The Music Man

Today after several hours of party clean-up, Sylvie and Dad kicked back for an hour or so on the Hopkinton Common, where The Music Man played some of Syl's favorites.  This provided an excellent opportunity for her to practice her clapping.  Some photos and a quick vid clip.

Saturday B4 the 4th

OK folks, sorry for the lack of posts for a few days. We've been off the wall preparing for our annual Saturday Before the 4th Cookout, which took place this afternoon. Over 100 people RSVP'd and almost all of those showed up, so it was a good time at 11 Willowgate. Thankfully the storm clouds that threatened all day never opened up.

Check out these photos of the event. I posted these tonight instead of tomorrow as I sit up with an aching back, which I "pinged" in setting up all of the inflatables you see in the photos. Just another reminder that I'm not a kid any more!

Sylvie was very pleased to meet future pals Kay Taylor Winthrop and Sydney Liggett (although she worries that the latter will always be wanting to go home early).

All in all, a really nice day.

P.S., we're all feeling much better, thank you very much!

Clapping

As you can see, Sylvie seems to be over the hump health-wise.  Today was worlds better than yesterday, on both the stomach and the head cold fronts.

As you can also see, we (Melissa, Emily and I) are completely willing to make fools of ourselves to get Syl to do her new clapping trick for the camera.  Ultimately we should have thought of the obvious enthusiasm trigger right from the beginning...

Forgot two milestones

In my obsession with Sylvie's health, I neglected to mention two milestones - both of which occurred yesterday in the midst of her snuffling and hacking. She very clearly said "da-da," several times. She was very pleased with herself, probably because I went all ape about it. Unlike most kids, she started with the "ma-mum" syllables weeks ago, and is only now discovering her Ds.
Second, she learned how to clap. While I do not pretend that she's associating "da-da" with me yet, she definitely understands that clapping is intended to accompany exuberant celebration. I'll get some video as soon as I can...

These photos pretty much sum it up.

Really sick, and yet maintaining a determinedly cheerful demeanor.

Syl caught our cold (which we thought we'd caught from Syl in the first place).  

So the parade of ailments through this plague house marches on...

We comfort ourselves that Syl is building up a seriously butt-kicking store of immunities as all of these viruses work through her (our) system(s). 

We didn't do much this weekend but sit at home and wallow in our various ailments.  Dad did a little bit of campaigning, and mom did some work, while Sylvie and Aunt Emily entertained each other and had a few "who can cough the hardest?" contests (it was a draw).

If any of you out in the world have any suggestions about how to deal with a hacking cough in an infant, please have at it.  Our poor kid can't get a decent nap because as soon as she drifts off the cough starts up.  We've heard honey...?

Mostly, we're all just looking forward to a time when this blog stops being about health updates and can be about fun stuff again.  

Another week, another visit to the doctor

This time it's a stomach issue. Syl hasn't been "right" since she started on the antibiotics, what, three weeks ago now? But she's been off them since last Sunday with no improvement in her stomach issues. Rather than wait - as we usually do - to panic in the middle of the weekend, Melissa called this morning and Sylvie's doctor said to bring her in this afternoon. That kid is becoming really well known at Holliston Pediatrics. Thank goodness we decided to go with the doctors just three minutes away from the house.

The good news is that of the four souls currently residing at 11 Willowgate Rise, Sylvie is in the best shape. Melissa and I are both dealing with whatever bug it was that Syl brought home last week from day care, and poor Emily is home sick from work fighting off something else. So we're a happy crew right now. The good news is: no visitors this weekend! So we won't spread our various plagues.

That was fun

Sylvie's dad stayed up last night with the intention of watching just the first half of the Celtics/Lakers game.

It turned into such a spectacle, though, that I decided I could sacrifice the additional hour and a half of sleep to watch the whole thing. Besides, Sylvie hadn't made a peep since bedding down at 7pm, so it seemed a good bet that she'd sleep soundly through the night.

Whoops. Coughing fit at 3am had Mom and Dad both in Sylvie's room, trying to settle her down. A bottle did the trick, but an hour or so of sleep was lost for all of us. The doctor said during her visit on Monday that she was developing a cold, so we're not too worried about the cough - par for the course.

In retrospect, I think even knowing what I know now about how the night was going to play out, I'd still stay up for the game. That was a fun one to watch. Sylvie has no idea, of course, but she was born into pretty much the best time to be a Boston sports fan, well, ever.

Elmo

Not even 8 months old, and already Sylvie is ga-ga for Elmo.

Fun times with friends from afar

A brief video sense of the happy bedlam that was Sylvie's house last weekend, when the Hamiltons from CO were visiting...

At least it's not an ear infection!

VIDEO UPDATE: 7pm:

Back to the doctor for Melissa and Syl this morning, but this time they came away with better news. Proving, I suppose, that this run of ear infections has made us prone to overreaction, Sylvie was diagnosed with... a common cold. She also has a slight case of conjunctivitis. It isn't a bad case (for example, her eyes aren't at all pink). But she'll have to use eye drops... which will be interesting.

