There's an Ill Wind a'Blowing

Baby Brigid has a cold. Yup, a real honest-to-goodness snotty nose, sneezy coughy cold. Last night we had Margaret's open house at Stafford Middle School and although the middle-school kids weren't supposed to be there, we brought Brigid with us to spare Jenny from having to sit with her and the other two. The open house format had us going through Margaret's schedule class by class for 10 minutes each. It was a nice way to see what she has to do every day, and by the end of the year this kid is going to have buns of steel with all the walking and stair climbing she is expected to do in order to get from A-hall to the gym, up to B-hall, down to technology and up again. We could barely do it, and we used the elevator (had the stroller with us. We're not THAT lazy.) Brigid was a gem, but you could tell she had "sad eyes," as Michelle put it, but the end of the night. Her nose started running and her sneezes were productive. By the end of the evening, my nose was running and my throat was sore and scratchy, so it's no surprise that the Baby B was feeling it, too. A little Tylenol and she was ready for sleep.

She woke up this morning with a wet nose, too, so I know it's the real deal. But that hasn't affected her work at climbing up and standing, which she is doing with relish. She's also begun babbling more and more using consonants, and readily lets off a string of dadadadamamamambabababa's as she's trying to shove her ape toes into her mouth (I say she has ape toes because her big toes are very big and stubby and they seem to be separate from the rest of her foot, like, well, like an ape. I say it's to hold her in the trees better).

One thing we've had trouble with lately is inconsolable crying from about noon to 1:30, just when Jenny takes her. I think it's because she's so over-tired that she is miserable from lack of sleep. I don't think it's anxiety over Jenny, who has been with her for weeks now. And she's cried like this with Jack, too. If she would just lie down and nap, she'd feel beter and so would everyone else. She gets herself worked up into such a state, that even if we tried putting her down in the crib and going back to soothe her, then leaving, going back, etc., it would have no effect because she's so angry. I mean really angry. she's a strong-willed kid, no doubt.

Speaking of strong-willed kids, Patricia is very excited about Mr. Fortin's system of tokens. The kids get five tokens a day every day and if he has to speak to them or if they are disruptive or do something against the rules, he quietly asks for a token. If they have any left at the end of the week, or if they've been able to save any from previous days/weeks, they can "buy" things on Fridays -- l unch with him in the room, something from the treasure box, snacks, many things. The kids voted yesterday for other "more expensive" items they want to work toward, like pajama days where they could wear pjs to school or pet days where they could bring a pet to school. Because they are more involved, they cost more tokens. She thought this was a great idea and is eager to earn her tokens and not have them taken away. He's a clever man.

Jack has today off and his regular days tomorrow and Saturday and plans to bring Margaret and Patricia to the lake after school tomorrow. That will leave Baby B and I on our own again, but it's just as well especially if she isn't feeling 100 percent. I'd rather hang around with her down here. I'm hoping it's nice out this weekend so maybe we can get out and take advantage of the weather. We have yet to visit the park, so maybe we'll do that if it's nice on Saturday.