Last week it began with Big, sore throat. It morphed into a persistently running nose, coupled with tummy trouble and exhaustion. I had him stay home early in the week to try to get ahead of it. A day off - just to rest.
Somewhere along the line Little's nose started running. He still uses a soothie (Nuk, plug...) and it has been constantly coated in crusted snot. Oozing bubbles of gross on his otherwise cute face. I have a mom friend and blogger who described the toddler cold like this: The kind of sick where she can't breath through her nose and just stares at you with her mouth open. Yeah, that kind of sick.
Friday AM Big came out of his room, I took one look at his swollen face and just pointed back to his door... he would be spending another day in quarantine - resting.
By Friday afternoon Les was complaining that he didn't "feel right" and I knew my weekend of plans was unraveling before me. One sick Big is bad, adding in one sick toddler makes it worse, but a sick husband... just shut it down. Family movie night with the Smurfs and early to bed with everyone was how our fabulous Friday night played out.
Saturday morning we had an appointment that couldn't be missed and everyone rallied so Big could have a positive lead into his placement exam. When Big finished up, "It was easy" he breezed I pressed my luck in suggesting we all go out to brunch... This particular joint is only open for breakfast and the food is phenomenal - so there was a wait to be seated. Little ended up seeing the bakery case and with that had a starter of ginger snaps. Once seated; Big pouted about food portions (although he didn't even finish his meal tummy trouble and Little had seven smallish melt downs and three biggish ones. Les couldn't stop complaining that his left ear was plugged up. I just ate my blueberry pancakes. ah mum she mum. The line to be seated started bleeding into the seating area -which is annoying- and I could feel the eyes of the people waiting as I tried in vein to urge Little into eating something...
After we wiped the place down and paid our bill, Les asked if he should take the kids out to the, Heck Yeah! Relief and anticipation fell upon the waiting patrons as a four top was opening up. It was short lived as I smiled at our waitress and gestured to my coffee cup. She filled me up, splash of cream and I sat there, alone, in the quiet din of a packed restaurant and drank every drop. It was a great 7 minutes (It is January in Wisconsin, how long could I leave the three of them in the car?)
Everyone retreated to their beds for a nap when we got home. aaahhh. (everyone except Mom, of course).
Sunday Funday, right? Not.
We went to the Bubble (the lovely suburb that my in-laws live in) to enjoy the Packer game and I wasn't sure if I was just disgusted by the game or coming down with something myself. Whatever illness Les was suffering from was draining and the the lack of offense and defense in the game gave way for him to further fall apart. Everyone to bed when we got home
Monday being *Martin Luther King Jr. day kept Big home from school and Les took a day off of work to recover (he slept until 11:30AM). It was low key day. I did my errands and made a huge batch of chicken noodle soup. They all blew their noses and laid around, relaxing/recuperating.
This morning Les said he was going to take another day off of work. I went into panic mode and retreated to the basement to flip the wash... I needed to think! I returned upstairs and gingerly inquired, "What if you feel worse tomorrow or get really sick again in a few weeks? Won't you wish you went in and did what you could today?" I could tell he was sizing me up.
I left for a bit to take Big to school (on time, take that school social worker) and when I returned Les was getting ready for work. "You are right," he said, "I should go in and give it a try." Phew, dodged that bullet. As bad as I feel for them when they are sick; there comes a day when people who go to work- go to work, kids that go to school- go to school and those of us who work from and in the home get their house and office back.
Having them all home for more than 48 hours- sick and complaining both hurts my heart and annoys the heck out of me.
I am happy they are well enough to be able to go about their activities of daily life, so I can too.
*1964 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech:
I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits.
I believe that what self-centered men have torn down men other-centered can build up. I still believe that one day mankind will bow before the altars of God and be ...crowned triumphant over war and bloodshed, and nonviolent redemptive good will proclaim the rule of the land.
"And the lion and the lamb shall lie down together and every man shall sit under his own vine and fig tree and none shall be afraid."
I still believe that We Shall overcome!
This faith can give us courage to face the uncertainties of the future.
~Martin Luther King Jr.
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