Can You Hear Me Now?

I've been thinking it might be time to change the name of this blog.  Since Addie had her surgery a year ago, her drooling's been pretty nonexistent.  And Nolie never really drooled.  Oh, I'll still get to work now and then with a huge smear of chewed up graham-cracker on the back of my skirt, or an urp-up of yogurt on my shoulder.  But these are more isolated incidents these days. 

Good news, though!  We took Nolie to the doctor today for her check-up, to make sure all of her infections have cleared up (they haven't).  While Eric was there with the girls, he asked the doc to take a look at Addie's ears.  Because, see, for the last week or so

the drooling has been back.

toddlerspit lives!

Plus Addie has had some noxious boogers in her nose, and hasn't been hearing us very well.  I'll ask, "Addie, are you hearing okay?"  "What?" she'll say sweetly, making Eric and I laugh nervously.

Turns out she's got more ear infections and a perforated ear drum.

Insert appropriate profanity here.

The Phantom Plague

Remember how, a month ago, Nolie was soooo sick, and we thought for sure she had pneumonia, and we took her in to the doctor, and she just had a cold?  Remember how silly I felt, how overly reactive?

She had a little fever last Friday, and we didn't worry about it much.  She wasn't too symptomatic, and was in a good mood.  But her cough persisted, so I took her to the doctor Monday, and guess what?

Strep throat
Bronchitis
Double ear infections
Croup

For God's sake.  The doctor said it was a miracle we weren't in the hospital all weekend.

How is this possible?  I think all parents should get some basic medical training so that we can at least look in our kids' ears and tell if they have an infection.  Wouldn't that make things easier?

Soup, Poop, and Croup

I was totally wrong--it wasn't the bacon bean soup at all!  It was the puking and pooping flu!  And since last week was end-of-semester crunch time for me, poor Eric had to stay home with poor, spewing Nolie.  Luckily, it passed after a few days.

Which was just enough time for Addie to get....croup!  With record-high temperatures!  Which she still has, despite the fact we give her inhuman amounts of children's Motrin all day long! 

Really, it hasn't been so bad, though.  We got hit with the big winter storm, and cozied up with the two little snot-balls all weekend, and Eric made the best french onion soup I've ever tasted in my life, and we all hung out and drank beer and stared at our Christmas lights and watched t.v.

The kids didn't drink beer.  But they had lots of Motrin.

Anyway, we had a taste of relaxation, and I liked it.  I have some publications due out in the next few weeks and it's going to take every last bit of strength I have to rally and finish them, because every cell in my body wants to camp out on my couch and be laaaaazy.  So I'll make a little time for that, and some time for the work, and it will all get done, and life is good.  Feverish, but good.