Snickers, Starburst & Swine Flu

Looks like I should have rapped my knuckles against the desk as I blogged last week of our almost-brush with the swine flu because just one week later, Porter got hit hard by something that walked and talked enough like swine flu to warrant yet another nasal swab for the Burt kids. And though we're still waiting on the final test results, we're pretty sure the flu season's biggest bully decided to pick on us after all. And, of course, just in time for Halloween.

And now you ask, what do you do with an almost-four-year-old who has been inquiring about trick-or-treating every morning for the past three weeks when he suddenly gets hit by the plague of the 2000s?

Load him up on liquids and medicine; use trick-or-treating as a bribe for a follow-up doctor's visit, an extra nap and a plate full of fruits and veggies (for good measure); and be overly cautious with your trick-or-treat buddies to the point of asking them to sign a wavier acknowledging their willful participation in Halloween festivities with a swine flu-stricken child.

Thanks to the miracle that is Tamiflu (and the go-ahead from our pediatrician), Porter's immune system threw a hail mary in the final hours before dusk on Saturday. And with an extra layer of clothes, a stroller ride from door to door, and fingers crossed, our little monkey thoroughly enjoyed canvassing the neighborhood for sugared bliss with his pal Spiderman.

A big thanks to Wesley's parents for having the foresight to get him immunized before Halloween. Spiderman is impervious to human germs anyway, right?

Beyond trick-or-treating, we enjoyed our traditional pre-sugar frenzy pumpkin-shaped pizza, and while the moms and boys hit the pavement, Nora and her pal Viv manned the candy bowl at home with the dads.

Unfortunately, Andy started feeling worse and worse throughout the evening, and we forgot to get a family Halloween pic. But we did manage to snap a few of just Porter and Nora before the festivities began. It was so much fun when they first saw one another in costume; they were both so excited, especially Nora, who giggled and climbed all over her big brother.

The ballerina-bunny (cut me some slack, this was my first Halloween with a girl and there are too many pink, ruffled options to choose just one) conquered the much larger but more gentle monkey, and with any luck, we'll be able to same the same of the Burts over Swine Flu very soon (Andy's still hanging on to a sore throat and wall-shaking cough).