Help Wanted

We had a rough weekend. On Saturday evening (David) and then Saturday night (me) the Schwartz adults became struck with a stomach virus (we ruled out food poisoning because we'd eaten totally different things the entire day on Saturday.) Sunday was one of the most challenging parenting days we've had in 18 months.

David was feeling slightly better by the morning, so he got up with Evan while I slept in. And by "slept in", I mean wallowed around in bed in total misery between trips to the bathroom. When I finally got out bed, only from guilt, not because I was feeling any better, I learned that the activity instead of resting like he should have, had David feeling pretty terrible. I lost the coin toss when it came to making lunch, but when I was gagging over Evan's meatballs, David stepped up and took over.

We both napped the entire time Evan napped. I considered texting the babysitter and offering her $100 to be here when Evan woke up from his nap and stay here to put him to bed. Yes, that's twice her regular rate. I was that desperate. Well, obviously not that desperate because I didn't actually go through with it.

It was then that the disadvantages of living away from family really hit home. This was very much a "call the grandparents or an aunt to take care of little Evan while Mommy and Daddy lay around the house and wish they were dead" kinda moment. Yes, we have friends here. And yes, I know they'd help if asked... I guess. But we have two kinds of friends-- friends with young kids of their own that I'd be afraid of infecting and/or they're too busy keeping up with them to tend to mine and friends with no kids, who I just assume are off having some wonderful fun on a Sunday afternoon and don't have time for my kid. So, we didn't ask. We just need some kinfolk around here sometimes.

We struggled through the afternoon and were both back to at least 80% by Monday. Way to ruin a perfectly good three day weekend, stomach bug!

And if there's a silver lining to this story, a.) Evan didn't burn the house down while we were doing all of our parenting from the couch and b.) he didn't catch it.

This is his "let go of my hand" face... made a little extra evil
looking by the weird shadows from the blinds.