing her likely reactions to the existence of the resistence movement are a large part of why there IS a resistence movement. Do you want someone insulting, punitive, insecure and paranoid to make the decisions for the next three years? No, but I still feel guilty for being part of the reason her paranoia may be justified.

It would have been nicer to deal with this on a full night's sleep.

Uurgh....

We all just got over stomach flu. During the worst of it, Liftoff Boy was a great sleeper. Naps during the day and a big old stretch from 8:30 or so to 7am. Even when he's sick, he usually sleeps through the night. Last night he went to bed easily about 9pm after playing for a good hour and after eating a big dinner (his appetite seems to have returned yesterday, yay). But he woke up crying miserably at 12:30am. We don't generally feed him during the night (we generally don't get up and eat during the night either), but after an hour and a half of diaper change and holding and unsuccessful self-soothing, I got him a bottle and that sucker was slurped down fast. He fell asleep at about 2. But he was up again at 3 (another bottle) and 4:30 (no bottle, but a stuffed animal in an effort to try something else that might be soothing. He seemed delighted at the stuffed animal (Flopsy, a bright yellow bear given to LB by my mother) and spent the next half-hour talking to it until he fell asleep. I woke up to his desperate, pained cries at 6:45 and brought him another bottle. Now I'm up with a full day of work ahead of me and the crying has just recommenced.

There were two doses of Tylenol in there. We don't know what is going on. This isn't how he acts when he's teething, so my guess is ear infection or possibly massive hunger bought on by his body trying to put on the weight loss during the flu. But this is probably the worst night we've had with him since he was born! Calling the pediatrician at 9 to see what's what, but then I have to be out the door by 9:45 or so so it'll all be up to Liftoff Guy.

I'm a hypocrite

I have several blogs that I read regularly and I get so annoyed when they don't update in a timely manner - and then there's my blog. But I rationalize that hardly anyone ever reads it (only one person that I know of), so....

Anyway, this has been a wacky week in the Liftoff household. The Stomach Flu Fairy visited and we've all spent the last few days (since Sunday) engaged in various forms of spew. Being sick with an equally sick baby is not fun. Also, Liftoff Boy had a tooth break through yesterday up top and has the other top one working its way through, so he's had a lovely combination of nausea, intestinal discomfort AND teething pain. He's usually quite the adventurer, but when knocked low like this he HAS to be on someone's lap or hip at all times.

On the plus side, LB thinks it's delightful and hilarious when I use my battery-powered toothbrush. It always gets a big grin, sick or no. And he'll hold on to it for me and help me brush if he's on Liftoff Guy's lap. Brushing Mommy's teeth is a good hobby I guess.

Also on the plus side, today the diaper changes were less frequent and, wonder of wonders, LB was actually willing to eat. Anything but milk or formula has been rejected this week, or, if not rejected, the cause of much vomiting. Even Pedialyte made him throw up. So hearing from LG that LB ate a bunch of apple sauce today and some oatmeal and seemed really interested in it is great news.

Also also on the plus side, my department unanimously recommended me for tenure and promotion to associate professor (up from assistant). There are a few hoops to go through before it's official in May, but it would be really weird if the personnel committee, the dean or the provost overturned it after such approbation from my department. So yay!