All Ears

One downside to blogging is that not only do you put your idiocy on display for the world to see, you create an archival record of it.

By bedtime last night it was obvious that Betty was getting sick "again." She had a runny nose and was fussier than usual. She had a slight fever of 98.9 (being my offspring, her normal body temp hovers around a reptilian 97). Last night she woke up once coughing and barfed a little, but this morning she seemed in good spirits and her temp was still only 98.9 so we sent her to school. They called about an hour later to say that her temp was 101.7 and to come get her. Steele took her to the doctor, and it turns out she has an ear infection in both ears.

How could we have known? Well, according to babycenter: The easiest way to tell if your baby has an ear infection (also known as acute otitis media) — or any other illness, for that matter — is a change in his mood. If he turns fussy, or starts crying more than usual, you should be on the lookout for a problem. If he develops a fever (whether slight or high) you have another big clue. Ear infections tend to strike after a common cold or sinus infection, so keep that in mind too.

If you've read the Daily Betty lately, then you understand why I feel like an idiot right now--blogging about a cold that lingers on, an unusually whiny baby, and field trips in the the snow.

I should have known. In my defense, it appears that in addition to reptilian blood, Betty has also inherited from me a stoic attitude toward ear pain. My childhood was marked by one ear infection after another, and I still remember the taste of amoxicillan, but my mom claims that I never showed any outward signs of pain. This is likely the first of many bottles of bubblegum flavored medicine in our fridge. I just hope I catch it earlier next time. Meanwhile, here's a pic of Betty scouring our bookshelves for parenting guides. I think she wants to bookmark the important sections, like "How to Know Your Child Has an Earache, Idiots."

P.S. She also has a new cold. And it looks like she's got another tooth coming in. Poor Betty!