We’ve been passing a nasty virus around our family, and our three year-old daughter is the most recent to suffer from the terrible sore throat and high fever.
I had it first, and after a double-dose antibiotic shot to the glutes (which almost made me pass out because I’m not good with needles), plus a course of oral antibiotics (complete with side effects), I’ve finally got my tonsils feeling normal again (after the whole 2-week ordeal).
It turns out it probably wasn’t strep throat after all, which means all those antibiotics didn’t do me any good. grrrr. I’m totally switching doctors.
So back to my daughter. Normally, she’s happy, cooperative, lively and delightful. (She calls Sleeping Beauty “Princess Booty.” How adorable is that?) Seriously, I’m not just saying this because she’s mine. Okay, maybe I am. 
But I have also had people with no umbilical connection remark on how happy she is. The word “sparkling” has been used to describe her personality.
Well, last night, after a week of her own fevered misery, my sparkling fairy princess turned into a screeching, sleepless, orc-child. I know it was only because she felt terrible, but she was mean!
Sick kids always feel the worst between two and four in the morning. So, I was trying to keep her from waking the entire south side of Indianapolis. Holding her, walking around with her, offering drinks, turning on cartoons… battling sleep exhaustion from my own recent illness, and several nights of being up in the wee hours with her. She didn’t want anything I offered.
Finally, I gave up the dance of appeasement and plopped down on the couch with her on my lap. I draped a blanket over her back, which she fussed over and made me re-position. I put my arms around her, and she yelled at me for putting them on the wrong part of her back. She pushed one off and pulled the other around more firmly.
Once she was settled, I leaned back to rest my head against the couch. I closed my eyes and hoped we could both doze off.
No luck! My orc princess gave me a loud, stern, “NO, MOM!” and reached up to pull my head back up. “Head up! Keep your eyes OPEN!”
Are you kidding? FINE. I just wanted her to go to sleep and stop yelling. For the next five minutes, we stared at each other. Her red-rimmed, purple-shadowed eyes were barely open, but she kept them on me, the little sleep Nazi.
She finally fell asleep, and I wiggled out from under her and crashed on the other end of the sofa. Ahhh, motherhood…
aaahhh… the joy of motherhood.
Hope everyone’s ok now.
Wow. Is that what I have to look forward to with our 18 month old son?
I second Lina’s comment. You really captured the doting and irritation well! Feel better!
Sorry to hear about the illness. We had something similar sweep through our whole family over the last two weeks- headache, neck ache, high temperature, major fatigue. My son’s Principal told me it swept through the school, too. Ugh. Hope you are all feeling better soon!
We have the flu going around our house and I feel your pain! And yes, why is it they ALWAYS get sick in the middle of the night? Your daughter still sounds adorable even though she’s a little sleep Nazi
I think it’s going around everywhere, my family too. bleh.
~Kelly
http://www.30somethingandsearching.today.com/
The joys of motherhood, no? Ah well, you know, this will ease away soon with one of those cuddle-hugs and claims that you’re the best mom in the world.
Sure hope the two of you are feeling better!
Oh wish she’s fine now and c’est la vie, mom!
Thanks for all of your well wishes! She is over the fever part, but still waking up (and staying awake) at night. I think being up so much last week has messed with her sleep schedule. Hopefully, we’ll get everything back to normal soon, and her big brothers won’t catch it!
Glad to hear she’s on the mend! My little munchkin’s been up all week with the flu, poor little thing. Thankfully she’s no sleep nazi though, yet! Great blog by the way
LIM x
I’m glad you are both feeling better! My son gets like that when is not well too, nothing I do is right.
DJs last blog post..Sleeping Angel
I hope she’s back to sleeping nights by now. Gotta love those long nights with sick kids. Not. My kids never told me to stay awake, but hey, I would anyway, so maybe that’s why.
The know-it-alls that thought it was best to remove the alcohol content from kids’ otc meds! Pffffft.
Hope your litte one is feeling better soon.