Actually, The Second Week Was Tougher

All set to start my first week alone with the kids, I was hoping to fall into a routine right away. It would be good for all three of us. So I drop both kids off on Monday, and that's when the wheels came off the wagon.

My son was sent home that day with a high fever. The school won't let him back in for at least twenty-four hours. So I have to keep him home Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday he seems well enough to return, and the school sends my daughter home with a fever.

She had been complaining about "sand in her ears." I thought that possibly she was telling stories, like the rocks up her nose. But no, the doctor (not The Doctor, she's still away) looked inside my daughter's ears. Sure enough, ear infection.

So I had to keep my daughter home Wednesday and Thursday. With my son improving and my daughter on antibiotics for a day, I try to bring them both to school on Friday.

Around lunchtime, the school calls me. My son doesn't have a fever, but he has been irritable and has been pulling at his ears. Great.

So I go to collect him, to get his ears checked. On the way out the door, they stop me.

"We just checked your daughter's temperature..."

Of course. Two sinus infections. Two courses of antibiotics. Two kids that want to be held at the same time. One tired and frustrated daddy, looking forward to a weekend with two sick kids.

Anything but routine. Guess I didn't ask for the routine week properly.

The Doctor has her routine, though. Now she knows FIVE ways to choke an enemy. Don't say they don't teach you anything at combat training.