Sick Day Ends Now That Dad Is Home

Today was one of the toughest days yet of motherhood for me. We are a relatively healthy family, but the children go through the usual sicknesses and the inevitable time in which they're building up their immunity. Until now, however, we've dealt with them on an individual basis. Today, I learned how to console an inconsolable 20 month old, feed a 3.5 month old, work the On Demand feature on our cable system, and talk on the phone to the doctor all at the same time. And, let's not forget the most important task at hand - not allowing the sick germs to transfer from the baby in my right arm to the baby in my left.

Jack's 3 week "cold" turned into an all out bug last night and Blake bore the front line for hours on end. He's an amazing father in that respect (and many others).....waking endlessly during the night for the kids and often not sleeping at all for them. I stayed in our room to tend to Lainey's night time feedings and Blake spent many hours in the chair downstairs watching Happy Feet and hugging Jack.

Morning arrived and duty called...Blake was out the door and off to work...Carter off to school. We were a crying mess for several hours and then things seemed to calm down a bit.....only to start again in the late afternoon. Until - of course - Blake walks in and I escape to a movie. This seems to be their cue for change. No vomiting, no hysteria, and bed time as usual.

Perhaps I should have gone to a movie last night.

Dad seems to bring a calm to everyone that I'm incapable of. And, this often brings "funny" comments such as, "What's so hard about this whole staying-at-home thing?" which are not always that funny, actually, especially when you're on your 3rd outfit for the day.

I think we've survived the worst of the worst. We've changed the sheets on Jack's bed 1/2 dozen times in the last 24 hours. We've washed and dried just about every stuffed animal in the house because the precious boy sleeps with one under each arm at night and during nap time. He prefers his white polar bear more than any, but we can sneak in Elmo and his much loved giraffe here and there when needed.

A picture of our baby boy....actually not sick here and taken a few days ago because I simply love seeing him sleep like this. We just introduced a blanket to his crib a few months ago and he feels like such a big boy with it.....all the while, I'm wishing he'd stay a baby forever.