It's 2 AM and we're eating popsicles.

this is after we had been in the ER an hour. This is the I'm feeling a bit better shot - sad!

When Grace was about 8 months old I took her to the doctor and said "I'm not sure what is wrong with her, but she's really sick. I saw her stick her finger in her ear, so I think maybe it's an ear infection."

The doctor took one look at my calm, almost smiling baby and gave me a look of sympathy for my new, untested mothering skills. He said something along the lines of if she had an ear infection, she'd be screaming, but we'll take a look (subtext: to humor you).

Turns out she had a double ear infection. A bad one. Needless to say, he's never doubted me again. If I take one of them in and say they are sick - they are sick.

Mothers know their babies.

Grace has now been sick for a week. Fever on and off. Upset stomach. Sometimes fine. Sometimes really cranky. Just not acting herself. Yesterday she started throwing up and she kept throwing up all day. I did everything I could do to get fluid down her, but to no avail. She went to bed and slept a little and I thought we might be ok, but by midnight she was awake. 2 hours before she'd seemed sick but ok. At midnight she was listless and confused and I got scared.

So I called my mom and asked her if she thought I should take her to the ER. I described what I was seeing and my mom said "do you think she needs to go?"

"Yes."

"You are the mother. You know. If you think she needs to go, she needs to go."

So I decided to take her to the ER. I woke up Chad - who also seemed listless and confused, but I'm pretty sure for different reasons. I wrapped her up and headed off into the night.

At the ER - Dehydration confirmed. Oh, and by the way, they asked,  has she had a step culture this week?

Nope.

Culture performed.

Strep confirmed.

Fever rash discovered on chest and cheeks.

Nausea medicine given.

Tylenol administered. 

Hydration commenced.

A few sips of Sprite, 1 glass of water, 1 orange Popsicle and 1 graham cracker later she was looking better. Less sallow, less ready to die.

1 GIANT antibiotic administered. Grace has never swallowed a pill before and this was quite a first pill to swallow. She got it down - tough cookie.

1 more glass of water and we thought we were ready to go home...

But Grace's heart rate was so high they decided not to let her go until it came down. So we sat for another couple of hours and sipped water, ate another Popsicle, nibbled on another graham cracker, texted Grandma Sharon and watched tennis. (yes, she chose tennis...)

After a trip to the restroom (yay!) the doctor said though her heart rate was not quite as low as he wanted it, but he felt comfortable sending her home. I should push as much fluid on her as possible and if I had any concerns bring her right back.

Today, she's resting. Sick, but not quite as miserable. Tucked in her bed with a portable DVD player and a stack of movies. Surrounded by fluids which I push on her every 5 min. She's eaten a little and she's quite a toasty little bundle as I try to get this fever to break. So I just keep praying and loving on her.

And putting my hand on her chest to see if her little heart is beating normally, which it seems to be. 

Brynn asked me today if it is hard to take care of kids when they are throwing up. "It's not fun" I said, "but you do what you have to do, because you love your babies."


"When I'm a mom and my kids throw up, I won't know what to do."

"Of course you will. You'll know exactly what to do."

"'Cause you'll teach me?"

"Cause I'll teach you. And because mothers always know."