A week ago Monday started out with a hot bang which may sound kind of sexy but nay. NAY. Sheppard started burning up with fever, and we all watched with love and doted on him. As you can see in the video above, Smitty was all up in that bidness (my new favorite thing on the planet is the “Hi. Hi Shep. HEY.”) …..which led to Tuesday.
When Smitty (shockingly) started burning up with fever. The rest of us showered the boys in love and Baby Advil, suggesting they eat popsicles and applesauce. Babies get particularly cute if the illness is right. Their cheeks are rosy, they’re very cuddly, and in Smitty’s case, they drool. What? That’s cute to me don’t judge.
Not the best pic of Anson.
Wednesday rolled around and it looked like we might be on an upswing when Anson showed up at home in the middle of the day, fevered and somewhat green. Thirty-five year old men when they’re sick? Not so much cute but still lovable in a sort of…”go ahead and retreat to the basement and come back up when you’re better” kind of way. I knew it was a matter of time before….
Friday, when Roan returned from a playdate with a 103 degree fever and an inability to keep anything – anything - down, at all. But that’s Roan. It doesn’t matter what the illness is, he’s going to vomit. I love him like crazy but that child of mine was built with the most ridiculously delicate stomach of anyone I know. This is somehow contradicted by his amazing ability to ride any roller coaster or spinny ride and beg to do it again. And again. Etc. I don’t know. I just built him, I cannot explain him.
We made it through the week of burning hot fevers, nausea, general malaise, blisters (yeh, the babies blistered up. I believe they had Coxsackie which causes general hysteria around these Brooklyn parts but I must just go on record to say, “Meh.” It was just the same as any other illness, really. Fever, cuddle, sleep. Whatever.) And guess who the last man standing is?
Popsicles Fix Everything
Me! I won! I didn’t get sick at all, in fact I feel strong enough to accept my award to recognize my superhuman care taking of Coxsuckie (heh, see what I did there?), general malaise, vomitus excretus, (whatever, I also won the right to make up my own Latin words), and grown-up-man-who-is-sick-and-wants-to-be-taken-care-of-but-has-to -get-in-line-behind-three-children assuaging. Just wondering if anyone can direct me to where those prizes are given out? I’m wearing lipstick and high heels for the occasion! Anyone? hello…?
Oh my god. Major kudos to you. My husband and I both had Coxsackie 2 years ago, caught from the baby of dear friends (apparently most adults had it as kids and are immune, but not us. What are the chances?). It was bar none the most painful illness either of us had ever had. Blistered tonsils? Just as fun as it sounds. You deserve a gold medal for not only avoiding it, but nursing your 4 men back to health. I hope you get a night out, or at least a moment of zen coffee break to celebrate.
Hi. Hi Shep. HEY.
I think that’s the best thing I’ve seen all week.
Never heard of it and don’t really want any of it messing with my grandkids! Glad super mom was on her best immune mode
ha! I grew up in Coxsackie, NY, the place where the virus was discovered. And nice one there, Jodi, with the Coxsuckie – we thought we were novel, using that growing up.
Glad everyone’s on the mend, & you dodged the sickness!
So funny with the Coxsuckie! Living in Albany but working in a district that covers all of NY, VT, CT and a teeny bit of Mass I’ve been asked more than once what you call someone from Coxsackie. You can imagine the answers I’ve given. Coxsuckians being one of my favorites.
just catching up on all of your posts – hysterical – wish i had read earlier – would have put together a proper award ceremony for you