Parenting the only child

Since S is without her sister this week, and it's her birthday this week, she's reveling in the attention. And she's so full of energy, I don't know if I can make it until Friday. She is literally bouncing off the wall. (I swear I have not fed her crack, though. Honest.) I've contained her in the tub for a little while, but she's alternately singing to herself, having conversations with rubber duckies and a naked Ariel doll, and shouting, "MOM-MEEEE! When are you going to come PLAY with me?!"

I did just speak to a Kaiser advice nurse, encouraged (but not quite dared) by Josh & Julia to do so. Of course, my throat is finally better today, so I'm left to think it really was viral, and I'm over it -- or it was strep, and I think I've beaten it but really it can and will come back any minute now and wreak havoc on my organs, or it was strep and I really have beaten it without antibiotics, if that's possible. The advice nurse must have thought I was crazy because I had half the symptoms of a cold or allergies and half the symptoms of something worse I'd made up in my spare time. I threw in Fifth's Disease, pink eye, and the half marathon just to confuse her. But then again, she probably couldn't fully concentrate on what I was saying anyway because she was too busy reading the section of my file that's flagged "hypochondriac" She eventually used a clever ploy to get me off the phone and stop my "But I don't know if I'm really sick" whining : she made me an appointment for Dr. I-Will-Shame-You-If-You-Are-Late for tomorrow at noon. If I wake up feeling better (please please) then I'll cancel the appointment. If I wake up still with a sore throat, I'll at least go in for a culture. We could all use a little culture now and then.