365 Days of Abby: When Abby's Under the Weather

I've heard rumors that there are children out there that when they are sick, all they do is lay around and rest. That they park themselves on the couch with a blanket and pillow and do something that requires very little energy, like coloring or watching a movie...and maybe, just maybe, in the late afternoon those same children could be observed napping! Could that be true? Could there really be such children in this world? No, that is just too unbelievable for me to even imagine. How silly would that be? Resting when you are sick? Taking naps when you need extra sleep? Yes, yes, this all must be some great hoax, for it has never been my experience with Abby.

This morning Abby woke up with raspy breathing and a croupy cough. She sounded pretty bad and I knew right away that she wouldn't be going to school, and neither would I. As is typical on a day when she doesn't feel great she's pretty attached to Mom, so we had a few cuddles but that didn't last long.

Thinking to treat her to a breakfast that she loves, I suggested pancakes. She hopped off my lap like it was on fire and headed straight into the kitchen, grabbing a chair to stand on as she went. She barked out orders like the best of chefs, "Get a bowl, Mama!" - "Spoon for stirring, next!"- "Abby's turn to help!"

With plenty of, "Thank you, Mama"'s she sat and ate a plate full of pancakes. Apparently, her cough was not going to hinder her appetite. Being sick has never made a dent in her activity level either. Let me give you a peek at what her day has been like so far:

Play bat the balloons: Mom blew up about 8 balloons and Abby spent time whacking them around the room.
Morning Exercise: Abby donned her frilly pink tutu and took Miss Piggy for a walk through the house, which for some reason ended with Miss Piggy sitting in a box by the front door - she is still there.
Band Practice: Abby and Mom took turns playing the guitar and the drums. The drummer got to sit on the couch and the guitar player had to dance around the room while strumming - Abby spent most of the time drumming.
Strings practice: The guitar was turned into a violin and a straw became the bow.
Power Lunch: Mom had about a 45 minute reprieve while Abby ate her lunch, finished off with a bowl of vanilla ice cream (because the kid is sick after all).
Visit to the Salon: Abby got a quick manicure from Mom.
Actor Training: Abby stuffed a balloon up her shirt and performed the "Rumbly Tumbly" song from Winnie the Pooh several times. This involved singing and being lead around the house by her protruding belly.
Cheer Practice: Abby put on her "cheerleading outfit" and then proceeded to call out the names of all the kids in her class (as well as the teachers), and cheer for them while waving her pom poms around. Mom had to kick a pretend ball in order to get a cheer, apparently I needed to earn it.
Superhero Conditioning and Research: Abby put on the, now famous, superhero costume and ran from room to room proclaiming that she was going to "save the day!" She is now standing in front of the T.V. (in the afore mentioned costume) watching a cartoon that features flying super babies - I'm calling this research.

I would like to note that all of the above activities were completed before noon, by a sick child.

Don't get me wrong, I have no doubt that she is not well. Frankly, if Abby wanted to stay home she would have just told me that. The thing is, this is how she always has been when she is under the weather. It is when she is laying around on the couch, doing nothing, that we really begin to worry. Those moments have typically ended in a trip to the hospital, so I'm not complaining. Now, if there really were kids who took it easy and relaxed when they were home sick from school, I might feel the need to bemoan the fact that a day off for her is not a day off for me, but since those children don't exist, it's a moot point, right?