I firmly believe that one should not ever say that things 'can't get any worse.' Everytime I even think such a thing, the universe disabuses me of the notion. Witness this past weekend: Here I thought things were awful, Xander was really sick (Anytime one of my children climbs up into my lap and begs to go to sleep, you KNOW something is wrong!), and we were all feeling the effects. Then Thursday night, at midnight, I got up to soothe him and when I returned to my bedroom, I found myself sick with the same bug... vomiting, the runs, fever. I felt like death. My back and legs felt like someone had been beating them with a baseball bat (or how I would imagine they would feel if someone did!). The only position that allowed me to retain some measure of sanity was flat on my back. Tom had gone to work that morning but after a desperate call by me, he came home around 10. Xander, wiped out from a difficult night which had culminated with him waking fully at 3 am (because mommy was in the bathroom and couldn't soothe him!), had fallen asleep at 8 am and slept until 11. When he woke, Tom took the boys and went to see his folks, leaving me to sleep. Sweet man. I did, finally. When I woke it was because the pain in my back was unbearable... or at least, unsleepable! But the good news was that the worst of my stomach pain seemed to have passed. By Sunday, I was much better and today I am almost human. Xander has also recovered well, though he has a bit of a snuffle -- but that, I suspect, is allergies. Tom has not succumbed to the illness. Knock wood he doesn't. Jason also seems to be holding his own. I am hoping he also maintains his health.
The good news is that the Legos Group is going to start its once monthly meetings tomorrow. They will be meeting at 11 am in Renton. The group seems to consist mainly of 5 -11 year olds. The man who is hosting it is a legos fan himself and has two sons. It is going to be an informal group where kids come and build legos together for three hours. It will be a push to make it since the boys have swimming TTH at 9:30... but I am going to try. It sounds like a wonderful chance for Jason to make friends of a like mind. The gentleman running it says he will have a room for the littler ones with mega blocks etc. And since it sounds like there will be folks with littler ones there, Xander should do well also. We will see. Keep your fingers crossed for us.
On a happier note, Xander has developed a new phrase. Whenever his mother answers one of his million questions with 'I don't know', Xander responds with 'Then we will just have to look it up!' Well trained child, don'tcha think? And Jason, ah Jason. He was reading to us in the car yesterday... well, sort of. He would read the words he knew then spell the ones he didn't. We would tell him what those were and he would go on. The amazing thing about helping someone learn to read is the reminder that there are sooooo many words in the English language for which phonics don't work... like Tom's 'hour' (pronounced 'whore' by himself). So truly, reading is a matter of both phonics and memorization. The good news is that Jason is a book hound. He wants to learn to read, though he does love being read to as well. 
And oh, but he is sweet. The other day I left at the breakfast table a small gift by way of thanking him for being so helpful during his brother's illness. All on his own, he sat down and wrote out a 'Thank you' note to his father and myself. I was so impressed. Even I am not that prompt. Then, when I was feeling soooo crummy, he drew me a beautiful picture of a bird (He has become quite the bird watcher. We have even started a birding list of him!), wrapped it all by himself ("I taped it up myself, mommy!' he said proudly, as I struggled through layers and layers of scotch tape...) and brought it to me. He is such a darling. Not that he doesn't have his moments. He gets grouchy and tired and frustrated just like everyone else. His biggest problem is that fact that he is generally so sweet and so reasonable that people have come to expect it. They forget that he is just five, just learning the ways of the world, just figuring out how to handle all the curves that life throws him. He handles many of them with more grace than most adults, actually.
Xander, on the other hand, is distinctively two. If Jason never read the developemental manuals, Xander wrote them. He is SOOOOO two. He is the lord of his universe and quite indignant when folks are foolish enough to not recognize their place. He is contrary in the extreme. Tell him to do the opposite of what you want, and he will do it. His current favorite phrase is 'You are TOOO LITTLE!' and he uses it to anyone who displeases him, especially his brother who takes it very much to heart. He wants to 'do it myself' except when he decides that he wants to be a 'little bitty baby.' Of course, Xander's version of a 'little bitty baby' is still rather more self willed than any baby I ever met...
Ah, both boys are awake. Xander wants more to eat, Jason wants to build legos. I am off to the circus. Have a good day
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