Blarg! Finally! Things are happening.

   First, after being wretchedly sick all week, I'm finally able to move about without needing my inhaler and coughing up a lung. There were a few days there where I honestly thought that Cooper was going to rip the house down board by board simply because I couldn't keep up. I still have the remnants of a cough, and a slightly sore throat, but my sinuses have cleared up and the coughing fits are gone, just a little *ahck ahck* here and there. I hate getting sick with colds and things because while puking sucks, anything having to do with a sore throat or cough makes my asthma go nuts. Suddenly I'm burning through my inhaler and trying not to have nightmares about suffocating in my sleep because I don't wake up in time to puff up.

   Brandon's fighting it off now, and Cooper has started coughing a bit and has a terrible runny nose. Brandon's sucking down Emergen-C and I'm pumping both of them with fluids and making sure they spend a lot of time in bed or on the couch under the covers, resting and eating healthy foods. Tonight we're having our Christmas with Inez and Charlie, so I'm going to make veggie tacos and clean the house up before they get here. Brandon was supposed to help, but I figure, I'm getting better while he's just starting to feel sick. Maybe if I just let him sit and relax, he won't get so sick.

   Speaking of Brandon, he and I had a conversation yesterday. I guess I was invited to his family's Christmas dinner, which I totally don't understand. I respectfully declined, though. I don't dislike these people, or want to hurt them. I am just beyond the point where I'll ever be able to act as if we're family or will ever be friendly. Respectful, courteous, yes. Do I love them, you bet I do. I just have distanced myself and it has been a really positive thing for me. It allows me to support Brandon and Cooper's relationship with them without getting torn up and worrying all the time about when I'm going to say something or do something and not be wanted anymore. This way I can view their relationship as a positive and nurture it.

   We've had our phone hooked up for a couple weeks now, and it made me sad that Cooper got to talk to all of his other grandparents at least once a week, but he hadn't talked to Brandon's mom and dad or his brothers yet. Part of our conversation was about having Brandon give them our number or calling them so Cooper could talk to them more often. They get to see him the least of all of his grandparents by far, because we live so far away and it's hard for them to get him, and we don't have a car. Jo and my dad see him every other week or more, my mom sees him about the same, as with Inez. Brandon's family sees him maybe every few months, and that's sad, because Cooper loves them. Brandon caved and called them last night, but Cooper was tired and feeling icky, so he wasn't up for talking long. Still, he talked about Blake for the rest of the night. Haha. We're still hoping we can figure out a way to have Blake over sometime. He's a cool kid.

   I think next time they'll have to talk in the morning when Cooper is at his most chipper. He's a morning person just like me. This morning he got out of bed and sat next to me as I was typing and just started rambling about milk and Santa and Raymond and his bed and showers. It was awesome. Every now and then he'd pause and make his quizzical face and ask me a question, very seriously. He's talking so much now. It's astounding how fast he learns words and how much he picks up when we speak. We have to really watch what we say.

   I'm pretty excited for Christmas dinner! It's going to be so yummy, and so far Aric, OB, and Morgan and Allison are coming. We decided against going out on Christmas eve with Cooper getting sick. We want him to be in tip top shape to enjoy Christmas day with us, and taking him out in the cold the night before is not good for him.

   Time to start deep cleaning for company over the next few days!