Sick Boys and Snow Days

Tuck got sick first.

That's never a great scene at our house, when Tucker comes down with something. Everything hits him hard; it's rarely just a sniffle. And this was no exception. Two doctor visits and a chest x-ray later, he was on five meds (allergy, cough, asthma, steroid, and antibiotic), but not a wheeze in sight. He stayed out of the hospital.

(Way to go, Tuck.)

(And way to go, Mommy and Daddy, for faithfully maintaining preventive meds to keep those lungs strong for the fight.)

So, we spent several days doing lots of this... and this.

My world gets very small when my children are sick. But that's how it goes when your role is part of the cure.

In the meantime, Tyler was healthy. He ran circles around Tuck, he enjoyed all the movies and books, and he especially liked playing and playing without anyone to thwart his intentions, while Tucker rested and rested. There should be some perks to staying healthy while big brother is down for the count. So, one afternoon while Tucker napped longer than Tyler (a rarity of grand proportions), I taught Tyler the art of Rice Krispie Treats.

What a helper.

And I taught him the joy of the baker's snacking privileges.

(Notice the sprinkled ingredients all over the place.)


We ate half the pan, just the two of us.

And then, two days later, Tuck was on the upturn but it was Tyler's turn with the chest cold and yuckiness. I almost didn't know what to do with a sick Tyler... he just handles things differently than Tucker, as a general rule. In his 23 months, I couldn't really remember when he had been the sick one. But, believe me, he got his turn with the snuggles and cuddles and books and movies.

And then, a snowstorm hit.

Sick boys + Snow Days = Get Creative. Fast.

We watched movies and read books, until we had gone through them all. We baked cookies, made snacks, and munched on them all. We played Uno. Chutes and Ladders. Stack the Blocks and Knock 'em Down. We stayed busy, between doses of meds and good, long naps.

And then, in a stroke of genius, I broke out the little jobbers that you immerse in water and they grow to six times their size. What a perfect adventure for this crew, who so badly needed an adventure.

We immersed.

We watched.With runny noses, puffy eyes, and raspy coughs, we watched.

And sure enough, they grew.

And now, I no longer have to worry about any small people swallowing those little candy-looking beauties and thereby ingesting that which will simultaneously dissolve and grow into an intestinal obstruction.

Phew.

Spongy little vehicles, anyone?

So that is the story. Now, the snow is gone and expected to return, and their coughs are improving... but also likely to return. Robb is taking his turn with the community germs, and I've gone through my share of tissues as well.

And so it goes.

Today, I am thankful for good books, good movies, sunshine, reasons to leave the house, a husband who was blessedly home when illness struck, and good-tasting medicine that leaves my children standing in line asking for their turn.

Oh. And the chance to love them up close and really well, through the day and all night long, in their slimy, snotty glory.

Because I'm the one they need.