On the Eleventh Day

Our poor Nikki Dee had quite a tough time for ten days after her swine shot. And when Nikki Dee isn't healthy and happy, the rest of us aren't going to be too jocular because she's an emotional two-year-old, and she's quite free in sharing those emotions. She's been putting Mom and Dad through the wringer. We've tried to be around to help from time to time, but it hasn't been easy for anyone.

We did take her to the playground yesterday, and she really took to grabbing onto this low basketball hoop and then dropping into my arms. We did this again and again and again ... until both her arms and mine were too tried to do it anymore. At least mine were. Old Buppa had had the biscuit.



While we were at the park, she was reasonably well distracted from her plight, but it did take a lot of effort to keep her happy. In one of her games, she would attempt to wander off, and I would have to grab her and haul her back and make it into quite the event. As with the basketball hoop, this little act was repeated over and over. However, perhaps you can tell from the look on her face in the closer shots, that she wasn't quite her usual, happy self. She was trying hard but not quite making it.







We could barely get her home. She'd weep and wail whenever the car got anywhere near her neighbourhood no matter from what direction we approached. She'd whine for more rides and more Beluga (the Raffi song that we play in the car). Eventually, we had to take a very distraught kid back home though.

So, come today, we resolved to have her for a sleepover because she so likes to be with us and to come to "Buppa house." The crazy thing though, on the eleventh day after that shot, she reverted to her normal self and was an absolute delight. So really, we didn't help Mom and Dad out too very much by having her over today as opposed to any of the last ten.

But at least we tried. Here she is in her elf hat — actually the elf hat that mommy picked up for me as a bit of a gag. Nikki Dee is being a bit serious trying to adjust it in this photo, but I assure you that she was enjoying herself immensely.