Sick Days

I took these pics of Tess and Drew playing school right before she came down with an illness that knocked her out for over a week.  She caught strep and then developed pneumonia on top of that.  We couldn't figure out why her fever kept spiking to 104, even when she was on antibiotics.  A chest x-ray and some stronger antibiotics later, and she finally kicked it.  But in the meantime she had 6 days home from school.

Most of the time I was able to keep her fever down with ibuprofen.  Which meant she had a lot of time for creative projects.

First project was her own Chuck E. Cheese's, that she made for her and Drew to play.  Of course she enticed him, "Drew you want to go to Chuck E. Cheese?"  To which he responded, "Heck YA!  WE HAVEN'T LEFT THE HOUSE IN DAYS!!!!!"  Just kidding Drew--it's just Tessie's Chuck E. 

She made tickets on the computer.

This is where you enter and have to get your hand stamped.  

Just like at, well, Chuck E. Cheese.

You must slip your arm through the plastic tunnel to get your stamp.

Tess' version of skee ball.  You try and roll a marble up the wooden ramp and have it drop in the metal pot, which rewards you with a satisfying "ping!"  

Drew's favorite game at Chuck E. is the basketball shoot.  

Putting his "token" in the slot.

Next project, operation "ballet dressing room" for herself and her dolls.  

And Drew. 

She made dance posters for the dressing room walls.

Drew only knocked this over about a million times.

Last project--lots of drawing.

 Mermaid hospital.

A big sister not overly excited about visiting her new baby brother in the hospital.  Interesting study in perspective.

 The maternity ward of the Animal Princess Hospital.

 Decoration for an animal train she made with Drew.

Coloring page, to which she added her own Chinese characters.  We looked them up on the computer.   Her tea set reads, "Princess."  She is saying, "Smells good!"

For this Tess found a candle and decided to play "old-fashioned" girl.  She put on a dress and was writing in her "journal" by candlelight.  

We are very glad to have her feeling better; today was her first full day back at school.  I do wish the day wasn't quite so long though, so she had more time for her projects.  I guess that's what summer's for.