Some Days Being a Nana is Rough

My grandbaby, who is 8 months old, spent the night last night. He was precious and sweet as usual but much calmer than he usually is. He is a good baby but very, very active so he keeps me on my toes, usually.

He took a long nap in the evening so I was prepared for a midnight bedtime but to my surprise he was ready for bed by 10:00. He has been teething so I thought, well, maybe he is just needing more rest right now.

I gave him his nighttime bottle and put him to bed. When I awoke at 3:00 a.m. with the cat meowing to go out to "cat around" I checked on him and he seemed fine. I put a light blanket on him and went back to bed. He stays in my room in his play yard, we called them playpens but I think someone didn't like the word pen, so I hear every move he makes.

When I woke up at 6:00 a.m. and realized I hadn't heard a thing from him all night I got up and once again checked on him. He appeared to be fine so I thought I would go back to bed for a bit because I knew he would surely be up soon. I checked on his several more times and things seemed fine. I even moved him around a little thinking I would wake him. I was ready for my morning snuggle with him. *smile*

Once it was 8:00 and he still had not awaken I decided I was just going to get him up. Well, he was burning up! I got him up and immediately gave him some fever reducer, juice and took his temperature. It was 101.5! And the sweet little thing was just smiling at me and loving me with those little hands. Just melts me.

I called his mother, my daughter, and told her what was going on. I told her the fever had gone down and I would just keep an eye on him and let her know if things got worse.

Early afternoon she came over and he was sleeping so she just decided to stay for a while and goof off and let him sleep. (And I think let Nana take care of him, which was fine with me.)

Around 4:00 his fever shot up again, this time to 102.5 so she called the doctor. I told her it was probably a virus because he had not exhibited any other symptoms such as pulling his ears, crying, etc. The doctor said to bring him in at 6:30 p.m. as long as we could get the fever down and if it shot up again and we couldn't get it down to take him to the emergency room.

We were able to keep it around 99 to 100 until time to go to the doctor. By that time I was quite emotional and my husband and I decided that she and the baby's father just needed to go ahead and take him and I would stay home.

So the story goes, he has a virus and the doctor will check him tomorrow. He has a very protective doctor because when he was 2 months old he was in the hospital with pneumonia and whooping cough for a week. He always sees him no matter what day or time of day it is. Pretty dedicated doctor I think.

Having raised four children I have been through this so many times and I was pretty sure it was a virus but it's good to have a doctor confirm. I don't think that it bothers me so much that he is sick, I have been through that over and over with my own children, but that he is at home, where he should be, with his mommy and daddy and they are taking care of him instead of me. LOL I just know he will grow so fast and won't be a baby very long at all. I want to enjoy every second I am with him.

I am thankful that my daughter will share him with us the way she does. We usually get him overnight every Friday night and usually any other day or night I want him. I think the rough part of being a Nana is having to let him go home. *smile*

This little one has stolen my heart. :0) I am so thankful to God for him!

Have a GREAT weekend and God Bless you and yours.

Joyce aka Nana