Sometimes we need a small drink

Lara has been a little unwell recently. Two teeth on the top broke through 2 weeks ago, and another at the bottom starting to poke its head out. Other part of the gum is red and swollen and there sure looks like more teeth are on their way. But teething is not the only thing ....


(Lara fell off her toy car and landed flat on her face on our tiled kitchen floor. The result was a swollen upper lip and an even unhappier child. )

In the last two weeks, I have been called twice to go and fetch Lara from daycare because she was not well. The last one was on Friday when daycare suspected she had diarrhea. After watching her for 24 hours with no formula and dairy, everything seemed fine. Then I made a mistake that made things worse - I gave her yoghurt too soon thinking that she was fully recovered. Diarrhea came back after that.

Doctor diagnosed it to be gastroenteritis and ordered home rest (no daycare for a week) and a diet of rice, pasta and no dairy (excepted diluted formula) for 5 days. So Lara and I will be on a involuntary break for a week!

I had been feeling flat and tired already, as Lara had a couple of crying nights. I must had it really good, because I forgot how tiring it was to be woken up at night. Because she's not feeling well, during the day Lara's exetremey clingy. She cries, arches her back and sometimes throws herself on the floor. When I hold her, she wants to get down. When I let her down, she wants to be picked up. Nothing makes her happy. She's un-consolable when she starts to cry.

For the first time, I had this feeling briefly of wanting to "give her back". You know how when you play with other people's kids and they start to cry or become difficult, you can just hand them back to the parents. That was the feeling I got that I wanted to give Lara back to her parents. But I AM the parent people give Lara back to, I'm IT! This feeling didn't stay very long and the feeling of empathy soon took over.

Husband fixed himself a glass of bundy 'n' coke and asked if I wanted a drink. Oh yes please. How nice it was to have a glass of gin 'n' tonic to give me a little more energy to handle the crying. Poor Lara. I hope she feels better soon.