Fevers and monsters

Both kids caught a cold this week/weekend, and this morning is the first time Reni has not had a fever in several days. He slept on my chest most of yesterday, and Anika has been going from a Tylennol high to a wee little lump on the couch that consumes an amazing amount of Gatorade.

While I was rocking him to sleep last night, Reni gestured for his crib and clearly said, "Ox," which is the name of the little monster he has taken as his BFF. I got it for him, and he cracked a huge grin and snuggled that little blue monster tight.

They both woke up in the middle of the night, fever-free and relatively easy to put back to sleep, and I'm enjoying the fact that Anika is sleeping in while Reni explores the various flotsam and jetsam in our yard and squeals whenever a hot air balloon floats within view. He has added the following words to his repertoire:

- Anika (he asks for her each and every morning, first thing, when he wakes up)
- banana
- balloon (ok, not quite, but I know it's what he's trying to say)
- Ox
- Daddy (my baby-phobe husband has finally warmed up to his son over the past few months, and they have a lot of fun together. Since in the womb, Reni has adored his dad - he would always move around whenever he heard Mando's voice - and today when his dad gets home from work, Reni explodes into smiles and says, Daddy! with his arms out wide
- He sings, too. A lot. In the car. In his crib when he's trying to fall asleep. In the middle of the grocery store. He will look at you pointedly, open his mouth wide, and "ahh-la-ba-ba-bahhhh" and if you start singing a song back (his favorites are Twinkle Twinkle and the Happy Birthday song) he bursts into a huge smile and sings along with you. He is one musical dude.

He's also continuing his experimentation with this whole walking thing, which has him alternately fascinated and exhausted.

Anika, however, seems to never get exhausted. Last night, 9 p.m., she's dancing around the living room with her Kai-Lan pajama bottoms on top of her head and her little barely-there-butt flashing us as she speeds by on her way to the kitchen. Reni, for his part, giggled and bounced to the music as he mimicked his big sister. They may have had fevers, but it was one helluva Monster Mash last night.