Germs & Slow Days

As predicted, the daycare bugs came home.

An ear infection, a sinus infection, conjunctivitis, and basically downright misery started on Friday night. But the funny thing is, of course, they aligned with two eye teeth cutting in, so we thought that the fever was simply associated to the new gems. But then Saturday afternoon the cough started. By Sunday morning, we had croup-like coughing which had me running to the bathroom to turn the shower on full blast to get some moisture.

While I am so blessed to be surrounded by a wonderfully supportive community, as many moms know, when sickness sneaks into the house, and your little one naps throughout the day from sheer exhaustion, somehow sleep in the nights is sporadic and of poor quality.

I took part of the day off on Monday, but was lucky enough that my parents had the day off from work, so they took babe for the morning. By the time I came to get him my throat was throbbing, my head was aching, and my eyes were drooping... so I arrived to relieve my supportive helpers and was instead sent to bed for a nap. God bless them. After waking, I felt worse than I had all weekend- it is funny how that happens. And as I sat at the table attempting to rehydrate my mother invi-told (semi-invited, semi-told) us to stay during supper time and she would make dinner. God bless her.

But as I took the full day off yesterday (and again half the day today) while I desperately want the illness to leave our house, and for our regular energy to return, I couldn't help myself from feeling a bit of satisfaction in a slow day. A day spent holding my (droopy, sad) sweet toddler as he slept for hours on end, but refused to be put down. A day spent finding happiness in moments of feeling good, swingsets, booster juices, and cartoons on the television. A day full of mess and gross kleenex, but a day full of snuggles and understanding. It slow enough to savor the moments.

In my new position, the days are not slow... and savoring moments have been few and far between. I feel energized and invigorated throughout the day and then come home either exhausted or overwhelmed.

Neither the slow days nor the hectic days are good or bad, they are just so different. I am not sure what I prefer. I am not sure what I am better at. But I desperately wish there was a way to strike a balance between the two. To feel as though my mind has been exercised to its full capacity and had a chance to stand in awe of the simplest, but most splendid things like a sleeping baby or the discovery of water in a watering can.