A plague in our house for Christmas

It was a ...er.... different Christmas this year.

It all started on the 23rd, when at 4 p.m., Austin spiked a fever. Thankfully it was gone by morning and he was left with just a really rotten cold. The kind of cold that just kind of knocks you on your ass.

By Christmas Eve, I was feeling pretty rotten -- and by the evening I had fa ever, as did Ryan. So much for a nice quiet Christmas Eve, drinking wine and watching holiday movies.

By morning I felt better -- just left with the same rotten cold that Austin had. But Ryan was not.

The only time he managed to get out of bed was to watch the kids open their presents and even then (sorry hon) he looked like death lying on the couch. It didn't take us long to realize it was pretty clear that he wasn't going anywhere. He didn't have the same cold that Austin and I had; with such a high fever (39C+), he had the flu.

After some discussion, it was decided that I would take the kids to my parents house for Christmas dinner without him. The kids were super excited to go to grandma and granddad's for Christmas and to not go may have caused rioting.

So we went -- getting there around 4:30 p.m. And it was really nice to see everyone for Christmas -- my grandma was there and both my sisters. But by 6:30 p.m., Alex, after being pretty lithargic the whole time we were there, spiked a fever. 39C+. We didn't stay much longer after that.

So now it's Boxing Day morning. Ryan's still in bed with a fever, Alex is lying lifelessly on the couch with a fever and Austin's nose is pouring like a faucet.

I think I want a Christmas Day do-over.

But on a less-sick note, the kids had a great Christmas morning. The day didn't start until 8:20 a.m. when Austin woke up -- that's the third year in a row that we've gotten a late start to Christmas morning. (I must say I do love the fact that my kids aren't always early risers!)

Austin made his way into the living room first, checked out what Santa left for him and Alex (a 400-block Lego set for him and a Mommy and Me set for Alex -- complete with baby stroller, crib and high chair) and then went to wake Alex up.

They opened their stockings, ate breakfast and then the present frenzy ensued. This is the first year that Austin 'got' the opening presents thing. He'd open each one, look at it for a minute (or 2 seconds, depending on how interesting it was) and then move on to the next one. Alex on the other hand, would open a present and then immediately insist we open the packaging of the toy so that she could play with it right then and there -- completely forgetting that there were still more presents to open.

It was the first time we've done Christmas morning just the four of us at home and it was really nice -- well other than the plague that plagued most of us.

We were supposed to head to London today to spend the day with Ryan's mom and then the following day with Ryan's dad, but we've had to call in an IOU. No one is getting out of their pajamas today and maybe even tomorrow.

Santa also brought us all skates for Christmas. Hopefully we'll be healthy enough to try them out by New Year's Eve.

Wishing you all a very Merry (and healthy) Christmas.