Sick Baby!

I used to always think I'd be this crazed, over-protective & neurotic mother and as it turns out, I've been a pretty relaxed, easygoing and fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants mother. I think I've always been the face of calm when it comes to illness, falls and other baby/toddler stresses. I'm sure I flew off the handle about some things when M was younger but I've likely blocked them out in order to seal my fate as most cool & collected mama around.

Until today...

When I got to M's daycare today, he was sleeping. It was odd because he never takes 2 naps at daycare anymore and even more odd that he was asleep at 5pm. We went to wake him up and he was so out of it, completely lethargic, moaning and generally, completely out of sorts. I picked him up and he was on FIRE! The amazing girls at his daycare flew into action -- washcloths on the forehead and neck and a thermometer in his armpit. During the course of the afternoon, M's temperature rose to 103 plus. Scary!

I panicked! For what seems like the first time, I was a panicked parent. I was running around and trying to figure out what to do. I called D in a panic, left M with the girls and ran to the store in the hopes of getting infant Tylenol and finally, put M in the stroller and RAN to the nearest pharmacy. I had thoughts of febrile convulsions at the back of my mind and I was doing anything & everything to engage M. He wasn't having any part of it.

D picked us up and brought us home. We flip flopped about going to the hospital but really, all they would tell us it to get the fever down and keep him hydrated. We were relatively successful with that before M went to bed but not after a bit of projectile vomiting. Poor baby!

Fevers throw me into absolute tailspins. I feel like I can handle everything else but fevers push me into this zone of terror. I'm petrified of certain viruses -- the M word... just not even going to say it -- and what comes next. I try to remind myself that fevers are the natural way to fight a virus and that it needs to run its course but still... SCARY!

Anyway, M is sleeping and I've got my ear glued to the monitor. Here's hoping he has a good night and wakes up feeling like a new guy!