Passing the time

After futile attempts to keep Ray and his germs quarantined from the rest of the family, we each succumbed to the H1N1 at various times throughout the past week. Sofia was the last to get it yesterday. She endured two whole days of isolation in her room in our last attempts to keep her away from the virus hoping she wouldn't get sick so we could take her to the H1N1 vaccination clinic being held this morning at the Utah County Health Department.

When I first told her, that unfortunately every one had gotten sick except for her and that she might be able to avoid getting sick if she could stay in her room, I didn't really expect her to go for it but I figured it was worth a try. At first she looked at like it was some sort of punishment. I made a weak attempt to convince her by stating that if Daddy could stay in the room all day, she certainly could do it. Then suddenly, she seemed to get a little bit excited about it and asked if I would bring her food at lunch and dinner time. I said, I would and she then insisted that she would not want to see me. That I was to knock on her door and leave the food there and then she would get it when I had safely distanced myself from her. I told her I would comply and she ran off to her room with excitement.

She was so good that first day. I only expected her determination to last a couple of hours before she demanded to leave her confinement. I was wrong. She started to get bored after a few hours. I pulled out an ace from my deck of cards and told her Tia Marcela had called and said she was bringing her a TV and DVD player. That was all it took. She was so amazing, she even put herself to bed. I expected her to start calling me, but before I knew it, she had snuck out of her room when no one was upstairs, brushed her teeth, put on her pajamas, lowered the lights and was in bed. Incredible.

Sure, her room looked like a volcanic explosion. She had played with all her toys, dressed up and down all her dolls, made multiple camping/sleeping arrangements for them. Some where reading, some where watching TV, she had activities for all her "kids". She had colored every page in her coloring books and apparently a little on her leg as well. She had watched Milo & Otis countless times and witnessed the miracle of kitten births. (I guess I need to watch this movie. It was already in the DVD player when my sister brought it). When I found her tucked in her bed, she was cuddling with the TV's remote control wearing a thick knitted sherpa hat she got from a visiting relative, Isabel.

It's amazing to see what a big "little girl" she can be.

When she finally succumbed to the virus midday yesterday, I told her she no longer needed to be in seclusion. She spent the day with me in my room convalescing. At least I was trying to convalesce, she was up and down on the bed, talking non-stop like usual. I had been monitoring her temperature and at 102, she didn't skip a beat. It took a good 104 to start slowing her down at which point I gave her some Tylenol which she took like a champ. I thought maybe we might be able to take a nap together. But fifteen minutes later, she was fully recuperated. What is wrong with this girl. Not even the H1N1 virus can stop her.

Today, Ray has gone back to work. The kids and I tried to enjoy a slow day in pajamas. Here she is watching TV with Marcelo, they're favorite pass time.



Sofia also received a birthday gift in the mail from Kiri & Ann which was a great way to spark up the day.