The House Of Hackers

The whole family is sick.

It started with Gilberto, moved to Gabi, and just when I thought I was safe, it got me, too.

Luckily it's just a fever/sore throat thing, and doesn't involve any puking. I'm not the kind of mom that can handle the bodily fluids that come pouring out of children. Even snot grosses me out.

Gilberto, because he's a Tough Guy, won't take any time off of work. He takes his medicine in the morning, and then comes home exhausted, coughing and feverish at night. He even accepted a work trip to Vegas for two days last week, though at least it's not 150 degrees there right now. It took him the whole weekend to recover from all the energy he exerted over the week, and he started it all over again yesterday.

Gabi started with the coughing on Saturday night. She had gone to a party that day where another little girl was hacking up a lung in the jumpy house, so I'm not sure if she got it from the girl or from her dad. Probably the latter, but I just don't understand why parents take their sick children out in public, especially to a place where they know other small kids will be. We've been keeping Gabi at home. And she's not adverse to resting and taking her medicine like her dad, so she's getting better.

Gabi's still working on putting her hand in front of her mouth when she coughs. I'd say she remembers to do it about 30% of the time. Which leaves her coughing into our fresh breathing air 70% of the time. Not such a good ratio. Especially since she's been all cuddly lately, and most of her coughing happens on my lap, with her head about two inches from mine. Being coughed on is almost as gross as being peed on. But I discovered that if she has a binky in her mouth, it diffuses the blast of germs and keeps all spittle neatly in her mouth! I went upstairs and brought out as many binkies from hiding as I could find, and have been shoving them in her mouth every time I see it empty.

As for me, I can't complain too much. I started feeling bad Saturday night as well, but never got the cough, and after lots of Vitamin C, Echinacea and a day off from work yesterday, feel 95% better. Just a bit of a sore throat left.

But lest you get the wrong idea, I am not a Trooper Mom. Or Super Mom. Or Soldier Mom. Or whatever you call those moms that get up out of bed with a 104 degree fever to make the kids breakfast and mow the lawn. I'm a firm believer in resting as much as possible when sick. Lounging about is the way to go! And if my house gets trashed or Gabi ends up on the patio painting rocks in the nude, it's all okay. And I'm the first to admit that I get whiny. But I also get better much faster than the troopers out there.

I am also a firm believer in the power of ice cream. And since the only ice cream in the freezer is Cherry Garcia, and I don't like fruity ice cream, something must be done. Tonight Gabi and I will be heading out to pick up our CSA Box of veggies, and I'm going to stop at the store and get some GOOD ice cream. Then the road to complete healing can begin.