Antibiotics, Galoshes and Vampire teeth

Good grief… what a blogger loser I've been.  Sorry for my absence.

Life has been a bit hectic lately. I just got out of the shower to wash the lingering smell of vomit off of me.  And I know I have a long night ahead.

Last night I found myself at the urgent care with Momo.  He had a horrible fever and a host of other symptoms.  Turns out he has Herpangina… ugly mean blistering ulcers lining his throat.  He also has an ear infection… yep he's an overachiever.  Poor little tike is just plain miserable.  This evening he saw me preparing his antibiotics and out of the corner of my eye I caught him scurry away.    (He hasn't wanted to take any medicine.  I'm not sure if it is because It hurts for him to swallow, or the taste.  But he needs some for the pain, and some to clear up the infection.  I have to hold him down to get him to take his medicine.  It's awful).  He seemed shocked when I found him in the pantry.  He had hidden well, but hadn't taken into account that I could hear him sobbing. I had to pry his little hands off the door knob… he was trying so desperately to keep the door closed.   After coaxing him to release his vice grips he vomited… all over me and the floor.  Scooter promptly ran for rags, I used them to clean us both off and then caused him to take the dosing syringe of cloudy white syrup.   Making me feel even worse, is that after our little medicine wrestle I handed him his sippy cup, then through his sobs I hear him softly say "Tank-cue" (translation: Thank you).  Sigh. 

Last night he didn't sleep much… seriously he was up allllllll night.  We brought in the mattress from his crib and put it on the floor of our room.  He started out there, got about an hour of sleep,  but then ended up in bed with me and J.  He just couldn't get comfortable, and the amount of drool he produced was both impressive and disgusting.  So after a terrible night he finally submitted to sleep around 5 am.  This is when I too was finally permitted to pass out.  I'm one of those that doesn't function well on minimum sleep.  My husband is just fine, but me… I'm a disaster.  So when the alarm went off at 7:30 I straggled into Scooters room to wake her for school.  I returned to bed… and blacked out.  I have no recollection of anything else.  When I did return to life, Scooter was gone. I found Ride helping herself to a bowl of cereal and next to her, on the counter was the proof Scooter had done the same.  I couldn't feel more awful.  Although I didn't intend on falling back to sleep, I did, and left my Scooter to fend for herself.  To dress, eat, and pay attention to the time so she could walk herself to the bus stop. 

This afternoon as she walked in the door my eyes welled with guilt filled tears and simultaneously my heart swelled with pride.   She had her polka-dot umbrella in hand and had worn her flower printed pink galoshes. She explained she had checked the weather on my phone and because it had a photo of a cloud with rain coming out of it, she chose her outfit accordingly. And I have to give her props.  She looked darling.  She even did her own hair and added a matching giant flower headband.  I hugged her and apologized for my shortcomings and she simply said…"That's ok mom, I didn't want to wake you up.  I know you were up all night with Momo." Sigh #2.

And then there is Ride… we dashed out the door to preschool and miraculously made it only a few minutes late.  She dressed herself today as well… and although I wouldn't put her outfit in the category of "cute" it definitely was entertaining.  She brings such sunshine to our home.  Like tonight when I picked her up from tumbling.  There waiting for me, standing under the porch roof to avoid the rain was my lovable 5 year old, wearing black jazz pants that are awkwardly too short (she's growing like a weed) smiling widely to show off a pair of bright pink plastic vampire teeth.  She found them this afternoon, and apparently wore them to class.  I laughed out loud.  

I so often feel these precious little ones are gifts I don't think I'll ever feel worthy of.   They are such examples of patience, forgiveness, kindness and spirit. Maybe a little of them will rub off on me.  I'll take anything they are willing to share... well all except the herpangina;)