Running from the Flu

I'm usually petrified of sickness and germs and all kinds of yucky related stuff. I don't handle throw-up well, and I Lysol everything (light switches, doors, refrigerator handles, buttons on the stove...). However, when Brad gets sick, it's no big deal for me. I've done everything with him from cleaning up his puke to helping him sit up with all kinds of machines hooked up to him to watching him lie helpless in the ER. His germs don't normally freak me out.

This time was different.

I now have a baby, and I CANNOT afford to get sick. Brad also is not too over-dramatic, so when he looked at me with those groggy eyes and said, "You guys need to go to your mom's. I'm getting worse", I booked it. I don't think I've ever moved so fast in my life. I didn't even bring socks with me. So I piled as much baby gear, clothes, and necessities in my little Honda that would fit and got out of there. I spent the next couple of days downing Vitamin C... pill form, apples, OJ... anything to keep my immune system in top shape just in case I was in the least bit at risk to get it. So far so good.

Even though I really missed Brad, it was still fun hanging out with my family. It was so bizarre to be in the house I grew up in, with my mom cooking dinner, doing advent devotions with the fam, etc and having my baby there too.

While we were there, a huge snowstorm came in from the South (which always means good snow). Charlotte didn't get much, but north of the Queen City, it was beautiful! We took Noah out to look at it, and he watched the flakes fall. He seemed to be wondering why we were crazy enough to be out in the cold. My mom always goes all out decorating for Christmas, so it was perfect. (btw, for those of you who know our dogs, that's their sister in the front yard)



I think it was actually good for Noah to be with my family for so long, since that's who usually keeps him when we go out. He LOVED hanging out with Madison, and I loved the fact that she helped me so much! Anytime he was fussy and I was in the middle of something, she would rush in and swoop him up. He hung on the side of her hip like a little monkey.

We ended up staying from Wednesday morning till Sunday afternoon. I was so excited to go home. Madison came with us, since my parents were having a Christmas party that night. She seemed to have a good time. We made Cookie Dough Truffles (another Paula Deen recipe... so good and very easy!), and watched Christmas shows.

We also did a family tradition of mine, which is Advent. For those of you who aren't familiar, it's just celebrating the birth of Jesus. It's all about the anticipation of his coming and remembering the real reason we celebrate Christmas. Anyway, we did that, and Noah seems to enjoy it. :)