Nothing like a good Nebulizer to get your day going.

I thought I was helpless when Kim was pregnant. Couldn't do anything to help other than try to make things as comfortable as I could. Things progressed from there in the delivery room, where the doctor obviously can tell that Dad's just want to help, and they give us the incredible responsibility of fetching Ice Chips from the dispenser down the hall (obviously from their many past experiences, that's about all we can handle). Shortly thereafter we move along to the infant stages of life, and then get to deal with the confusion and pain and discomfort of a gassy, teething, hungry, wet, etc... etc... etc... Child (you CAN tell the difference in the cries RIGHT? You DID read all of those books your wife did - RIGHT???).

Well, we've now moved along to the part in Harry's life when he starts to get sick. Oh the joy of it all! I think they put this part and the getting mobile/learning to interact/learning to walk stuff together on purpose, so as not to drive us all insane. The excitement and pure joy of watching your child learn and develop right in front of you is just about the only thing that can counter listening to him cry himself hoarse because he really doesn't like being woken up every 4 hours to have that steaming rumbling thing stuck on his face for what I'm certain fells like an eternity for him too.

It was bad enough when he got his first of what turned out to be several ear infections over the winter holidays, now he seems to have developed Bronchiolitis. I must say, it sounds a million times better than hearing the doctor say, "I want you to take him downstairs to Radiology for a Chest XRay to make sure he doesn't have Pneumonia..."

Now I know from Kim's extensive research that as with many infantile conditions these days, when caught & treated early on, they are not nearly as worrisome as they could have been in the past or if left untreated, but still... The word itself conjures images and ideas that can if anything, be termed 'uncomfortable.'

So... He's been on his Nebulizer treatment of Albuterol since Saturday morning, and seems to have succumbed to the discomfort of it all, but I know I still hate it. And on a positive note, he seems to be responding to it quite well (BTW... The doctor called back and confirmed that it wasn't the P word).

In the middle of all of this, Harry has started getting around the house faster and easier than ever. As you can see from the most recent shots, he's got a new tunnel and clubhouse that he's already found the secret back door out of, and has also begun sneaking up on Bailey (well not really sneaking, but he likes to think so). We won't bring up Kim running out of the room for Harry's first bloody lip, courtesy of a nice spill while getting a little cocky standing up in his crib...

Even though he's hoarse & raspy from hacking up a lung (stay out of Daddy's cigars kid!), he still gets that dimply smile going and giggles away as he's scrambling away... He's just a happy kid.

So we've got that going for us...