Rip Van Charlotte

Both kids have been sick since Tuesday, but it hit Charlotte a little harder than Petey.  She ran a fever for a few days, and it peaked on Thursday.  That day, she was super cranky -- especially when I pinned her down and attempted to force her to take some ibuprofen.  After an abbreviated afternoon nap, she was being a total pill.  Even Peter was looking at me like, c'mon Mom, you gotta do something about my whiny sister!  Charlotte told me that she thought she wanted to go back down for a nap, so I carried her into her room and tucked her in.

That was at 4:45 pm.  I heard her stirring and whimpering a little at 5:30, but she didn't want to get up.  Corey came home and we had dinner without her.  At about 7:15, she whimpered again but fell right back asleep even though Corey went in to try to rouse her.  We didn't hear from her again until 4:15 am when she woke up bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and ready to party.  All traces of a fever were gone and she downed two sippy cups within an hour.  I asked her if she wanted to watch some TV so Mommy could snooze a little, but she actually refused to watch her beloved Huckle Cat, Diego, or Dora.  She said she just wanted to play with me.  Aww . . .

It would have been a lot more fun had it not been before the butt crack of dawn, but I played with her happily.  It was kind of freaky to be without her for the evening.  Petey had a great time being an only child, but I suspect even he missed her a little.

Here is Charlie Jo on day one of the fever.  I was getting the clue that she was sick from her lack of interest in anything -- even her beloved art projects.  I can tell by looking at the picture that she was a little droopy and not quite the little spitfire she normally is.  Thank goodness she and Petey are better now -- I am a wreck when the kids are sick.  It kills me that when I am most in need of a field trip to get out of the house for a break, we need to stay home.  I wish someone would market his/her services as a baby-sitter for sick kids.  Parents would pay a serious premium for such a service.