The good news is both her ears are clear of infection.

MiddKids, the Next Generation?

Syl spent a good deal of time this weekend with some of Dad's friends from Middlebury, and their little munchkins. Trystan and Brendan, as usual, were wonderful hosts. The honored guests were Nikki and Isabella visiting from San Francisco, and Wendy, Eric, and Caroline down from Maine with the newest addition to the Tracy clan, Julia. Sylvie enjoyed meeting her new friends.

This morning Anna and Ben hosted a very nice Fathers' Day Brunch, so Syl got even more quality time with the gang.

I enjoyed the heck out of my first Fathers' Day, all-in-all. A good thing, being a father.

Syl still hasn't managed to kick whatever is ailing her, however. She spiked another fever this evening, and is coughing quite a lot. Now, just to top things off, her eyes are oozing in a pretty disturbing way. So back to the doctor's office tomorrow, probably to try yet another antibiotic.

Social Whirlwind

This afternoon we went to Sophia Cocchiarella's 4th Birthday party.  Sophia is the first daughter of Andy, Daddy's pal from growing up who still lives just about a mile down the road.  Sylvie had a nice time and made some new friends.  

A little bit later we're headed back out to the O'Leary good-time emporium, for dinner with the O'Learys and some of Dad's Middlebury friends who are in town for the weekend.  You can bet Dad will get one or two photos.

Still feeling fine

Busy week for Sylvie's Dad, so apologies for the lack of posting. I'll get some video up this weekend. Wanted to let folks know that Sylvie continues to feel fine - she's still on the antibiotics. Apparently this time they are working. Yesterday was her first day back at day care, though... so I figure we have about four days of grace before we find out what new mutant strain of infection found its way to her this time.

In related news, this week we got the happy news that Sylvie has gotten a space at the Holliston Community Children's Center, a day care that is much closer to home than Next Generation where she's been going until now. Though we liked Next Generation and the people there love Sylvie, the move is very much worth it. Instead of having to drive 20-25 minutes each way to drop her and pick her up, Melissa will be a mere 5 minutes away. Also, she'll be with far fewer kids - which we hope means she'll be exposed to at least somewhat fewer germs.

Chowda?

Perusing the menu

A New England Tradition

Syl's first trip to Legal Seafoods, where Mom, Syl and the Hamiltons met Dad for lunch following their quick visit to the New England Aquarium. This is also the first time she's been able to sit in a restaurant high chair. The little milestones...

Just in time

Good thing Sylvie is feeling so much better, because as you can see in the new June Gallery, she's had quite a weekend with the Hamiltons, tand he O'Learys.

Syl is certainly popular with the fellas...

Feeling better

Super Bug

Syl really did not take to the new antibiotic, and it really upset her stomach. Melissa brought her back to the doctor this afternoon, and they determined that not only is the new antibiotic bothering her stomach, but it isn't helping her (second) ear infection. The first is all cleared up - so that's some good news! This second one must really be a Super Bug,

because it's apparently resistant not only to amoxicillin, but also this second antibiotic she's been on since Tuesday. At any rate, the girls are now heading to CVS with a prescription for yet another antibiotic. Hopefully this one will be easier on her stomach, and will WORK.

Still trying to figure this out

Syl is doing better, but she's still under the weather. She hate hate HATES the new antibiotic - so much so that she spits it out and starts screaming the second she gets a taste. I don't mean she pushes it out with her tongue - she spits it with gusto, like a character in a sitcom getting a first taste of moonshine. So we're never sure how much of it she's ingesting. She continues to run a mild fever in between doses of Tylenol. And her stomach is pretty upset since starting on the new antibiotic - a lot of gas and a bad case of frequent "runs." She's continuing to eat pretty well despite all of that though. And her spirits, of course, remain high for the most part.

Apparently She's All Ears

Tough night last night. Syl woke up distraught around midnight, and felt really hot. She had a 102.something temp. Because she's already on the amoxicillin for the ear infection that was diagnosed last week, we were a little worried. So we called the doc, who advised us to give her some Tylenol and check her again in an hour, and then bring her in this morning. After an hour of play on the bed (I should mention that aside from waking up a little upset, her demeanor throughout was as it always is), her temp was down to a neat 98.5 degrees.
Melissa brought her into the doctor's office this morning, and she was diagnosed with a new ear infection, in the other ear. This one, apparently, is resistant to amoxicillin. The doctor said this is a not at all uncommon for a kid who is new to day care. So now she has a prescription for a new antibiotic that combines amoxicillin with something else, and we'll see how that goes. Her temperature at the doctor's office was 102.8, so she's definitely fighting something.
As always, I am reassured by the doctor's apparent lack of concern. I like hearing, "not at all uncommon.'

I do find myself filled with a species of inchoate irritation with "day care" though. Don't they disinfect occasionally? And who are these parents who send their kids in with this mutant ear pestilence? I mean, for crying out loud, she's only been there TWO DAYS, resulting in two unplanned visits to the doctor, two largely sleepless nights, and two separate antibiotic prescriptions. And she's at a "good" daycare!