On the Mend

…which, practically speaking, means much more crankiness. Toddlers who are very sick just lie there fading in and out of sleep. Toddlers feeling better but not 100% whine and whine and whine. My nerves are a bit frayed.

Sophie has a patented “Oh mommy, oh mommy, oh mommy,” whine that she can keep going for hours. I’m not exaggerating, the other day I clocked her at more than two hours of straight Oh mommy whine. Can you say grating?

I’ve developed a technique of practical consequences to save my own sanity and her hide. When I get to the point that I can’t take it any more, I drop her in her crib and tell her she can come out when she stops whining. Then I walk away and let her cry for twenty minutes or as long as I can take. The tone and volume go up a little notch from what she does in my presence. After a time I go in and tel her if she stops I’ll bring her out to be with me. I pick her up and start to come out. If she hushes, I go ahead and bring her out. If not, back to the crib. It works. Mostly. She does tend to stop with the whining when she realizes it gets her mommy face time. But only after she’s had some time alone to ponder the alternative. I don’t like leaving my sick baby all alone, it’s wretched. But I’m not feeling all that great. Can’t hold her all the time because after all I have a nursing infant, and well I’m only human. Sadly, I have my limits.

As for tomorrow…. We’d planned on Thanksgiving with the family; but have now been uninvited. We’ve not had fevers since Monday so I think we’re not contagious; but I suppose I can’t blame my relatives for being super cautious. I wouldn’t wish this flu on my worst enemy. And my sister in law is pregnant and has kids with asthma and upper respiratory issues. However…. that leaves us without plans or preparations for Thanksgiving. Not to mention I’m still pretty low on energy and it’s about all I can do to tend my cranky kids.

I do have a frozen turkey that I bought on sale before we all got sick. But not enough time to defrost it by tomorrow. Unless I brave the stores to find a fresh one, I guess we’ll be turkeyless.

Oh well, I’m thankful for our health and very, very grateful the flu didn’t put any of my babies into the hospital. If nothing else, we’ll at least be together and full of love if not stuffing and mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce.