Vacation with a Monkey: Pt 2

After my brother's graduation I bought a new {cool} thermometer and some new meds. 

I only had Motrin with me, so I bought some Tylenol to switch it up.
At first I grabbed the cheapo $2 thermometer, and then I grabbed the $10 color reading thermometer and then I decided Adalyn and I have earned our way to a more advanced thermometer and I splurged.
A bit of retail therapy, if you will. 

It goes behind the ear and only takes ONE second.

via

I have too much fun with it and I'm kind of obsessed with taking her everyone's temp.

The only downfall is it's not 100% accurate on the first try.
 I usually have to do it a few times to get an average temp while I panic and pray to the Lord that when it reads 105.5 it's not right. 

And it's not.

::Cue major relief::

Sunday we were leaving Cabin 1, traveling 2 hours and settling into Cabin 2 in Pigeon Forge. 

An area surrounded by more civilization....aka more opportunities to take her to a Dr. 

The plan was to have lunch and walk around Gatlinburg, get situation into our new home and then find an Urgent Care to bring her in.

Plans quickly changed when she continue was miserable as we were out for lunch. 

Her temp was 103.6, I gave her another dose of tylenol and we decided it was time to bring her in. 

Unfortunately, she seemed to be getting worse- not better. 

After a stressful, but thankfully short, wait in the waiting room she was finally checked.

She even fell asleep on me while the nurse was checking her vitals. 

Who is this girl?!

A quick check-up was all it took for her to be diagnosed with an ear infection in both ears AND a throat infection. The Dr. prescribed her an antibiotic and told me to start them as soon as possible.

Ummmm don't you worry, I was about ready to sprint to the pharmacy. 

But not really because my sprint is more like an ugly jog and my dad's truck would be much faster and efficient.
You get the point...

When we picked up the prescription I also I also purchased a baby carrier.

I thought about bringing one, but purposely didn't because she would be fine in the stroller and running around.

Wrong. Wrong. And wrong. 

My arms needed a break.
 Thanking Walmart for having carriers in stock.
Thanking the inventor of a baby carrier. 

I couldn't wait to get my baby back. Within hours of the antibiotic there it was...

a glimpse of hope.
But I was too happy and in shock that I didn't take any pictures of this moment.

A taste of my long lost girl.

Family could look at her.

Wave at her. 

And even... talk to her. 

I was hopeful for the next day.

But it would have been nice to make it through a night first.

Just one night.

Her fever lingered.

She wasn't taking her medicine {which she is normally so good at}.

She gagged on her medicine and threw up on me yet again.

It became a nightly ritual. 

In the morning, I quickly gave her another dose of antibiotics hoping that the magic would happen in time for our trip to Dollywood.

There were moments of happiness quickly followed by moments of baby monkey-ness.

She was so hard to figure out.

But Praise the Lord, it was clear she was getting better.

Slowly, but surely.

We only had one more day left of vacation, so it was only fitting that she would be getting better. 

The key to vacationing with a monkey is to have no expectations.

Unfortunately, I went into this with high expectations and I tried my best to stay strong and face the facts of what it had become.

Some tips-

Don't expect to eat.

Don't expect to sleep.

Don't expect pictures.

I didn't get one picture with her and any of her great-grandparents, grandparents, the graduate....

Nada.
And it kills me.

But they got pictures of this.

In the grand scheme of things, I am so thankful that they were treatable infections.

In those unknown moments you question what it could be with a million different fears running through your head {and I didn't even google- I can go worst case all on my own}. 
You cry out to God for healing,
and feel defeated when it's another day with a high fever and the clingiest toddler you've ever known.

This sickness also happened to fall on Mother's Day-and you better believe I text Ben saying I need a make-up Mother's Day when we get back- but having the emphasis on the gift of being a mom helped me get through this long week.
She only wanted me.
Her mom.
 It was the "mother's touch" I always dreamed of having.
Regardless of the fact that she was overusing its power,
I know these moments of being needed are fleeting and I tried my best to soak them in.
There is so much joy in being a mom.
So much love.

A complete dream come true for me, 

and that was outweighing my exhaustion and disappointment. 

Our final day she was 90% better. Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

I will save that post for tomorrow.

The day she transformed from a baby monkey back to a little girl.

It was even filled with multiple smiles.

PS. I probably didn't blog about it because I have been a terrible blogger, but she was sick last summer for a different family vacation. It's like she saves them up?!?