Oy. What a week. It’s just after 10pm on Friday and Charlie literally just laid down to go to sleep. He’s normally pretty good about bedtime but bounded out of bed earlier tonight, saying that his room was “scary.” Poor boy. He’s had quite a week, I suspect his imagination is just getting the better of him.
He started out with a nasty illness. After some vomiting (in his own bed and ours, yeah, that nice) and a pretty severe fever (he was literally shaking uncontrollably underneath two quilts), I took him to the doctor. Diagnosis? An ear infection.
I know what you’re thinking: but he has tubes! How could you not have known?
It’s true that you’re supposed to see the “gunk” draining from the ears when a kid with tubes has an ear infection. Unless the tubes are clogged, that is. And yes, that’s the deal with Charlie. So he was put on antibiotics and some kind of drops meant to unclog the tubes. A few days later, I am happy to report that he’s feeling better.
Prior to the ear infection, Charlie got bitten on the arm at school. No big deal, no broken skin. But it was a big story. He loves showing off the band aid and saying, “Liam bit me.” It has become quite the show.
So I was not happy to learn this week that Charlie bit a little girl at school. I figured, for sure, that he was acting out based upon his bite. And then I heard that he bit the little girl on the nose. And it dawned on me that it was my fault… I asked the teacher, “Did he mention anything about being a tiger? Or roar before he bit her?” The teacher said not that she was aware of, but that it had happened very quickly. Charlie was standing right there and said, “Mommy, I a tiger!” And it made sense. Charlie and I have a game where he pretends to be a tiger and then bites me on the nose. Clearly, not the most responsible game. And there you go with the results.
So it’s been a rough week for the little guy. And it’s affected his sleep. Not only has he not been getting into bed when he should, he’s been getting up, complaining of nightmares. This morning, he was up at 5:30am, sobbing hysterically. When I asked him what was wrong, he cried, “A slug eating Charlie!” Science experiments at our house gone awry.
He hasn’t been eating well either. I’m sure it’s because he can’t smell and therefore, can’t taste. He was pretty excited tonight to find out that we’re having sticky buns for breakfast tomorrow – his eyes lit up and it was the one thing that convinced him to go to bed.
Finally, he’s asleep with the promise of a yummy breakfast tomorrow. Let’s cross our fingers for a good night’s sleep.
