Jinxed....

Well, I jinxed myself....actually, I jinxed Braeden. A few weeks ago I was bragging that Braeden is almost 1 year old and has yet to get sick. Breastmilk antibodies, no daycare, my advanced immune system (I attribute to working in a hospital)....I had tons of reasons to celebrate my great mothering. However, because of mommy, he will not make it to 1 year without an illness.

In addition, there is some irony (well the kind of irony in the Alainas Morrissette song...not the real literary irony!) to this story too. Thursday, while Braeden and I were running errands, I was searching various stores for the temporal artery scanning thermometers. Of course, I could not find one....and just my luck too because less than 8 hours later I would be wrestling a squirming, feverish baby trying to "violate him" (as Chris says) with a rectal digital thermometer.

It all started Thursday night...I woke up with Braeden sleeping next to me, and he was burning up. I grabbed the baby tylenol and rectal thermometer....sure enough....103 degrees! The tylenol helped, and he managed to sleep comfortably the rest of the night.

By Friday morning he was down to 99 degrees (which is normal for a rectal reading). He had no other symptoms....no crankiness....no decrease in appetite....nothing so I thought the fever might be related to teething. That afternoon, we were at Walmart when I noticed me was burning up and started getting cranky. 103 degrees again.....Tylenol and naptime seemed to help.

I had to work that night and was worried to leave him with Chris. I know Braeden was in good hands....but still I don't want to be away from my sick baby! Luckily, he did not spike a fever that night. We decided to keep him home from Little Gym just in case though....and I picked up a tympanic thermometer so that we can stop having to "violate" my little guy's pooper (in reality, I think he prefers rectal thermometers...but likes to play with the new expensive one....see the picture) He acted completely normal all day...but that night for Chris he was tossing and turning all night. While he didn't have a fever or any other symptoms, he just did not seem to be comfortable or able to get much sleep.

When I got some from work yesterday morning, I noticed that Braeden had a cold....he sneezed and a huge amount of yellow mucus flew out! Yuck! He coughed a little on and off and was slightly more irritable than normal. Seeing the cold symptoms, I decided to increase fluid intake, bulb suction his nose as needed, have saline nose drops handy in case he gets congested and his boogers get crusty, and keep an eye out for fevers.

However, last night, I got a glimpse of what Chris dealt with the night before. Braeden was so restless. I would have to cuddle with him in order to settle him down, but within 15 minutes he would be back crying insolably. The high pitched cry indictating pain worried me....Now I am thinking ear infection. I gave him a couple doses of tylenol last night, which did help allow him get a little rest. He is still sleeping with daddy upstairs after his last dose....meantime worried mommy has been wide awake for the last couple hours waiting to call the doctor's office to schedule an appointment.

And get this....my mom cried ear infection as soon as she heard Braeden had a fever....What is it with moms that make them always me right?! She told me so I guess....now I feel guilty not getting him into the doctors this weekend (our peds are opened weekend mornings)...instead I have to fight the pediatrician office Monday crowd when all the other moms that waited through the weekend with sick babies. Ugh!

Got to go....I hear a wimpering coming from upstairs....Poor baby....

Update: We just got back from seeing our pediatrician. No ear infection! Yay!! Just a cold and teething making a very uncomfortable baby. She says I am doing everything I need to, and hopefully he will start feeling better soon. Phew!