Sick and tired--and that really hurts

We are all sick, sick, sick around here. Being sick is usually not high on people's lists of "fun things to do," but after being sick with a baby, I've become almost nostalgic for those sick days of years past. Being sick with a kid is hard for two reasons; one, you have a kid to take care of while you are feeling crummy, and two, you likely have a sick kid to take care of who probably gave you the bug in the first place. At times I can't help but think how luxurious it would be to just burrow in to a big down comforter, sleep 14 hours a day, spend all the other hours reading a good book or watching good movies on the laptop and just reveling in the misery of a good head cold. But now there's this little, squirmy baby who is just as sick as I am, who needs to sleep 14 hours or more a day to get better, but can't seem to. Her baby voice is hoarse and deeper from congestion. And then there's that little cough that sounds so much worse during pre-dawn hours and that just makes your heart ache a little when you hear it. Being sick with a sick kid is terrible.

Ellie still manages to be happy most of the time, in spite of how miserable she sounds, but everything has been harder with this cold. Teething, sleeping, eating, taking a bottle. Poor kid. Sometimes it just gets too hard to cheer up enough to even eat. Sometimes, anything that can get your baby to perk up is worth it. Hence, Charlie, below. This video never fails to cheer Ellie up. I don't know if it's seeing someone else in a little pain or not, but her whole face lights up whenever we play it. Sometimes over and over again. And when she really needs it, she will settle in and finish a bottle or eat a little food. Totally worth it. It's probably one of those bad habits we will have to help her get over soon, but in the meantime, I can't help but smile too when I overhear this video playing from the other room. Hope it makes you all feel a little better too. I'll get more Ellie pics and video posted when we're better.

*I should also add, that being sick with a kid is a bit easier when you have Grandma close at hand to help out. Still sad, but easier.