Walking Backwards

A whole week and I am finally beginning to feel like I should be able to rejoin society. It turns out that I had gotten bronchitis. I went to the doctor on Monday for a series of chest x-rays and breathing treatments. The doctor put me on a steroid regimen and gave me a big shot of the stuff. He also started me on a new asthma treatment program. I had to call Joe home from work because I couldn't take care of the baby on my own my breathing had gotten so poor. Now I just feel exhausted. Doing a load of laundry is enough to put me on the couch. I should be all better in a couple of days, though. I worry about the baby now because he just started coughing really badly yesterday and he will not take his medicine. He doesn't have asthma or any serious respiratory problems so it shouldn't be so bad. He did have to miss his pre-school preview class today, but should be there next week.

Yesterday, Joe and I went to run errands since we were entirely out of most everything. I didn't want to have to do it by myself and it was nice to see the outside world for the first time in a week. We went to Babies R'Us to get some clearance baby clothes, diapers, and bibs. I was looking to get the little one a coat, but they didn't have a great selection. We also went to Zany Brainy, which is closing its doors at the end of the month. I wish we had a lot more money to spend because I saw so much stuff I know Nicholas would love. We did get a Kinderzeat, a crawlspace that ends in a ball house (very space-consuming we have discovered), a baby einstein video, and some wooden puzzles. I wanted to get the 'Thomas the Train' starter set, but it was one-hundred and fifty dollars on clearance. That wasn't going to happen. After getting back I had to go to bed, but Nicholas spent about an hour just sitting in his new tunnel system. He loves it. His new favorite past-time is to sit in his tunnel and throw balls at us as we walk by. Even the cat digs it.

I read in the paper yesterday that my favorite local baby store is closing. It is really sad what is happening to a lot of these businesses. The S. Congress shopping district used to be a bad neighborhood, but a bunch of funky shops moved in and made it a wonderful place. Now, they are unable to afford the raised rents the property owner's are charging them and we are going to end up with another boutique that sells six-hundred dollar a pair shoes. The baby store, DragonSnaps, was one of the few places I could get clothes that fit Nicholas. Every time I had to overhaul his wardrobe, I went there to pick up supplies. Now, I have to find somewhere else to go for all of his unusual clothes. I feel so sorry for the owner's, this store has been their way of life for twenty years.