Sharing is NOT Caring

Ever since we’ve been back from our trip to Greece, Troy has had a stuffed up nose and congestion. Which I guess is the joy of him going to school with other sick kids and getting their germs. But it’s not enough that he got sick, he feels the need to share it too.

There’s been several times over the last couple of weeks that I’ll be carrying him in my arms, and he’ll suddenly have the urge to cough. Now, he’s sitting there with his head on my shoulder, and he could easily cough behind my back. But instead he’ll raise his head, look me square in the eyes, and say, “Dada?” When he’s satisfied that he has my full attention, he’ll open his mouth and cough full in my face. As I wipe the germinated spit from my face, I’ll tell him, “Gee thanks, Troy. You got me right in the eye.”

I thought I’d get smart and make him go piggyback instead. All of a sudden, I felt something brush over the back of my head. When I reached back to touch it, I realized Troy had licked the back of my hair. He’d start laughing at my disgusted reaction, which tickled his throat, and then he’d cough on the back of my neck. Epic fail.

When I put him in his car seat in the morning to send him off to school, he wanted to give me a hug and a kiss. I generally love this moment with him…except maybe when he’s sick. But I obliged him anyway, thinking it was just a little peck on the cheek. Only this time, he came at me with his mouth wide open, tongue shaking around in the air. When he connected, I could feel his tongue and lips encompassing the entire left side of my face.