The Only Fighting I Welcome

When I see flush cheeks, sluggish appetites and lazying around I know visually it looks like my children are in need of rest. But underneath the facade of sleeping their body is hard at work.
I look closer and see tired eyes, drained faces and a red little nose, then I hear a gurgle in their cough and catch a sneeze with a tissue and know these fun sounds are the bodies way to help expel the congestion, the feel of fire all over their head and neck is the fever that's fighting an infection, and the amount of kleenex and empty water bottles all over the couch shows that although the cold is underway, it also is proof that their bodies are doing exactly what they were built to do.

There are times I feel helpless and I do my best to make them as comfortable as possible, pack the fridge with plenty of fluids, and take the frequent trips to the store to pick up chicken noodle soup and the fixin's for a grilled cheese(once the appetite is back in full swing it is a great complement to any soup) and stock up the hall closet with paper goods(tissues, tp, etc.) and good old vitamin C. I know their little bodies are hard at work, fighting a war at a molecular level, trying every trick to regain their health. I don't usually like to visit the doctor unless the war has gone on too long, or it is too big of a job to do alone. Sometimes a little Tylenol is a big relief for a never ending headache that was brought on by a high fever. Or maybe the culprit is bacterial and therefore needs extra forces of antibiotics to knock them out. But I generally believe the body will be able to fight less complex wars all by itself.

After a long day of sleeping on the couch, waking up occasionally to have a sip on hot tea and a bowl of soup. Then mastering an uncomfortable night of tossing and turning covering up with blankets and kicking them off again. Waking up refreshed healthy and brand new, it is just a wonderful thought that our bodies were made to take on whatever challenge comes our way! I welcome this fight every cold and flu season or whenever small germs lurk in dark corners, our bodies can take it, bring it on!

Happy New Year!

We welcomed the new year with fabulous friends, an easy bake oven, Disney Headbands, and prime entertainment. We always get together and celebrate the year that is gone, and dream of what is to be. 2012 was a roller coaster to say the least, but we made it. I am a proud mother of three amazing children, I survived a soccer season with two kids playing and one on my hip, I baked cupcakes, team snacks, took photos, and cheered on two teams. I watched my daughter dance, and my son earn his first awards for cub scouts, and I praised my baby as he first rolled over and sat himself up. I exclusively breastfed(not a single bottle) for a solid six months, I also started making my own baby food. I also beamed with pride when my oldest came home with "Student of the Month" twice in 2012. As we enjoyed our sparkling cider we laughed, and reminisced on how fast the year went by. And we made our plans for the new year, I made a small list of new year resolutions, items I believe I can keep up with all year long:

-go on my four mile walk every weekday
-follow through with what I tell my children
-make more time for "me" time, and time with family and friends
-take more photos, and live in each moment

It is not much of a list, but I am sure I can keep up with it. Every year I make resolutions that sound fantastic on paper, but applying them to every day life was not impossible, but impractical.
I know 2013 will fly by too, and there is soooo much to look forward to; ballet, scouts, weddings, first birthdays, school programs, sports, milestone birthdays, the list goes on...
I picked simple but obviously reasonable resolutions that I know I can keep. I have my new calendar/monthly planner ready to start filling in important dates, reminders, classes, vacations, volunteering opportunities, you name it- it will be on there. The more events, the better. I love to be busy! Bring it on!