Spring Breakdown

It has been so long since I've seen my sister Steph and her twins. We decided to go to Houston for Spring Break, so we could spend more than a hurried weekend together.

The last time I saw Steph she came through Austin at the end of her frantic Hurricane Rita evacuation. Our visits seem to be punctuated by disaster. I remember one trip when we were both pregnant (me with Colin) and I got severe food poisoning and spent most of the time in bed.

This trip started out with Colin taking a poop in the upstairs playroom within minutes of our arrival. While we chatted with Steph's husband - who was of course serving us fine French wine - I totally did not hear Steph's cries for help until she was screaming my name. A turd had rolled out of his shorts, he stepped on it, and tracked poo all over the playroom and stairs.

We really know how to make an entrance!

Montana was staying with a coworker, who soon called me to let me know Montana had several seizures. Then later she called to let me know that Montana was not doing well at work - instead of chilling under my desk, she was pacing, wandering around the lab and up front, ignoring them, howling, peeing, and having more seizures. They medicated her, and she seemed a little better. Anthony returned early and picked her up.

Anthony called me last night and told me how bad things were. Once she was home, she was having many petit mal seizures, didn't know her way around the house, didn't even know her name. He took her to the emergency clinic where they bumped up her phenobarb and gave her more steroids. That seemed to settle her down.

Oh yeah, the pet sitter for our cat and chickens called to tell me one of the chickens escaped and was killed by a dog on the greenbelt. At least it was one of my least favorites (I can't help it, I like some more than others, and no it wasn't Chicka the China the Chinese Chicken). We still have 5 hens.

Steph's car broke down and she had it towed to the dealer. Fortunately the Highlander has that 3rd row so we actually could put all of the kids and moms in one car to go to the zoo. I know Steph felt very handicapped, though, without her car.

The plan today was to go for a group cousin portrait then head back to Austin early. Steph and I were sad to truncate our plans, but we were adult about it. Then Paige woke up with a fever, but with Motrin seemed good to go. Then Colin suddenly vomited. A large quantity. All over Steph and her couch.

Colin was limp after the vomit was over and cleaned up, and went down for a long nap. Paige, who had been pretty cheery, turned into a weepy feverish sad creature who only wanted to slump on her Mommy. Anna and Graham tried to understand and played trains and "painted" the house with water. Colin woke up much better, and we all enjoyed a late lunch in the beautiful afternoon sunshine.

Oh, and to console ourselves we ate pie. Lots of pie. 3 kinds.

I picked up Montana tonight and she seemed great. She recognized me and listened to my commands. Back at home, she had another hour of petit mal seizures and pacing. She's better now, sleeping.

I said to Steph, "I'd like a visit with you that doesn't involve hurricanes, life and death of animals, and lots of poop and vomit." She said, "We are getting lots of reminders that we really aren't in charge, eh?"

We did have a lot of fun eating, going to the zoo, and eating, and swimming in the pool at night, and eating. I bet I gained 5 lbs on all that fantastic food. And pie.

Happy pictures coming soon.