Sick baby

I was set to leave early today because I had to cover closing arguments for a trial in Hillsboro, which is an hour away. So I got up, showered, put makeup on, dressed up in a skirt and boots, got the diaper bag and my to-go breakfast ready....only to decide, after Rachel woke up crying at 7:15, that she really shouldn't go to daycare. She looked miserable and she had a temperaute of 100 degrees or so, so that confirmed it.

She woke up at 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. and I really hadn't gotten much sleep so...I just changed into my cruddy mommy clothes (good because my zip-up maternity jacket ended up getting Rachel snot all over it) and fed her breakfast. Of course, even though I was off I had to make calls to set up a Christmas Day story, let my editor know I wasn't coming in, re-jigger everything today to do tomorrow...all without Drew who was in Seattle. Bottom line: Some of you will get your holiday cards late. Now you know why.

We ended up spending much of the morning snuggling together on the couch because I was too tired to play with her, and at one point we both fell asleep with her cuddled in my arms for a half-hour! She took an hourlong nap which gave me just enough time to finish all the work-related stuff I needed to do. By 3 her temperature had gone down and I was stir-crazy, so we ended up at a great coffee shop called Urban Grind with not one but TWO playrooms. The playrooms were badly lit and kind of dingy, but lots of Legos for Rachel to play with and the hot chocolate was really good. Afterward I drove around a bit, looking at Christmas lights while Rachel napped on and off in the car seat. We got back home at 6:20, the time we usually return on a normal Tuesday, and the night proceeded much as normal. She even ate half a Gardenburger, some jarred vegetables and some apple slices.

She still has an awful cough -- it sounds like that of a tubercular patient -- and lots of mucus but seems to be perking up a bit (although she was definitely ready for bed when I put her down at her normal time of 8:30).

I hope this means she is on the mend. At least Drew will be home tonight although he has to work yet another $#@! weekend shift on Sunday. I am really, really tired of him being gone so often but that is the price we pay for his great job and the flexibility it gives him.