Extra patience necessary

The last couple of days have been really difficult, worrying about Tobey's fever/lethargy and trying to manage two kids' naps, meals (or Tobey's lack of), and general happiness (including my own) in addition to the medicine schedule of two different kinds of medicine. I asked Tom to be on deck in case I can't handle both kids any more. When Tobey was at his worst, I also felt the worst, that I couldn't always hold him or comfort him or give him the best care. Or I could but at the expense of Eli crying which just makes everyone cranky. And yesterday when Tobey started refusing medicine (poor guy has been getting a lot lately), I almost broke down crying, out of frustration and worry for Tobey's health. I've also been going a little nutso because Eli, who is ramping up his cold, can't seem to sleep well. Yesterday he had 5 naps, four 20 minute naps and one long one. And when he does seem to be working on a decent nap, Tobey does something to wake him up.

Well, we seem to be getting out of the woods with Tobey today. He isn't staring into space or just lying around like he has the last two days. He's playing and talking and pretty normal, except that he's a bit more whiny and demanding than normal. I'm trying to have patience, but 1) I think I used up most of my sympathy and patience in the last two days and 2) I hesitate to cut him too much slack. Since he is behaving somewhat normally, his yelling "no!" or blatant quiet disobedience just seems to cross the line of propriety of how to talk to a parent. If he's well enough to play, he's well enough to say "please" instead of yelling, "Waterrrr!" with attitude.

When Tom comes home, it is a big relief. But somehow the hours when he's home and also the ones after the kids go to bed feel few and far between.