Community Crud

That’s what our pediatrician’s office calls common diseases that are currently going around. It’s the title I chose for today’s post because I only have two things to tell you. One of them is about community, and the other is about crud.

First, today is Auntie Katie’s birthday. I am skipping her birthday party for the first time in I can’t remember when because with our “school night” schedule, I just can’t make it work. Here in the Urban Sprawl, a simple visit can turn into an all-night adventure requiring an hour’s drive each way. If I left now and only ran in to say “Happy Birthday!” I would get home at 10:45. Too late for this mama on a Tuesday night.

Her birthday reminds me that every two years my gift to her was the announcement of my pregnancy. I cannot give her that gift this year. More on that coming soon. But I do give her the gift of love from not only myself, but of three additional people: Stewart, Kyle, and Brady. That’s pretty good, right? Kyle picked out her presents and drew a picture of her, and also drew an Auntie Katie flower on the sidewalk in the backyard. He wouldn’t sing Happy Birthday on the phone, though. He needs his audience in person.

Now for the crud. Brady has a sore on his upper lip that Stewart thinks might be a cold sore. I called the doctor’s office and consulted Dr. Internet about it. Stewart gets cold sores and he is so paranoid about spreading the virus to the children that he does not kiss them. HE DOES NOT KISS HIS CHILDREN. If you have children or love children, you know what a huge sacrifice that is. I mean, look at our kids! So kissable. I cannot pick up Brady without kissing him, and most of the time I am moved to kiss Kyle as well. Stewart has instituted a modified, kissing-like action with the boys that he calls a “beard kiss” in which he rubs his scratchy beard on their tender faces until they squirm and laugh.

So after all these years of not kissing the children, to have Brady possibly infected with the cold sore virus for the rest of his life is very disappointing to Stewart indeed. I try to comfort him by pointing out that he could have caught it from anyone else, especially given his alter ego, The Juicebox Bandit (at gatherings he skulks around, grabbing half-full juice boxes and sucking them dry, kind of like that creepy guy at parties who will drink from half-full beers). This is no consolation to Stewart, however.

Tonight it occurred to me that the sore on Brady’s lip could be from hand/foot/mouth disease, which is going around town these days. We’ll have to wait and see. It’s another one of those sad little injustices done to our children that I wish I could just take and put on myself.