This weekend was a weekend of walks. We covered about 6 miles, double stroller and ErgoBaby carrier in tow, walking to a birthday party on Saturday at a local park, then to breakfast on Sunday, then to the playground after that before heading back home exhausted and happy.
And one of the most heartwarming things about watching your children grow up is discovering the friendships they form on their own- not the ones you culture for them because you really like the other kid’s mom… though I am quite fond of Max’s mom, thank goodness. Milo and Max. These two have to be separated every day during Circle Time at preschool, which I think says it all and will therefore leave it at that. They are quite the team. But I know from observation that they are both smarty-pantsies AND really really sweet boys who include certain little brothers in all endeavors.
The weather was gorgeous again, so yeah. Lucky us. Except that I wasn’t so lucky yesterday when I developed a massive migraine on the walk back from the playground. For those of you who have never had a migraine before, screw you just kidding… it really is mind-numbing pain and you should consider yourself lucky. I have had three natural childbirths, people, and I can say that migraines seriously suck.
Here’s what happens to me: First, blank spots or blind spots that take the form of what looks like the bright reflections off of waves swim in front of my eyes. I cannot make out faces or words, and become disoriented and confused. IF I am lucky, I will immediately lie down in a dark room as soon as these visual disturbances occur, and a lot of the time I can head off the full-blown migraine. BUT. If I am somewhere where that is not possible (i.e. a mile away from home pushing a stroller), the visual disturbances will get worse and then I will start to become extremely nauseous. Sometimes I throw up, but most often I don’t. Then comes the pain, usually localized to one area of my head. Yesterday it was right behind the right eye, a feeling of shards of glass in my eye and a dull throbbing behind the eye. Brutal. Luckily Andrew was home, so he took the kids so I could lie down (don’t be fooled, sleep is almost impossible during a migraine, especially when I cannot take anything because I am breastfeeding) for a couple of hours. And then, after the torture, there is what I call the “migraine hangover.” Take a really bad hangover, without all the fun you had the night before, and that’s exactly how you feel when the migraine is gone. The migraine hangover usually lasts a full day after the migraine.
So there it is. If you were wondering. I’m still working on identifying my triggers (people who get regular migraines often have very specific triggers that will lead to a nasty one) and so far the three biggest triggers are lack of sleep for several days in a row (check), stress, and a change in barometric pressure (aka glorious cool, sunny weather- which is why I get a lot more migraines in spring and fall- how unfair is that?).
Feeling better and feeling lucky to have such an incredible bunch of men to take care of me. Hope all you mamas had a little more luck with Mother’s Day than I did!
Oof, migraines are the. worst. I used to get them pretty often as a kid, and I remember that hangover feeling so vividly…bleh. You definitely have my sympathies!
Beautiful pictures but that migrane sounds like a nightmare! Our dear family friend used to get awful migranes when I was young and her trigger was doing a whole bunch of work and then relaxing… So when we would vacation together in Maine she would prep and pack and cook and then we’d get there and chill out and she’d get hit with a violent migrane and miss the whole trip. Ugh!
So sorry that struck on mother’s day (how unfair!) and hope you get some more sleep and a happy head this week.
Your boys are so stinking handsome. They certainly don’t help to get rid of the part of me that thinks having all boys would be THE BEST!
I’m so sorry about your migraine. I am your sister in that one. They are few and far between for me nowadays (knock on wood) but when I was younger I found myself in the hospital quite a few times from them. They are nasty little things, aren’t they? I hope your migraine hangover isn’t too horrible today. Maybe it’s a good excuse to find some alone time? Feel better!
Such dapper young fellows you have! Your kids are always dressed in such cool clothes.
I am so sorry about your weekend being slammed by a migraine. Before I figured out that gluten was the source of all my medical maladies, I got migraines all the motherloving time. And they were every bit as beastly as you described. I hope you are able to pinpoint what causes them and prevent them in the future. I have read that a lot of people link certain foods like chocolate and avocados to migraines. Have you done any food tests on your own to try and isolate the cause? Anyway, I hope you are beginning to feel better and that your days are migraine-free in the future.
Sorry to hear your Mother’s day was altered, but glad to hear the boys gave you some space.
I’ve been in your shoes with the migraines! Mine always occur after a series of gloomy winter days & then the sun pops out & catches that reflection off the snow & Zing! The vibrating spots… Really tinted sunglasses have helped me (as well as exercise- but you get plenty of that!) & I do think the severity & frequency of them lessens with age.
Hope you get some time to yourself- if only 20 min- each & every day
Ugh. Migraines. You know I feel your pain girl! And on Mother’s Day to boot! C’mon!
That sounds horrible. Hope you are feeling better and get a do-over!