If you go, she will get sick...

My daughter is sick, don't tell anyone.

I honestly would have never sent her to school if I knew she had a fever...which is probably why I didn't take her temperature.

She woke up crabby today - crabbier than usual - which is pretty, darn crabby...

I just had no patience for it. I had 3 kids packed up and get out the door to school so I could leave on my long-anticipated "ME" vacation in Ojai. Yoga, hikes, massages...heaven. My plan was to take the kids through the drop-off lane, and just keep going - making a bee-line for Ojai and three days of solitude and bliss.

But as always, "the best laid plans..."

"Feel my head. " She asked. This was not part of the plan.

"You're fine." I said.

"My head feels hot."

"Your head isn't hot. You're...just warm from sleeping."

In my defense, Livi is a drama queen who complains she's sick a lot. I call her "The Girl Who Cried Flu". She always needs an icepack for this or that. Something aches, something itches, something causes her tremendous discomfort. It could be a cold air...it could be the seam of her pants.

I wasn't in the mood to figure it out this morning. I just wanted to get on the road.

But she was clingy. So when I got to school, I actually came to a complete stop and parked so I could walk them in. Ben and Izzy gave me extra kisses and hugs and took off their class lines. Livi clung more.

"Honey, I have to go. I'll be back in 2 days!"

She broke into tears. "I'M GOING TO MISS YOU!!!!!"

I got onto my knees. "Honey, I'm only gone for 2 short days. Scott's with you, Daddy's with you, Cecelia (our beloved nanny to whom she refers as "Nutella") will be with you. I'll be back before you know it. Why are you so sad? I always come back - you know that." I resorted to the "Mommy Comes Back" song:

"Mommy comes back...
Mommy always comes back....
Mommy always comes back to staaaaaaaaay!"

She was not swayed.

More tears. More clinging.

Didn't she know how much I needed this trip?

"Honey, I love you but I really have to go. You'll be fine. You're going to have so much fun while I'm gone and I'll bring you a special present if you're real good." Yes...I bribed her.

She relented at the thought of free stuff and I handed her over to her teacher, swapping out my leg for hers.

She doesn't usually go on like this for so long. Maybe she really wasn't feeling well. Crap.

I told myself if she was really sick she would have told me...you know, again. Or the school would call. She'd be fine.

So I just got a call from our nanny. She's sick. 101.1 temperature. Figures.

Okay. I'm a bad mom. I admit it.

But even bad moms need a massages once in a while.