sick almost 2-year olds

Winter has once again showed up with a vengeance and brought all of its icky cold-igniting bacteria and virus friends to play with little (and big) girls and boys. We escaped the pesky winter worries during Miss L’s first winter, since her birth in late February gave us a buffer zone of insulation and extra immunity before Spring popped up.

Last year was brutal, and this year has already seen two rounds of the evil “baby plague” – a 24-hour virus that attacks quickly and with a passion only to leave you flat on your back and recovering for the next two days. We’ve also still got the same routine in place as last year as far as how to handle the sick days… plus we now have Mother & Father M around town for the back-up to the back-up plan!

But dealing with Miss L and sickness is much different than when she was a baby or just turning 1. You see, now that she’s a walking talking almost-2-year old, sickness has a new face. Sickness requests include a blanket and a pillow, and a desperate plea for you to not leave their side at naptime in a voice that just can’t be turned down. The raspy requests for “Lion King” and “Genie!” and “Dragon!” and “Kermit” and… you get the picture… are all entertained even if they come within 5 minutes of turning the previous one on. And when a request for any sort of food or drink finally comes in after rejecting each and every thing that was offered beforehand, you’ll gladly oblige and run to get it for her because in the moment any craving means your little one is getting better. And there are sick frowns now too… before it was just a lack of expression, but now it really is a sad frown.

Before you looked into the sick eyes of a helpless child, but now you’re looking into the eyes of a mini-person and they’re still just as helpless but can tell you about it every which way. “Mommy – it hurts.” “Big hug daddy?” At least she can blow her nose now though… which eliminates the need for that hideous snot-sucker device that required a lockdown position and lots of tears?

The other big difference? Your arms fall asleep much more quickly when holding/snuggling a 28-lb kiddo.

Your heart still aches and you just wish you had a magic wand to make it all go away… and even though you know every cuddle will up your chances of contamination, you just can’t stay away from it in the time of need.

Time to stock up on tissues and hand sanitizer and wash our hands with that magical smelling apple soap each morning and night. See you on the other side (aka. spring) fellow parental units… may we all survive the waves of winter sickness together.