The inevitable

There are moments, from time to time, that I have to remind myself that I really was pregnant with the girls. Albeit 26 weeks to the day, but I never made it near to the end. My tummy was just starting to get big enough that I couldn't see my feet...if I really didn't lean over at all! I didn't have real labour pains - having a caesarian - and didn't have to anticipate the 'it could be any day now' sort of excited-nervous-terrified-impending life changing-feelings. On the contrary our girls were taken out extremely quickly, intubated and put straight into incubators. And were then under the responsibility of a team of incredibly conscientious and wonderful doctors and nurses (who were often observed like a hawk by me!!). So...all to say that sometimes I have to remind myself that I did make it at least over halfway and am their legitimate mother. Funny some of our thoughts sometimes, huh :)

Anyway, I feel like I passed a rite of passage for motherhood this past weekend. Just minutes before we were to leave for a weekend away, I realised that Elise was feeling very warm and in fact had quite a high temperature. For the rest of the weekend her temperature barely went below 38.5 and up to 40. It was a moment that I've been fearing ever since we came home with the girls at the end of October last year, knowing that it would inevitably arrive...sickness. I think it was really a fear for Elise - knowing that just having a sore throat could put a real risk on her life, and her doctors were really strict about this and that she couldn't be in public places or around any risk of catching a cold. On one hand we are incredibly thankful that the girls have made it through 8 months at home without any sickness, through a cold winter, with us both being sick twice around them (even sore throats!), people visiting who had direct contact with sick people...it's quite a miracle! Also something that we and many others have prayed for them. So we're THANKFUL. 
But it arrived. And, to be thankful again, it was a high temperature, but nothing else. Poor Leesie was miserable and not herself at all, which was very sad to see. She didn't want to eat much, but did drink most of her milk like normal (thankfully!). We rang the doctors a few times, but, though we came close, we didn't have to take her down to the hospital. By Sunday night we started to see the Leesie we know come back - very pale, but smiling and teasing her sister. Monday morning she still had a higher temperature, but it was coming down, and soon she was our cheerful, albeit very tired, little girl again. 

Amélie must have sensed something because she was very quiet all weekend, just watching and chattering away quietly to herself as she crawled around. 

So this week is a quieter one as we stay around home and let Elise recover. It was a bit of a mystery this high temperature. I suspect it's her new teeth that must be close to coming in because she spent quite a lot of time chewing on her fingers, but then I learned that it's not 'normal' to have a temperature that high with teething, so....?

In the meantime, as the summer holidays are about to begin here, we've had visits from our neighbour, Tabby, who loves to entertain the girls by reading stories and putting on puppet shows! It makes me smile to watch :) And thankful that we've got a little girl on the mend :) 

Amélie watching the puppet show! :)