Blue Monday?

They say today is the most depressing day of the year. Some highly scientific equation accounting for Christmas debt, lack of long weekends and dreary weather pegs this as a very gloomy day, indeed. For our little family? Well, yes and no....
We woke up extra early this morning....but not quite as early as we did on this day two years ago: the day that Sarah made her big debut. (And I really do mean "big"!) How can anything be wrong with a day to celebrate your sweet, pig-tailed ray of sunshine?

Well, a couple of things:
1) Sarah's little body has been waging war on an unidentified virus that is resulting in raging fevers and vomiting. Although that seems to have passed for now. Knock on wood.
2) Matt left for China this morning.

So this wasn't gearing up to be a stellar day. But a series of little wonderfuls left me scoffing at "Blue Monday."

In chronological order...
1) Even if she wasn't really feeling it this morning, I made pancakes for breakfast in the birthday girls' honor. Liam's sing-song exclamation of "I smell paaaaancaaaaaakes!" as he rushed down the stairs in his footie pyjamas started the morning off with a smile.
2) We set a "target time" to be out of the house this morning. We beat it by one minute. That does not happen very often!
3) I don't do well with airport farewells, but held it together better than usual in light of this being a relatively short trip. Matt had a "Man to Man" with Liam before he left and bestowed a bag of Skittles to him as advanced reward for good behavior. You may remember Matt's last China trip matched up with some less-than-lovely behavior out of Liam. But skittles are serious stuff. Liam understands this. The Skittles bribe is successfully keeping some of those 3-year-old- boy crazies in check. And really, how cute are these guys?...


4) Matt got upgraded to Business Class! Very happy he'll be able to catch some zzz's before beginning his whirlwind Chinese New Year Party Tour.

5) The kids (and I) were excited to meet up with Grandma and Grandpa for a quick lunch. When Sarah started to relapse into fever territory they marched to the nearest store, bought and installed a car seat and took Liam with them for the rest of the day (and returned him right to our house at bedtime) so I could focus on getting Sarah back to health. That was above and beyond and completely awesome.
6) On more than one occasion we have been "those parents" that take their very sick child to the emergency room only to have that child perk right up and flash a killer smile at the nurses as soon we approach the admitting desk. But as we waited at the clinic to see a doctor this afternoon Sarah got more and more lethargic and was burning up by the minute. Just before the doctor entered the room her body erupted in heat rash and it was very clear she was a sick little thing. He recorded her temperature at 40+ and started investigating Scarlet Fever. (Big Bonus: It's not!)
Not that I want her to be sick...but if I'm going to spend an afternoon in a germ-infested doctor's office, I don't need an MD to give me the "fluids and rest" bit. Sarah gave up as much fight as she could muster, but she got a pretty thorough once-over and we left with some real advice. Take that, Blue Monday.
7) Next up: a stop at the drug store to pick up some new fever fighters. Who do we run into there? Nana and Papa! The first time we have just "bumped into" our new neighbors, and at such a good time. So nice to know that they're close by and always willing to help us out. More awesomeness in the universe.
8) Sarah has an aversion to liquid medicine. Always has. If you can somehow manage to wrestle it into her (and by that I do mean pin her down and pry her mouth open) she is likely to gag it right back up. Now that she is two years old she is ready for the "child" formulations, which include chewables. Just in time! I had my doubts and so I also bought some suppositories in case the chewables went the way I expected them to. And guess what? She thought the chewables were candy! I don't have to shove anything up her butt, and that is good news for absolutely everyone!
9) Liam had a fantastic time with Grandma and Grandpa today, and I got some uninterrupted cuddles and cartoon time with my more-cuddly-than-usual "baby". It's too bad she was sick on her birthday. But I think we both enjoyed the snuggles. And the balloons. :)


10) It's all about the little things....like a turned down bed and chocolate on the pillow. Nice touch, Babe. You're the best. :)
So. Blue Monday? A little. But at the end of the day, we have a bright little girl who's two and who is sleeping peacefully right now with an under-control-fever. We have a tired and content little boy who is snoozing in the next room, surrounded by his "baby" (bear cub), his puppy and an assortment of plastic dinosaurs. We have amazing family who love those kids as much as we do, and are always willing to help. Now, Matt: go get that party started and then get back home! We miss you!