Fun Things and Not Fun Things

So, Valerie's monthly letter is over a week late, now. I swear, I have some really good excuses this time.

Last weekend was the weekend of Fun Things. Friday night, we went to a Starbucks Grand Opening at my former manager's new store. I got to see a bunch of people I really miss seeing from my old store, and had a really nice time catching up. Saturday morning, we went to an absolutely, insanely huge thrift sale that was actually too big to really dig through properly. I went through the specialty tables, picked up a few little things, then hung out at the babywearing table unofficially demonstrating various carriers. I also found a gauze wrap for $7 to replace my stretchy wrap that Valerie is getting too big for.

Saturday night, I left Valerie with her daddy and her grandparents while I went to a friends' house to pretend I was in college for an evening. We ate take-out and played video games until the late, late hour of 10:30 p.m. Okay, so that part of me is not-so-college anymore, but my limitless attention span for Katamari Damacy remains unchanged.

Sunday, after church, I met up with a local mom at the Wegman's café for soup and a nice, long chat. Sunday night, we had dinner with Jer's grandparents.

Meanwhile, we were all catching colds. By Sunday night, Valerie was coughing like a 70-year-old smoker, with a nose that wouldn't stop running. We weren't about to let a little cold spoil our fun, however, so we went ahead with our plans to go to the Aquarium with my playgroup friends on Monday.

Valerie did really well at the Aquarium. She spent more than half the time happily asleep (in her new wrap!), but when she was awake, she loved looking at the big fish swimming right past our faces. For less than the cost of two visits, we bought an annual pass, so we will totally be going back there again! I forgot my camera in the car, but my friend Jess kindly took some pictures of us, which I hope she doesn't mind me posting one of them.



Monday night was our game night, which has moved from Wednesdays to accommodate work schedules, board meetings, and LOST. We hammered out our new story arc, which is full of political intrigue and could end in war. Fun stuff.

On Tuesday, I was finally concerned enough about Valerie's cough (and the horrible, hairbally throat noises that were now accompanying it) to call her pediatrician. He told me what I expected he would, that there is really nothing to worry about unless she's throwing up or running a fever. But at least I could stop feeling guilty every time I heard her sad, pathetic coughs.

On Wednesday morning, I wasn't feeling very well at work. I had some stomach cramps, but mostly, I was just feeling really worn down. Valerie wasn't sleeping at night, and she seems to have already learned that misery loves company. I called around to see if I could get someone to cover my Thursday shift. I wasn't feeling terribly sick, but I felt like I might get sick unless I took a day off. Unfortunately, no one was available to work for me, so I dragged my weary bones out of bed before the crack of dawn on Thursday. Before the first customer arrived, I discovered the cause of my stomach cramps. Without going in to further detail, I seem to have contracted the worst gastrointestinal virus I have ever had. Three of the babies from the Aquarium trip have it, too, as do three of their parents/caregivers. So, I'm guessing we picked it up at the Aquarium. Maybe we shouldn't have played the "lick a sick fish" game? I left work as soon as I could get a replacement in, and did not work Friday. I have been obsessively drinking water to avoid dehydration. I seem to be on the mend, now, and actually ate breakfast this morning. Now, I'm just completely exhausted, devoid of all energy, and back to dealing with obnoxious cold symptoms. Jeremy and Valerie both still have the cold, but have so far managed to avoid the GI virus. I'm praying they don't catch it. It's no fun. Besides, they're miserable enough with just the cold.

Anyhow, that's the long and the short of the fun and the not fun we have had this week. I realize, now, that in the time I wrote this, I could have written Valerie's monthly letter. Oh well. Hindsight being 20/20 and all that.

---