Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Kill Me

That's all I could think.
Monday
Monday night
(especially monday night!)
Tuesday.
By Tuesday night (when I finally saw my husband) and he said "how are you?" my response was,
"Depressed."

Here's why:
1 full day and night of 2 kids puking
1 full day of laundry, scrubbing and cleaning
2 full days without leaving my house
2 full days of the kids cooped up in the house

I think "Kill me" and "Depressed" pretty much sum it up

But here's how it went:
Monday morning Alex and I have just left the gym (and not a moment too soon, it turns out).  We're on our way to pick up Noah at preschool when Alex stars puking - bucketfuls - in her carseat.  I had to slam on my brakes and pullover when she started choking.  I don't have a single thing to clean her up with, not even a tissue for her face.  I called a friend to see if they could bring Noah home...only to remember (after leaving a frantic message) that they're on vacation.  Nothing to do but go pick up Noah.  Alex threw up 2 more times before we got home, then fell asleep in it.  I'll spare you all the gory details of the cleanup (which included power-hosing the carseat).

Poor Alex, it went on all day and into the night.  So I let her watch "princess movies" and enjoy her pedialyte (which she didn't) to her hearts content.  

Now, besides having a very sick child, here was the problem: it's the week of Thanksgiving and Noah's birthday and I had about 8 places I needed to go and 10 billion things I needed to do.  Like THAT DAY.  One of which was the grocery store...

Paul gets home that night after a 30+ hour shift and with a terrible head cold that the kids and I had last week.  And I don't have a single thing to feed him for dinner.  Not only that, but I explain to him that he can't go to sleep just yet because Alex is puking and I HAVE to get to the store because we don't have laundry detergent or paper towels, necessary items when dealing with puke.  At least she only threw up once while I was gone (right honey?)

Paul crashes.
I watch movies with the kids.
I eventually get the kids to bed (despite the fact that Alex only wants to sleep in my arms, where she's been ALL DAY).
I go downstairs.
I come back upstairs.
And I smell it.
I run in to check on Alex, who is fine, but upset that I flipped the light on and needs to be soothed back to sleep.  So I check on Noah and find him sound asleep - surrounded by GALLONS of puke.  WHAT?!?!?!

And so the clean up begins again.  And now I am cursing bunk beds because Noah's puke is on his (top) bed, dripping down the slats onto the bottom bed and all over the floor.

When I woke Noah to move him to the couch he was so confused.  I said, "You threw up."  He looked around and said, "I did?  I thought I was just coughing."

And now I have a big dilemma known as "where are we all going to sleep???"  The kids obviously need me to sleep with them (Alex is crying every 15 minutes) and I don't want them puking in my bed.  Neither does Paul (although he probably wouldn't have even woken up).  We ended up with Alex in her old toddler bed mattress on the floor, me on the twin mattress from Noah's top bunk (after much cleaning) also on the floor, and Noah in the bottom bunk.  The three of us in the kids room.

Luckily the kids made a miraculous recovery.  There was no more puking after that.  The downside was that Alex missed her playgroup and Noah missed a friend's birthday party - and they knew it.  So they weren't too happy to stay home all day.  I spent the day de-germing our house so we'd be ready for Noah's birthday party the next day.

So...
By Tuesday night (when I finally saw my husband) and he said "how are you?" my response was,
"Depressed."
I still needed a bunch of things for Noah's party so Paul immediately sent me to Target.  Alone.  I've never been so grateful.  That 30 minute trip to Target saved my sanity.  By the time I got home I was happy, smiling, and ready to stay up late and tackle all the birthday party prep I hadn't been able to do the past 2 days.

And I did.


(Wasn't that a fun story?)

11 comments:

Michele said...

you left out the part where you called your amazing sister and she calmed your nerves and made you feel like you were superwoman and you could handle it all. oh... was that not how it happened? oops. just kidding, but I'm pretty impressed that you survived, and I can agree that I to this very day, curse all bunkbeds.

JoAnna said...

Umm... Sum!! I thought we were better friends than that!! Seriously! Where was I for all of this?! i would've been more than happy to pick up Noah and picked up paper towels and laundry detergent. Really. Now I know how you really feel. ;) You better be proving our friendship another one of these days!!
What a blech few days! Awful!!

BUT! Sarah had a blast at the party! Thanks for the great time.

[BrookeO] said...

Ah. Hem. I would have been there too ---

Lezli said...

Being a mom is the hardest job on earth. . . hang in there! XOXO

Lezli said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
John said...

Great story Sum, is it all true or did you make it up? Just teasing...sounds like a real barf-O-ramma. No wonder Paul spends so many hours at the hospital.

Faye said...

Summer you are a great writer - I had a total visual for your whole awful episode. Glad you all survived.

Lori said...

Summer my heart ached for you! I can't even imagine having 2 kids sick - how awful for you! Of course it isn't true, but don't you find yourself thinking "nobody has it as hard as me!! everyone else has a husband to help them out or they live by their moms!" That is ruff, I'm so glad you made it through :) Happy Thanksgiving! We were just laughing about thanksgiving a couple yrs ago - our very own sparkling cider! you guys rock.

Shellie said...

Oh man Summer, you have had a "special" week huh? I am so sorry....but I do have to say I LOVE the way you tell stories, I feel like we are sitting together and I am listening intently to every detail. UGH the bunkbed dripping would have KILLED ME alone....SICK!

Tiffany said...

Wow, that is enough to make any mom depressed...at least you got through it though. Makes me scared to be a mom...I puke when I see anyone else puke...and so does Randy...we are totally screwed...

Lexie said...

Wow...all I can say is Wow. The most amazing thing about that whole crazy two days is that you did it. And that you pulled off a party & Thanksgiving right after it. Way to go! I'm so glad everyone is feeling better and so glad I get to know you Superwoman!