Training leaves me elbows deep in poop and sick boys

On October 5th, Dave left for his deployment training. For those not familiar with training, it iss often filled with worst case scenarios to hopefully prepare you for less grave circumstances in the field. With Dave gone, I am on my own and in my own form of trainingg for single parenthood with two boys less than two years apart in age. Let's hope that I am getting my own worst case scenarios, and the actual deployment will be easier.

Liam is in the midst of getting his 2 year old molars which generally make for a cranky toddler. Ben is working on learning to roll over which makes for a non-sleeping baby. That alone would be enough excitement for me to handle on my own, but it doesn't stop there.

By Friday, I was definitely sick with a cold. Saturday, I braved a toddler birthday party by myself at Pump It Up. Liam kept climbing to the top of the big slide and then freezing in fear too afraid to slide down while I dealt with a wailing baby and looked at helplessly. Thankfully, a friend's husband came to Liam's rescue and slid down with him in one arm and his son in the other arm.

Sunday morning I walked into Liam's room to find something that will haunt my nightmares forever. I won't go into great detail in case anyone is squeamish, but it involved poop on the mattress, smeared down Liam's shirt, and on various lovies in the crib. After washing everything in Liam's room and disinfecting the crib, I tackled the zoo by myself. I think a side by side double stroller is in my future.

Monday night Ben didn't sleep. Honestly, he didn't sleep at all....more like cat-napped. I was in his rok at 9pm. I slept 30 minutes from 10:30 until 11pm, then back in his room then on to Liam's room as Ben woke him up. I slept 30 more minutes from 12:30am until 1am and then was back with Ben. He was awake FOUR friggin' hours and finally passed out at 5am. I slept a blissful 45 minutes before my alarm went off.....and obviously, my alarm wasn't even early enough as Liam was already awake. Those are the moments you no longer want to be a grown up.

Monday afternoon both boys cooperated by napping at the same time allowing me a one hour nap. I should have known this would come at a price. Ben woke first and while I nursed him, Liam woke. I put Ben in the Bumbo and went to retrieve Liam and found him soaking wet and burning up with fever. I checked his temperature and foound it to be 102.7. Thankfully, he loves Motrin and happily drank that and 2 sippy cups while I changed his clothes and bed sheet. By this time, Ben was screaming. I picked Ben up and put him on my hip, only to discover too late that now I was covered in baby poop and it was all over him and the Bumbo. Lovely......The day hasn't gotten any better and Ben has woken every 30 minutes since bedtime and is awake as I type this. I suspect this will be another night of sleeping 3 hours or less.

The real deployment won't involve this percentage of lack of sleep, poop all over the place, and sick babies/toddlers, will it?