Sick Days

Its Thursday and I hear the familiar stirrings coming from the monitor, at the all too usual time of 5 am.  Its day four of this nasty cold that has inflicted Lucas and I, snot fests all around, and dry coughs that make us sound like smokers.  I feel a hard pounding in my head, and my limbs are sore from tossing and turning all night alternating between my coughing and lack of breathing properly, to hearing Lucas have the same problems.  Gone are the days when I could call in sick to work and laze in bed all day, spending the day deciding between drinking copious amounts of tea, napping, and indulging in reality tv.

I hail myself out of bed and saunter my way into Lucas' room, where a smiley face awaits me with open arms.  He automatically snuggles into the crook of my neck that has become his spot, and I just know that I will find the strength to get through the day, for his sake if anything.  We make our way to the bathroom to deal with his snot infested nose, after a dose of homeopathic medication, a diaper change (no clothes change needed, we are definitely staying in our pajamas today), we head to my bed to snuggle before heading downstairs.  Lucas ends up watching an episode of his fave morning show, while I just close my eyes for a little bit.  Too soon afterwards small hands begin to claw at my face and climb my body, I get a few sneaky kisses in the mix, its time for a change in scenery.

We head down, and grab warm milks for the two of us.  Lucas is ready to play and wreak havoc with his toys the moment he's done his milk.  I enjoy the time he lets me sit and watch him.  You would never guess he's been sick for days with the bounty of energy and noise he is making.  I relish these moments always, as he discovers, and learns on his own, his independent nature so apparent.  Every once in a while he comes up to me and lays a kiss on my lap, asks for a hug, or just smiles up at me, and with a bursting heart I watch him go just as swiftly as he came.

I head to the kitchen to prepare something to eat, and someone's good mood is slowly subsiding, his patience always non existent when he's under the weather.  I explain to him I just want to throw the bread in the toaster, and am rewarded with a vise like clutch of tiny arms around my legs, as my pants become a toddlers Kleenex.  Oh well it won't be the last time that happens today.  I perch him on the island, where he likes to part of the action and finish what I was doing.  Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is on while we eat, little man has been a super picky eater lately and a little distraction usually helps, I'm not ashamed to admit the TV will be on quite a bit today, but that's what sick days are all about.

We spend the morning building towers with our Legos, reading, and driving our trucks around the playroom. By the time lunch pops up I'm ready to call it a day.  I have no clue how Lucas isn't ready to pass out from his early wake up call, his incessant runny nose, and non stop activity.  We eat a light lunch, neither of us are surprisingly hungry, my throat is still to raw t endure much more that tea, and Lucas will only eat fishies lately it seems.

Usually he lays in his crib without incident, today he snuggles against me as if saying mommy please don't put me down.  So I all too willingly lay in bed with his warmness against me, and soon afterwards I hear his leveled breathing, and slight snoring from his cold.  I need to rest too, but I can't help but watch him for a while.  On a good day this kid makes me weary and tired, but the days are full of laughter and joy too.  I can't help but think there is going to come a day when he won't need to snuggle against me to feel better, and though those days may seem far away I know they will come faster than I will ever be ready for.

So yeah sick days now look a lot different, and I wouldn't have it any other way.