The two older girls have been in the states for two full weeks now, on their own with Grandma and then Grandpa and Nanny. It's been an up an down visit for all of us. I knew, upon making the plans for their first solo visit, that it would be hardest on Auriane who is not yet four. She is the most attached to the French side of her family and, being the second child born shortly after the first began school, has not spent much time in the states even with me. Her spoken English is almost non existent but our hope was that by being forced to make the effort to speak English, that is would improve. My fear was that she would feel lost and homesick aided by an inability to communicate.
Shortly after I left them two weeks ago the weather turned poor; chilly and rainy. Thus Grandma's plan to take them to the pool on a daily basis were underwater. By Friday, Auriane was crying that she wanted me to "viens me chercher maintenant" come get me now. And even putting her off by saying that I have to take two airplanes, and a train before I get there wasn't calming her. Her lack of a sense of time didn't help. It only went downhill from there culminating by a 4 am phone call (I was on the 4 am side) to inform me that Auriane had a temperature of 101° and had vomited at the 4th of July church party mom had taken them to. She had already begun coughing before I left so I knew she was beginning a cold. But the vomiting and fever gave me a pause, and a sleepless night. The last time we visited Auriane had the same symptoms which turned out the be pneumonia (and a heft hospital bill thanks to no insurance in the states).
Mom wanted to know if she should give her some fever medecine? "Yes," I said. Take her to the emergency room at 10 pm? "No," I said. Wait until morning then call the doctor. We're lucky to have an excellent friend who's a pediatrician and willing to help at all hours. However, he lives over an hour away and mom is never up for long car treks with the kids. She did give him a call. I'm not sure she got much sleep either since my second call from her came around 8 am, 2 am her time, to inform that Auriane's fever had broke.
The next day she called the local pediatrician who told her it was unnecessary to come in since its probably just a cold and not to give her any more Tylenol unless the fever raises to over 101° again. Three days later, Auriane still has a low fever, is not herself and crying every time the phone rings if its not me on the other end. When I did call, she wouldn't let anyone else talk to me which got Olivia crying. When mom forced the phone from her to give it to Olivia, Auriane's hurling in the background made it almost impossible to hear Olivia.
Finally mom took her to the pediatrician who discovered an ear infection. But by this time Grandma had a bad cold and her energy for activities was gone. Auriane, thanks to an antibiotic, is feeling better. For three days now, the girls are with Grandpa and Nanny who fill everyday with activities so that when i called yesterday and today, Auriane didn't even want to talk to me for more than 3 minutes. That makes me happy.
please know we both spent time talking to your mom and i offered to meet her at new stanton exit first thing in the morning but she declined. i wish we didn't live so far.
Posted by: Amanda | July 13, 2009 at 07:03 PM