damn ear infection

We spent Saturday evening at the ER because Atticus's fever was 103.4 (rectal thermometer) by 4pm. We figured he was just fighting off a cold, but wanted to be on the safe side. We found out that he did just seem to have a cold; however, the bad news was he still had an ear infection (this time in the left ear). We were there for five hours. My poor baby had a rough day--fever, no energy, and then kept up way past his bed time (he did sleep most of our time at the ER, but in fits) and given antibiotic shots that we warned several times are "very painful." The shot was divided into two, by the way--one in each leg. Poor Atticus was too dazed to cry much on the way home.

He was much better yesterday though, except that our shopping trip interfered with his second nap, so he was overtired by the end of the day, and it took me nearly an hour to get him to sleep last night. I've learned so, so much about A's sleep these last few months--when he needs to nap, how long for, and what happens if he doesn't get the sleep he needs. etc. It's amazing what a difference a missed nap makes. I try so hard to make sure nothing interferes with his naps, but once in a while, things are unavoidable. Okay, so the shopping trip wasn't exactly unavoidable, except that Chris really really needed a replacement nano before he took off to work in Hawaii this week (because surely he'd be bored without it, right?)

Today I took A to his pediatrician for a follow-up, and that damn ear infection still isn't gone. So he had to endure antibiotic shots yet again. And this time, because there was only one nurse to give them to him, he had to receive them one at a time. She was crazy apologetic about having to give him the shots, and like the other nurses, went on and on about how painful they are, etc. However, Atticus was tough. He cried less than he does when he gets vaccines (and when he gets oral antibiotics--hence the injections).

In other news, I discovered yesterday that a paper towel roll does not a good infant toy make when Atticus swallowed a piece of it when I turned my head for a minute. Today I discovered that the body does not digest paper towel rolls when I found the missing piece intact in Atticus's diaper.

Atticus tried to pull a fast one on me again today by pulling off one of his Band-Aids and stowing it away in his mouth right before I started feeding him his green beans. When he coughed over a bite of green beans I became suspicious, and discovered the bandage on his tongue.