Small Hands in the Big World: Sick Day

Without getting too graphic, I’m just going to say that poor Sara has a tummy bug and it has been a messy day. She began throwing up in the night so her sheets, blankets and pajamas were the first casualties, then my sheets and clothing, plus clean up rags had to be laundered. She seemed better after getting big brother off to school and even asked for toast. That went down fine and gave her a little energy but not enough for preschool (and we didn’t want to share germs) so she tagged along for my much-anticipated appointment with a nutritionist (apparently, I need a professional to tell me to drink more water and stop eating the kids’ mac and cheese or grilled cheese crusts for lunch if I want to lose weight).

Anyhow, it was a good meeting and this nutritionist gave me some great recommendations (along with telling me to drink more water and stop scavenging for food from my children’s plates). Little trooper Sara sat patiently through the meeting and was excited that I brought her a snack in the car… you know where this is going, don’t you? Silly, silly Mommy gave Sara her little Trader Joe’s organic smoothie thinking it would be nourishing for her tummy. Her tummy decided otherwise. Moments after she drank it, driving at 60 mph on the freeway, I hear an awful gushing sound, then another and another and I can’t do anything about it except talk in a soothing voice and hand wipes back to Sara. Talk about a trooper, she was so brave and patient.

I was going to go on about the thankless task of taking apart a car seat and washing every piece, and using a steam cleaner only to be amazed by how long it takes to clean the #@&*%! cleaner when the job is done. I even took a picture of my “tip,” the quarter and penny (plus two plastic pirate coins) found in the wreckage but a sick child changes everything. All I can think about is my sweet Sara Bear asleep in her room. She was exhausted by bedtime but still mustered the energy to negotiate keeping me in her room all night “you stay and I not do throw ups.” It didn’t work but I sure admire my darling girl’s tenacity.