Megan's Sick Day

Megan hasn't been sick in a long, long time. I know for a fact it's been at least a year, as she's never missed a day in her new preschool due to illness. (she has missed for vacations and days at Mamie's, but not illness) I'm fairly certain it's actually been closer to two years.

So it took us all by surprise when she woke up crying this morning (6am). When I went into her room she told me she felt sick. Then she said, more specifically "My ear hurts!" She calmed down quickly when I told her I could give her medicine (the girl likes medicine a little too much - I may have a future hypochondriac on my hands). She calmed down again when I told her she could get up for the day. She was downright excited when I told her she wouldn't go to preschool, but instead we could go to the doctor's. "Will I get a shot?" she eagerly asked. "No, sweetie, I don't think you'll need a shot." "But I WANT a shot!" Huh?? Turns out she likes the little band-aids they put on afterwards.

Cam woke up about 7a and he and I had breakfast while Megan puttered around her room, no signs of illness. She didn't want to get into the car to take Cam to his care-giver, so I told her we could walk. (Cam's babysitter lives very conveniently in the next neighborhood over) I love being outside in the early morning. Megan insisted on bringing her umbrella along "just in case." I'm not sure what it is about an umbrella, but it's been one of Megan's favorite toys for years. The walk went great (I just carried Cam) until we got to the busy street separating our neighborhood from our destination. At first Megan was too afraid to cross, but she sucked it up and ran with me (holding my hand of course)

I was able to carry her across on our return trip since my arms were empty of baby. She told me "Mommy, I'm not scared this time - since you're holding me." We took our time getting back home, stopping a few houses away for a pretend meal at a restaurant. (apparently "shark sandwiches" were a specialty) By the time we did get home, the doctors' office was open and I got her in for 11:15a. We decided to stay outside and trim our walkway area, as I'd just taught Megan to use the gardening scissors a few days ago.

After Megan tired of the trimming, she made a few 'crafts', we played on the driveway with chalk, and then it was off to the doc's. She was disappointed to learn that it wouldn't be her normal doc, who she remembered from her 4-year appointment. But she liked the physician's assistant who saw us instantly, and was very cooperative. She didn't have a fever, but her right ear was infected.

We headed to the store to get her some Tylenol (all I had was infants(!) so it was time to pick up Children's) and her antibiotic. We also got supplies to make cookies, and a new Casper DVD.

At bedtime I told her if she woke up and her ear hurt she could come get me and I'd see if it was time for more 'red medicine' (Tylenol). Then I imagined a visit every hour of the night, so I told her she could look at her clock and if the little hand on the 1, 2, 3 or 4, she could come get me. I checked on her a little later and she was staring intently at the clock. She was afraid to go to sleep because her ear might start hurting again. So I promised to wake her up when it was time for more medicine (I figured I would be up with Cam anyway) So at 2:30a I stuck my head in her room, but she said her ear didn't hurt so I told her that meant she was getting better.

At the end of the day, Megan informed me "you did a good job taking care of me while I was sick, Mommy!" I don't think we'd had a Mommy-Megan day since Cam was born, so it was a nice bonding experience.