Seven Months Old and Sick as a Dog

Caleb is seven months old now. His monthly milestone came in the middle of a week of sickness at our house. So he's not too happy in these photos.

Micah and Caleb both got sick last Thursday. They've had coughs, fever, runny noses, etc. Starting last Wednesday night Terry and I were both up all night, each comforting a child. We traded off walking around with a wailing Caleb or sitting beside Micah's bed and rubbing his head. Caleb could only sleep for an hour at a time- tops. And Micah woke up crying 2-3 times a night.

One good thing about kids being sick is they usually sleep most of the day and night away. That's usually a parent's time to recharge and get a break from the whining that accompanies sickness. But for the last week, our kiddoes haven't even napped well. There's been no break from the germy, runny noses or the whiny attitudes. And Caleb's all-or-nothing personality has been brought to the fore-front again. This is his first time being sick and I think he's overwhelmed by it. He refuses to be comforted in anyway and he just cries and cries!

I was getting down and feeling a bit claustrophobic from being cooped up and then I was encouraged by reading something in "Life on Planet Mom" by Lisa T. Bergren. It came at the exact moment I needed to hear it:

The exhausted months/years [of parenting babies and toddlers] are something you just have to endure, make it through the best you can. When a baby is crying or sick, and so is his sibling, sleep is going to become a premium in short supply. But also hear this: it comes to an end. One day you will again get a full night's sleep. And in the meantime you can do things like take naps along with your children and bail on using the dishes-- going with paper once in a while. (Yes, you can still be a good mother and serve dinner on plastic!) ...Bring your husband into the process. Give him errands to run. Tell him things have to be different for a while, because you're absolutely wiped...

Now since my kids don't nap at the same time of day, naps for me aren't going to be possible. And giving my husband errands won't work either. He's been sick himself for the past two days. So we've just been living in squalor and dirty dishes. Things don't get picked up at night like they should. In fact, nothing is getting done like it should. Someone rang the doorbell earlier today (turned out to be a solicitor) and my stomach dropped. Isn't it always when your house looks like this and your kids are still in their pajamas at 4 pm that someone drops by to visit?

These weeks are so, so hard to get through. They really make you want to pull your hair out. Right now Micah has dropped to the floor and is banging his arms and legs on the ground because I told him for the millionth time today that he needs to get a tissue for his nose. Caleb is hollering beside me, waiting for relief that won't come until his sickness has passed.

Sometimes I so look forward to the day where babies and toddler-things are behind us. When runny noses are taken care of without my attention and when sick kids can understand that time and sleeping is the only thing that will make them feel better...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

.....I'm picking up this post again after leaving the computer more than 3 hours ago. I re-read the words above and even though the house is much, much quieter than it was mere hours ago, I can still vividly remember the anguish I felt earlier. My back is aching from the efforts of the day and my stomach is rumbling now that I've had time to sit still and realize my hunger.

But, the turmoil and tension of the day has already faded. Caleb is in his crib with a full tummy. I'm crossing my fingers that he stays there a while. Micah is sitting on the couch watching ESPN with Daddy as he finishes his before-bed snack. Somehow, the house is picked up and vaccuumed. There are no dirty dishes in the sink. I have no idea how I made it here. I don't know how things got done, but they did.

And, I hate to tie things up with a pretty bow (because so many days like today don't end in peace and quiet), but my hard work today paid off with just six words from my kind-hearted toddler.

He was at one end of the table eating his macaroni and cheese. I was at the other end, feeding Caleb oatmeal and bananas. I was grouchy, was being short with Terry, and had made Caleb's bottom lip jut out when I'd scolded him with his first ever, "No!"

I was busily spooning bites into Caleb's mouth, mentally going through my to-do list when my sweet son piped up from his end of the table. In a genuine, caring voice, he says to me (as if he hasn't noticed the black clouds rolling over my head), "Mommy, tell me about your day."

Sometimes God is so visible through children. God used my toddler to remind me of the bigger picture, to help me remember the gist of what Lisa T. Bergren said- This too shall pass.

Overall, today was a good day!