Stay at Home Blues

I'm a "stay at home" mom who does anything but stay at home.

My kids and I -- we go to storytime, friends' homes, playgrounds, the grocery store, or even just on a walk around the block -- anything to not stay cooped up in the house. So, when the colds began to strike, the stay at home blues began to strike as well.

We've been stuck inside our house with sickness after sickness getting sicker and sicker of the carpet, the futon, the toys, the books, and the songs. To get outdoors and to see friends is to feel refreshed and rejuvenated. To be sick is to be stuck tight at home.

The moment I can take my kids out again, that golden window when there isn't yellow goop all over Grace's face and her juicy cough has finally stopped, I pronounce her "all better" and we get going socializing and playing outdoors. My soul always lightens. I feel myself deeply enjoying my kids, I feel like I've got a handle on being a mom of two very little kids, and I put on hand sanitizer like no one's business. But it's always just a matter of days before grace wakes up with snot all over her face and we stay at home for another week. And the stay at home blues come to visit again.

The most recent time Grace woke up snotty (I think it was cold number eight since January), I felt frustrated, but I reasoned Grace had been healthy for a whole week, so it was about time for her to get sick again. This wasn't something to have an anger fest or a pity party about, but an opportunity to get creative. What could I do to make a sick day fun?

A couple of hours later, my girls were buckled into their car seats and we were on our way to Wal-Mart to get a pet fish. Brilliant, Christie. Brilliant!

After watching the fish in their tanks for a few minutes, I asked Grace which one she would like to take home. She chose the black striped something or other for herself and an orange something or other for Cora. I bought some fish flakes because I figured that would be the humane thing to do.

We brought them home, put them in a giant plastic container that used to hold sourdough pretzels from Costco. Within a few hours, they were both dead. I guess I was supposed to treat the tap water? I don't know.

Grace helped me flush the fish down the toilet. "Bye bye fishies!" Soon Michel would be done with work. Another day of stay at home sickness blues was avoided. Thank you, fish.