In the middle of the night, episode 9

4:05am

Coughing from the girls' room. I'm pretty sure it's Claire.

Ah, she stopped.

A few minutes later.... more coughing. Again, she stops.

This goes on for, I dunno, 20 minutes? I'm trying to sleep, so I'm not really sure.

Then Claire really gets down to business, coughs, barks, and then starts wailing. I stumble into the room. Claire is sitting up, hair on end, tangled in the covers.

"Mom!" she sobs, "where's Gra-Maw?!?"

"Gra-Maw is on her way to see Uncle Trevor."

"Oh!" still sobbing.

"Lay down, sweetie. Here's your bear. Do you want some water?" I asked. "Yes!" volume a bit reduced.

I get the kid a drink, get her to snuggle in the covers and she promptly falls back asleep. I'm tip-toeing out when I hear a calm voice from Aeron's side of the room.

"I didn't cry."

Resigned, I stop at Aeron's bed. "Nope, you didn't, Boo."

"Claire did. She was crying and she woke up me!"

"Claire was coughing, honey. She can't help it. Go back to sleep." I tuck her in, kiss her forehead and leave. I'm half way back to my room when....

"Mom! Can I have a drink?"

They are doing this on purpose, I swear. They want me to be sleep deprived and cranky; that's the only explanation.