Croup D'etat

Jaina woke up last night with the barking cough that every mother instantly recognizes, even if they've never heard it before. Croup. This poor child just can't get a break. After 2 hours of sleeping fitfully propped up on my body pillow she broke down. Her fever, which had just ceased the day before, was back with a vengeance. Once she coughed until she horked up something hot and slimey on my foot and bed. She started to do better after I gave her some Motrin and John began rocking her in front of an open window. Once her cough calmed down John gave her a bottle and she was able to go back to sleep around 1 or so.

John had sent me out to the living room to sleep on an air mattress, but I had a hard time getting to sleep. I fell asleep around 2am, then woke up at 5 when I heard Libby crying. I got her settled (she's had a fever over 102 the past few days, but it seems to have finally calmed down), then got in bed with John. It took me about an hour to get back to sleep. John woke me up at 8:15 and the girls both woke up a few minutes later.

Libby is fever-free today, but still pitiful. Jaina is hoarse and still coughing that barking cough periodically. She also has had quite a bit of nasal congestion, and that is draining like mad today. I'm ready for all this to be over. I mean, really, in one week Jaina has had seizures, muscle weakness to the point where she couldn't even sit up, fever, congestion, and now croup. In one week! And through it all she smiles and makes faces and shakes her head at me when I shake my head at her. She laughs and plays and eats and acts like nothing is wrong. Which is wonderful, because it means that there is nothing serious going on with her now, just routine baby grossness. I just hope she's able to get back to normal soon.