Influenza {Boo}

We are SO ready for some warm weather and sunshine and according to the forecast we might just be due for some soon....(fingers crossed).

Yesterday Xavier came down jabbering nonsense at just before 7:00 a.m.  I reached down to pick him up and realized his little body was firey.  Poor baby.  Fever of 103+.  

He'd told me a day before that his arms and legs hurt but I thought it was growing pains.  And his eyes had been a bit watery, nose a little runny...but it's winter after all.  Individually all those things aren't much but thrown in the pot and stirred around with a high fever = quite likely influenza.  Boo.  I texted my Nurse Practitioner friend, and without taking him to the clinic (in -15 temps...would you like to get out with a 103 fever and -15 degree temperature?) she confirmed my suspicion that it was likely classic flu.  Not the pukey kind...just the real, down home yuck.  

I tried to let his fever burn itself off but when it soared to 104+ I dosed him with Advil and messaged my friend again.  As long as I could get it down, she said we were okay to stay home, and it did come down and hover at 102 with meds the rest of the day.  

Right after I gave Advil, before it kicked in I saw this number on the thermometer and tried to stay calm.

We've had temps of 105-106* with Natalee in the past and I called 2 ER's and they both told me the same thing..."bring her if you want but we are going to piggy back Tylenol and Advil and put her in a tepid bath.  Watch for seizure."  So I did feel somewhat prepared to handle this, not that I liked seeing it at all.  Luckily his started going down with the Advil and cool water.  At nap time he crawled up on the couch and invited me to join him and share his blanket...

...who could resist that?

The rest of the day wavered between light play, mostly on the couch, and dozing.  

Dad ran him through the shower before bed

 and Xavier worked his "I'm sick" plan to include sleeping in our room (which is our "sick" policy).  We blew up a twin air mattress for him to bunk on.

Today my little man is much better and quite ornery.  He slept 12 hours straight on the air bed in our room and woke grumpy but worked out of it with a little food and OJ.  He remained fever free all day without help from the meds.  He's still playing the "sick" card so he doesn't get sent back to his bed (insert chuckle) so for tonight he's bunking with mama and Natalee is on the air bed as a treat.  She was WONDERFUL yesterday (a separate blog post for her) and behaved like such a big girl with patience, respect for her brother's needs and mom's limitations, and love toward us both that a little reward was due her!  She's taking lots of vitamins and preventative herbals to hopefully prevent her from getting sick too.

Did I mention we are all aching for warmer temps?  Today we hit 20*, which is a ton better than -15* but we are looking forward to the 40*-50* we are promised this weekend and beginning of next week!!