I do too much.  It’s well established.  Unfortunately I seem to have passed on my difficulty with rest to my daughter.  She was sick with croup this entire week, and yet still pressed for near-constant engagement and activity.  Movies are not an option for her, and there are only so many times that I can read The Ballet Sisters before I want to stick my nose in a huge, adult, non-repetitive book, so imaginative play was our saving grace this week.

My daughter is three, and her imagination soars bigger than I ever dreamed it could.  So when she got so sick this week, I went to Cliff’s Variety store and bought her some small toys to create stories with, and the first few days of her incubation, we had a lovely time weaving tales out of them.

She also had an incredible day with her father, who has also been under the weather this week, while I worked. I came home to an apartment filled with art projects, and some Star People in lieu of sick family members.

However, as the week wore on, and her illness did not abate, she became quite over the indoor play, no matter huge her imagination may be.  So, we started taking little outings, but in a city that is already a bit cold towards children, you bring a toddler that is coughing out in public and prepare yourself for several passive aggressive “thank you”s when you leave.

We have been blessed to have some company this week in the midst of all the un-fun toddler negotiations (“take your medicine and I will give you a piece of your Halloween candy” – spoonful of sugar indeed!) – my dear friend has been visiting from Chicago, and helping entertain the oft-times cranky little cougher.  Here they are playing Nail Salon:

I am really looking forward to a little health in the household.  Until then, I’m trying to bring all the creativity and patience I can muster to this feverish (both Cabin and Temperature) time.  Falling short, owning it, trying again.  I hope you’re being kind to yourself too, dear reader!  Stay well.