That Escalated Quickly

We have been battling the c-word all week. That's right, CROUP. What started with the sniffles escalated quickly into honking coughs and a couple of truly scary stridor/wheezing attacks while my precious baby girl tried to sleep. Gracie got steroid treatment as she was worse off than Tate. Thankfully they both seem to be on the mend today. Maybe we can turn to humidifier down tonight so their room won't feel like the rain forest every morning.

They caught this lovely illness from daycare, which is to be expected to a certain extent. But I can't help feeling like I wish I had been told another girl there had it-I would have kept them home. I just would have liked the information to make the best choice for my kids health. This brought me think in depth about my role as advocate for my kids (while I was in the shower, the only place around here quiet enough for thinking).

I have a few family members who act pretty put out and offended any time I try to implement a "family rule" or remind them of something I don't want them to do with the babies. We aren't kissing on the mouth, period. Their daddy and I are the only ones with "permission" to do this as we are neck deep in each other's germs anyway. I am also a stickler about sharing food unnecessarily (i.e. baby is eating something and you want a lick of their spoon just for fun) and when the Fall rolls around I become a Purrell Nazi.

Are my little rules silly to you? Maybe so.

Will they stop my kids from catching a single cold this season? Probably not.

Do you like me less for pestering you? To quote Sarah Jessica Parker from The Family Stone "I don't care if you like me or not!"

Ok, I care, and I always try to be gentle with this stuff as to not offend. But the bottom line is this: TOO BAD. I am the Mom. I get to decide what is best, appropriate, and important to my child's well-being. Great-Great Grandmothers be forewarned, I have been known to turn into "Mama Bear" as Sean calls me, when I feel like my requests are being ignored and my child is in danger of anything-this includes your "oh it's just allergies" cold! Not to mention, when you are done slobbering all over my child and they do end up with a flu or stomach bug, I am the one taking care of it. I am the one giving Tylenol at 3am and sitting for hours on end with twins who ONLY want to be held. So while you may take offense to my implication that you have *gasp* germs, it's better than my silently cursing you in the middle of the night and sending you a pediatrician bill.

Call me a jerk, overprotective, rude, whatever, but make no mistake, I am a Mother.