Sick Baby Is a Labor Day of Love

One of the great things about having a kid in day care is they learn to share everything, every green-boogied nose, every form of cough, every pink oozing eye, every strain of stomach bug. It's the latter that Brigid had the pleasure of receiving on Friday and hasn't been willing to hand it over to anyone yet. Friday night she let loose while watching a movie. Poor Patricia -- she was the one holding her and both Jack and I were at work. I happened to call at the crucial moment to see if everything was alright only to be told no, it wasn't. I came right home to find the girls trying valiantly to clean up the mess. Brigid continued to be sick throughout the night and straight through to this morning. She had the longest stretch of non-vomiting last night when she went to bed and woke up this morning to throw up, so we're hoping that's a sign that it's winding down. We had planned on spending Labor Day weekend up at camp with an excursion to Glens Falls on Sunday with Margaret and Patricia for school clothes. I was then going to come down to do some work on Monday and go back up to the lake to pick them all up. We ended up going for the shopping on Sunday as planned, but Jack was at home with a sick baby. I did go through with my plan to go to work, and Jack and the girls are home now with a still-sick baby. We'll see what the afternoon brings, but hopefully it won't be more of the same -- hollars for towels and a constantly running washing machine.

On a more pleasant note, Patricia had her orientation session at the middle school last Wednesday morning. Although she was a little nervous, Margaret came with us and I think that made Patricia feel both secure and proud. She is an Explore, the same team that Margaret had been on which means she has the same teachers Margaret had. They were all thrilled to hear they'd be getting another Downs girl -- with both Mr. Durgham (her science teacher) and Ms. Miller (history) asking if Patricia is anything like her big sister. She got her schedule and her locker assignment. She's excited and because both girls are in chorus, they'll actually have a class together every other day. Margaret is looking forward to the start of school, but because her best friend, Maggie, is gone she's a little sad over the prospect of not having her there. We told her it's a good opportunity to strengthen the bonds she has with a few of the other girls in their little circle and to branch out and make some new friends. Easier said than done, and as a 13-year-old, she gave us that "Oh, brother" look. But she'll be fine. She doesn't get her schedule until the first day of school, which I think is ridiculous. They could easily mail them to the kids (or email them) a week ahead of time so they have an idea of where they're going right off the bat.

Before the stomach bug took hold, Brigid had a good first week in the toddler room at Sibley, although most of the mornings were difficult drop-offs. I had to peel her off me, and she protested each day. Friday I had to just throw her at Jody and run with her screaming in the background. Although I knew it would be fine ... and got the report that I wasn't even to my car before she stopped crying ... it still breaks your heart to have to do that. Because she's sick, she of course is staying home today. The college is in session even though it's Labor Day, so that means the center is open, but she wouldn't have gone anyway.

Last week also marked Jack's first week teaching again at the college. He's teaching a reporting class, and although they only met twice (he teaches Tuesdays and Thursdays) and only to go over the syllabus and take an assessment test, he's busy planning the classes and figuring out what he's going to have them do for the semester. I think he's going to enjoy this teaching gig, and it's a good way to get his foot in the door at the college. Now if he can only keep from catching whatever the college students get, he'll be fine.