Sick

I've been much more diligent over the past two days about watching N's calories. Sure enough, his moods and obsessions have responded accordingly.

We've had a terrible cold going through our family. It's a cold with the works: fever, aches, coughing and fatigue. N and his brother have both been feeling it. They've been lethargic and cranky. N, however, has continued to complain about a stomach ache. He doesn't want to eat very much. I've wondered if that, in part, is him taking advantage of the situation. And I feel like I can't let him eat less. I've seen what happens when we back off on his caloric load even a little bit. I don't either want to aggravate a sick stomach. So, I've insisted that he eat. He's been a little more reluctant. But after I made it clear that eating less wasn't an option even with a stomach ache, he responded. I've tried to choose foods that are a little more bland and less heavy. For example, I let him have left-over wild-rice soup last night instead of stuffed shells with tomato sauce. I've also been suggesting hot cocoa -- but for some reason that hasn't appealed to him.