Not Pox

Dear John,

We went to the doctor again on Monday.  It was Day 15 of the pox and I was starting to worry that they weren't going away.  When the doctor actually saw you, though, she was more interested in revisiting the type of pox and less concerned about the duration.  The physician's assistant had been so sure it was breakthrough varicella.  The pediatrician, not so much.  She was quick to back her PA, saying that with fewer spots, it was a more likely diagnosis and it was a more likely diagnosis in you than in your sister (who had two doses of the varicella vaccine).  All in all, as she said, "the story didn't add up" and she re-diagnosed you and your sister with an unnamed virus that had caused some spots and cleared you for daycare the next day.

So thus ends the saga of the not pox.  In some ways, I would have preferred that it had been chicken pox so that I could know for sure that you and your sister have full immunity.  On the other hand, I am so relived that it ended so well that I cannot complain.  The real struggle with the not pox was accompanying fever... not temperature, of course, just the cabin fever.

And how did we deal with that?

Well, first of all, we made a town.

We used everything we could find... the pony castle, the Calico Critters house, the Sweet Streets, the Imaginext toys, the train table, hot wheels, and even some cardboard castles.

At various points, there was an aircraft carrier, two pirate ships, a swan boat, a canoe with campfire girl scout, a dolphin, a hammer shark and an octopus in the lake.

Uh-oh... looks like the octopus is attacking the CFJ-12 John Nolen!

We also tried going out to Sonic and getting treats.  It at least got you out of the house and into a car and that was something of a change.

A chocolate shake and fries... my favorite treat when I was pregnant with you and now here you are...

We played video games.  Well, I played them, you and your sister watched and offered suggestions about what my character should do next.

Sydney's favorite contribution: telling me how to dress the character; your favorite contribution: telling me to go back to my house and take a nap

And then, when there was nothing else at all to do, you disappeared completely.  I have no idea where you went, but this fabulous superhero took your place.

I wonder how the book Ladybug Girl  has helped to create this persona

Butterfly Boy to the rescue!  I always tell people when they ask me about teaching Kindergarten and whether it's hard to keep kids busy, children will not let themselves be bored.  The trick is making sure they are self-entertaining in ways you can live with.

I think you managed just fine.

Love,
Mom