Slacker Holidays

There are so many things I've wanted to write about over the past couple of weeks, but I could never seem to find a time to write when my head was clear enough to form a semi-coherent thought.  And it wasn't just pregnancy brain or the holidays.  I was sick for four weeks straight, and wow, did that suck.

I was lucky in my first two pregnancies.  I pretty much enjoyed them, but then I was able to kick back and relax and take full advantage of my pregnant status, especially in the third trimester.  (I could've done without all the drama the last month with the boys, but these things happen.)  I read lots of books.  I took lots of naps.  I enjoyed just being.

But this time things are different.  I have three little ones, two needy dogs, and life had to throw in the holidays, just for fun.  After going two rounds with a stomach bug, and two rounds with the flu including a second round that left me with a sinus headache for 8 days straight, I was pretty dang crabby.  It got to the point where I was seriously worried that if one more well-intentioned little old lady told me how wonderful it was to be pregnant at the holidays, I would haul off and smack her.  Oh, and to add to the fun, I was permanently congested the entire time.  I'm afraid that I put more bags of used tissues in landfills during my month of sick than our family has put in bags of diapers in our 4 1/2 years of diaper wearing.

I really don't want to jinx things, but I've been well since last weekend, and it's been so nice.  The kids have been better too.  I totally jinxed the poor children back at the beginning of November.  As I wrote our November tuition check for preschool, it occurred to me that we had made it through two months of school with no real ailments.  Even as I was thinking it, part of my brain was screaming, "Noooo!  You'll ruin everything!" and that when the boys' noses started running.  They finally stopped running over the past few days.  Yup, two full months of snotty children.

I think we are healing because we finally have some time.  My parents were in town last weekend, and it's amazing what you can do with two extra adults around.  Not only do they help, but the kids are so much less demanding of us because they get plenty of attention.  And Mother Nature helped us out too.  We got snow on Monday morning that led to me staying home all day Monday and not having to go to work until 10:00 on Tuesday and Wednesday.  And now I have a real three day weekend.

I know that because I am writing this, we will soon be doomed again, and it will be back to spending the nights sleeping upright on the couch with whatever child is sickest at the moment.  But I have to say, I've enjoyed the last week, especially due to having a clear head.  It feels like the holidays have finally arrived.