i have received information and products from mcneil consumer healthcare division of mcneil ppc, inc., the makers of TYLENOL. the opinions stated are my own. this is a sponsored post for shespeaks.
my fifth born is one of the happiest kids around. don't get me wrong, he can create a disaster faster than i can return a text but he is usually pretty darn happy in the process.
a couple of weeks ago i could not figure him out. he was fussy at breakfast, refused to eat (very atypical for him) and was generally out of sorts. while playing with some blocks after breakfast, he dropped a block on one of his fingers and came walking to me so i could give his hand a kiss. here's what his little hand looked like.
the next day his feet were covered too. when i looked inside his little mouth, there were blisters everywhere. no wonder the poor guy didn't want to eat.
this wasn't my first rodeo. as the youngest of five, my fifth born got the jaded, "shake it off" mom. still, i had never had experience with hand, foot and mouth disease. i had seen pictures of heather's kids covered in blisters so i knew what to expect. still, i called the pediatrician for some specifics. her information was simple. it's just a virus. it will heal on it's own. just keep the tylenol flowing.
with a lot of cuddles, some very messy popsicles and a steady flow of medicine, as per the excellent pediatricians predictions, my happy baby was back. his precious smile was all the more sweet because i had missed it while it was gone. let's be honest, his smile also meant that the work of a sick baby was over for me. it was a huge relief. yes, in a few short days, my fifth born was back to this.
...and this...
...and, yep, even this...
yes, wellness is a double edged sword. still, i am grateful for healthy, happy kiddos.
the greatest thing about taking care of my sick children is knowing that they are learning how to care for others when i care for them. i didn't realize how much they had learned until i had a migraine headache one afternoon. my sweet boys jumped into action (my daughter was at gymnastics, lest she read this one day and think i have left her out.) my oldest told me to go and lie down. my third born six year old took over watching the little boys and cleaning the family room. the sweet boy even vacuumed the floor. while he was busy working, my oldest made me a tray and brought it into me in the adjoining room. it held a cup of tea, a bowl of grapes, a get well/instruction note, and a cup full of TYLENOL.
i was so happy. they got it. there is joy in making someone else feel better. it was one of those rare moments in parenting when you see the smallest glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, when you think, "maybe, just maybe they'll leave my house one day as loving, responsible human beings." for one brief moment they understood that there is joy in caring for someone well. there is joy when someone can smile after an illness. what a precious thing for me to see in my sons. i don't think i've ever been more proud.
the makers of TYLENOL recently launched the "SMILING IT FORWARD" campaign. bringing a smile to someone else enables them to bring smiles to others. as a part of this campaign, they are donating $1.00 to CHILDREN'S HEALTH FUND up to $100,000 for every picture uploaded to:
the donation will help pay for children in need to see a physician when they are sick. take a minute of your day and help tylenol spread some smiles to children in need by putting up a picture of one of your happy, healthy little ones today.
I have received information and
products from McNeil Consumer Healthcare Division of McNEIL-PPC,
Inc., the makers of TYLENOL®. The opinions stated are my own. This
is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks.
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