It was a Berning Influenza A Christmas this year! I am going to be honest, it was discouraging. This was the most widespread and longlasting sickness we have had in a LONG time.
Influenza A
Jacob got up the Sunday morning before Christmas and did not feel well. He had a fever and just felt miserable. He was so sad to miss our Sunday services. He took it easy all day and by Monday he said he was feeling a lot better – just a little bit of a sore throat. We thought we had dodged something and we were so happy!
We ended up going to the movie theaters and enjoying our day as normal. But by that night, Jacob was not feeling well again and Mark and Ben were starting to show signs. By Tuesday, the boys were OUT. Wednesday morning (Christmas Eve), I had them go to the Urgent Care and sure enough, they were diagnosed with Influenza A.
By the time they got home, Lydie was falling fast.
I had had a mild sore throat and fever for days, but was mostly keeping that to myself. The show must go on! But I was discouraged. I was trying so hard to keep all the traditions alive and well for Sarah (who was still feeling good) – and for everyone else despite their sickness. Sarah and I made sugar cookies and decorated them. I started our nice Christmas Eve meal and then by about 3:00 I decided I was done. I went down to the store, got ginger ale, more medicine, and groceries to make soup. I scrapped my planned meal and instead made some chicken noodle soup. I may or may not have cried on the way home. I was just discouraged.
I made a big double batch of my chicken noodle soup and it turned out to the be the best thing I could have done. We muddled through our Christmas Eve activities and everyone went to bed early. Lydie was really not in a great place and Mark slept with her for five nights on the couch. I got the kids in bed and made ready all of the preparations for Christmas day while everyone else slept.
Christmas morning felt forced. Sarah woke up sick. Everyone was just laying on the couch, trying their best. The girls were both in and out of sleep. It took us the entire morning to get through presents because we were moving so slow. By the time lunch came around, I tanked hard. We were all out now.
The rest of the week was really long and un-interesting. All of our gifts remained where we had left them when we opened them, and we just laid on the couch together, drifting in and out of sleep, and watched about a zillion movies. We were kept going by the chicken noodle soup (thank goodness), though none of us had much of an appetite.
It was brutal.
Influenza A was miserable. It was so aggressive. High fevers (we were all around 103) with extreme chills. Fatigue which was out of control. Sore throat and running nose were miserable. Sarah and Ben both had some nausea (luckily only one throw up though). And then the worst, most lingering cough (that we all still have!). Then to add to the fun, I got a migraine a couple days later.
Finally, five days after Christmas, we were all feeling well enough to finally look at our presents and emerge from the yuckiness of this sickness. It has been a strange 10 days. I am trying to remember and be grateful that Christmas is a season – not just a day. And we had a wonderful Christmas season. I really tried to be intentional this year and we spent so much quality time together and I am very grateful for that.
While I was laying one day feeling yucky, I reminded myself that the first Christmas probably didn’t go as Mary planned either. But it was still beautiful in its way.
So here is to all of the fun we had this Christmas season.
Ornament Exchange
For the last several years, I have been part of a fun ornament exchange group. This year we had the nativity as a theme and everyone made an ornament about a character. I was given the assignment to make some sort of container to hold them all in. I handpainted all of these and while it was a bit of a challenge, I was happy with how they turned out.
Christmas Chains
What is Christmas without making a Christmas chain? We loved making these!
Gingerbread Houses
We made graham cracker houses and they were so much fun!
Christmas Baking
We definitely spent our time in the kitchen this last month. We made all sorts of goodies – especially a lot of cookies. We tried a new kind of cookie – hot cocoa cookies and they were delicious! We also made our “signature” gingersnap cookies, Christmas bon bons, and chocolate pretzels.
Sleepovers under the Tree
Ben became obsessed with sleeping under the Christmas tree and it became a request almost every night.
Christmas Piano Recital
The kids did beautifully in their Christmas piano recital. It was Benjamin’s first one and I was so proud of him. Ben played Jolly Old Saint Nicholas, Sarah played Joy to the World, and Jacob played O Holy Night.
Christmas Movie Marathon
The kids wanted to do a Christmas movie marathon one Saturday so we watched The Santa Clause movies. Little did we know our whole Christmas week would turn into a movie marathon!
Pretend Fireplace
One day we might have a real fireplace (I hope so!). But until then, we loved the crackling ambiance of our pretend one and it was pretty much on all day, every day!
Gingerbread Playdough
I found a fun recipe for gingerbread playdough and the kids really enjoyed it. It smalled heavenly and it was something we definitely don’t do as much anymore. These kids are growing up!
Christmas Sunday
Jacob was such a trooper to get dressed so I could have a picture with the kids in their Christmas Sunday clothes. Cuties.
Sugar Cookies
Christmas Eve was made for sugar cookies. Sarah and I had fun making and decorating these!
Christmas Eve
At least we looked cute in our matching Christmas jammies š
