Flapjacks

We celebrated National Pancake Day yesterday by having pancakes for dinner. Not only that, Cooper measured, mixed, poured, and flipped these pancakes, almost entirely on his own. They were quite delicious. He was terribly pleased.

About the Lion

I have been trying for years to get Peter to read The Chronicles of Narnia. I thought the fact that his name came from that book series would have been enough, but no. Finally this year he had to read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe for school.

And suddenly he can't stop talking about it.

We told me that he wished he could tell the kids at school about all the things he discovered while reading. He knew that Aslan was a type for Christ, but he hadn't realized the significance of the stone table scene from simply watching the movie. He was bubbling with excitement while he explained so many deep and important subjects he found in the book that can't really be discussed in school.

I love seeing my kids excited about books that we both love.

A Day With Doctors

Since I last wrote about the illness at our house, Bryan, Sophie, and I have joined Peter. Bryan went to the doctor on Friday and had his case of the flu confirmed then. I saw my OB on Friday as well and was given a prophylactic dose of Tamiflu. On Saturday I switched over from one dose per day to two because I was showing symptoms of the flu. The same day, Sophie put herself down for a nap, something she hasn't done in ages, then ran a fever and said it hurt when she danced around the house.

Sophie spent many hours that night awake, coughing, and running a high fever. She would wake up crying and saying that she couldn't breathe. That meant Bryan and I spent many hours awake as well. Bryan held her upright from 4AM on and sang to calm her down whenever her coughing became too aggressive.

We had already gotten substitutes for our callings for church on Sunday so as not to spread our germs. So instead of heading to church when we woke up, Sophie and I went to urgent care. When we arrived she was running a fever of 103.8. They treated her with steroids, acetaminophen, and a breathing treatment. They also suggested that we take her to the ER to be evaluated because she was breathing about fifty times per minute.

Instead of going straight to the ER, we went home to touch base there and so I could nap before heading back out. Sophie's fever went down and she perked up considerably, but we decided to take her in anyway.

The ER was a busy place.

The doctor sent us home after a short evaluation with a prescription of more steroids for her breathing. She enjoyed sitting on the large exam bed and watching cartoons while we waited.

She slept better last night and napped again today. Peter is nearly better and I think he'll go to school tomorrow. Bryan and I bounce between feeling awful and exhausted and kind of okay. We both napped today too.

So far, Cooper, Phoebe, and my Grandma are still healthy. We're praying they stay that way.

Dream a Little Dream

"I close my eyes, and then magic happens!" -Sophie, describing what happens when she dreams.

A Day of Spring in February

Keeping Track for the CDC

So, remember that Peter was sick but seemed to be recovering? Well, this morning his cough was really bad. I decided to take him in to the doctor, just in case.

Good news: Peter does not have strep or pneumonia.

Bad news: Peter does have the flu.

The doctor took a culture and confirmed that yes, Peter does have influenza. He's not allowed to go back to school for the rest of the week and possibly into next week. He still feels lousy, but he has a buzzy energy that he has no outlet for.

Now we're waiting to see if anyone else will join Peter in the land of the flu-ridden.

Hats On

Grandma Bonnie's hands have been busy while she's been here. She made this hat for Sophie. Sophie showed her gratitude by wearing it the whole rest of the day.

 

The Illness Report

On Sunday morning Peter told us he didn't feel well. He's played the "I'm too sick to go" card often enough that unfortunately we don't pay much attention anymore, though he generally only calls it in for school. I told him he was still going to church. We only had Sacrament Meeting because a snow storm  had delayed church by two hours. Peter decided he could go, but he didn't feel well enough to pass the Sacrament because he didn't want to share any germs.

Partway through the meeting I looked over at Peter and realized he was shivering. While Cooper and I stayed after for choir practice, Bryan took everyone else home. He said that Peter went right to sleep instead of eating lunch. 

He spent the next several hours running a fever and going in and out of sleep.

Sometimes he was upstairs in his room. Sometimes he was watching the Olympics with Grandma Bonnie. Instead of lying still and resting, he talked almost the entire time he was conscious. He narrated the sports, dissected the commercials, predicted which brands were being advertised. I knew he was sick and hurt all over, but sometimes it was hard to remember with the constant stream of words.

Near bedtime, his fever broke. He finally was willing to eat. And, because of all the naps he'd taken, he wasn't at all sleepy. In fact, we was feeling so much better that he was up till midnight. Bryan and I finally insisted he go to sleep since we were so tired.

He spent most of today resting, and he still had some body aches, but he didn't run any fevers.

The Hairdresser

Grandma Bonnie told me that when she was little she would comb her great-grandmother's hair. That made these pictures even sweeter.

Queen Sophie