Poorly Babes, Op Week and Stratford - Home of the 2012 Olympics

The little people have all been poorly little people.

James got hit the hardest with a cold/flu like bug. Real fever, real sleepiness and exhaustion. The cold didn't come out until the last couple of days but he was off school for the whole of last week. Matthew has been off with it today but seems fine. Liam hasn't had it too bad. A cough, runny nose but now he has lost his voice.

A nice little dose of laryngitis to end a cold. Normally, a voiceless Liam is nothing to worry about. This week, I am VERY worried about it. Liam is having his operation on Friday. He HAS to be well. I am hoping his little voice comes back quick. Today is day 2 of voicelessness. He is well in every other way but has no vocal ability. A couple of nights in a row he was crying for long periods wanting to not go to bed. He only settled with me or hubby in our own bed. There's a point where this is ok for short term but when they expect it every night, it becomes a strain having 3 in the bed and when the smallest person takes up the most room, keeps waking up, keeps kicking you in the back and generally disturbing one's own nights sleep, then small person should be in small persons own bed and not lying beside mummy like so.

So for part of Thursday, Friday and Saturday we left him in his room, hoping he would fall asleep by himself eventually. Sometimes you have to leave little ones to cry and show who is boss. Of course, LIAM is boss as we gave in every night, there's only so much crying you can put up with and it's not fair on James trying to sleep in the room where Liam is giving it all with his vocal cords.

Sunday morning, Liam was rather squeaky sounding with very little noise coming out at all. He can't cry apart from a small "mew" type sound and sounds very breathy. He is well apart from this, eating well and playing as normal. He just needs his voice back. Today it was still missing, but I'm sure he's a little louder and less squeaky than yesterday. We just need him ok by Friday.

As for the actual procedure itself, I am not completely up with the details. As far as I know it's a tiny incision to use a smaller camera to take a look at what may be causing the problem. Hence why it's called investigative surgery. I don't know what will happen if it is a hernia return. If they can fix it there and then or if they will put us upon another waiting list. We should only be in a matter of hours and home the same day. I just hope all goes smooth enough to  run to plan and we will find out more about after care afterwards I should imagine.

The rest of life appears to be going well. We spent two weekends running visiting a new shopping centre in London.

Westfield Stratford is the biggest shopping centre in London. There are streets upon streets that are famous names, every zone of London has it's "High Street" and town centre. But with the density of London, the shopping centres are outside of London itself. The reason this now exists is because Stratford is undergoing a MAJOR rejuvenation at the moment. This is hubbys photo from one of the viewing platforms in the Center:

The white structure in the background with the white little triangles in the air (though I appreciate it isn't easy to see with the lovely grey skies of England) belong to the main Olympic Stadium.

Security getting into this shopping centre and the Olympic Village is IMMENSE. I have never seen anything like it. You drive through the Village where the competitors will be staying, pass some sports arenas and the main arena to get to the car park. On the 2-3 mile journey we are surrounded by electric fences, security checkpoints and security camera on high every 20 meters. The place IS secure and amazing. The effort that has gone into all this is just crazy.

We didn't do much in the way of shopping, we just like to explore new places.

On Satuday night I won a prize draw through facebook. One of the local pubs in the village chose me to be the winner of a £20 gift voucher for said pub for simply liking their facebook page. Wow! I am incredibly happy. The pub is fairly expensive being in our trendy little villate so hubby and I will have a treat sometime next week. It's pointless trying to get out this weekend as here in good old Blighty, it is Mothers Day on Sunday. I have no idea what to get my mum or mother in law yet but hope to venture into town with Liam tomorrow whilst the two big boys are at school.