The Meaning of Family

Ups and Downs

(Hi! I'm alive lol. Work and school are kinda kicking my butt right now and I just haven't had much time to write. Here's an update, but it's going to be a few weeks before the next one most likely. Thank you for being patient!)

They progressed further into fall and into the beginning of winter, and Ava continued to have more good days than bad. By early November, Ava was really settling into things, but her little body did not like the wind and weather changes in Chicago and she'd been congested for about a week, although a trip to Natalie told them she was just having seasonal allergies and to take a children's allergy medication to help clear up her congestion.

Ava didn't have a fever and said she wanted to go to school, and Nat gave them the all-clear that school was okay, so they kept sending her. Four days after going to see Nat, Ava was very quiet but didn't tell Hailey and Jay that she really didn't feel good. Other than being quiet, she acted like she was okay and went to school, attached to her lovies and curling up with her weighted swan when they did story time. She was coughing a ton and her chest felt funny, but she didn't want to say anything, so she just kept doing stuff until lunch, and then she fell asleep at the table after only eating a few grapes.

Allison had been watching Ava all day, the toddler had been her usual self for the first hour after drop off, but then she got really quiet, and her cough got worse, and she didn't want to do much. Then the little girl fell asleep during lunch and she went over and put the child's food back in her lunchbox and put that away before she got Ava's nap mat out and got her set up by her desk and laid her down under her swan. She could feel that the little girl had a fever, which she hadn't had that morning.
Once all the other kids were settled for nap time, she got her phone out and called Hailey. Ava was coughing in her sleep and it sounded worse than the other days.

Hailey answered on the second ring when she saw who it was.

H: is Ava okay?
A: she's got a fever, so someone needs to come get her. She's been very lethargic since about an hour after she was dropped off and has been asleep since lunch started. Her cough sounds worse, too.
H: poor baby, I'll be right there. Thank you.
A: of course, see you soon.

Hailey quickly told Voight what was going on then left the district to go get Ava. The little girl was awake when she got there, coughing and crying while sitting in her teacher's lap. Hailey's heart broke when she saw how rough Ava looked; she hadn't looked bad at all when she had dropped her off four hours ago.

"Hey, baby," Hailey said as she signed Ava out. Ava reached out for her looking so sad and Hailey was able to go into the room and pick her up.

Ava clung to her as Hailey got her things. She really didn't feel good and just wanted to go home and cuddle and nap. She whined when Hailey put her in her car seat but fell asleep before they even left the parking lot.

The next time she woke up, Hailey was changing her into a diaper and pajamas. "Why diaper?" She asked quietly, then coughed a lot.

"Because you keep falling asleep, baby. I just want to be safe, you're still our big girl, Aves," Hailey finished up and got Ava into some pajamas then carried her to their room to take her temperature.

"You've got a fever, babes. Time for some medicine and a nap. Do you want to try to eat something?" Hailey asked, pulling Ava to her chest.

"Not hungwy," Ava mumbled around her thumb. Hailey sighed and took the little girl downstairs and got some immune support pedialyte that Jay had dropped by and put it in a sippy cup, then got Ava some medicine. She managed to convince the little girl to eat a few bites of applesauce before they went back upstairs and she settled Ava in the big bed while she changed and washed her face.

Ava was already asleep with her lovies when Hailey finished and Hailey snapped a picture and sent it to Jay before she got in bed with her girl. She was really seeing Ava as a daughter more than a sister at this point. With a sigh and a frown from just thinking about having a sick kid, Hailey got into bed and closed her eyes so she could nap with Ava.

Hailey was woken up an hour later to Ava's violent coughing and crying, and suddenly, from the force of her coughs, Ava threw up all over herself and the bed. Hailey jumped into action and thanked God that Ava's lovies had already been pushed to the side so they were safe from the vomit. Meltdown avoided.

Hailey quickly got Ava into the bathroom and to the toilet as she kept coughing, crying, and throwing up. "Ave, baby, you have to breathe. Feel my hand on your back and breathe for me. You're okay, I promise," Hailey spoke in a soothing tone and kept speaking as Ava just barely started to calm down before coughing again.

"Mama, hewp it stop!" She managed to get out and Hailey froze for a second. Ava had called her mama.

Another round of vomit had Hailey snapping out of it. "I'm trying baby, I'm trying. I just need you to breathe so you stop coughing. In and out with me, just like this," and she began to take exaggerated breaths for Ava to follow.

The little girl eventually settled down and with the calm of her breathing, the coughing ceased, and she stopped crying. Her little body still shook occasionally with the aftershocks of her sobs, but that was it. Hailey stripped her out of her pajamas.

"M wet," Ava sniffled, rubbing her eyes.

"I know baby, it's okay. I'm gonna give you a quick bath, you'll be all clean in no time. Does your tummy hurt?" Hailey asked, turning on the water in the bathtub.

"Feews weired," Ava shrugged, coughing a little.

"Let's get some water in you," Hailey went and grabbed Ava's water and took it to her sick kid. Ava drank slowly then put it on the counter.

Once she was in the bath, she looked at Hailey. "Awe you mad?"

"Baby, you couldn't help getting sick, I'm not mad," Hailey kissed her forehead to try to reassure her, but Ava shook her head.

"No, are you mad I caw you mama?" She asked tentatively.

"No, I'm not mad. Do, uh, do you want to call me mama?" Hailey asked, holding her breath as Ava stared at her.

"Uh huh. Scawed to. I want a mama, an you take care of me bettew than old mommy," Ava said quietly.

"Ava, if you want to call me mama, you can call me mama. I love you like a daughter, you're more than my little sister, you're my kid," Hailey stood Ava up and Ava hugged her.

"Wove you, mama," she said quietly, and Hailey blinked back tears.

"I love you, baby girl."