We all have a cold.  (Or we each have a cold.  I’m not sure.  Benjamin seems obsessed with the fact that Dan, Liam and I now have “his” cold, so maybe we all have the same cold.  Whatever.  We’re all sick.  I feel like I write about us being sick a lot.  I do.  It’s B’s first year in school, exposed to other kids, and I’m sure there’s extra virulence because the kids all have foreign cooties.)

B is actually almost better.  He got sick first (hence, it’s “his” cold) last week and now he’s just about over it.  Which is good news, because at least we have some idea of the course of this illness.  Liam, however, is congested, a little fevery and super grumpy.  And he wants to sleep all the time — which would be GREAT (nap time for Mommy!) but he only wants to sleep when we’re holding him.  Since Saturday night, either Dan or I has been up, holding Liam while he sleeps, nearly every minute of each night.  I estimate that I’ve gotten about 15 hours of sleep total since I got out of bed first thing on Saturday morning.  Ouch.  I don’t think this has done very much to improve my immune system’s ability to overcome this cold.

It’s cloudy and rainy here, and a little cool — none of which particularly make me, sick as I am, want to do anything other than wrap myself in a blanket and park myself on the couch.  (My new roses, however, look lovely all covered in raindrops, so that’s a plus.)

Exhausted and ill, we decided Dan should take a sick day from work today.  Our goal was to get some rest.  It didn’t work.  Liam fell asleep in my arms while Dan was dropping Benjamin off at school, and refused to be moved or put down.  He woke up in time for lunch, and we had just settled the boys down for simultaneous naps this afternoon when the doorbell rang, setting Bailey to barking and waking both tired boys (and both tired parents) out of their naps.  Sigh.  We tried.

But, after out much-anticipated new high chair for Liam (one with actual machine washable cushions, which we are very excited about) was accepted from the delivery guy, we insisted the boys lay down again for the remainder of an hour.  (That’s our rule — naps don’t actually have to involve sleep, but they do have to involve laying down quietly for at least an hour.)

Benjamin wanted to curl up with me.  I love (love love love love) getting to curl up and sleep with my kids.  Neither of them has ever been particularly interested in napping with us — they both are happy to sleep while we’re holding them, but only if we’re sitting, not laying down.  (Benjamin was a terrible sleeper for the first couple of years.  I tried everything.  I so badly wanted napping together to be the answer, but it never worked.)  So, when they want to, it’s a special treat.

I got Benjamin all tucked in to my bed and encouraged him to close his eyes and rest.  He really didn’t want to, but he tried.  After a little while, though, we ended up talking and cuddling instead of actually napping.  It was wonderful.  Getting to snuggle with my babies is one of my most favorite things.  The highlight for today was when he said,  “Thanks for being a wonderful Mom.”  Happy sigh.  I can retire now.

We cuddled for an hour (the last 15 minutes was spent answering, “How long until I can get up?” every 45 seconds) and then he was off to run and play.  It was really a wonderful way to spend an hour.  It was so nice that I almost didn’t miss getting to actually sleep this afternoon.  Almost.