Mama's little helper

Well, we are still not over our illness in the Fields household. The kids both have full-blown colds complete with runny noses and icky coughs. I am just puny. None of my symptoms are really impressive, but I just generally feel icky. And I have had this medicine head feeling for about 3 days...and I am not taking anything! So both kids decided to have BAD nights last night and we were all up for about 3 hours straight. At one point, Ellie was in our bed talking to her lion and I think Brandon and I were just so tired and out of it we let it go on far too long. So the kids and I called in sick today. Ellie slept until 8:30 which is unheard of. I think if we have a good night tonight we'll be set to go back to school tomorrow. Hopefully, we can kick this gunk. Brandon is getting over his so I guess it runs about a week.
So Ellie was in a fairly good mood today, probably due to the fact she slept so late. She decided that today she really wanted to help me. She picked up any toys she played with and she "babysat" Mason. She ASKED that they be locked in their room with the baby gate so she could contain him in there and play with him. And who am I to complain??? Then she came to the gate and asked for the baby wipes informing me she needed to change his diaper! I did let her help me and she actually impressed me with how well she put the clean diaper on him. He was perfectly still and really studied the whole episode like "WHY are you letting her do this???" (for the record, I wiped him until he was completely clean then let her take a swipe with a clean wipe. I held him up so she could slip the diaper under his bumbum and she fastened the tabs...then I re-fastened them when she wasn't looking!)
Brandon leaves Saturday for a week in Brazil. Fun for him! It actually IS a work trip, but I know he will have some fun. He's never been to Brazil so I think he's a bit excited. Maybe it will be an account he has to work on a lot and I can go back with him sometime! Me and the kids are planning some Nana and Poppop time over the weekend. I am hoping mom will come stay with us so I can get everything in order for next week.
Brandon's birthday is coming up next Wednesday. This will be the 7th year we have been together and I think he has been in town for MAYBE 3 of his actual birthdays. Obviously this year is no exception. What's the vote on him getting a cake if he's not around on his actual birthday???