Flu Fun

It seems that once again, C&H are in the midst of a cold. This time, it ends up being a particularly nasty flu virus. Of course, with the timing of the swine flu epidemic, the neurotic mom in me automatically starts wondering if they could be exposed. Isn't that ridiculous? Just unfortunate timing--or at least I keep telling myself!

When little kids are sick, they are pretty interesting to watch. They manage to rally in surprising ways. But, it's the tiniest set backs that cause the largest distress. For example, usually Hank doesn't mind when Norm accidentl knocks him down on his way somewhere. But, when sick, this is enough to get Hank to melt down.

We are learning that Clara's favorite way of coping with ailment is extended television watching. We usually limit the television to an hour of Sesame Street on weekdays. But, while sick, we have allowed some extra PBS time. Clara is enchanted with pretty much all the shows, which is actually a little troubling to watch. It's like watching a potential couch potato blossoming. Once this flu stretch is over, we will nip the tv watching, I'm sure.

Update

With Dad still in the hospital, I am behind on postings. I had my first extended trip without the kids recently, so I could visit Dad. Coming back home, it was amazing how much they had grown. It seems like this age is full of constant, daily new abilities. While they may just be little achievements, I still love seeing the developments.

Clara is walking a little more these days, though crawling remains her preferred form of transportation. Hank is moving along faster and faster, while also learning new standing skills, like how to spin in a circle or stomp his feet while standing.

Language skills are also getting better. The kids have begun identifying animal noises with certain animals. These days, they have the lion and sheep down, with an occasional recognition of the cow's moo or the hyena's ha-ha. Watching how they process their experiences or communicate is one of the best part of each day.