Sick & Tired

So for the past two weeks I have had sick children. My thirteen month old son was diagnosed with pneumonia. My three year old daughter was coughing and running a high fever periodically (never at the doctor's office, of course!). My super tomboy also caught her foot in the spokes of a bike in March and suffered an ankle injury that requires daily wound dressings. In the past two weeks I have made seven trips to pediatricians and specialists, plus almost daily visits to a pharmacy. Thankfully they are both on the mend.

If this were a more personal blog I would be lambasting health insurance, giving critical reviews of health care professionals I have had to endure, or suggesting wines that ease worry. I am going to choose to focus on one of my stress reducing techniques- online shopping. In case your beloved is under the weather, I searched through Kobold Toys for some entertainment ideas. For long wait times at the doctor's office or for hospital stays, Kobold recommends these take-along toys:

Playmobil's Take-Along Island. This fascinating set includes three figures, the island, firing cannon and other accessories. The island has a handle and folds up very easily. Perfect for your pirate lover!

Lilliputien's Farmhouse and Animals. We love the plush toys from Lilliputiens and the farmhouse does not disappoint. It holds 7 chunky plush animals plus a farmer and a tractor. The farmhouse has a play mat that opens to reveal 6 field sections and folds neatly underneath the house for storage.

The smART Bag. My daughter received this art case as a gift last year, and it is a favorite. Perfect for holding crayons and pencils to decorate the exam room paper roll!

Daisy Girl Dress Ups by Shure. Dress Lilly in her favorite dress-up clothes! This engaging wooden book contains watercolor illustrations of pretend scenes and whimsical outfits. The removable wooden doll and 21 wooden outfit pieces attach with hook and loop tape to mix and match for hours of pretend play fun!

My children love the animal figures by Papo. We have quite the menagerie-- from the sea turtle to the spinosaurus. These are easy to throw in a your purse or in a back pack for pretend play on the go.

I am a member of a children's book club. It drives me crazy because I always forget to cancel the selection of the month. Last week four books about Maisy Mouse arrived. I was immediately frustrated that I had not declined the offering, but as fate would have it, these were experience books relevant to the week we were having. Maisy Goes to the Hospital was an instant hit because we were considering surgery for my daughter's ankle. I definitely recommend this book for the preschooler with hospital anxiety. We also enjoyed reading about Maisy going to the dentist, the museum and the library.

For me having a sick or injured child is the scariest aspect of parenting. We are fortunate to have friends and family who are medical professionals, and they kindly provide guidance upon request. I believe this also reduces the frequency in which I have to channel my inner "Aurora Greenway" with doctors and our insurance company- only one "outburst" in fourteen days is pretty good for me.

Stay well, use your hand sanitizer and start shopping! - Ashley