Monday, January 5, 2009

Nightmare in babysitting!!

Like all the other holidays, I want to share what we did for the New Year. On New Year's Eve, our plan was for Kurt and his sister Krista to go to a movie. (That is why I ended up watching Morganne and Baby Kurt.) Well, they were to go to the movie and then later we were to go to Kurt's parents to visit for the new Year. It didn't quite go as we had planned. The title of this post might get you thinking that it was a nightmare because of how the kiddos acted. No, that was not the case. Morganne and Baby Kurt are really good kids. 

Well, anyways I am going to tell the story.

Here are the kiddos just having a good time. 
You think that nothing bad can happen in two hours, right? (That is all I had them for because they went to see the new Disney film "Bolt.") Well, I thought wrong. 

See this nice heavy ball. It is not meant to be tossed up or bounced. Well, within the first 5 minutes after Kurt and Krista left. Morganne was playing with this ball and was trying to toss it up and catch it. She wasn't throwing it very high but I got nerves because Ayla was playing near her. Well, I didn't get there in time. Morganne didn't catch it and it landed right in the middle of Ayla's forehead. I let out a curdling scream. Which startled baby Kurt and he started to cry. And of course Ayla was crying because she was hurt. Morganne was about ready to cry when I turned to her and told her it would be alright. Baby Kurt did not want to calm down for a while after that because he got startled and noticed his mom was not there and that he was in a strange place. I finally got him to calm down with a bottle and he fell asleep. He didn't drink much so I put the bottle in the fridge. I just couldn't believe that after 5 minutes of them being gone, all the children were almost in tears. I thought this is not so bad. I can handle this. Which I did and then for the next hour and a half things went well.

Ayla and Morganne played a lot. It was so fun to watch Ayla interact with Morganne. She was playing like a little kid. It was such a joy to watch her be so happy. It made me feel so good to see her play. 

Then a half an hour before Kurt and Krista were to return, baby Kurt woke up and started to cry because he was hungry. No big deal. So I started to warm up his bottle. He kept crying because, like I said, he was in a strange place. I was trying to comfort him but I think he remembers Ayla grabbing his eye on Christmas Eve and he was terrified of her. He wouldn't stop crying because she kept wanting me and I was holding him and he was scared of her. I finally got him calm with his bottle but then Ayla grabbed his foot and he started to scream. From there on it got worse.  Not because of Baby Kurt but I will explain. Well, while I was trying to comfort Kurt, Morganne expressed that she was hungry. So I made her the easiest thing to feed a kid, which was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. That way I could tend to Kurt faster. 

Well, after about a minute I hear Morganne say "Aunt Heather? What is happening to me?" I went into the kitchen and noticed that Morganne was having an allergic reaction to the peanut butter. Her lips started to swell and then she started crying. Poor thing. This time all three were crying and I could sooth any of them. I called Kurt right away. He didn't answer, so I called Krista and she didn't answer, so I called my mother-in-law to find out what to do for Morganne. She couldn't hear me on the phone because the kids were screaming by this point. All she heard was peanut and she came running over.  

All I could do was put Ayla in her walker and let her cry. I laid Kurt on the floor and let him cry and I sat next to them with Morganne in my lap. All where screaming in my ear. Which was okay, I just had to pray to Heavenly Father that I would not start crying because I needed to be the adult for Morganne's sake. I knew she was okay to a point because she obviously was breathing because she was crying. Otherwise I would have called 911 or done CPR. I ended up calling Poison Control but they could not help me and, while I was on the phone with them, Kurt called me back and I was able to tell him and Krista the situation. Krista told me to get some Children's Benadryl but we did not have any, so Kurt and Krista had to go to Walgreens. (Due to the fact that it was New Years Eve so it was slim pickings.) Well, when Kurt went inside there was a long line for the pharmacy and he had no idea where the Benadryl was on the shelves. So he just yelled out "My kid is having an allergic reaction. Where is the Benadryl?" Everyone moved a side and was helping Kurt find the Benadryl. The pharmacist rang him up and Kurt said both of them were shaking. 

