When I used to teach I remember colds would run through our classroom like the Tasmanian devil. One by one kids would be out with a cold and then me, then by the time I was done it would go again. I never knew what happened on the home-side when my kiddos were out of the classroom. Now I realize why parents looked so happy when their kids went back to school -- caring for a sick child is the most tiring thing an adult can go through. Not only physically, but emotionally. You look at your poor child suffering with pain and you know you would do anything to take that pain away, but alas you have to let the sickness run its course until its nasty little head is gone.

Yes, Tanner got his first full blown cold of his life a few days ago. Sadly, I gave it to him. What was first just a runny nose turned into a cough, then turned into a fever in the middle of the night. This was Tanner's second fever of his life and I really had no idea what was going on. I didn't want to be one of those over reacting parents that call the doctor at the slightest sniffle, but then I didn't want to neglect something more serious. At first I thought, hmmm, it'll just pass. But I had this nagging feeling that something was really wrong. I guess that's called "mother's intuition."

I called the great pediatricians at Shanghai United and they told me immediately to come in to find out if the virus had turned into a bacterial infection. They were able to squeeze me in on a busy Saturday morning and thankfully so, turns out Tanner had an ear infection -- in both ears! The little guy is now on Day 3 of antibiotics and ended his 3 day home quarantine with a visit to Kidtown today.

My arms are sore from endless rocking, my throat dry from countless repeats of "Hush Little Baby", and my mind exhausted from worrying that he'll have a fevral convulsion. I have come to realize that it is in the parent job description for incessant worrying. Add that to entertainer, chef, nurse, toy, and the list goes on.

Good luck to all you parents out there this cold season -- stay healthy and remember when in doubt, trust that intuition and call the doc!