Bryce wants you to know...

Bryce wants everyone to know that he loves all of his family and friends very much, but he doesn't love the possible germs all of us can give him! You may or may not know that October through April is considered RSV season and we do not want out little guy to get RSV. The Jones family will pretty much be home-bound between now and then!

What is RSV?

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common, easily spread virus that almost all children catch at least once by the time they turn two. It usually causes moderate to severe cold-like symptoms. But for babies born at 35 weeks or less, or born with heart or lunch problems, RSV can lead to serious lung infection, hospitalization, breathing problems and, in some cases, death. RSV has also been linked to asthma-like wheezing episodes during childhood.

At the end of this month Bryce will start having a monthly shot through April to help prevent him from getting RSV called Synagis. This shot will help in preventing Bryce from getting RSV, but it doesn't guarantee he won't get it.

So - Bryce along with Bryan and I want everyone to know that we love you guys so much, but please don't be upset with us or offended if we don't let you hold Bryce. I can't tell you how awkward it is to have to be like this with the people we love most, but it is very important for us to keep Bryce as healthy as possible. With Bryan being a teacher and both of our girls in school this will already be a hard task for us to accomplish. Please understand that by loving Bryce from a distance you are actually helping him!

So - this Thanksgiving and Christmas during family visits (our very favorite thing to do!) if we are standoff-ish with Bryce it's because we are trying to protect him. Some things you can do to help us when you are around Bryce are:

1. Wash your hands before touching Bryce - this includes Bryan, the girls and myself! Bryce usually travels with his own bottle of GermX to make this easier.

2. Don't let your little ones share toys with Bryce. All of his toys have to be wiped down constantly - this includes any surfaces he may touch on a regular basis. Clorox Wipes travel with Bryce as well so if you need one just ask.

3. We are being told to avoid exposing Bryce to crowds - like family gatherings, church and other public places. Avoiding family is not something we want to do during the holidays so just keep in mind our little list of rules we must follow! This will help us in keeping Bryce as healthy as possible.

4. Keep Bryce away from anyone with a cold or a fever. If you have been sick or feel like you are coming down with something - we ask politely...KEEP FAR AWAY!!!

5. Don't let anyone smoke near Bryce. Tobacco smoke can increase the risk of severe RSV. I don't think this will be an issue since we don't really know any smokers.

Thanks so much to all of you in advance for helping us out with this and being so understanding. As Bryce gets older this won't be as much of an issue, but for the first couple of years it's extremely important.

Jordyn's birthday pictures are coming soon...

Love to all...