A Privelege
Last week, all three of my children were sick with some sort of 24 hour bug and in Mason's case two 24 hour bugs (or more accurately an entire week of a whiny baby bookend with two days where there were actual symptoms that could be identified as the reason for his fussiness). The past week has included middle of the night Tylenol doses, multiple middle of the night throw up cleans (the worst), comforting, snuggling, book reading, much more TV than usual, lots of laundry, and a very unhappy, clingy baby.
Although it is never fun to have your kids sick, I was so grateful for the timing of it. The first sign of illness appeared just hours after we arrived home from our weekend trip to watch Marcus run. That night Mason woke up with a fever and Kiwi woke up throwing up. I don't even want to imagine dealing with that in a hotel room or on the car ride home. Also, the worst days have seemed to fall on weekends meaning that I have had Mike to help share in the parenting duties allowing us to give the sick child the attention they need while still taking care of the other two.
And although I have been tired (sick babies can be especially draining), I could not help feeling extra blessed to be these children's mother this last week. Maybe it was that Mike was there to help during the worst throwing up episodes or that the kids spread out their sick days allowing me to get rest in between and not slip into sleep deprived, survival mode, but I really found myself thinking several times what an honor it is to be entrusted with these children. To be the one that they want, to be the one that is able to provide them with the comfort they seek. To wring a wet washcloth for a forehead like my mom used to do, and to be the body that Mason's little arms were reaching for.
That being said, I am so happy that they have all returned to their active, happy, normal selves. I am so grateful that they are overall healthy kids and that we have never had to deal with any serious illness. And I am grateful for the reminder this last week of just how important my role is. I am their mother. And what an amazing privilege that is.
(For the record, Mike did almost as much yucky clean up as I did and was helping take care of the "sickies" also. Daddies are pretty amazing too).
Although it is never fun to have your kids sick, I was so grateful for the timing of it. The first sign of illness appeared just hours after we arrived home from our weekend trip to watch Marcus run. That night Mason woke up with a fever and Kiwi woke up throwing up. I don't even want to imagine dealing with that in a hotel room or on the car ride home. Also, the worst days have seemed to fall on weekends meaning that I have had Mike to help share in the parenting duties allowing us to give the sick child the attention they need while still taking care of the other two.
And although I have been tired (sick babies can be especially draining), I could not help feeling extra blessed to be these children's mother this last week. Maybe it was that Mike was there to help during the worst throwing up episodes or that the kids spread out their sick days allowing me to get rest in between and not slip into sleep deprived, survival mode, but I really found myself thinking several times what an honor it is to be entrusted with these children. To be the one that they want, to be the one that is able to provide them with the comfort they seek. To wring a wet washcloth for a forehead like my mom used to do, and to be the body that Mason's little arms were reaching for.
That being said, I am so happy that they have all returned to their active, happy, normal selves. I am so grateful that they are overall healthy kids and that we have never had to deal with any serious illness. And I am grateful for the reminder this last week of just how important my role is. I am their mother. And what an amazing privilege that is.
(For the record, Mike did almost as much yucky clean up as I did and was helping take care of the "sickies" also. Daddies are pretty amazing too).
I never want my kiddos to be sick... but I love how everything can slow down when they are, and how I feel like a really with-it mom. It is an amazing, terrifying feeling, realizing that our relationship with them is custodial, that we've been entrusted with them. How scary. How beautiful.
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