Asymptomatic

Abby and Riley were trying to do handstands on the gymnastics mat in the family room. I guess maybe Riley got tired or forgot what to do at a later point, and had an amusing little faceplant.

Video was taken with the Flip, uploaded to Flickr, and inserted into the post with Habari's new Flickr video support.

On a whim and a wish to watch something with the kids that was not yet another animated film (not that I dislike them, but they seem all that the kids will tolerate in entirely) I threw in a copy of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I'm not sure I expected them to really watch the whole thing, but being that Indiana Jones was a favorite of mine over the years, I had hoped they would enjoy it as much as I do. As it turns out, my hopes have come true.

Tonight when we were out to dinner, I suggested to Abby that we pop some corn and watch another Indiana Jones movie. Her eyes flew wide open in shock, as she was surprised to learn that there was another movie!

I was only too happy to put Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade into the player to watch. We've been nibbling popcorn and watching Indy chase down the holy grail now for a little while, and I'm happy to report that the movie has her rapt attention....

Abby: You count and I'll hide, ok? Go!

Riley: 1.. 2.. 3.. 4.. Here I come!

Abby: NO! Count to ten, ok? Go ahead....

We had a conference with Abby's first grade teacher recently, during which she expressed mild concern over Abby's interest in school. She asked us specifically if anything really motivates Abby, since she doesn't seem to do anything more than the necessary work in her academics. While she's perfectly capable of doing the work, she doesn't really get enthusiastic about it.

Abby's always been her own self, and the one thing that she really does get enthused about is art. Abby really likes to draw, and even her teacher remarked that she's significantly advanced compared to her peers. She notices details that they don't and I have noticed that she is able to put abstract images on paper that I wouldn't even have thought of.

There is one particular crayon-coloring that sticks in memory. It was one of those "color this - win lunch" things that they give the kids at Ron's Schoolhouse - a picture of a backpack. I think Berta or I idly asked her to draw some things in around the backpack, not really specifying, but I was really expecting some basic school-related doodles. Instead, Abby drew a bunch of things to scale with the backpack. Some in the foreground, some in the background. There was even someone's foot and leg visible from behind the bag, and it amazed me that she could put the backpack in this whole scene - just see it in her mind and draw it....

Yesterday when I got home from work, Abby was asleep on the couch. This is pretty abnormal for her, since she's usually "on" from 8am until 10pm, non-stop. She woke up groggy around 7pm, complaining of a headache. We gave her a bit of kid's Motrin, and she seemed to improve.

Abby had a high fever this morning when she woke up. She was bit bit more sluggish than usual, dragging herself out of bed to the living room where she crashed on a couch in front of the TV. She didn't seem enthusiastic about breakfast, but that's pretty normal. I gave her another spoonful of Motrin (she really doesn't like that stuff), and it took the edge off of her fever.

When Nana arrived, I told her that Abby wasn't feeling really well. She felt Abby's forehead, and it was still burning up. Nana insisted that Abby wouldn't go to school. I wasn't really thinking about sending her, I was just wondering if she'd clear up later in the day, enough to head out to kindergarten. But I guess that was optimistic....