Poor Mommy

It really stinks when I get sick.

Now, when any other member of the household gets sick, I add nurse onto the list of stuff I have to do for the day. I administer medicine, put cold cloths on their heads, cover them up or take off blankets per request, change clothes, fluff pillows, and clean up puke in addition to my daily chores.

And I think most moms go through this: when they get sick, nothing gets done, the house goes to ruin, and nobody takes care of them.

I go through that, too, with one addition: everyone in the house rises one or two levels up on the "High Maintenance" scale.

For instance, if I was feeling great, Story would ask to get on my computer to play two games of Max and Ruby Dress-Up. I would set her up, and she'd play her two games, then close the computer.

Since I'm sick, she asks to play on my computer, I get it loaded, and then she starts screaming when: A. The game doesn't do what she wants, B. She wants another game, C. She doesn't understand why she can't dress up every Nick Jr. character, and D. whenever Mommy lies back down.

Ivy, who has had nothing extra to do for weeks, suddenly has 20 places to be and things to do, all of which I will have to cart her to. And she cries constantly, whether I've told her "No" or if Story looked at her cross eyed.

And my husband suddenly has places to go, people to see, things to do. And then he's gone. Or he's got 20,000 things he needs to do......with my help.

One time when Story was a baby, I had the flu....fevers, inability to get off the couch, etc. Rob had to go on a band trip...Story wanted to up her nursing time by 50%, and Ivy had to pull out every single toy in her room, which would have been fine except that I had two house showings that weekend, too. I had the flu for a week!

So, I don;t get to rest. At all. I'm in an extremely messy house, trying to lay down with two or three very demanding people wanting my assistance.

What is it? Are they all wired so they can sense that I'm going to do something for myself (like lay down?) and must immediately work hard to focus my attention back on them? Are they jealous of....me? Of me wanting to take care of.....me?

I might never know, but as a result it takes me twice as long to get better as anyone in the house.