When it Rains it Pours

We've settled nicely into a slightly new schedule since our weekend trip. The past few days have been pretty peaceful and the children have been cooperative overall. We have a definite chore time now, which includes the boys getting dressed and making their beds. (Ben actually did it on his own this morning, woo-hoo!) I also scheduled a set time to read to Ben and Anna, as well as a walk or outside play-at-the-park time after lunch. All of this includes a new "no TV when it's nice outside" rule. They haven't complained, b/c they have a new-found love of Legos to occupy them. And Matthew even behaved beautifully at soccer practice on Tuesday, focusing the entire time and playing well.

And then today hit. The kids usually shoot downstairs to play while I leisurely get myself out of bed. I came down this morning to find Anna sitting on the corner of the carpet, staring into space. I picked her up to change her and discovered that her pants were soaked. Thinking it was only an overly-full diaper, I change her diaper and clothing and then put her onto the couch. Then I rechecked where she had been sitting. Portions of last night's supper were all over the area. Yup, stomach flu. She got sick one more time in the kitchen (all over her special blankie which was JUST washed on Monday) and then I put her on a towel on the couch. She took a brief nap (during which I did school with Matthew) and then got sick again when she woke up. She has since had a few chips and kept them down, so I think we're already over the worst. She's napping upstairs right now.

Around lunchtime, the boys went outside to play on their bikes. I heard a blood-curdling scream and ran outside (along with two of our neighbors) to find Matthew bleeding and running toward me. He had fallen on his bike and had three scrapes on one knee and one on his elbow. Ben and our landlord walked his bike back while I cleaned and bandaged the wounds. Matthew wailed rather loudly for a LONG time and started getting on Ben's nerves. Ben decided to make Matthew stop crying by singing annoying songs. Yeah, that worked.

So we had a two-day stretch of good behavior and a pleasant home atmosphere. That should last me awhile.