Sickies

We've been sick around here. Tommy was home last Wednesday and Thursday with a stomach flu. Lizzie had something that was not diagnosed but involved a fever for a few days and then a rash. Eli and I both had something that does not appear to be what either of our children had, but made us both feel just terrible for about 24 hours. Eli stayed home one day last week and one day this week. Here's hoping that we're all through this and won't get hit with something else for quite a while. It's exhausting (and makes me realize that it would not be possible to have another child, because how would one handle the stomach flu?).

Tommy has been offered a place at two different schools, and today I'm in the mood to leave him in his current school (the third option). While one of the schools wants a deposit at the end of November, I'm fairly confident that we can have a place even if I wait a while, so we may end up doing that. Or, we may end up taking that place because it's a happy little school with a nice play area and healthy lunches. I don't know.

We are going to Budapest to visit Hanh next week and we are all looking forward to it. Then, after we leave on Monday, Hanh comes here on Thursday to spend Thanksgiving with us! It was a last minute plan and we are so excited to have her of course. (It is especially nice because we have no Christmas visitors -- this way we'll have someone to celebrate one of the holidays with.) The Budapest flight is just 3 hours and we've been able to find cheap tickets, so hopefully, we'll see a lot of each other. Honestly, it might end up being about equal to when we both lived in DC, given how busy we all get.

Lizzie has cut six teeth now. She sort of saved up all her teething to do at the same time and my goodness it is making her miserable. She is also working very hard on climbing stairs and likes best to practice on the stool that Grandpa Bob made for Tommy. Not the safest place to practice, as it's not carpeted, but sometimes I need two hands in the kitchen and the stool lets me have them (and not have an indignant baby sitting on the floor wailing about how poorly she's treated). Lizzie went to her baby class yesterday. Despite the fact that the substitute teacher's guitar skills are not up to par, she had a lovely time bobbing up and down (dancing, I think) and shaking her shakers. She absolutely loves playing with scarves and gets very animated during that portion of the class.

Tommy is in a little bit of trouble at preschool for rolling up paper into swords and then "fighting" with the other boys. His teacher told me today at pick up that she also had a conversation with him about using his words when he's upset. He doesn't hurt anyone, but when he's frustrated, he pretends like he's going to punch the source of the frustration (yes, normally me). As I reminded him to use his words today on our way to school, he told me he hates all his friends because he is a bad pirate. Sigh.