How I Spent My Birthday – The 2012 Edition

A few days ago Seth came down with a little cough. It was dry and fairly sporadic and he seemed healthy otherwise. As I always do when my boys are getting sick – and because I tend to be in denial about these sorts of things – I wondered at first if he had developed an allergy and debated whether to take him to the pedi straight away or wait and see. I went with the latter and 36 hours later, Nate had the same "allergy", at which point I came out of my denial and admitted we were probably dealing with germs.

The boys went to bed Monday night not sounding too bad and woke up Tuesday morning sounding rather dreadful. I called the pedi's office, but all I got was a recorded message saying the office was closed until January 4th.

Thanks to Gamma Rita, who braved the winter elements on what was easily the coldest day so far this year to scout out clinics in the area, we were able to get an appointment at a walk-in family practice (one that could accommodate a double-stroller – very important!) not too far away.

It turned out to be an unexpected adventure and despite missing out on a proper afternoon nap, I think Nate and Seth actually had a pretty good time. Of course, Gamma Rita insisted that this was in fact another perfectly ordinary day since taking your babies to see the doctor when they are sick is a perfectly ordinary thing to do.

She has a point there.

Here we are waiting for the doctor:

– Oh hi everyone. Is us. We is sick.
– Very sick everyone. Mommy look all worried and bring us to see doctor type person.
– Except we has to wait. Life is full of lots of waiting as it turn out.
– First we wait here on 'dis chair with lots of sick people coughing around us. 

– And then we wait here where we is the only sick people so we cough on each other instead, but that get old fast. Then I get an idea.
– I get same idea. 

– Is called "getting into stuff" idea.
– Try it next time doctor keep you waiting. Is great fun and really help to pass the time.
– Also, doctor love semi-ransacked office.
– Oh, yes. 'Dis was big hit!

Of course you never know who you might run into at the doctor's office. Nate unexpectedly met up with an old friend: 

– Well, hello there. I not expect see you here. You smaller than I remember, but I has been doing lots of growing. 'Dis not be to your advantage as it turn out.

– When no one looking I adjust your spine real good.
– *snap-crackle*

– Hi there bony man. Is nice to finally meet you. You has interesting hands that I can't stop looking at. Also, did you know your elbows bend 'dis way?
– *crackle-pop* 

BANG! THUD! CRASH! 

*many feet scurrying* 

I'm not sure the skeleton will ever be *quite* the same again:

My head. It hurts.

Eventually, we moved the boys to higher ground in an attempt to distract/corral them.

It looked a little shaky at first: 

But then smiles:

And now two boys having a blast... 

... reading the eye-chart with Gamma Rita.  

Even when my babies are sick, alphabets are always a hit.

Eventually the doctor showed up and even though he wasn't their regular doctor, he was great with the boys. They got some take-home tongue depressors (fun!) and hi-fives were handed out all around.

Diagnosis: Influenza. Tylenol for everyone to keep down the fever and antibiotics for Seth. Apparently his heart-murmur makes him more susceptible to a lung infection, which I didn't know until yesterday. I will say he certainly seems a lot sicker than his brother, but that might be due to Seth catching the flu cooties sooner. Either way, I hope they are both on the mend soon and that the rest of us get a pass on getting sick.

So far, so good. Fingers crossed and all that.

- L.