I sure told him

I'm sick.

I'm only sick like this once or twice a year and I don't like being sick... unlike all those people who do?  But I hate it even more when I'm also looking after 3 kids during the hours I need sweet sweet recovery sleep.  Kids who are also sick, and miserable, and leaking from their noses.  

There is only one thing that makes me feel better about it all: Hugs.  I need hugs to get going in the morning when I don't feel good.  So when I asked my biggest boy for about 600 hugs this morning, and he started refusing my sick-person begging, I told him:

"That's okay Ethan, I have two other sons you know, you're not the only game in town!"