monkey doesn't feel well... monkey needs to rest...

K stepped quietly almost solemnly out of her school today...

K: Mama, can we go home and rest now?

M: What's that sweetie?

K: Can we go home and rest and snuggle in your bed?

M: I heard you the first time... I just wanted to make sure I wasn't going crazy...

K: You're crazy mama, but I still want to go home and lie down.

Oh shit. You know what that means don't you? My child, hooting, hollering, balloon rodeo having, sugar craving, world bouncing K wants to go home and lie down? I stopped right there and checked her forehead... hmmm..... a tiny weensy bit warm... not a fever though... just flushed.

We wandered home, well we didn't wander so much as trekked straight to the house through the wind and rain and as soon as we got to the door and said good bye to her friends she started pulling off her boots and asking for help. Boots were stuck... not a good sign.

She asked if she could go lie down...

M: Aren't you hungry?

K: Can I have a pushup pop?

M: No, you haven't eaten your lunch... do you want your lunch? you can have a picnic on my bed.

K: No, no thanks.

I checked the forehead again... Hot. nope, that wasn't flushed earlier, that was the 20 minute on-ramp to fever city.

We got her pillow, her blanket and her cat. She rested, quietly, calmly... I gave her a sippy cup of juice (sippy cups are a big deal around here, we don't go handing out the sippy cups willy nilly, they're serious business). I handed her some goldfish crackers and then there she was, laying there, quietly... munching a couple of little fishies... taking no delight in biting off their tails or heads... She drank the juice... quiet quiet fever time.

I made some calls. Cancelled some appointments I had... quiet quiet fever time... poor girl.

Then from my bedroom a sick little wheeze, a call for aid

K: Oh no, my show... it's over....

M: Can I put on another? You want Charlie & Lola?

K: Yeah, what's it called?

M: Something about a dog.

K: Oh man I've been watching TV about people's pets ALL DAY.

M: You've only watched one show baby...

K: I know, it's a figure of speech.

Away I went again, taking most of the gold fish with me... she didn't want to eat them...

Moments later while trying to secure some lunch for myself I hear the unmistakable sound of fun. Illegal fun. Fun that has been banned in my house. Curse the fun we'll have none of that... She smuggled in contraband... a balloon from yesterday and was jumping on my bed and squeaking it.... oh no not the balloon squeaking... it is inhumane... I can't handle it. It has to stop... How can I make it stop.

M: May I have the balloon? You need to rest and balloons don't belong in my room.

K: No. I'm using it

at this point she attempted to hide the balloon under her little body and laughed like a tiny evil genius.

K: It's mine

M: That's fine. You can give it to me or I can pop it.

Did that really come out of my mouth? Oh my lord what kind of an evil dictator am I??? But she handed me the balloon with a mix of caution and humor... she didn't want to find out if I meant it...

There was a renewed bought of laughter. I checked the fever... Yep, still there (it had been only 30 minutes and she has taken no medicine so of course it was there, but I needed to make sure I hadn't made a mistake). It's time to call for reinforcements... bring in the sock monkey...

M: K, honey I think Monkey is sick... he needs to rest but he doesn't want to... can you help him?

Let me tell you, this works... it may not be nice to make that poor sock monkey share the illness but it did get her to settle down... Now if only I could make the sock monkey eat we may have something...