Illness makes child messy

Day 3, Kate still has diarrhea. It's totally gross. Her fever has been gone since Sunday night but I couldn't send her to daycare like this and besides, after 2 whole days of that she really needed to go to the doctor (despite her protests). I suppose it's a good thing she's got such an obvious symptom with whatever illness she's sporting right now, because you'd never know to look at her. Doesn't she look like she's at death's door?

So she's at home with me while I'm attempting to work today. She wasn't content to just play with her playdough or crayons or whatever and be quiet. "I need to get on your lap, mommy!" was the morning's refrain. So, I devised something new for her to play with. I gave her a big bowl full or uncooked rice, and an empty bowl and some tools for the transferring of said rice from one bowl to another and set her up at the end of the dining room table where I was working. Knowing this was a risky thing, I watched her for a few minutes. When I saw that she was carefully moving the rice back and forth with the little cup and ladle I'd given her, I set to work.

A couple minutes passed before she said "Mommy?" (Brain's red warning lights come on, but I ignore them) "Yeah sweetie..." I responded, not really looking away from the email I was reading. "I need a paper towel". This was apparently a preemptive request because I looked up just in time to watch her dump the entire contents of the bowl of rice onto her lap. And the floor. And the chair. And the table. It didn't seem like that much rice when I was dumping it out for her... Two minutes later, as I was sweeping it all into a big pile, she assisted by jumping on the pile and gleefully throwing handfuls of rice in the air at, I assume, an imaginary passing bride and groom. At last, I gave in and let her watch Pee Wee's Playhouse again. Too much DVD viewing might be rotting her brain but at least I got a little work done. Isn't that what matters?

Jeremiah took a half day off so I might get something done, and took her to the doctor. He called a few minutes ago to inform me he's on his way to Eggleston to have chest x-rays done due to her nasty cough. I'm not worried, though. I know they order tests like that at the least little thing. No sir, not concerned in the least...

In other news, Sarah, who is at daycare today, is still cute. Here she is on her way out the door this morning.