Katie missed Thursday and Friday of last week. The first day, she laid in bed, the second day, she was mostly fine and did crafts and drew pictures. She was very sad to miss all her friends, and devastated that she couldn’t go to the play date we had scheduled for Friday afternoon. There was crying and flailing and attempts at negotiation and bargaining. It was so hard for her to understand that she couldn’t play because she hadn’t gone to school; that germs are things we don’t want to share with our friends.

Maggie’s fever, which was actually higher than Katie’s, seemed to affect her less yesterday. She mostly lay in bed, but was able to make it to the library and do a little homework, too. She read a whole book, got dressed and was in decent spirits. Today, her fever is just about gone, and she is anxious to get back to school. For the second time in her three years at school, she’s missed picture day.

And I’ve been faced with the unending quandary about when to call the doctor. Is a fever enough? What about these sore throats they complain about? Is it strep? Or just the general fever virus that makes them feel icky all over and they notice it more when they swallow? So far, although I’ve had the phone in hand, and some numbers dialed, I haven’t made an appointment. The fevers seem to be going away on their own too quickly to be anything other than weirdness.

If all continues the way it is now, it looks like both girls will be back in school tomorrow for the first time in a week. And since I volunteered at the school this morning, I got to hear about the strep, stomach bugs, flu, pink eye and general fever disease going around. And I can only wonder how long both of them will be in school for this stretch.

Yesterday morning, she got it out after she arrived in her classroom, but before school started. So not only did she get her necklace, but she got to wear it ALL.DAY.LONG at school. It was a very good day.

At home, there was much discussion about the tooth fairy. She worried that the tooth fairy would forget to come and wanted to know what would happen then. She worried that the tooth fairy would get confused and take her necklace. But we worked it out. Katie has a special book where she can put the information about her lost tooth in it, and she specifically left her a note asking that she leave the necklace. Then, in the space where she could list what she wanted to trade her tooth for, she stipulated that she’d like either $100 or a chihuahua puppy. Then, she begged us all to go to sleep right away so the tooth fairy would have easy access to what was under her pillow.

At 5am, I woke to crying. And the overhead light in my room going on. Katie had her special book in her hand and was so sad because the necklace was gone and there was no money. But I found her $2 and paused a split second before moving on to being upset that the necklace wasn’t there. I stumbled into her room (hey, it was 5am. I was tired.) and found the necklace which had fallen to the floor next to her bed. With the necklace secure in her fist, she cried because she didn’t want the money she got. She wanted $100 or a chihuahua or both and all she got was TWO LOUSY DOLLARS. The horror!

I have to give her a break, though, because while she was crying, we noticed hat she was burning up. The little girl with a fever and possibly a tummy ache clung to her measly two bucks while she slept in a little this morning. We’ve had some tears since she woke up because she didn’t get to go to school today and she wanted to, but at least she is resigned to the gift. The note from the tooth fairy didn’t hurt matters, either.

I believe that Maggie is enjoying school, though it has been hard to get much information out of her. The rightful order of her life has been restored, and she is relieved that she is back in her environment. The only homework she’s had this week is reading, and she is overjoyed that now instead of recording minutes, she records the pages she’s read. One day this week, she got to put down that she read 60 pages in a night, and that pleased her to no end. The only thing that would make her life complete at this point would be an extra 6 hours in the day to watch all the TV she would like. Well, that and having all her extra curricular activities start again.

Katie loves her teachers, but as she puts it, she’s still getting used to them. This means that she is very quiet during the day and all the noise she is used to making gets compressed into the 4 hours between school and bedtime. And she is used to making A LOT of noise. It is funny to imagine her being as quiet as I know she is being at school, since I so rarely see that side of her. Her teachers even told me that she waited halfway through snack one day this week before letting them know that she couldn’t get her “bar” open. She’s still learning the names of her new friends, but has already asked me to write down her address so she can give it to her new friend, a boy with curly hair.

I am getting used to the quiet at home during the day, and already amazed at how quickly the time goes and how my list of things to do seems to grow much faster than I able to cross things off it.

Swim Team is going well so far. Maggie loves it and is really a great swimmer.  She’s very proud that in the meets this year, she’s gotten several first place ribbons.  Not getting any last year made her so sad.

Katie is part of the “developmental” team this year– she can swim the practices, but she is still too young to swim in the meets.  So far, this is ok with her. I think the meets intimidate her. That, or she really loves the freedom of being able to do what she wants when she wants during the meets.

This week is Maggie’s first week of Girl Scout camp.  She is sorely disappointed that I only signed her up for one week of camp this summer and has asked me to promise that she can do more next year. I’m not sure, but I think she likes it.

My Dad is very tall (almost to the ceiling).

My Dad has black hair.

My Dad has green  eyes.

My Dad works at the phone and the computer.  He is very smart.

My Dad’s favorite sport is tennis.

My Dad’s favorite food is eggs (I think).

My Dad really likes to go visit his dad.  It is 44 miles away.

I know my Dad loves me because when I call his name he comes.