Feel Better Tea

My sweet baby girl is sick... again.

She has been hit by cold after teething after cold this winter. Each accompanied by stuffiness and coughs and general malaise. We've developed such a sick day routine that she wakes up from afternoon nap, asks for med-sin, a disney movie and feel better tea.

I don't know how you feel about home remedies. Growing up, I firmly believed all helpful cures came with childproof caps. Then I had sick babies. Tiny ones don't have many options for OTC cold relief. But feel better tea does the trick. Clears sinuses, relieves headaches, settles stomachs. We're believers. 

Note - this tea is for babies over 1 year. Please don't feed honey to infants.

Feel Better Tea

Ingredients

1 bag chamomile tea {or 1 1/2 t loose chamomile tea and an infuser}

1/4 t cinnamon for the little guys, 1/8 t cayenne pepper for the grown ups

2-3 slices fresh ginger {or 1 piece candied ginger}

1-2 t honey {again, please don't feed to infants! Try agave instead}

1 lemon slice

8 oz not quite boiling water water

Let steep for 5-8 minutes. Remove tea bag and serve. I add two ice cubes for the girls.

If a spring cold hits you, I hope you feel better soon!

Chai Tea

I feel defeated. Baby girl climbs my leg like a cat on tree. So much strength in her 18 pounds. A long weekend leaves a cranky baby with high demands. Big one has forgotten her training. More accidents than successes this week. Potty is for playing. Pants for pooing. I want to reach for diapers. Am I really that tired? Just a pre-lunch slump. Lunch at two because I haven't been able to stop sooner.

Cold morning. Room temperature doesn't feel as warm when the sun is obscured by clouds. I pull a hot cup of tea close, feeling steam on my face. Sun pokes out, illuminating jet streams from 1 o'clock F-22's. My fingers regain their flex. An afternoon pick me up to send me peaceful into arsenic hour. A  quick prayer, word of thanks, and reminder of this morning's verse, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." I need rest if only for a moment.

Does tea really fix all evils? According to my crazy tea store lady, yes. The warm cup gives me time, quiet. I sit before the Lord, lay my burdens at his feet and breathe deep. Tea demands sipping, a rest stop from my motherly duties. A brewed sabbath.