We're Sick

Well, we have a respiratory virus circulating among us.

I got it a few days ago. I am definitely on the mend.  2 of the children are coughing and hacking. So far, the baby hasn't shown any symptoms. He has been a remarkably healthy little man, especially since I only breastfed him 3 months.  I'm a big believer in antibodies from mama and it grieved me when I had to stop nursing early. But he seems to have a strong immune system of his own.

We get sick a lot in the winter.  I used to get terribly frustrated by it.  Now, I just accept it.  There are 10 people in our house.  It isn't that we get sick with 6 things every winter, its that when we get sick, SOMEONE is sick for a long time. 

Last fall, we had an intestinal bug that literally circulated for 2 months.  It was a throwing up illness and the children got it one after the other, but sometimes there was a week or 2 between one child succumbing and the next.  In the end, Lydia was the only child not to get it.  I even got it, and THAT was fun.  (Oh, how I HATE throwing up!)

Lots of people have suggested lots of things to avoid getting sick and I've implemented some of them, but I am mostly at the point where I just try to be peaceful.  I don't like taking sick children anywhere, so we stay home a lot in winter.  I comfort myself that their illnesses are not dangerous, and they are strengthening their own immune system in the process.

So, we'll have a quiet day at home and not go to church. I am especially not keen on "sharing" respiratory ickiness with a bunch of other children.