The fever!

It started Saturday night around 2 am, Christopher woke up crying and felt super hot to touch. I took his temp 102. I immediately gave him some motrin. It took a little bit, but I finally got him back to sleep. Then at 4 am he woke up again fever 102 again. I gave him some tylenol. I was worried but since within about 30 minutes each time his fever went down and he went back to sleep. I know that all in all a fever isn't a bad thing, it's our bodies defense against something. I was worried about what that something could be.

All day Sunday is was mostly his normal self. A little bit grouchier than normal and had a low fever off and on all day. He didn't seem to want to eat much. He only wanted to eat foods he could feed himself, and he refused a bottle. This could be due to not feeling so well or just a faze of growing up and developing his independence. Either way it is not pleasant.

Sunday night was the same as before up all through the night with a fever. What worried me the most was it was higher. Monday morning his fever spiked at 103.5. It took longer to go down, but within an hour he was playing and talking in the living room. He woke up from his nap Monday in a horrible sweat. So I took him to the doctor. They said his exam looked normal. So keep watching him and giving tylenol and motrin. He does have a little cough but other than that and the fever nothing.

His behavior has changed drasticlly though. He is still playing and talking, but he is cranky and mean. He doesn't want to sleep at all. So I have to fight with him to get him to sleep. This is new he was never this much trouble. He kicks his legs and arches his back when I try to hold him to put him down to sleep. I have to walk around gently bouncing him and swaying him back and forth until he falls asleep. Then sometimes he wakes up when I lay him down and starts screaming. So I have to start all over again!

He also doesn't want his bottles. The doctor looked and he doesn't have thrush or anything. I know he is at the age to get off bottles anyways, but sometimes he cries because he is hungry and it's 2 am. What are you going to do? He doesn't drink from a sippy cup much. Actually, he has trouble with it, he chokes because it comes out so fast. I think this is because he is used to drinking thicker liquids. I have always had to thicken his formula due to his acid reflux.

Plus, he only wants to feed himself, and is not letting me feed him. I give him a plate, but he just turns it over, and then he accidently drops it. He also tosses it over when he is done to. He doesn't really try to use his spoon. I know it will take practice, but it doesn't seem he is ready. Maybe he is trying to tell me he is.

I don't think he is teething. I don't feel or see anything. But that doesn't mean anything. He is chewing on everything, but he always does that. I don't know if he is still runing a fever it is hard to take his temp. Unless he is feeling really bad he won't sit still for me. So I usually don't force it unless he feels really hot. If he is cranky and feeling a little warm I give him motrin or tylenol. I just wish he could tell me exactly what was bothering him!

The worst part of all this is I am exausted. I ache all over from carrying him and rocking him in my arms while standing. I am tired from not sleeping enough. On top of all this I have a headache from the crying. I am quickly lossing my patience and compassion. I feel so bad for saying that, but it is true. I am at a point where I just want to say, "Oh, shut up!" That breaks my heart, and makes me feel like a horrible mother. I just want my nice predictable baby back. It is like in the middle of the night he was switched, and now he's a monster.