On Sunday we opened up the chicken coop, letting the chicks have the full run of the place rather than a sectioned off corner of it. They were so ready and immediately started half-flying all over the place. Jeff built them a mini roost too. We had a good, productive home day. Jeff and I both noticed that Bracken seemed a little off though. Then on Monday he felt warm to me. Yep, he had a temperature. It was a rainy day and Jeff started a fire in the woodstove to keep things cozy. Bracken and I wore our pajamas all day. There were lots of extra snuggles. More quiet. Less activity. More nursing than usual. He got a runny nose, a cough, and started sneezing. Last night was long for all of us. Every time I finally got Bracken to sleep, he woke right back up again. It’s so hard for Jeff and I to see Bracken feeling miserable (this is definitely the most miserable he’s ever been) and we’re really grateful he hasn’t been sick very often.

Today we all woke up from a restless night and the sun was shining. It was gorgeous out. Jeff needed to get some groceries and run some errands. I had planned on doing that today, but we decided not to go to our weekly group at the Waldorf School. I knew the only way I’d get breakfast made this morning was if I put Bracken in the Ergo carrier. I hardly ever use it at home anymore, he’d rather be running around free. But I still use it at the grocery store and on and off at the Saturday Market. People always make comments about how big he is and that they can’t believe I’m still carrying him around in there. I guess they aren’t used to seeing two year olds in carriers, but it seems really natural to me. And it’s wonderful at times like today when he wants to be held nonstop, but I still have things to get done. I did get breakfast made. Bracken fell asleep on me on the couch and it almost burned. So I’ve gotten very little done around here today, but am doing the most important thing there is- caring for Bracken. He is congested and has a hard time sleeping while he’s laying down. He’s been falling asleep on me all day and I’ve been keeping him propped up so he can rest longer. 

We went out in the garden to soak up a little sunshine. Yesterday it felt right to be indoors, warm and snug, and today it felt right to be outside in the fresh air a bit. Last week Bracken spotted the very first calendula flowers blooming in the garden. He always seems to be the one to spot the first flowers. He was so excited. (And the way he says the word ‘calendula’ is so incredibly cute.) Today he saw two more and his whole face lit up. It was so wonderful to see him smile in the midst of being sick. He picked them and then set them on the ground. I held them for a moment, took a few pictures, and set them back down. Then he held them up to the sky and decided to give one to mama and one to dada. He insisted on a vase of water and we put one in the kitchen window. The other was tucked behind Jeff’s ear, just where Bracken wanted it.