My poor little niece has contracted a rather virulent rotavirus infection, and she's spending her second night in the hospital tonight. She's doing fine, though, and she's lucky enough to have a mom and two grandparents able to dote on her every need -- and take care of my nephew -- while this week's Midwestern snow dump has trapped my sister's husband in Florida on business.

The niece is currently in the unpleasant throes of her Terrible Twos, and this infection has kept her blessedly docile, my sister reports. So there is a small silver lining to this viral cloud.