Lately, I have been looking back at my life with one sick child with nostalgia. Having two sick kids can make you do that.

The cold bug bit my son a couple of weeks before Christmas, and we are still battling it. As a parent, it breaks your heart to see your little one struck by a cold. Yet, with just one child, you seem to manage, let the cold run its course and come out of it about a week later, none the worse for wear. But add another germ playground (a.k.a. child) to the equation, and ripping all of your hair out is, to be certain, a much easier battle.

As soon as you gain battle with one child's cold, the bug is on to healthier territory, namely your other child. And don't think you'll go unscathed. It's only a matter of time.

"You should all wear surgical masks and gloves," my mother tells me. "Get someone in there and disinfect the house."

Yeah, right.

This cold season has been a harsh one. A quick call to the local hospital advice nurse reassured me that I am not alone in the battle. "You are in very good company," the nurse told me, when I called about my son's latest 72-hour vomiting/diarrhea episode. "We have had nothing but calls about vomiting all week."

Great.

It all started innocently enough. A minor sinus infection, slight fever and cough. Nothing Children's Sudafed and the humidifier couldn't handle. Then the baby caught the cold. And all you parents out there know there is very little you can do for a baby. Infant Tylenol for the fever, and the humidifier for the congestion. Keep her head elevated. Make sure she's getting enough fluids.

Then her temperature hit 102.1 and she started vomiting.

Years of dealing with my particular HMO prompted me to forget about the call to the advice nurse and take her in straight away. The outcome? She has the same bug my toddler does, plus add a little pinkeye to the mix (oh yes, I got it, too).

Lovely.

But the war on this bug doesn't end there. Oh no. With the baby properly medicated and blinded with ointment, it moved back to my toddler. This time he was the proud recipient of an ear infection -- his first in his almost 3 years of life. Again, no messing around with the advice nurse. We took him straight to emergency after 24 hours of keeping nothing down and looking quite literally like death warmed over.

With my son now downing his first round of antibiotics in his life, could we be possibly seeing the light at the end of the tunnel?

Something tells me this battle is not entirely over. My husband is now complaining of a soar throat. And what about me? I've been taking close to 10 grams of vitamin C everyday and when I feel the slightest nasal congestion, I am taking Sudafed. I refuse to get sick. I am forbidding this bug to hit me.

But my throat is getting soar, too.

I suppose I can look on the bright side. The house has been a little quieter with two sick, sleeping kids. When they sleep.

I now know that red Jello vomit stains carpeting.

I have a great argument for my husband to slipcover the sofa.

I've had a nice break from Jazzercise, even though I am still paying for the classes I am too sick to attend.

And, like all things, this too shall pass.

Just in time for allergy season.