Ah, it seems like everyone is suffering in the same environs
as I… sick families, lack of sleep, stuck indoors, maybe even a little brain
dead. I feel your pain!  Below
are responses to the topic
suggestions and general comments from yesterday.

Favorite Indoor Toddler Activities (not involving poop) – (Airwick)

When Chance, or any of us, are sick I have a few standbys
that are tried and tested and STILL do not keep the kiddies (or parents)
occupied for very long. Oy vey. We play blocks, cars, read, color in the
coloring books. I ply the kiddo with favorite
foods and yummy liquids. And TV, lots of
the favorite educational programs. Yes, I totally cheat. I allow my child to watch more than the
recommended amounts of television when he’s sick (bad mommy!). Sometimes all he
wants to do is sit on the couch and watch the movie Cars one more time. Just like the ‘rents.

I also pull out toys he hasn’t seen in a while. Yes, I
“hide” his toys (mean mommy!). Look,
sometimes a rotational method works out perfect for emergencies, like when you
get stuck in the house for too long.

OK, and now for my final desperate tactic… when Chance has
been in the house too many days in a row, even if he’s still sick he starts
bouncing off the walls. (And So. Do. I!) When he gets to that point where he probably still shouldn’t be around
other children but he feels well enough
to make life in the house really
unpleasant… I take him to the pet store. There is a PetSmart right around the corner, there isn’t ever a lot of
people for him to infect (especially other germy kids) and yet there are lots
of animals to look at, even if they’re just fish. Works like a charm.

On the Issue of Sleep – (Airwick and Lisa)

I know there are many parents who have it worse than I with
the early toddler wake up. I just have an opposite sleep cycle to many people I
know, so the six am wake ups knock me for a loop. I’m a light sleeper so I have trouble getting
to sleep in the first place and I wake up a lot. Even if I go to bed early I will not fall into any sort of heavy sleep
pattern until after 2:00 or 3:00 am. Then I would happily sleep until 9:00, or at least 8:00. 7:00 is doable (and the reality every day)
but I’m a bit tired. 6:00 am or earlier
and I’m toast.

I had a job once that started at 6:00 in the morning. I used to get up at 4:30 every day. Everyone
said that I would get used to it and adjust. They LIED!

Poop and Other Parental Crap – (Peter and the Phoenix) (bonus combo
response)

You know, if someone had told me my life (or the blog) would
someday revolve around poop jokes I would have sneered… What am I, 12? (yes, apparently) And poop? That’s disgusting! (meh, not so bad)

I know it’s strange but I actually feel like a stronger
individual now for being able to wade through whatever river of bodily fluids
comes at me without retching. That sewer
scene in Shawshank Redemption? Ptsshhh! See, a dad? A dad wouldn’t have had to stop and throw up halfway through.

What About the Pope? – (ktjrdn)

I really like his shoes!

Pope_shoes

            – the weirdgirl