Daycare Blues

I warned Hubs before we even put Baby Bean in daycare that the first little while would be rough and that most of our money would go to pay to build up her immune system. I knew it would be the case, and sadly, I have yet to be wrong.

The first week Baby Bean was supposed to start daycare, I came down with strep (I haven't had strep since I was 12; so much for that record) Sunday before her first day and ended up staying home with her for four days of that week, so her first day ended up being on a Friday. One day wasn't a big deal, which is probably why I handled it so well when we dropped her off that morning.

The second week of daycare was going great. Then Wednesday morning, the same day I was supposed to appear in court for running a stop sign, I was woken by a neighbor feverishly ringing my door bell and beating down my door. I answered in my pjs (which I am sure showed the neighbor a side of me he never wanted to see [or maybe he did] because anyone who was that anxious to see me had to take me as I was. He apologized profusely and told me Hubs and the daycare had been trying to call me all morning because my daughter was running a fever of 103.6 and I needed to go get her. She sported a fever on and off for the next five days. Both of us were out of work and daycare for the remainder of the week. Money well spent on daycare there (yes, facitious).

Since Baby Bean got sick she has been sporting what I and her teachers thought was either a diaper rash or a yeast infection as well as some major congestion. On Sunday night of this week Hubs and I noticed that Baby Bean was refusing to crawl. She'd get up on her knees and then start to cry, sit on her bum, and try to scoot to wherever she needed to go. When I looked at her knees I could tell something was up. On Monday morning I called her doctor and got her in. It was there we discovered there was a rash all over her lower body and that the majority of it centered on her knee joints. In addition to the rash, she had a major ear infection. She was at daycare for all of 2.5 hours that morning. However, the doctor gave her a note to return to school, stating she wasn't contagious and to authorize the dispensation of motr.in.

This afternoon I went to visit and feed her at lunch, as I have done every day since I returned to work after my maternity leave was over. She seemed a little sluggish, but I figured it was just the antibiotics doing their thing. At 2:45 I got a phone call from her teacher saying she was sporting a fever of 102.9 again. I immediately called her pediatrician and asked the nurse if I needed to go get my daughter from school, despite the note from Monday. She recommended I go, as did my project manager. So this week we have spent a total of 9 hours at work and daycare. Money well spent again. Hubs was ticked, but I warned him this would happen. Its part of the package.

Sadly, this month I have only worked one full week. Even the short week got cut really short, as Baby Bean is not allowed to return to daycare tomorrow due to her fever. It was still over 101 tonight before her bath and after a dose of ty.lenol and motr.in. I'm telling you again, if you haven't checked it out already, this No.se Fri.da is a lifesaver. I don't know how I would have sufficiently aspirated my child had I not had that fabulous device. It has earned its weight in gold and then some these past few weeks.

My poor little bean is now on antibiotics, tyle.nol, and motr.in. She hasn't slept through a night (neither have I) since she started daycare. I feel so bad for her, but at the same time, I am grateful for the time I have had to spend with her. I just wish it didn't mean she had to be miserable.