Still Sniffley

Greetings from Chicago! Emma and I are slowly working on moving in with Meng and his parents. We alternate weeks in Chicago and Michigan. Hopefully we'll be here to stay week after next.

Whatever it was that Emma got last week, she has given it to all of us. Either that or Meng has given it to all of us. It's really quite difficult to tell who infected who at this point. Symptoms include a runny nose, which turns into a sore throat, which becomes blocked sinuses, then finally clears up and turns into a hacking cough. As far as we can tell, it's over once you lose your voice. We're hoping Emma is spared the better part of these symptoms, but my mom and I are both suffering from the cycle right now.

Emma is still has the sniffles, but we've been using a saline spray called Little Noses, which can be found at any pharmacy, and a ball aspirator, which makes me cry every time we use it on her. It flushes the sinuses pretty well, and she's pretty content for most of the day. If she has the pounding sinus headache, she hasn't told us yet.

We're quite the lot, the three of us. Meng with his hacking cough, me with the headaches and Emma with the sniffles. This morning we all crowded into the bathroom, turned the shower on as hot as it would go and took a family steam.

I discovered a brilliant product (actually, my mom discovered a brilliant product) that I think is the best thing since sliced bread. Remember when you were little, and your mom would put you to bed with Vicks Vaporub on a tissue for you hold next to your nose? Introducing Puffs Plus with the scent of Vicks, the innovative tissue that combines the two products your mom loved. I'm a huge fan, if you can't tell. If you're stuffy this season, I recommend you go and get some, cause it's amazing.