A lousy deal

Many thoughts came to mind when I first gazed upon Téo's crinkled, bewildered face, but "bringer of pestilence" was not one of them.

It should have been. Because while the kids might have come out sterile - or at least only inoculated with my own flora and fauna - they didn't stay that way. And ever since they started moving around and picking up their own beasties, they've been passing them on to me.

First it was a string of viruses, nicely spaced at 3-week intervals over Téo's first 6 months at childcare. Where did these microbes come from, against which I apparently had no immunity? No idea, but they found me a very agreeable host.

I thought it was all over once my immune system finally got to work and I was no longer constantly sneezing and coughing, but no. The transfer simply moved to higher life forms.

First it was worms. A whole family infestation. Twice. Just lovely.

Then, the weekend before last, lice. LICE!! Only this time the kids truly perfected the art of vector - one or both of them managed to pass a louse on to me without getting infested themselves. Which, on the one hand, great! More is most definitely not merrier when it comes to vermin! But on the other hand... wtf? It's their school- and childcare-mates who are chronically louse-ridden, but I'm the one with nits?

And you know what's even better than spending an entire weekend obsessively combing ones hair? Having the uninfested members of the family place the disgusting, wriggly insects in a kiddie bug trap, and then showing them to each any every visitor entering our doors.

Fun times people, fun times.