A sick mother is not a fun mother

The vicious cycle goes like this: a kid get sick, he started coughing openly in the air, firing off his germs like a machine gun.  My hands and clothing are perpetually contaminated with constantly wiping green snot off their faces.  In no time, baby  & I fall sick.

The entire house whinge and whines. Tempers run short.  Kids constantly fidget and fight. I barely have the strength to stand, let alone maintain order in the house.  Baby wants to feed, but his nose is too congested to suck properly.  Baby is hungry and sleepy.  I'm sleepy.  Another fight broke out, and baby and I are awaken by the loud sound of another tantrum meltdown.

My antibodies are leaking mostly into the milk, my body can barely defend itself.  Less sleep, less energy, less milk, restless baby, lesser sleep.

And the vicious cycle continues.

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But I learnt some important lesson from this experience: my kids love me. Tonton loves me.

When I was barely conscious, sleeping for 16 hours straight, I could hear EggEgg in the next room saying to Isaac, "Shhh... Mami is sleeping. Don't wake her up. Come, I show you how to play games on the computer."

Isaac is a bit hesitant, still keen to look for me.
EggEgg repeated, "Look here. Do you want to play too? I can show you different interesting levels. Come here."

They made their own breakfast, fed themselves lunch, serve themselves afternoon tea, and entertain themselves for the entire afternoon (5 hours!) playing in the rumpus until Tonton comes home.  For 3 consecutive days.

Even Baby Bobo understands my plight.  Although he has just woken up from his mid-day nap, I told him, "Can you sleep some more? Mami is too tired to take care of you."  And yes he did sleep more, without much fuss, just holding my hand, for another 4? 5? hours straight.

And Tonton came home, took a peep of me lying in bed, without a word, he cooked, bathed the kids, read them stories, put them to bed, wash the dishes...

These men loved me from the bottom of their hearts.

(ps. One of my friends put it this way, "Jappy, you are the envy of many women."  I'm thankful for my beautiful family, even though they are the ones who infected me in the first place!)