Mercer has croup.

Mom and Dad were keeping track of a slight cough Mercer was developing earlier this week and last night it exploded into full-blown croup. Croup is a respiratory ailment most common in kids from 6 months to 3 years of age, though it sometimes occurs in kids as old as 6. The symptom most commonly associated with croup is a seal-like cough, but agitated breathing ("stridor") is the more serious concern.

At around midnight last night, Mercer woke up the neighborhood with his barking coughs. He was struggling to get through it and he was clearly exhausted. He managed to ease back into a sleep, but awoke with a high fever, another symptom of croup.

A visit to the doctor's office was in order and Mercer did not enjoy that one bit. A steroid was prescribed and the first dosage needed to be administered on the spot. Apparently, the medicine tasted like garbage, because Mercer would not keep it down. With the help of a nurse, we managed to get most of the dosage in his gullet, but it was a struggle. He was still being his usual frisky self, though, playing with the thermometers, blood pressure gauges, and various squeezy things. Now it's rest and liquids for little Mercer. And cartoons. And doughnuts. And ice cream. And chocolate pudding. And anything he wants.