Dancing on the Edge

The Party

Two year olds sure know how to throw a party. Friday night, around 11:30 I noticed that she felt warm. Really warm. I was concerned but wrote it off to probably being warm from her actually being *under* the covers instead of them being kicked off. All night, whenever she stirred or woke (which was often - very often) I noticed how warm she felt. Not hot - but definitely warmer than usual.

She woke at 6 in the morning and there was no convincing her that it was not time to get up. So - she and I went to the livingroom to watch Blues Clues. She was still warm so I retrieved the thermometer. 99.2. Not as high as I had feared. And hardly anything to make a note of in a small child. I dosed her with Tylenol and hoped that this was just a fluke and that she was fine. After all, what were the chances that we'd have to cancel her party again this year? (Last year she had the real flu, (influenza, and yes, she had her flu shot - thank God. I imagine it would have been much worse if she hadn't. As it was it left her with two heart murmurs) and we had to cancel her party.)

She asked to take a nap at 8AM. She wasn't all that warm anymore but she was a bit crabby. After she woke from her 30 minute rest, we went to the store to pick up her cake and groceries for the next two weeks and then we came back home. She still wasn't running much of a fever. I put her down for her nap and then we decorated the house for her party, which we had decided to go ahead with since it was a very small family gathering (grandma, grandpa, an aunt, an uncle and a cousin, More had been invited but well - things happen, I guess.). I ran out to get the balloons and while I was gone Kaylen woke up. Her fever was gone!! She was cool to the touch.

I was so relieved that it seemed to have been a short lived thing. She had been complaining about her mouth hurting so I guess it is possible it was teething related (two-year molars and all). Whatever the reason, it seemed to leave as quickly as it came and the party was set to go without me feeling guilty! Always a good thing! :)

Kaylen really had a good time. She opened her gifts (with Kelton's help, of course) and immediately tried to put on the clothes she received. She is such a stereotypical girl sometimes! When Kelton was 2 (and 3) you would have thought he was being punished when he opened up clothes. He would throw them over his shoulder as if he was saying "I can't believe you have the nerve to give me clothes. Where are the toys?" It was a kick to watch her get so excited. It was fun to watch her - her eyes lighting up with delight. She would say "Mine?" and look at us to validation that these were really for her.

When it was time for blowing out the candle she did really well. Kelton cried at both his first and second parties when people sang. I think it scared him. She cried last year but she didn't this time. She even blew out the candle (well - tried. I think Kelton finally got it out.). She seemed to have a really good time.

I still can't believe she is two. We have come so far from that teeny tiny miserably unhappy newborn that she was. When I look back I can hardly recall all those hard days, weeks and months. Ok - that's a huge lie - I can recall them very well, I just know that the time between now and then has dulled the pain. :) From the moment she was cleared to leave the NICU it seemed like all she did was scream.

Someone told me that some newborns just hate being newborns and that sure fit the bill with her. As she grew and could do a little more (and I'm sure it helped that we started figuring her out better) she settled down but those early months of holding a swaddled screaming baby while we bounced for hours on the exercise ball (the only things that had much effect on calming her ) or slept with her on our chests while we tried to sleep on the couch were well.....hard. Really, really hard. I never, in a million years, would have guessed that the incredibly fussy and unhappy infant she was then would grow to be the fun-loving, incredibly happy child I have in my life today. It's really amazing to look back and realize all the ground we have covered in the past 24 months.

Childhood really is a magical time. At least, I know it is for me. I just can't imagine not having either one of these little guys in my life. Time though - it is just flying by. Two years old. Is she really two already?