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Some of Rebecca's favorite words lately are "no" and "not."

As in, "No, Mommy," and "No, I not."  I'm not enjoying this phase.

She's already enjoying getting into arguments with me, or with anyone, really.  No matter what I say, she takes the opposite stance.

If she's dancing I'll say, "Are you dancing?"

and she'll reply, "No, I not," (even though she clearly is dancing!).

If she's eating and enjoying a snack I might say, "Are those good raisins?"

and she'll reply, "No."  She just wants to say the opposite of whatever I'm saying.  How does this start before she's even two???

I even tested this theory the other day while she was in a particularly obstinate mood by saying, "Do you like the Wiggles?"

"No," she replied.

"You don't?" I asked.

"Yes, I do," she finally agreed.

Rachel likes to argue, so the two of them will go back and forth until I tell Rachel to stop.

I didn't think this would be an issue until they were a lot older.  Ugh.

In other news, Rachel got off the bus on Friday with a fever.  She spent the afternoon and evening on the couch, shivering under a blanket, when it was in the high 80's outside.  Even with ibuprofen, I couldn't keep the fever below 101.  Saturday the fever was a little lower, but her throat was killing her all day.  The strange girl doesn't like popscicles, which I kept offering to get her, so there wasn't really anything I could do for her.  Sunday the fever was almost gone but her throat still hurt and looked just awful.  We ended up taking her to the children's hospital urgent care to have her tested for strep.  It's not strep--just a virus. 

The goal was to get her better by today, when she's having a "field trip" to the school cafeteria to eat lunch for the first time (to get ready for first grade).  She's been SO excited about it and really, REALLY didn't want to miss it.  The doctor at urgent care yesterday said if her fever stayed down and she felt better today, she could go to school. 

So she hasn't had a fever since early yesterday morning, and even though her throat still hurts, she apparently isn't contagious, so she's allowed to go to school today.  She's thrilled.

I'm just ready to have some days without a sick family member.  (Just as Rachel is getting better, Rebecca is now coughing and has a non-stop runny nose.  It just never ends!!)