Sick sick sick (and sick)

The night after Halloween LR came down with a nasty bug. The fever lasted 2 days and the runny nose, scratchy throat, and cough are still there. Then Missy caught it which wasn't a surprise since she's his favorite. I think he prefers her because she interacts with him more than J Frog does, but Abra also seems to prefer her which may be instigating the lopsided attention he gives her. She loves to laugh and LR loves making her laugh. Daddy compensates by lavishing attention on J Frog. (I'm hesitant to write about this for fear that J Frog will read it some day and think he wasn't loved as much. Not so. LR just doesn't like that J Frog is always after his Hotwheels.) So, as I said, no surprise that she got it next. Once her fever stopped, J Frog's started. Daddy's started at about that time as well. Daddy seems to have gotten it worst of all. He took off Thu. and Fri. from work and for those of you who know him, that's a pretty big deal. He's not getting much time to recover at night either since the kids have been up and down a lot.

Speaking of preferences, the babies have started getting really irritated if I pick up one and not the other. I will nurse one while Abra holds the other one who is typically starting at me and screaming/crying. She tries to distract them or take them to another room, but if they're tired, forget about it. So I nurse one and feel guilty about the other one. Or hold one and feel guilty. Or play with one and feel guilty. Anyone want to start counting days until I crash and burn?

In other news, Abra has decided to spend her second year in the US with another family. The looming winter has sent her in search of warmer waters. We have started our search for a new au pair and as painful as it will be to lose Abra, we're looking forward to finding another person with which to share our hell joy.