1 Mother 2 Another

Well, the sky is blue and the grass is
green, so that must mean it’s time for Cora to get strep
throat again.


The girls and I have had allergies for a few weeks now, showing
mostly in an annoying post-nasal drip and a lovely cough morning
and night. Totally livable, though, so we’ve done nothing
about it until Cora had an especially sleepless night Sunday night
(and that’s saying a LOT) and woke up Monday morning saying
her ear hurt. Professional mommy that I am, I deduced she had an
ear infection from all the drainage of the past few weeks and took
her in to the doctor.


Nice clear ears, not even a red throat; but on a hunch, the doc
(knowing Cora’s propensity for strep) took a swab and it was
nearly instantaneous in its reading. Defeated, I scheduled Maddie
for later in the day, and hers came back positive as well.

Normally this is a good thing- it means
antibiotics will make things better and it’s not some pesky
virus. But right now, Maddie’s pretty symptomless, and
she’s about to taste her first Sick Day.


Yikes.


When the doctor confirmed that Maddie would have to stay home for
one day until she’s not contagious, she leapt up off the exam
table and began her happy dance. Never mind that Tuesday is Picture
Day at school, or Library Day and she was about to check out her
first book. “I get to sleep as late as I want!” she
yelled gleefully, prancing about.


And if I’m being one hundred percent honest about this,
I’m a little happy she’s getting a sick day, too. I
began planning a luxurious day for us – sleeping in, eating
pancakes and bacon, playing card games, maybe playing out in the
back yard in the sprinkler or something.


I was just plotting our Chronicles of Narnia reading marathon when
a friend of mine pointed out the extreme danger of making a
“sick” day TOO much fun. Suddenly, I could see the
future tantrums, the whining, the pleading, the “but I really
AM sick! I REALLY AM!” so that she could stay home and play
with Mommy.


So now the plan for Tuesday looks a little different. First
there’s cereal for breakfast, then we’ll sort the
laundry, then polish the furniture, then clean out the garage, then
run some errands in the car. Without driving through somewhere fun
for lunch.


I can’t believe that even when Maddie doesn’t go to
school, school can still suck all the fun out of my day with her.
Harumph. Being responsible is no fun.