Oh internets, we have not been well. I mean that in the literal sense. Figuratively we are doing fine. But shortly after I last wrote someone put a pox on our house. First Claire Helen brought home some sort of cold, which Simon and I got, and then while we were in California visiting my folks* last week it turned into an ear infection for Simon (who was fussy and clingy, which I blamed on separation anxiety or "teething" which is what you blame every peep on during a baby's first year, and which at least in my children's case is never to blame. They don't care about giant shards of calcium shooting through their gums. It just doesn't bother them).

Anyhoo. He got an ear infection, which I discovered after I got back and Mat had left for San Francisco on business(also sick, but not getting a whole lot of sympathy from his wife, because sick or not 8 straight hours of sleep waking up whenever you'd like is pretty freaking nice. Not to mention we had armageddon going on here at home.), so he started on antibiotics, but the next day was not feeling any better, and in fact was kind of going downhill, fussing with his head and unable to sleep either Thursday or Friday nights. Hours before I took him into the doctor for what would turn out to be an allergic reaction to penicillin Saturday morning, Claire Helen started vomiting from a stomach virus. Toddler vomit, yech. Why does it always start in the middle of the night, usually in my bed?

We were very happy to see the return of both daddy and health this weekend, and it is particularly good to see Simon on the mend. This is the first illness he's had that's really affected him (he's a second child; he gets plenty of colds), and for 5 days all he wanted to do was sit on my lap and lean his head on my shoulder. A far cry from our usual Mr. Bouncy.

Speaking of Mr. Bouncy, he's up to a lot these days. The last few weeks, if he wakes up sad or a little vulnerable, he likes to bite on my shoulder a little as I carry him down the stairs. He can walk, but still generally chooses to only if there are cats to catch. He knows how to use chalk and crayons, but is not really into being limited by using only chalkboards and paper as surfaces. Just this second he is trying to draw on a post bath Claire Helen, who doesn't really seem to mind. Have I mentioned he can bounce on command? It's the cutest thing in the whole world. I should really get a video of it. He's generally very bouncy, and in fact most of his baby injuries come from bouncing excitedly when he sees me or a cat while forgetting he is holding onto the hard edge of a table or tub, and so ramming his face into the hard edge. You would think this would be a lesson quickly learned, but he has a lot of enthusiasm. Sweet little guy. I'm glad he's better.

*wouldn't it be nice if I had pictures of that? Hint, hint.