Blogging this week will be light. We’re babysitting a Nearly Two and his big sister, Almost Five, over at our son and daughter-in-law’s. I’d imagined that while the kids were at daycare, I’d finish the post I began last week. Yesterday, though, while we were out for a walk, the daycare called to tell us the little guy was running a fever.
By evening, it was a fever that recalled those high-anxiety days of parenting — but luckily we’ve picked up a few skills over the years, and my son and daughter-in-law’s household was well supplied. Fancy new thermometers, tepid bath, children’s Tylenol. . . a wee-hours temperature check and more medicine. . . he woke this morning with much more energy, temperature almost back to normal. . . but not at all ready for a day at daycare.
And with his big sister off at pre-school, and Granddad chauffeuring and running errands, I’m chief playmate, nurse, and cuddler. . . . not such bad roles for a Nana, but not conducive to blogging.
So again, I’m filling this space with photos and promises, and counting on your patience.
And, since we’ve been passing time here reading books to kids, here’s an A.A. Milne poem that seems appropriate, from the poetry collection Now We Are Six. . . .
Sneezles
Christopher Robin
Had wheezles
And sneezles,
They bundled him
Into
His bed.
They gave him what goes
With a cold in the nose,
And some more for a cold
In the head.
They wondered
If wheezles
Could turn
Into measles,
If sneezles
Would turn
Into mumps;
They examined his chest
For a rash,
and the rest
Of his body for swellings and lumps.
They sent for some doctors
In sneezles
And wheezles
To tell them what ought
To be done.
All sorts of conditions
Of famous physicians
Came hurrying round
At a run.
They all made a note
Of the state of his throat,
They asked if he suffered from thirst;
They asked if the sneezles
Came after the wheezles,
Or if the first sneezle
Came first.
They said, “If you teazle
A sneezle
Or wheezle,
A measle
May easily grow.
But humour or pleazle
The wheezle
Or sneezle,
The measle
Will certainly go.”
They expounded the reazles
For sneezles
And wheezles,
The manner of measles
When new.
They said, “If he freezles
In draughts and in breezles,
Then PHTHEEZLES
May even ensue.”
Christopher Robin
Got up in the morning,
The sneezles had vanished away.
And the look in his eye
Seemed to say to the sky,
“Now, how to amuse them today?”
He and his sister have one more day to amuse us, and then I’ll be back in my own home recovering and remembering fondly. . . .And then you and I will have more time to chat, okay?
xo,
f
Hope your little guy continues to feel better. The poem from "Now we are six" sure took me back to reading those poems to our son. One of my favourites was "James, James, Morrison, Morrison."
And your sketch is amazing – so close to the original photo.
Frances in Sidney
What great words to please children (of all ages) in that poem. Hope your little guy feels much better soon. Great sketch!
Oh how I loved that book. I guess I still must…
I’m impressed with your sketching, crossed legs are very difficult to draw.
Ali
The miracle that is children's medicine. The bottle of Calpol, bright pink, sticky but welcomed by all and sundry, lived in the fridge for years. The sick bowl, the flat Coke and, finally, the arrival of an ice lolly as the tired and wan one suddenly began to revive. And repeat. Stay snug.
Hope he is well and healthy,and they both amuse you
Wonderful poem! How I love A.A.Milne!
Dottoressa
Cuddles from Nana are good for scaring the sneezles and wheezles away. Make sure you humour your reazles once you get home. 🙂
Love that sketch of the pom pom pants, Frances. You caught the leg action perfectly. Enjoy the cuddles, if not the sneezles. And wear your special Nana force field to protect against getting your own sneezles. 🙂
Those pom poms are great. Enjoy the littles. Hope you are immune to kiddy bugs.
Hope your little guy is fully well soonest. My family loved the A. A. Milne books so much that as adults we can still quote verses from them. We had a boxed set of four books, if I'm remembering correctly. I have the same boxed set in my library now. Such comforting words. Thank you for the reminder.
Frances: Yes! Weatherby George Dupree . . . Took good care of his Mother, though he was only three. . . .
And "You must never go down to the end of the town, if you don't go down with me." Love it!
Lorrie: Thanks! He seems much better today, and his parents will be home very soon. . .
Ali: So tricky — I had to ask for some help twisting my brain around the foreshortening — the arms were tougher than the legs. . .
Annie: So many culture-specific references in your comment — interesting to wonder how that would play out around the world and for which childhood illnesses. Calpol rings no bells here — although the sick bowl is familiar 😉 This guy didn't need one, but was completely limp with fever. Such a relief to bring that down.
Dottoressa: Much better today, and we hand the two back to their parents in a few hours. All stocked up with cuddles as we drive away 😉
Mary: Self-care is on the menu — really not keen on letting reazles or phtheezles gain a foothold . . .
Sue B: I'm counting on that force field!
Mme. Funny that I didn't notice the pom-pommed black dress on my first visit — you probably spotted that on yours.
Katherine: We had a similar boxed set, and I suspect some of my siblings must have memorized a few. I know I have — my kids have been known to roll their eyes when I burst into a rendition of Happiness (John had great big waterproof boots on) just because one of the grands is wearing rubber boots. . . even worse, I suspect, is when I launch into The King asked The Queen and The Queen asked The Dairymaid. . . because that one does go on for some time and I don't usually stop once started . . . . And now that you've got me started, how about "They're Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace . . . A soldier's life is terribly hard, etc. etc.
The day care centers and schools seem to be experiencing lots of colds and flu. It is the season, says my primary care physician. She also says they could all be doing better sanitizing the facilities. She says this year she has seen more illness among kids and then their parents become sick as well. Stay well, F. and enjoy those grand kids. By the way – Nice drawing. Susan
I always loved those A.A. Milne poems:). And the pom poms of your sketch.
So sorry about your little guy, but glad he's better.