Ahem

Three of Bobby's Sunday summaries in a row...that is HARDLY normal ;)

But he speaks the truth. We seem to be inflicted with one bug after another after another. The new norm? Our sinus issues have abated somewhat in favor of explosive diarrhea (Robert and Alice), itty bitty facial pustules (Alice), and more headaches and productive coughing all around. I function well enough to get food, launder clothes, and shuttle us to various appointments, but it's Bobby who is keeping our lives together (doing dishes, tidying the house, and preparing more than half of our meals) in his spare time. I can imagine it's not a week worth chatting about in a weekly summary, but I'm pretty sure there's a record of this in heaven somewhere :)

I've had a lot of time to bond with my kids in this series of sicknesses. They seem to react well to me staying in one spot most of the day :) I've been most surprised by Robert. His vocabulary is expanding, his memory improving, and he grows more and more capable of expressing complex needs. I love this age. In fact, I would say that I'm "in love" with this age. I'm smitten with him. He's finally reached an age where I feel like we have something to talk about. It's reciprocal! I can ask him about Nursery and he'll remember what they ate for snack and what he played with. Awesome! He's also hit the point where I like running errands with him one-on-one. Both of my kids are at that point. I'd rather take Alice OR Robert to X, Y, or Z than go by myself. Honestly. Most of the time.

Both of them? Not fun.

One at a time? A miracle occurs: a chore suddenly transforms into a fun little bonding time. I am SUCH a one-one-one kind of mom. Immersion is connection. Robert and I were at my dentist appointment this week and he was asking questions, following directions, making up new games, and generally making the whole experience a lot more fun than if I had gone alone. It's a good thing he's still afraid of face masks, though. That slight uneasiness kept him away from the automatic water dispenser button (why on earth did I show him that?). I had intended to find a babysitter for that appointment, but it fell through and I'm kinda glad it did.

So, we're truckin' on. I'm confident we'll all feel normal again at some point. I pray that it's sooner rather than later, but it's really not THAT bad overall. People do get over colds, or a series of them. I'm mostly concerned for Bobby. He's going to need some serious R&R when we're back to normal.