Little Mommyisms

The kids have been sick for about a week. They have the sniffles and it looks more like allergies than a cold at this point, but it always call into question things that perhaps you could have done differently.

Maybe I shouldn't have let them go out for an after dark walk they likely got the chills which according to most Cuban old ladies is the central cause for most colds because they have caught "sereno" and now they are "refriadas."  Which really means that they were out at sunset and somehow the sunsetting has caused them to have caught the cold. Notice though, it is not caught a cold. They have actually caught the cold which has chilled them all over resulting in a cold. Rationally, I tell myself that real medical studies have clearly concluded that these old wives tales are not true. But somehow, old wives kept people alive with these sort of thing for generations and it crosses my mind when my kids have the sniffles.

I have stopped nursing. Vivian nursed very well for a good solid 6 months. Just a little less than Lydia did. My supply diminished significantly when I went back to work and that was that. If I think too much about it, I feel a little guilty because I feel like I could have done more or better. In truth, it was my body that did it. But really in truth, I could've tried harder. I could have pumped 5 times a day like others friends have done, I could've pumped earlier to save up for the low production time, but it was hard. It was hard to nurse and to have two year old need you too. And I have more help than most. But this is the kind of thing I overthink when my kids have the sniffles.

By this age Lydia was sitting up very well. Matter of fact, she was grabbing things and standing up. Lydia was above the physical ability curve for sure but I wonder if it was all nature or if there was some nurture there too. We focused every spare moment on Lydia and so probably held her hand a little more, sat with her a little more, and exposed her to things a little more than we have Vivian. Are we somehow causing the inequity of ability because our focus is divided? Lydia had her first cold when she was 6 months old, Vivian has had several small seemingly inconsequential colds is it because we have paid less attention or not protected her enough from the germs of her sister? More than likely this is not the case, you can't keep a toddler from spreading the germy fun,  but this is the kind of thing I ponder when my kids have the sniffles.