Snots, Sneezes, and Coughs Oh, My!!

This past week has not been easy on poor Brady. Unlike the fevers and other illnesses he's encountered recently, none of them left him missing out on his precious Zzzz's. But two nights this week, Brady was awake for hours at a time coughing, sneezing, and fighting off the dreaded suction bulb, or what Zach calls The Snot Sucker. We set up shop in the spare bedroom and I tried everything in my power to help him feel better, but there was little I could do. If only he knew how to blow his nose! Despite 48 hours worth of sleepless nights (and horrible afternoon naps--it's hard to sleep when you can't breathe), Brady somehow  managed to be his happy self. In fact, once in the middle of the night on Thursday, he requested "tiddles" (tickles), and when I started to stroke his belly, he smiled and said, "Niiiiice. Tank you."

One of his new favorite toys, Pink. (My highlighter!)

So we did a lot of trouble-shooting to figure out what made him most comfortable and think we found the winning combination: a humidifier that emits Vicks right into the air! A few of my friends had told me about this magic weapon when I was sick, but I never picked one up. But when Brady got the bug, we made a beeline for the thing and it has worked WONDERS! His bedroom is so incredibly humid that the windows fogged up and the tissues were limp in the box, but hey--whatever works! He slept so much better the last two nights (only woke up a few times to cough and whine but then went right back to sleep), and the afternoon naps have been fantastic, too. He was certainly exhausted, and I feel his pain!

Using his "drider," AKA: screwdriver.

In the course of the aforementioned events, I have come to learn some things about toddlers that I hadn't yet discovered. Because my experience with these small people is limited to only Brady, I'm not sure if a blanket statement about "all toddlers" would be accurate, but I do know that the following is true of my little guy:

1. Brady doesn't stay still in his sleep. At all. I was not prepared for the incessant thrashing about, nor for the numerous kicks and punches to the face. At one point, I was sure he had broken my nose. He is also directionally challenged in a bed, which is why he will remain in his crib until he's ten.

2. Brady talks in his sleep. I guess I should have assumed this would be the case seeing as how his father holds entire conversations while unconscious, but the kid has a lot to say and he doesn't even know he's saying it!

3. In addition to his gibberish, Brady also coughs, sneezes, whines, sighs, giggles, cries out, and calls for the dogs while completely asleep. Every sound he makes wakes me instantly, but he doesn't seem to mind...or notice!

4. Brady doesn't respect personal space. He wanted to be smack dab up against me when we shared a bed and while I was totally fine with it, I did prefer his little feet not to be nestled so deeply into my flesh.

Using his sidewalk chalk!