... and then I remember how little she is.

Alex hasn't been well since Thursday.  Friday morning found her vomiting (though she was hiding it in the bathroom at school so she could go on her field trip...).  She was sent home from school after throwing up on the ride back from the orchard.  

All weekend, she's been not-Alex.  Whinier than usual, lethargic (she slept for almost 48 hours straight), disoriented, and complaining of dizziness.  My girl's been ill.  This morning she appeared to be over it - she was perky and acting more like the kid I know her to be.  We went out (I didn't know until we were outside that it was during the remnants of the hurricane) and had lunch, then went to Petco and Barnes & Noble.  It was at Barnes & Noble that she suddenly broke down, crying, complaining of weakness and feeling dizzy.  By the time we got to the car (and I carried her from the store to the car), she was a wreck.  She alternated between sobbing and sleeping all the way back to the apartment.  

Okay - prompt care at our doctor's office was booked for the rest of the day and didn't have access to MRIs etc today anyway.  They recommended I just take her directly to the emergency room.  My first inclination was to agree, but I took a moment and instead called a friend who is a nurse and who works with pediatrics.  

Pedialyte (the clear kind that is most like water), vanilla Carnation breakfast mix in her milk, and calorie rich food was pretty much forced into my still discombobulated baby.  Needless to say, she was less than thrilled, but if it was between that and spending the night at the hospital, I chose the forcing fluids and foods down her.

The result?  Well, she seems better tonight, as she's finally settling down for the evening.  I'm hoping (praying is actually a better word for it!) that she's well enough for school tomorrow.  

But how weak and exhausted she was after only two days of being sick makes me realize that despite how grown up she's becoming, this little girl is still little ... and she's still my baby.  And on that note, I think I'm going to go give her a cuddle before she falls asleep.