what a weekend
Poor Killy! He’s had the stomach flu. He’s been sick since Thursday night, though for the first couple days we thought it was just a reaction to cow’s milk. However, when he started running a fever and vomiting on Saturday we knew he was really sick. I learned one thing about motherhood: it changes you more than you could ever imagine. I’ve always been vomit-phobic, majorly. But when Killy threw up all over the living room (and himself) and then looked up at me with tears in his eyes and opened his arms for a hug, I didn’t hesitate. All he’s wanted to do is be curled up in my lap for the last couple of days. Its been kind of difficult to juggle him and Ellie, but Erin has helped out a ton. I owe her bigtime!
Anyway, Killy is feeling a lot better this afternoon. He’s eaten some rice pudding and a little bit of a quesadilla, and he’s drunk plenty of water. I called his pediatrician’s office yesterday and the nurse said I was about the millionth parent to call that day about the stomach flu, its really going around. And, she said all the things I knew she would say: don’t treat the fever unless it gets over 103-104, keep him hydrated, don’t worry about solid foods, and don’t bring him to the doctor unless he’s had a fever for more than three days or he gets dehydrated. Having a breastfed toddler who’s sick is a lot easier and less scary than a weaned toddler, because when kids are sick they don’t want to eat or drink – but a nursing toddler never turns down the breast! Killy was never even close to getting dehydrated. Honestly, the only reason I called the pediatrician’s officewas so that my parents and David’s parents wouldn’t worry – I knew what the nurse would say. But I know its stressful to know someone is sick and be far away, so I did what I knew would make them feel better.
Tonight I’m making chicken and rice soup and oatmeal whole wheat bread. When a little kid is sick you should follow the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. So, we’re having two of the four tonight!