Seven Cereal Spoons

I cannot help but be a slave to a sick kid. All my parenting "rules" go out the window: watching very little TV (nonstop since Tuesday), eating healthy food (got loads of compliments - for the ice cream dinner last night & lunch today), eating while watching TV, and not giving in to every whim or change of mind (see below).

With Thomas's illness, he hasn't been too interested in food. He's been drinking well - thank goodness. This morning both of them asked for cereal. Thomas decided he wanted "different cereal." Of course that required a different bowl. Of course that required a different spoon. Of course that meant Veronica needed the same. Of course that meant we start over with a completely different cereal. Somehow I ended up with a stray bowl on the table, so we ended up with an uneven number or cereals and bowls between the two of them... seven bowls later.





For a soothing, sore-throat snack, we had popsicles for a snack. Veronica calls them, "Paulasicles." I assume that's a compliment to Aunt Paula.

Thomas has not been satisfied with anything for days. "Help me, help me." So cute when he's not sick. Very sweet when he's sick that he can sometimes as for help instead of scream about it. Then there are complaints (yesterday's script)...

I want a watch puppets. (put Muppets in the DVD player).

Different puppet! (fast forward)

(me: Thomas, this is the only one we have. )

OK. Different puppet! (fast forward).

Forward. (this repeats until the DVD is over)

Steve! (Blue's Clues put in player)

Different Steve! (Different Blue's Clues put in player)

Mary Poppins! (Mary Poppins in the player)

Steve! (and on and on)

Again, I'm a sucker for this sick kid. I try to keep up, but finally let myself understand he's never going to be happy because he feels so miserable. Makes me sad.

Fortunately, today he's getting better. I can still tell he's uncomfortable, but he can smile and ask me questions. So nice to know he's on the mend. It refills the patience pitcher that was running dry!

Judson came home in time to rescue us all from ourselves! The three of us hermits needed some time outside the walls of our home. So we headed to the local, family-owned Chinese establishment. V&T enjoyed the pasta (lo mein) and really perked up and had a great time. We played (the TV was not even requested!). Veronica focused on the people while Thomas started laying out two objects. He would ask himself, "Which one?" He'd answer himself and say "Oh, yeah! That's it!" and proceed to move the object to the other side of the room and start over. The evening ended with Veronica's rousing game of "Let's run." Everyone participated.