I’m wiped out on a Sunday afternoon after a few days of illness (my own), followed by Ava getting sick yesterday as well. My energy is still 30% at best, and I’ve been able to eat about 1.5 meals a day for the last few days, so that’s where things sit at the moment. But the conversation that transpired between me and Ava on Wednesday night at bedtime was too funny not to share.
By the time were curled up in the corner of the couch doing story time, I had been nauseous for hours, had body aches and chills like crazy, was barely holding myself up, and was quite literally counting the minutes until I could finally put her to bed and get some rest myself.
“Ava, I have to stop. I have to stop reading this book. I’m too sick, I need to put you to bed.”
“No, you can’t. First we have to do stories, then we do brusha brusha, and then we do jammies and special time and then you can put me to bed.”
“Ava, I can’t read this anymore, I’m going to throw up. ” (getting up and running to the bathroom and doing exactly that)
“Mommy, did you throw up?” (she shouts at me from the couch)
Silence. I just can’t. My head is in the toilet. I need a freaking minute.
“Did you throw up Mommy?” (now walking over)
“Yes, I threw up” (my head still hanging over the toilet bowl)
“Why did you throw up Mommy?” (now hovering over my shoulder)
“Because I’m sick, Ava. Because I’m really sick.” (picture my tone here)
I flush the toilet, wash my hands and rinse out my mouth and resume the bedtime routine. I make it through teeth brushing and jammies and I’m almost home free when it hits me again.
“Ava, I have to go. I need to barf again” (setting her down in the rocking chair)
“Mommmmmmy”
“I just need to throw up and then I’ll be right back for special time”
And I did. And I was.
I did what I needed to do quickly and efficiently, then I returned to my daughter’s room, snuggled with her in her rocking chair, sang her two bedtime songs, and then finally, finally put her to bed. Then I closed her door behind me, cleaned the kitchen, and collapsed into bed.1
Motherhood is so real.
It should be noted that J was working late, otherwise I would have had much more help. Sometimes it just goes that way.
Yikes!
I can't even imagine how you persevered!!