The Post-Birthday Plunge
After the balloons and cake, our house took on the toddler cold circuit.
The week after Jasper’s big two-year birthday celebration turned out to be a lot less about race cars and a lot more about tissues and tea.
Like most toddlers who spend their weekdays in daycare, Jasper occasionally brings home a little “souvenir” from his friends — usually in the form of a cold. This week it felt like the germs made a full lap through the entire house.
It started with my partner losing her voice late last week at temple. Unfortunately, she had a big week at work ahead of her and didn’t really have the luxury of slowing down. She pushed through meetings, responsibilities, and everything else that comes with the workweek while trying to recover. Watching someone operate on half a voice while juggling work and family life is impressive in its own way.
Then it was my turn.
By midweek I hit a wall harder than I have in a long time. I realized pretty quickly this wasn’t just a light cold. I was as sick as I’ve been in probably three years. The kind of sickness where even the simplest tasks feel like a full workout. It made for a long week, especially when work and parenting responsibilities don’t exactly pause just because you feel terrible.
It was one of those weeks where you just focus on getting through the day — lots of rest when possible, plenty of fluids, and the slow realization that sometimes your body just forces you to reset whether you planned for it or not.
Thankfully, by the weekend things started to turn the corner.
Saturday was the first day we finally felt well enough to get out of the house. Nothing major — just a simple trip to the park and a stop at the store — but after being inside most of the week it felt like a big victory. Fresh air, a little sunshine, and watching Jasper run around again was exactly what everyone needed.
Sunday brought us back to the gurudwara, which felt like the perfect way to close out the week. After the chaos of sickness and the nonstop rhythm of life, taking time for reflection and meditation helped reset things mentally. Sometimes you need that quiet moment to step back, breathe, and appreciate the fact that even the tough weeks eventually pass.
This wasn’t the kind of challenge you plan for — no big events, no celebrations, just the reality of a household fighting through illness at the same time.
But like most things in parenting and family life, we got through it together.
And hopefully this week, the only thing Jasper brings home from daycare… is artwork.