Well, while they were at Walgreens, my mother-in-law showed up and she took Baby Kurt and calmed him down because he knows her more than me. Plus, I was able to calm Ayla down and,  between the two of us, we both calmed Morganne down. Shortly after that, Krista came running in with the Benadryl. She gave some to Morganne and the poor little sweetheart had a hard time keeping it down. So Krista gave her some more and she held that down for a while and then started to feel better.

She was such a sport.  She only cried twice for her mother and then when she threw up she was more worried about the mess she had made than herself. What a sweet little girl. I was so proud of her and she really helped me with the situation.

Well, I am Happy to report that Morganne was just fine the next day. 

I can't believe the nightmare that was but also the relief that Morganne was okay. We now own Children's Benadryl just in case something like this happens with Ayla. I have never had a second thought that Ayla could have an allergic reaction to the food we feed her.

I look back on this story and can laugh about it now. Not that Morganne went through what she did but that I can't believe what can happen in two hours of babysitting. I have never experienced something like that ever in the many years I have babysat. I will from this day forward ask the parents if they are allergic to anything before they leave. Crazy thing is I recall Krista telling me about a year ago that Morganne was allergic to peanuts but I had forgotten. I tell you what, I won't forget again. And I would watch those kids again in a heart beat. I love them.

8 comments:

Ann Marie said...

Oh Heather.. LOL! I KNOW it was so traumatic then, but to hear it now.. it is I admit.. Funny.

I'm surprised that Benadryl did it. One of our friends kids has an allergic reaction to peanuts, and if he has anything that was even exposed to it, he has to have a serious shot immedietly-- or he could die. Scary stuff.

I admit that I am not a lover of babysitting. I will do it to serve, but it is really hard for me because one child is usually crying the whole time. It's hard to juggle 3 or more when they are little, and not your own. You handeled it very well. Take care of her, and let Ayla scream. I know it's hard, but medical stuff can be soo serious.
Way to go girl.

PS: Loved that Kurt yelled that out.. He seems so shy.. So funny!

Heather said...

Just a side note: I want every one to know that every time she threw up Kurt was the one to clean it up. He was such a trooper. Thanks Honey!!

Ann-I glad to hear that it is not just me, that one child is usually crying the whole time. I thought I had lost my touch. Thanks for your comment.

I am glad that you found it funny that was what I was going for. Like I said I just have to laugh at the situation now. LOL!!!

{Mo} said...

Awww Heather, what a night! I more often than not have extras at my house, usually they are my sisters kiddos, and well, they are pretty much as much mine as mine are, so no big deal. I'm just waiting for the day we have to haul one of them to the hospital for stitches or something. What a great Aunt you are, and what a night to remember :)

amber hawkins warren said...

Oh that is so scary. My Holden is allergic to Peanut Butter and now I don't even have it myself. I try not to keep it around and I have to remind everybody who watches him that he's allergic. It's so easy to forget. Peanuts are in everything - snickers, oils, etc. That's so traumatic I'm so sorry!

PS - what is your calling at church? I forget. I need a substitute teacher for my CTR-B's this Sunday. Can you call me?

TLC said...

Heather my heart goes out to you!
I read this and just thought this could happen to anyone. I've never been around anyone who has a allergic reaction but this totally made me see of not to forget to ask questions. Or notify the babysitter of anything.

Like Ann I'm no fan of babysitting. The worst thing to happen to me was taking care pf 6 kids and having the baby {who was 2} lock her self in the bathroom! YIKES!!! Thank goodness it had happend before and the older brother {who was 6} knew how to pick the lock!

The Wonderful World of Wampler said...

YIKES!

Your babysitting Nightmare sounds like a normal sunday for me in Primary. Hee,hee

No really, not lieing.

Maybe you should have gone to the movie with Kurt and his sister =) left the babysitting nightmare for someone else. hee,hee j/k you did great....and no one died.

Busy Bee Lauren said...

Thank you for coming to my blog! You have such a cute one yourself :)

Dawn Harvey said...

WOW! I know exactly what you're talking about. It makes you never want to have twins. Today I had 8 kids under the age of 6 over and that was insane! It's almost like this is how it goes though in this stage of life. But thank goodness most babies come one at a time. Good for you for not freaking out!