Having a cold

No, not me, thank goodness, the child. I don't usually mind having a cold, particularly the ones where you don't feel that ill, but under the weather enough to just take a day out of life and lie on the sofa watching some kind of guilty pleasure (i.e. one what you wanted to see but couldn't admit it to the other half, or indeed watch it in their presence).

But having a cold while up the duff is just no fun because of the lack of available medication. Paracetamol just doesn't cut it - I want Contac, but it's on the list of banned substances. When I was pregnant with Isabel I had a cold before I knew I was pregnant, and took two Contac, and then felt guilty for about six months. So no illicit drugs this time, and therefore much avoidance of people with colds. Also, colds always lead to coughs with me, and we've seen what then happens by way of chest infection and general inability to breathe. Not keen to repeat that either.

But of course I can no more avoid my own child and reject her hugs than I can lick my own elbow (feels like it should be possible, but just isn't. Unless you do a lot of yoga, maybe). So if I get her cold I'll just have to suffer through it. Since she doesn't seem at all bothered by it (lovely image of child with streaming nose wiping it liberally on her clothing, my clothing, the soft furnishings etc) maybe it'll just pass quietly without infecting the rest of the house. Here's hoping....