Sickies

This is not the most pleasant thing, but since 3 out of the 4 of us have been knocked down with the stomach flu, it bears documenting. Right?

Charlie threw up on Sunday morning, right after Steve and I had done our morning swap (weekends one of us gets up while the other sleeps, and then we switch). So I went to lay down and minutes later Steve came in with Charles who needed to be plunked in the tub (while poor Steve cleaned up the mess in Charlie's room). And, I'm a little ashamed to admit it, the first thing I thought of was that I had been sneaking snacks out of Charlie's cereal bowl... Oops.

So of course the next day, Monday, I finished the taxes and then my Cheerios and the porcelain bus had a meeting. Luckily (1) Charlie was already on the mend and (2) Steve had a short day at school. So I laid on the couch all morning while the kiddos watched too many PBS shows (they're educational, right? Except Dinosaur Train. And Clifford. Ugh.) until Steve got home. I discovered a few foods which don't taste so bad on second taste, if you know what I mean. And I started thinking that we need to find some way to get a ton of money so I can afford day care for the 6-8 weeks of morning sickness that will happen next time we have a baby, because I don't think Charlie will be quite as tame a charge as Grace was. And the day went endlessly on. The kids ate a lot of cereal, and Steve let me sleep.

2 am last night? Steve got it. I took him a glass of water, which he always does for me. One of the nice things about being married. Not having to throw up alone. Is there anything that makes you feel more vulnerable than throwing up? I hate it. So anyway he called in sick, and today we've just been taking turns laying miserably in bed while the other watches the kiddos from the couch or a pillow on the floor. More TV. More cereal.

Thank goodness for TV and cereal, right?

Grace keeps telling us we're "sickies."

But the nice thing is that being sick has made me REALLY SLOOOOOW DOWN. I got lots of cuddle time with my babies this morning--I discovered that tickling the back of Charlie's neck will make him stop crying. He has also been laying his head on us a lot and saying "huuuuh" (hug). Gracie read me lots of stories and patted my cheek. (And yesterday, when she heard me throwing up down the hall, she yelled, "Bless you!") I've been wearing jammies all day, which is never a bad thing. And Steve is home in the middle of the week. Most of the calories we've consumed have been Gatorade. Haha. I have never loved my squishy bed and three pillows so much. :)