So our youngest has finally succumbed to some sort of undefined illness.

She’s been off her game for about two weeks now if I’m being honest.  But then she’ll get better and there will be a day of wonderful before the fever comes back and she returns to screaming through the night.

We were home two days from work this week to stay with her; then Friday?  Upswing!  She had a great morning at daycare.  She played at the newly opened local splash pad in an apparently exuberantly cute enough way that I had to grant permission to the local paper who was there snapping photos to use hers in the next issue (so now awaiting that to see if she really “made the cut”).

Let me just say I was already drafting my thankful along the lines of “Yay we’re coming out of this” when my daycare provider messaged me to say she woke up miserable from nap.

She stopped taking fluids last night and weezed through the night enough that we went to a clinic this morning.

With that stunning intro I give you my contribution to Lizzi’s Hop of Happy.  My (slightly revised) ten things of thankful this week.

I am thankful the clinic took us quickly this morning and that my youngest is now on antibiotics (thankful #1).  She is napping right now, but we will spend the better part of after nap forcing fluids down her so she doesn’t become too dehydrated, which is my current main concern.

I am thankful that my eldest was very well-behaved at the doctors (thankful #2).  As we sat in the check-up room waiting for the doctor she decided that she wanted to be a doctor and proceeded to start checking her younger sister by tapping her with a tongue depressor, feeling her forehead, hugging her and offering her water.  Her shift then ended with the second doctor showed up.  She debriefed and was very well-behaved as her younger sister screamed through the rest of the check-up.

I was thankful that Dollarama had the coloured streamers from the music festival that we went to last week as one of the exhibitors promised (thankful #3).  We picked them up on the way back from the doctors and the girls had fun in the backyard playing with them as I did some cleaning.  My eldest fell in love with this toy last week and has been asking daily if we can get them.  Done!

I am thankful for jobs that have quieted down over the summer so that my husband and I could each take a day off of work this week without much trouble to stay home with our youngest (thankful #4).

I am thankful for Netflix, Dora and Heroes (thankful #5).  I’m trying to be thankful for Winx Club, my eldest’s current favourite.  With sick child, I’ve watched more television than normal this week.  My youngest has also developed a hard-core love of Dora.  In that as she screamed out in sickness I could say “Hey, wanna watch Dora!” and she’d calm right down, nod, grab her bunny and wait to be carried downstairs.  Her being sick was also a great way to argue for Dora over Winx with my eldest.

I am thankful for thoughtful coworkers (thankful #6).  My one coworker decided to start doling out free compliments courtesy of Secret Blue Butterfly.  There are now a few of us sharing them among the office.  I discovered Friday I apparently have a beautiful soul and an infectious laugh.

I’m thankful to Fi over at Fi’s Mutterings and Mumblings for nominating my blog for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award (thankful #7). I’m happy to have met her via blogging. Do check her fabulous blog out.

I’m thankful this week for Twitter and my firm belief that laughter is the best medicine.  I enjoyed tweeting funny moments with the kids in an otherwise less than fun week.  It helped.  And it also helped others seemed to like ’em too. Here’s my favourites (thankful #8).

I particularly enjoy the dishwasher company that found me via tweet to suggest their brand.  Now THAT’s social media advertising!

I am thankful for fun coworkers (thankful #9) and an appreciative employer (thankful #10).  On the first, we had a “getting to know you” contest at work where everyone on the floor had to submit something about themselves they thought others wouldn’t know.  Then we all had to guess who was who.  There were then prizes for various categories.  The tidbit about me?  I’ve previously blogged about it: How I once gave a winning speech at age 11 about wanting to be the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland so I could lob the heads off all those who annoyed me and play croquet with Happy Birthday Pink Flamingo lawn ornaments.  Anyway, I won a swanky green wig for the submission that was “hardest to guess”.  I suppose it is a good thing my coworkers don’t see me as comical, homicidal, megalomaniac. Go me. My daughter loves it. Even though it isn’t pink.  I think she looks like Pizzazz from the Misfits.  Am I dating myself?  Is that a yes?  Off with your head!

I am also thankful for an appreciative employer.  Some federal departments have an awards/recognition program for management to show appreciation for a job well done.  We had our end of year recognition party and I was recognized for work on a few files and got to choose some awards.  Work Santa delivered them yesterday and I’m now the proud owner of a new (and much-needed) camera and safety kit for my car.

So there’s my thankful for this week.  Share yours!