The weather was very hot, humid and still yesterday afternoon, so while Adrian napped, Julian and I laid on his bed and played UNO under the ceiling fan. Reminded me of playing Hearts with my family in Florida on the patio when I was a girl. Endless games of backgammon with my mom in between dips in the pool. Playing Skip-Bo and UNO with my grandmother in her kitchen while we drank tea.

We played one practice hand, and then Julian wanted to keep score. I was all for it at first (you know, math teaching opportunity and all), but then he started crushing me.

So then I stopped hinting that he should say "Uno" when he only had one card left and I just started calling him on it and making him take two cards. No more Ms. Nice Mommy, I busted out all my UNO skills. And he still whipped me! Darn 5 year olds. The game is FOR AGE SEVEN AND UP, you aren't even supposed to be playing, much less BEATING YOUR MOTHER, OK?

Around dinnertime Julian started complaining that his eyes hurt. Half an hour later, he felt cold (despite the rest of us feeling hot and sweaty). Uh oh. Gave him a hot bath and put him to bed.

Woke up crying and hysterical an hour later, BURNING with fever, his whole body hurting...eyes, head, legs. Gave him some kids' Motrin and held a cold cloth on my forehead while he sat on my lap and cried. :-(

Dan had the bright idea to play Connect Four with him as a distraction while we waited for the Motrin to kick in. Perfect! He perked right up and sat down to play with Daddy, forgot all about feeling lousy.... Read More

Dan beat him once, then Julian beat him twice in a row. My turn! I beat him the first time, then he beat me the second time with a total surprise move. Dang, I thought I was pretty good at games, but my kid is something else. Huh.

Cuddled him to sleep as his fever subsided, and this morning he seems fine. Fingers crossed! Nothing worse than a sick child.