My phone rang at 9:00 a.m. this morning and I answered in a semi-conscious haze. My friend, Linda, said, “Oh, were you sleeping?” At least I think that’s what she said. It’s always embarrassing to answer that question because sleeping past 6:00 a.m. is a sign of a deficient personality or a character flaw. However, I am excused because my daughter was up half the night throwing up. Nevermind the fact that I loathe mornings and never willingly wake up before 9:00 a.m. (though I do unwillingly wake up by 8:00 a.m. every morning).
My daughter complained last night that her forehead and stomach hurt. I love how specific she is–she never says, “My head hurts,” but only, “My forehead hurts.” She threw up in the sink last night before bed and I optimistically hoped the worst was over. It was not.
However, a stomach virus in a five year old is so much easier than a stomach virus in a baby or toddler. Throughout the early dawn hours, she’d call out, “Mom, I threw up in the bowl!” and I’d shout back, “Good job, honey!” and go back to sleep. Am I a terrible parent? An inhuman monster? Perhaps. I did get up with her throughout the night. The worst happened while I was away though, last night at 10:20 p.m. when she woke up and threw up on her pillow and bed. My husband had to deal with chocolate pudding vomit in her hair–he left the bed mess for me to handle after I rushed home.
I wish I could relay to you some of the drama occurring in my life, but I cannot. Suffice it to say that there have been a lot of tears (not mine) and shaking of heads. I can tell you that Saturday morning I had to be at a Science Fair at 8:00 a.m. with my son, that my husband resigned from his job (he starts another on July 1), that two of my kids have vomited, and that another boy appeared at my doorstep (bringing up the neighbor total number of boys to 14).
I have put away the mayonnaise jar four times today, even though I personally don’t eat mayonnaise.
Actual Unretouched Photo 
You most certainly are NOT flawed in character or deficient in personality…just tired…from being up, off and on, all night! I’m sorry that I woke you. 😦
Mayonnaise is disgusting. Mustard rocks!
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Oh ack, that sounds like a whole lot of not fun.
I hope the dramatic happenings resolve themselves for everyone.
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We have a fairly strict vomit policy in our house – first responder handles the entire mess. No use exposing both of us to all those germs.
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Oh, wow.
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We’re full of drama right now too, so I sympathize. Grandson #2 is due tomorrow, my dad-in-law was buried the day before Easter, I go in for major surgery on Monday. Oh. And our truck died. I’ll be praying for you…sounds like we’re both in need of double-doses right now, eh? (((((HUGS)))))
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We are in the middle of lots of drama, too! We might be moving to a whole new part of the country. We are going thru all the STUFF that goes along with it. I’ve lost about 10 pounds worrying and giving myself stomach aches and other issues. I wouldn’t wish this kind of drama on anyone.
Hang in there, Mel. I hope it gets better soon for you.
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Yup, yup, and yup. On the vomit ‘o’ meter, that is. It’s amazing what God all allows to converge at one time, isn’t it?
In our home we double-team the chunks. One tosses the child in the tub and the other tosses the laundry in the washer, hoping we’re awake enough to toss each in the correct place. Even though pukeage is part of parenting, I still salute you.
And I can relate to the times when you’re so tired at 3:30am that when your child cries out, you bellow back, “Is a bone sticking out? No? Great. Roll over and go back to sleep!”
My latest post is a bit similar, though on the more positive side of senti-mental. Doubtless, future ones will focus more on the negative side of mental.
Thanks for being so honest!
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That sounds like a whole lot of excitement. I’m shocked about husband resigning. What will his new job be?
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So sorry about the barf. I have a great story about vomit, a dvd player and 6 hours in the car. Let’s just say we had to throw the carseat away — before we got home.
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Oh you poor dear. I remember those times. When it’s all you can do to keep your eyes open in the middle of some kind of night time catastrophy. I was always just glad hubs would help out, regardless of his part. Once you’ve been a parent for a while, you have an instinct for what is serious enough to actually get out of bed, and what is not. Sounds to me like you have it all figured out!
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Amazing how nice it is when kids reach the age of some vomit control.
I am also a shameless sleep luster. I will do everything short of duct taping their bedroom door shut to get some extra zzzs when I can.
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